How far will you go to take a great photo? If any of you got up really early this morning to capture the Leonid meteor shower, or are planning to shoot it late tonight or early tomorrow morning, please post your photos in this gallery. (We ran a meteor shower photo by RAW Dawg Evan Sabogal on the Boston.com homepage today ... Evan took the shot at about 4 a.m. Tuesday in Amherst.)

If any of you are Facebook aficionados (I used to play Scrabulous regularly until the Scrabble people forced it to shut down), please join the Facebook group I've set up here. Feel free to write on the Wall, add Photos, and post Links.

Got an email from Jonathan Parker, a park ranger at Lowell National Historical Park and manager of the very first Lowell Photography Contest, a competition designed to celebrate the heritage and visual essence of the city and its national park.

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, go support a fellow RAW Dawg: Northeastern student Daniel Brim, a RAW regular whose photo of the waterfall Dettifoss in Iceland captured First Place in our July "Ripples" contest, will be showing his photographs at The Boston Arts Festival (also known as the Boston Ahts Festival) this weekend at Columbus Park on the North End waterfront.

As many of you know, RAW isn't the only section of Boston.com that solicits photos or runs photo contests. (We just try to attract the very serious hobbyist.) Our Sports section asks for kids in Red Sox gear, for example, or our Lifestyle staff looks for pets in Halloween costumes.

Globe photographer Dina Rudick, who did a Globe Critique for us back in October, recently shot some creative studio photos for the Globe's Spring Fashion guide: The models appeared to be floating or flying through the air. She also made a video with reporter Christopher Muther explaining how she set up and shot the photos.

Folks, this is what I've been spending my time on: We're launching new discussion forums, article comments, and profile pages Tuesday. You can read more about it here. So I'll post more March contest and wildlife galleries as soon as I can ... thanks.

By Paul E. Kandarian
Globe Correspondent

Erica Greenberg was a freshman at Sharon High School last year when she read about the Dedham-based nonprofit Hope In Bloom, which plants gardens for free at the homes of breast cancer patients. She said she saw the opportunity to "be able to contribute two of my greatest passions in life, helping others and taking photographs."

By Sinead Carew Reuters Sony Ericsson is betting heavily on camera phones in the United States this year, hoping high-end photography will convince consumers to buy a new phone or replace digital cameras. The Sony Corp and Ericsson venture has seen strong international sales of its

While some analysts are skeptical about the timing for such devices, Sony Ericsson plans to launch its C905 8 megapixel camera phone (above) in the hope the boost in picture quality and carrier promotions will help it increase sales here.

It's time for another off-contest solicitation; we haven't had one since your Food shots last month.

As I was shoveling my driveway earlier this month, I was thinking about the weather adage about March, "In like a lion, out like a lamb." Turns out it really has nothing to do with weather, but concerns the positions of the constellations Leo (the lion) and Aries (the ram) at the beginning and end of the month. Also, there were some good zebra shots in the B&W contest, and POTW Caitlin Smith had a nice close-up of a camel.

So how about sending me your best wildlife shots? No pets, please. Ideally, I'd prefer wildlife unencumbered by fences or cages, but I'll take farm and zoo animals. I expect birds to be a popular subject.

Since I like to display these photos in a full-screen gallery, I prefer 1024 px wide for horizontals, 800 px for verticals. Full-res is fine; I have an Action set up in Photoshop that reduces it to 72 dpi.

Also, let's limit it to no more than 3 shots per person, ok?

Really examine your photos for quality and composition. It's easy to just point your camera and click, but I'm not looking for snapshots. We've all seen enough good photography posted here in the past 7 months to understand that the elements of subject, composition, lighting, context, focus, lack of clutter, color, texture, proportion, and more all come into play to create a great photo.

As longtime Globe photographer Bill Brett used to tell me, "I don't take a photograph; I make a photograph."

So let's see your wildlife creations. As always, email them to raw@boston.com.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and took advantage of yesterday's weather to practice some outdoor photography. I'll post the winners of the February Black & White contest early afternoon.

I'll also start posting the March entries for "Nighttime is the right time". Watch this week for another Globe critique as well as tips for shooting sporting events from the Globe's Jim Davis.

Also, it's time for another off-contest solicitation; we haven't had one since your Food shots last month. As I was shoveling my driveway earlier this month, I was thinking about the weather adage about March, "In like a lion, out like a lamb." Turns out it really has nothing to do with weather, but concerns the positions of the constellations Leo (the lion) and Aries (the ram) at the beginning and end of the month. Also, there were some good zebra shots in the B&W contest, and POTW Caitlin Smith had a nice close-up of a camel.

So how about sending me your best wildlife shots? No pets, please. Ideally, I'd prefer wildlife unencumbered by fences or cages, but I'll take farm and zoo animals. I expect birds to be a popular subject.

Since I like to display these photos in a full-screen gallery, I prefer 1024 px wide for horizontals, 800 px for verticals. Full-res is fine; I have an Action set up in Photoshop that reduces it to 72 dpi.

Also, let's limit it to no more than 3 shots per person, ok?

