Welcome to edition 171 of the Pentax Forum's Picture of the Week. Thanks to fotaki for hosting last week!

This edition covers photos from June 19 - July 3, 2011. That lets you show off any shots you took last week but haven't processed until now. In other words, you can post your shots from this week AND last week.

POTW is a great place to show what you've been shooting day-to-day. It gives us all a chance to see what other members are up to with their Pentax (and Samsung) cameras in the parts of the world in which they live or have visited. We can share ideas, learn from one another, and have a good time.

So show us what you've seen in your little corner of the planet! Looking forward to seeing all of what's out there this week. A special welcome to all new members!

Again same rules as always:

1) No theme, just post your favourite pix.

2) Lets keep it to fewer than 6 images per post just so the thread doesn't get too big each week.

3) Any Pentax camera or Samsung SLR is fine, whether it's film, P&S, or DSLR.

4) Enter anything you shot last week or during this current week until the thread closes.

5) The current host will appoint the new host as an invitation via Private Message (PM). If possible, the new thread will be linked to the previous one and the new thread will start between Noon EDT and 5PM EDT on Sunday. If the thread doesn't start, please contact Peter Zack, Moderator via PM.

Here are the links to previous POTW threads:

1 Peter Zack, 2 Eaglerapids, 3 rmtagg, 4 Peter Zack, 5 daacon, 6 Bramela, 7 mtnbearhug, 8 dantuyhoa, 9 gawan,10 roentarre, 11 daacon, 12 Kris, 13 mtnbearhug, 14 SCGushue, 15 daacon, 16 maxwell1295, 17 dantuyhoa, 18 daacon, 19 maxwell1295, 19(2) daacon, 20 Bramela, 21 Syb, 22 maxwell1295, 23 maxwell1295, 24 dantuyhoa, 25 Gawan, 26 Peter Zack, 27 borno, 28 daacon, 29 gawan, 30 Damn Brit, 31 maxwell1295, 32 maxwell1295, 33 dantuyhoa, 34 daacon, 35 Peter Zack, 36 Damn Brit, 37 Borno, 38 Kevint, 39 Peter Zack, 40 Timbo13, 41 daacon, 42 daacon, 43 gawan, 44 dantuyhoa, 45 daacon, 46 Rense, 47 daacon, 48 Rense, 49 borno, 50 Rense, 51 daacon, 52 Peter Zack, 53 Peter Zack, 54 dadipentax, 55 David Whiteley, 56 planedriver, 57 daacon,58 Bramela, 59 daacon, 60 gawan, 61 virgilr, 62 daacon, 63 RickL, 64 Peter Zack, 65 Peter Zack, 66 Causey, 67 daacon, 68 Bramela, 69 georgeweb, 70 daacon, 71 seacapt, 72 daacon, 73 AOski, 74 Rense, 75 eccs19, 76 daacon, 77 xs400, 78 daacon, 79 Bramela, 80 borno, 81 legacyb4, 82 daacon, 83 gawan, 84 Rense, 85 Peter Zack, 86 davef, 87 davef, 88 xjjohnno, 89 Bramela , 90 Peter Zack, 91 daacon, 92 stevebrot, 93 reeftool, 94 jezza323, 95 oldschool, 96 Iris, 97 Rense, 98 planedriver, 99 xs400, 100 Peter Zack, 101 Netuser, 102 Photolady, 103 Tamia, 104 Irishwhite, 105 Ramseybuckeye, 106 xjjohnno, 107 Bumbibop, 108 JeffJS, 109 Tpeace, 110 Nomad, 111 Photolady, 112 rparmar, 113 Peter Zack, 114 casil403, 115 Tamia , 116 JeffJS, 117 bbluesman, 118 Clou, 119 ruggiex, 120 Jimbow007, 121 jmschrie, 122 VaughnA , 123 pop4, 124 casil403, 125 woof, 126 twitch, 127 stevebrot, 128 ohce, 129 jmschrei, 130 photolady, 131 photolady, 132 bbluesman, 133 rparmar, 134 reeftool, 135 reeftool, 136 Oldschool, 137 xjjohonnol, 138 KarenH, 139 Rense, 140 daacon, 141 Tamia, 142 JeffJS, 143 bbluesman, 144 fotaki, 145 fotaki, 146 Woof, 147 Bramela, 148 Bramela, 149 Tamia, 150 Nomad, 151 Clou, 152 drugal, 153 rparmar, 154 Nomad, 155 jmschrei, 156 noelcmn, 157 noelcmn, 158 rwfarnell, 159 ramseybuckeye 160 christophleipzig, 161 JeremytheIndian, 162 SpecialK, 163 emetcalf, 164 emetcalf, 165 stevebrot, 166 rparmar, 167 Mattt, 168 JeffJS,169 jmschrei, 170 fotaki, 171 xs400
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[xs400]

I have been absence from Pentax forms of quite a few months, but now I'm back. w
When I was asked to host POTW I decided I would do my part to support the forum.

