Have you ever sat in a Toyota Fortuner fitted with the trick special rear vision mirror mounted on the front passenger mudguard to assist the driver in parking?  The mirror is around 200 mm back from the front of the vehicle, and yet it lets you see the very front of the car.  Fascinating optical technology.

Dear Hillary,

I have met what I am sure is the girl of my dreams.  She’s gorgeous, lives at home and comes from a good family.  I am going to ask her out to dinner.  Where do you recommend?  I’m not sure if she eats western food.  I want to make a good impression as this will be the first date.

Jerome

Dear Jerome,

Just how did you meet this paragon of virtue?  Lives at home, from a good family, presumably doesn’t work (or need to work) and you want to invite her to dinner.  Listen Petal, I think you are so far out of your league here that you have no chance.  How do you know if she only eats seaweed?  What restaurant are you going to pick then?  (Probably one by the sea would be a good start;-))  How old are you Jerome?  Are you sure your Mummy and Daddy will let you out after dark?  On the other hand, you may be trying to be funny here, but in actual fact, all you are is “trying”.

In photography you will find that on your SLR will be a shutter speed called “15”.  This represents 1/15th of a second, and for many photographers you would think that 1/15th is something akin to a long time exposure.  It is not, and even without optical image stabilization electrotrickery, offered on many DSLR’s, this shutter speed can actually be hand held, as long as some basics steps are adhered to.

No, I am not suggesting you smuggle your camera into Nekkid a-go-go; the bouncers in these places tend to frown on such antics.  What I am suggesting this week is that you experiment with the time exposure facility on your DSLR.

Photography can certainly bring out some of the real characters in this world.  I was reminded of this the other day when Mr. Google had several shots in sequence of a horse galloping by.  This was the work of one very weird photographer, Edweard Muybridge who was one of the ‘characters’ in the history of photography.  However, while decidedly eccentric he did further scientific knowledge and in fact made the first cinema projector, so should be remembered fondly.

My eldest son has a toddler and he sent me a photograph of his offspring.  Unfortunately the shot looked as if the little chap had short legs and a large head.  Having seen previous photos of the young fellow, I knew this was not the case.  What was amiss was the wrong choice of lens and the wrong position to shoot from.

Pattaya seems to be filled with entrepreneurs.  Every second person, and especially the ladies, has a scheme to export Thai artifacts to the thirsting throngs back in their home countries.  After all, such things as Thai silk, locally produced cutlery, incense holders and costume jewelry are plentiful and much cheaper than “back home” and why not make a little money on the side as a small-time supplier?

There is an unfortunate idea amongst weekend photographers that the more expensive camera you use will return better photographs.  Sorry, but this is not the case.  There are people who can produce photographs out of a Box Brownie better than others with the latest all-singing, all-dancing SLR.

Anyone who is known to enjoy the pastime of photography will, one day, be asked to take somebody’s photo - and by that, they don’t mean a passport picture, they mean a portrait that can be hung on the wall as a veritable family heirloom.

Grandma Moses can be a role model for ‘seniors’.  Died when she was 101, had 10 children and did hard farm work from the age of 12.  She was unfailingly positive in her attitude and thought like my own mother who always said, “Hard work never killed anybody.”