Photos: Post a hyperlink to your albums such as smugmug, flicker etc. here so others can see your work.
I don't really have any online galleries. Most of my photos wind up in ride reports. Those that don't, like personal family photos, generally sit on my hard drive and get shared with family directly. I've been thinking about firing up a Smugmug account though just for sharing "other" photos.
Brand: What are your brand preferences?
I can't say I really have a thought out preference. For point and shoots, I use Canons mostly because they were gifts, they work well, and I've had no reason to replace them with anything else. For DSLR, I have a Nikon. This is not because I don't like Canon's, it is just because I happened to have had a 35mm Nikon film SLR and went with a Nikon DLSR so I could use my old lenses with the new camera.
Body: What bodies do you shoot?
iPhone 6
Just because it takes pretty good shots and I always have it on me.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B000EMWBT2]Canon Powershot SD600[/ame]
This was a gift from my Dad. I use it on ALL of my rides/trips. It is a 6 Mp. It takes great shots outdoors but not so great indoors because of the tiny lens and harsh flash. It is very rugged and has seen some dirty duty! I thought about replacing it with another, but for some reason they are still quite expensive even though much newer Powershot models are cheaper, like the SD 800 I have. I still prefer the 600 over the 800 though. The 600 is all metal and the 800 plastic. The problem is that all the button markings have worn off on the 600
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD880IS-Stabilized-Silver/dp/B001G5ZTN6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_p_1]Canon Powershot SD880 IS[/ame]
Another gift from Dad when he upgraded and he thought the SD 600 might be getting long in the tooth...
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Digital-18-200mm-Filters-Accessory/dp/B008RM6A3O/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1357338570&sr=1-1&keywords=cameta+camera+d7000+18-200+kit]Nikon D7000[/ame]
I started with the D40, which is a nice camera, but I wanted to upgrade to something nicer. The planets aligned and the D7000 became a reality. I love it.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-MB-D11-Multi-Power-Battery-Digital/dp/B00436G2OU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358406531&sr=1-1&keywords=md-11]Nikon MB-D11 Multi-Power Battery Pack for Nikon D7000 Digital SLR Camera[/ame]
I got this when I got my SB-700 flash. Simply put, this makes holding on to the camera with one hand MUCH easier!! The extra controls and battery are nice too. The weight is a non issue for me because of how much strain it relieves on the hand/wrist by making it easier to hold the camera. It is also cool that in a pinch, if both the main batteries were drained, it can use six AA batteries.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D750-FX-format-Digital-Camera/dp/B0060MVJ1Q]Nikon D750 Body[/ame]
I wanted something with better low light performance than the D7000 and I just wanted the FX format. So...
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Multi-Power-Battery-Replacement-Wireless/dp/B00R7KQ2AS]Neweer Multi Power Battery Grip with Wireless Remote[/ame]
The Nikon battery grip is $350+ depending on where you find it!! The Neweer gets great reviews from everything I can find about it. It looks and feels pretty much exactly like the Nikon and has a good build quality. The wireless remote is MUCH better than the crappy little Nikon remote and it works really well. I could buy four of these grips for the price of one Nikon. So far, I am very please with it.
Lenses: List your lens inventory
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-18-200mm-3-5-5-6-ED-IF-Nikkor/dp/B000BY52NU/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1357338668&sr=1-2&keywords=nikon+18-200mm+vr+ii+lens]Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom[/ame]
The D7000 kit I bought came with this lens. I really like it just for the convenience even though there are sharper lenses. It covers 99% of the shooting I do and saves me from having to constantly swap between lenses like I had to do on the D40 with the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-35mm-1-8G-Digital-Cameras/dp/B001S2PPT0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1357338811&sr=1-1&keywords=nikon+35mm+1.8]Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX[/ame]
I bought this when I bought the D7000. I was wanting something I could use in lower light conditions. So far I have not really done much playing with it though.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-70-300mm-4-5-6D-Nikkor-Camera/dp/B00005LENR]Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED AF[/ame]
I bought this 15 years ago for the Nikon N70. It requires a focus motor in the camera body, which my D40 lacked. So for the last four years or so a buddy has been using it on occasion. When I got the D7000, which has a focus motor in the body, I got it back. I messed around with it last weekend doing shots of birds and kids playing across the yard. It has the reach, but I was having trouble getting sharp images from it at long distances even at relatively fast shutter speeds like 1/250. I'll play around with it some more and see if it may be a technique issue, like needing to use a tripod. It was fairly overcast as well and from what I have read, this lens likes a lot of light.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-NIKKOR-24-70mm-Focus-Cameras/dp/B000VDCT3C]AF-S Nikon 24-70 1:2.8G ED N[/ame]
I got this refurbished, which saved me about $350 off the normal $1800 price. So far, it is fantastic!!
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-70-200mm-Nikkor-Digital-Cameras/dp/B002JCSV8U]Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S N[/ame]
LOVE LOVE LOVE this lens. It works great as a portrait lens on the D750. It also works great as a longer telephoto on the D7000. Because of the crop factor, it is the equivalent of a 105-300mm when used on the D7000. The VR works well too. It is a heavy beast though. I will likely be getting a good shoulder strap for the camera soon so I don't have to hold the body/lens in my hand the whole time I have it with me.