Really examine your photos for quality and composition. It's easy to just point your camera and click, but I'm not looking for snapshots. We've all seen enough good photography posted here in the past 7 months to understand that the elements of subject, composition, lighting, context, focus, lack of clutter, color, texture, proportion, and more all come into play to create a great photo.

As longtime Globe photographer Bill Brett used to tell me, "I don't take a photograph; I make a photograph."

So let's see your wildlife creations. As always, email them to raw@boston.com.

By Christopher Shea

The Cambridge-based artist Peggy Nelson has come up with a new "urban intervention" that plays off the Boston tradition of saving parking spaces after snowstorms, and she invites her fellow citizens to join in on Flickr. While Southie residents are famous for using anything at hand to reserve the spots they've shoveled (or even haven't shoveled), Nelson's Cones Project focuses on that icon of space-saving: the orange traffic cone.

Partnerships are bringing photography new fans

By Terry Byrne
Globe Correspondent

At a time when most businesses are cutting back, Winchester's Griffin Museum of Photography is expanding.

A few things:

> Early next week, we're unveiling a new homepage for RAW that will make it easier for us to highlight good photography and stories and easier for you to find the features you want. Look for the new page Monday afternoon or Tuesday.

> Want to chat live with a Globe photographer? Mark your calendar and join us at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday for an hourlong talk with Jim Wilson, assistant photo director. Jim knows all there is to know about camera equipment; he does all of the purchasing for the Globe's Photo Dept. So if you have questions about camera bodies, lenses, filters, lights -- you name it -- Jim's your guy. He also loves to take time-lapse photos; you can see his latest handiwork here.

> Also next week, Globe photographer Jonathan Wiggs will choose another RAW Dawg for a critique.

> Our judge for the February Black & White contest will be the Globe's Stan Grossfeld, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and an associate editor at the Globe. He'll narrow the field to the Final Fifty next Friday, March 6.

That's it for now ... Don't forget the deadline to enter February's B&W contest is midnight tomorrow (Saturday the 28th). I'll keep adding entries to our big galleries over the weekend.

If you're looking for something a little extra special to slip your photographs into, try the Back Bay Framery at 303 Newbury St., Boston, 617-424-1550. Frames are 25 percent off and photo albums 50 percent off as part of the store's annual spring sale. We were partial to the delicate, ribbon- and button-adorned frames and albums by Jill Schwartz (above), but you'll find plenty of options in leather, Italian wood, sterling silver, and more.

Bloomberg News

Ritz Camera Centers Inc., the largest camera store chain in the United States, has filed for bankruptcy protection, blaming the deepening US recession and the consumer transition to digital photography.

By Lara Jakes
Associated Press

Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently ordered a review of a Pentagon policy banning media from taking pictures of flag-draped coffins of military dead, signaling he was open to overturning the policy to better honor fallen soldiers.

Eric Draper spent the past eight years alongside George W. Bush as the chief White House photographer. Draper, 44, who had covered the 2000 campaign for the Associated Press, took the White House from film to digital as he met world leaders and mixed it up with Britain's Prince Philip. He also received an unexpected farewell gesture from No. 43 last week. Here are excerpts from a telephone interview by Boston.com Editor David Beard with Draper, who spoke from his home in Alexandria, Va.

Boston photographer rendered the essence of his subject into an exacting art

By Bryan Marquard
Globe Staff

A street troupe caught Al Fisher's eye more than 20 years ago as he shopped at Quincy Market, and as one of Boston's best commercial photographers, he studied the performers with a more penetrating gaze than others who stopped to watch the show.

Just 4 days left to enter the January contest, with the theme of "Cold". Read more about the theme and how to enter. I'll start posting the entries in a gallery soon.

I have another Photographer of the Week feature; I'll post that Wednesday.

Also this week we're getting a new tipsheet on taking photos in the cold from Globe staff photographer Mark Wilson.

On Thursday, Essdras M. Suarez, another Globe photographer, will sit down with RAW vice president Eric Bauer to choose one of your portfolios for a critique. Look for that early next week.

Finally, in a few weeks we're introducing a new monthly feature on RAW that will provide head-to-head camera and lens reviews. More on that later.

Another helpful tip from a RAW Dawg: Dan Sullivan says that since many of you seem interested in critiques of your work, check out PopPhoto Flash, a blog by the editors of Popular Photography & Imaging magazine.

"I signed up awhile ago to receive regular e-mails from PopPhoto which include numerous equipment/book reviews and daily critiques of submitted photos," Dan writes. "These critiques or not very involved or lengthy, but still I find them interesting and helpful."

Here's a link to the critiques.

This Friday, Jan. 30, is the deadline to submit up to three entries in the Town of Chelmsford's annual photography contest. There are categories for students, amateurs, and professionals, but you must be a resident of the town to enter. All photos will be displayed next week at the Community Center as part of the town's WinterFest, sponsored by the Chelmsford Cultural Council. More details and a submission form can be found on the town website. Town Hall is at 50 Billerica Road and the phone number is 978-250-5201.