I'm going through an abstract phase, so you can humor me for submitting my abstract shots.

Here's an example of my recent work.

[JeffJS]

[Digitalis]

spent some time putting together some albums based on the lenses I use here are a few recent wildlife images I used:

both images are from my Sigma 100-300mm f/4 APO EX DG

[xjjohnno]

Thanks for hosting this week's POTW Frank.
Some pics from a Sunday drive in the bush.

[Gareth.Ig]

June has been a horrible month for pictures in St. John's. RDF (Rain, Drizzle, Fog) for 23 out of 25 days so far. Got out for a quick walk with the dog yesterday.

By the looks of things, I missed the blossoms by 1 week.

Settings for both pictures: Pentax K-x, ISO: 200, f4.0, 1/400s, Vivitar 28mm. Cropped down.

[ramseybuckeye]

Frank, welcome back and thanks for hosting, I'm sure we'll enjoy your abstract stage, good start to the POTW.

Jeff, You.ve been hitting the flowers hard, excellent result to show for it. We'll look forward to more this week.

Digitalis, cool bird, excellent job, for those of us in the Western Hemisphere, what is it?

xjjohnno, that looks to have been an enjoyable drive, greta captures, thank for taking us along.

Gareth.Ig, We went through that in May, glad it's over. You got a couple of mice ones anyway, hopefully your weather is improving.

Went to a park yesterday and found an area I didn't know about, found this Brown Thrasher that was trying to lead me away from the nest by making a lot of noise while trying not to be seen. Not a great shot but my first Thrasher:


Stopped at another spot along a river and started this black snake:


Everytime I drive by this barn I have to stop and take a shot or two:

[reeftool]

Welcome back, Farnk and thanks for hosting. A couple more macros from yesterday with my 35 yr old 55/2 Tak and extension tubes.

Black Raspberries on the way

Cherry Tomatoes

[xs400]

It's good to see the POTW has already started off with some great shots.

Jeff, Nice bright colors in those flowers.

Digitalis, great bird image, good closeup.

xjjohnno, nice series, I sure like those mushrooms and the yellow flower- nice captures.

Gareth.Ig, I hope the weather improves for you in July. But you sure got 2 very nice images on your walk. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

ramseybuckeye - I like that image of the bird. Great framing, nice work.

reeftool has inspired me with his macros. Richard got a couple of great macros with an inexpensive setup, so I decided to try the same. Below are a couple of shots taken with K100D, Pentax A 50mm f/2.0 and an extension tube.

Blueberries from my yard.


Violets

[photolady95]

Hey Frank good to see your face around here again. I got a new camera while you were playing hooky. check my sig. Oh and I bought a new to me lens..Samyang 100-500mm. Below are some shots I took this morning with that lens.

BlueJay trying to hide:


500mm Macro; muscadine grape leaf

[ruggiex]

Thanks for hosting. Continuing my Niagara Fall pictures before they are too old for the threads.

[photolady95]

Some more I took this afternoon during my hunt for a single in June photo:

Poison Oak: no I did not have to get close or touch the leaves:


And Sunflower from the top down:

[Gareth.Ig]

Thanks for the compliments. Another break in the weather today. Yesterday was quite nice, but I had a long Honey-Do list and didn't get any pictures.

Chives and the bird from my birdhouse in the backyard.

Shot with 55-300 DA L. ISO 1600.

[xs400]

photolady - It's nice to see you have upgraded to a K-X and a 100-500mm telephoto, very nice!! You have certainly gotten some nice bird pics with that long telephoto. Sadly, there aren't many birds where I live so I don't get many opportunities for bird pics. Nice color and framing on that sunflower, well done.

ruggiex - Great job on those fireworks captures. You've really got a talent for capturing images of fireworks

Gareth.Ig -Cute picture of the bird in the birdhouse. Oh, chives - nicely done. This pic inspired me.

[xs400]

Gareth.IG inspired me the shoot chives growing at my home. I decided to do a little post processing to give them a B&W look. K20 + A 50mm macro.


Tiny flowers - K20 + A 50mm macro.