Other equipment: List your other/support gear
Flashes
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-SB-28-Speedlight-Flash/dp/B00005YV4R]Nikon SB-28 Speedlight[/ame]
I still have the SB-28 I bought years ago to use with my 35mm Nikon N70. It works with the D7000 in manual mode. I also use it in manual mode with remote triggers for off camera flash.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Precision-Design-DSLR300-Universal-Digital/dp/B001IMHZJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358406038&sr=1-1&keywords=precision+dslr300]Precision DSLR300[/ame]
The D7000 kit also came with a flash that works in manual mode. Like the SB-28, this will be used for a remote in manual mode using a remote trigger.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-SB-700-Speedlight-Digital-Cameras/dp/B0042X9L6A/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358406257&sr=1-1&keywords=sb700]Nikon SB-700 Speedlight[/ame]
Manual mode flash is fine when you are shooting static shots where lighting and distances don't change much. However, for those times where I am chasing kids around the house, lighting is changing constantly, and distances are all over the place, I don't have time to be messing around with trying to get the manual exposure just right. For this, the TTL stuff is nice. I just pick an aperture/shutter speed I am happy with and let the camera/flash handle the rest. I got this mid January, about two months after getting the D7000. Easy to use. Also works as a wireless remote without the need for any triggers. The camera controls it, even in TTL when off body. VERY easy to use!
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-Heavy-Duty-Off-Camera-Flash/dp/B003KPL9WU/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1357339052&sr=1-3-fkmr0&keywords=flash+extender+cord+vivitar]Vivtar 48" flash extender cord[/ame]
I got this for Christmas after getting the D7000 before getting the SB-700, which works wirelessly off the camera. It is a bit of a pain trying to hold the camera and flash while trying to manipulate controls and take the shots and fighting the cord. This won't be getting much use now.
Reflectors
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Neewer-110CM-Collapsible-Multi-Disc-Reflector/dp/B002ZIMEMW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1357339104&sr=1-2&keywords=neewer]Neewer 43" 5-in-1 reflector/diffuser[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/22-Inch-Portable-Translucent-Collapsible-Reflector/dp/B004ATHXMU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1357339139&sr=1-1&keywords=neewer+22]Neewer 22" relfector/diffuser[/ame]
I am only just learning how to use these. Messing around with DFW-Warrior, Duke and M38A1, I learned a LOT about how to use flashes, reflectors, diffusers, etc,... So I am looking forward to playing with these. The 43" is big though and pretty much requires a secure place to put it or someone to hold it. The smaller one is easy for the subject person to hold out of the shot if you are doing up close portraits.
Tripods
I have 3-4 tripods that I have collected over the years. They are like motorcycles. It seems that any one might have 75% of what you want in a tripod, but getting that last 25% is impossible
Camera Bags
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Tenba-Black-Label-638-445-Shoulder/dp/B001UOUAOQ/ref=sr_1_11?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1357333411&sr=1-11&keywords=tenba+camera+bags]Tenba shoulder bag[/ame]
I bought this back in 1998 for the N70 and lenses. It is kind of large for carrying all day, but is good for storage/travel. I don't recall it costing as much 15 years ago! It is VERY well made, rugged and durable. It also has a good deal of storage space.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Deluxe-Digital-Camera-Case/dp/B0049I48JI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1357333570&sr=1-1&keywords=nikon+camera+bags]Nikon DSLR bag[/ame]
The D7000 kit came with this bag. It is not as rugged or as large as my Tenba, but it is actually a very nice bag. It is great for day carry to have a few lenses, flash, and the camera with some other small stuff. Not heavy or bulky.
Editing software: What tools do you use for cleanup, effects etc.
Irfanview
This is a great free program. I have used it for years. For doing fast batch renames, copying, moving, resizing, rotating, and more, it is great. It is no where near as powerful as Lightroom or Photoshop, but hey, it's free!!
Lightroom/Photoshop CC 2015
When I got the D750, I had to abandon Lightroom 4 because it would not read the RAW files from the D750. I went ahead and opted for the subscription based version of Lightroom that includes Photoshop as well.
Experience: Describe your experience, when/where you started and where you are now.
Growing up, I never really took pictures. We had a family Kodak camera that used the little square flash bulbs on top. I think Dad had an old 35mm Pentax with some lenses, as did my older brother. But photography for fun or just documenting events was never really my thing. So I have very few photos from my life other than school shots, birthdays and Christmas gatherings. Once I moved out, the photos stopped completely. I don't have a single photo from my college years or time spent living in L.A. while going to law school. Nor do I have any from the early 90s until 98, the time from law school until I finally bought my Nikon N70. That is about a 14 year gap of my life without any images of me or anywhere I lived/visited.
I got the N70 right about the time that digital cameras really started coming down in price and getting to be of better quality, at least for the point and shoots. DSLRs were still very expensive! I got my first motorcycle in 1999, less than a year after getting the N70. I took the N70 on a few bike trips and it was a pain to use because it required me to remove my helmet so I could see through the viewfinder, which meant taking more time on the side of the road while others in the group were waiting on me (I usually led the rides). Worst of all, I would either have to scan the prints with a flat bed scanner to get digital copies for use in ride reports (a VERY time intensive process) or pay extra to have them put on a CD when I had them developed. It did not take many (two) vacations where I spent a fortune on buying and developing film to realize that digital was the way to go.
My first digital camera was this one:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MVCCD250-Mavica-Digital-Optical/dp/B000066HUA"]Amazon.com: Sony MVCCD250 2MP CD Mavica Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom: Camera & Photo[/ame]
It used 3-1/2" CD-R/RW discs. It took great images and was very easy to use on the bike. It was too large for a pocket so I carried it in a tank bag, just as I had done with the N70. At the time though, other digital cameras had small capacity memory cards and memory cards were expensive compared to the CDs, which were large capcity and cheap in comparison. My favorite feature was the MEMO function. This allowed me to speak as I took a picture and it would record an audio file with the same file name as the image and a thumbnail of the image attached. This was AWESOME for ride reports because I could record my thoughts/comments and then have them for review later when working on reports. Also, I SUCK with remembering names. So before I took a picture of someone, I would get their name, where they were from and what bike they were riding and record all that when I shot their picture. I kept these for later reference. It used either the CD-R or CD-RW, but I used the CD-Rs because they were cheaper and it just gave me a nice permanent copy for long term storage. The downside is that if the camera got banged around to hard, the laser could get out of whack. It would still function, but the disc might not be readable in anything but the camera. If this happened, the USB cable could still be used to get images off the discs by reading them in the camera. I did have to take mine into the shop once when it got banged pretty bad. For normal usage though, it was not an issue. Fortunately, I bought a replacement warranty because it died on me later and when Sears could not replace it with the same model, they upgraded me to a higher model for free AND they prorated the warranty. I actually got money back AND got the newer and nicer 500 model!
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MVCCD500-Mavica-Digital-Optical/dp/B00008O37P"]Amazon.com: Sony MVCCD500 CD Mavica 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom: Camera & Photo[/ame]
I used this on MANY trips for the next four years and never had any trouble with it. I stopped using it when I was given the Canon Powershot SD600, which is the size of a pack of cigarettes and MUCH easier to carry around. Also, by this time memory cards had become much larger in capacity and cheaper, making the continued use of CDs the more expensive option. After the purchase of that first Mavica 250, the N70 pretty much went into the closet and was never touched again until I recently dug it out when I bought the D7000. I still had about 16 rolls of unused film in the bag. It all expired in 2002
The vast bulk of my photography has been ride related, gathering images for use in ride reports. It was not until we started having kids that I wanted a camera that did better with indoor conditions and fast moving kids. That was the justification for buying the Nikon D40 back in 2008 (I think). I really liked the camera, but even it never really did as well indoors as I would have liked because I never bought an external flash for it. The on body flash makes for harsh images. Still, it was fast enough that I stopped getting shots of either the front half of the kids or the back half of them as they moved into/out of the frame before the camera shutter released after I pushed the button. The previous cameras all had a bad delay of a fraction of a second, causing me to miss many great shots
I never used the D40 for rides and trips. It was just too easy to use the Canon 600, which I still use.
Favorite shots: List what your favorite type of shots include. That could be wildlife, sports, texas landscapes etc.
I like shots that convey a mood or feeling. I like ride report shots that make me want to be there doing the riding. I like shots that stoke that wanderlust feeling in me. While not unimportant, capturing the literal scenery and getting the perfect exposure is secondary to me for those kinds of shots. I do like trying to capture the scenery, but the image just never really seems to capture the feeling of being there and is a faint shadow of the reality at best.
I really like good casual people pictures, but I am not real good at getting them.
I also like good MACRO stuff of bugs, plants, and other things we might normally ignore in our daily routines. However, I have not even begun to explore this area of photography with any real effort.
Advice: List any advice you might share to others.
Learn the basics. Think about the light and the composition. Practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent. So work at making good shots instead of just blasting away without giving much thought to what you are doing. In the days of film, shooting could get expensive. I think this made many people spend a little more time and effort thinking about their images and what they were trying to do. With the advent of insanely cheap memory and the ability to save EVERY picture, I think many people just blast away without pausing to really think about what they are doing. Good pictures occur more by random luck than by any particular skill at executing/capturing a desired shot.
The gear is NOT irrelevant, but neither is it a guarantee of perfect images. Cheap cameras do have limitations that prevent you from obtaining some kinds of shots. Expensive cameras often have greater flexibility and features allowing for more options in capturing images. These are technical issues, which do matter, but a GREAT deal of good photography is NOT technical mastery. One can be a total master of the technical and still not be a very good photographer. There is also the non technical artistic aspect which I think is harder to develop but which pays much greater dividends when it is developed. Sure, some people are gifted in this area, but even the non gifted can improve with effort.
Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! 
Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to 
so is purely for out of car shoots.
) Interests then were portrait and landscape.