By Lynn Asinof
Globe Correspondent

Heather and Jesse Ciras have a dream. The couple, who have a fledgling photography business shooting weddings on weekends, wants to build their part-time venture into a full-time operation.

Photographer Kerry Brett of Hingham is offering a portrait package for January and February to raise money for the Ellie Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to providing breast cancer support. Brett's portrait program has raised more than $100,000 for the fund since 2001. The $150 package includes a one-hour studio sitting and a black-and-white 8-by-10 portrait; payment goes directly to the Ellie Fund. For information, call Kerry at 781-749-8205 or e-mail info@brettphotography.com.

With three major works of documentary photographs to his credit, Glenn Ruga of Concord has long been aware of the need for a virtual repository of similar exhibits that explore the human condition. His new website, socialdocumentary.net, provides a forum for photographers to post their work and viewers to learn about social issues worldwide.

By Elsa Dorfman

My love of Polaroid began in 1962 when I met photographer Nicholas Dean at the Grolier bookstore in Harvard Square. He worked at Polaroid as a technical researcher, and part of his job was to test new films. On his lunch hour and after work, he would drop by the store, then as now a destination for poets, and take pictures of anyone who was hanging around. They were black-and-white photos. Peel apart, with a stick of preservative to fix the image from the ravages of light.

A settlement was reached in the fight over seven photographs taken during Marilyn Monroe's "Last Sitting" in 1962. The pictures were among 2,500 erotic shots Bert Stern took of the movie star for Vogue magazine just before her death. Two photographers approached Stern last year to make a deal involving seven film transparencies from the shoot. Stern sued because he believed the items had been stolen. Photographers Donald Penny and Michael Weiss said another colleague found the transparencies in curbside garbage in Manhattan in the 1970s. Under the settlement, nine sets of photos will be jointly produced and sold. (AP)

This Food gallery is done -- whew! You certainly are enthusiastic about taking food shots. We'll have to have another call for food photos in the summer or fall. Use the "Full-screen" link to see the images full-size.

Now I'll turn my attention to the January contest. Just one week left to submit your best "Cold" photo.

Meanwhile, enjoy the food:

Wow - you are inundating me with your food shots -- it's great! I'll continue to post them until early next week, so if you haven't sent in your best food shot yet, just do so by emailing it to raw@boston.com.

By the way ...

Hi everybody -- I want to explain two issues that have cropped up in some comments from a few of you:

The Globe carried an LA Times story today about how in the Gaza conflict in the Middle East, Arab media are using a potent arsenal of photographs to try to influence public opinion about the conflict. You can read it here:

January is allegedly Diet Month, a designation surely foisted upon us by the same people who have declared March as "Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig" Month and September "Pleasure Your Mate" Month. However, Diet Month does make sense, falling as it does in the month of New Year's resolutions that often involve eating -- or rather, not eating.

So I was thinking: Since we're finished with the Moon shots (see the entry right below this one), and it's rather nippy outside, why don't we try food photography -- something you can practice right in the warmth of your own kitchen?

Several of you sent in more moon shots over the holidays, and I've added them to our gallery. That'll do it for the moon shots ... thanks for the contributions!

In the gallery below, use the "Full screen" link to see the photos full-size.

When we see the best pictures, no words are necessary. The images say it all. But sometimes it's nice to know what went into capturing those moments. The Jan. 4 issue of The Boston Globe Magazine takes you behind the lens, hearing from the photographers of the Globe staff who shot the most memorable photos of the year.

Steve Centamore's family has owned Bromfield Camera since 1966. He knows a thing or two about film, repairs -- and Robin Williams.

A Q&A by Courtney Hollands
Boston.com Staff

Do people still buy film cameras?
Ninety percent of our business is in digital cameras. But we also sell dinosaurs that still use film; about 8 to 10 percent of our customers are looking for film cameras. There's a certain romance about film cameras; they render colors differently, with depth.

Scituate photojournalist's images captured drama of the Obama campaign

By Mark Arsenault
Globe Correspondent

Sometimes a news story becomes so big, so compelling, that its every twist makes not just headlines, but history. On the trail of that kind of story, there's almost no hardship a journalist will not endure.

Earlier this month, David Pogue, the very funny technology columnist for The New York Times, published a list of photography tips and tricks that he says are the best he's ever run across. Here's an excerpt, and a link for you to read the entire piece:

By David Pogue
The New York Times

It's a crazy time of year to be finishing a book. But in between present wrapping and tree trimming, that's exactly what I'm doing. It's a book on digital photography, which, as you probably know, is among my favorite hobbies.

As I write, I keep coming across these important tips and saying to myself, "Man, this is what people REALLY need to know. I should pull them out into a special list at the back of the book called, 'The Best Photography Tricks of All Time,' so people can't miss it."

So that's exactly what I'm doing. Thought I'd send you the list as it stands today, so you'd have it when you unwrap that shiny new digital camera that you get as a gift. (Most of these apply to consumer cameras, not S.L.R.'s.)

THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TRICKS OF ALL TIME

Lots of catching up to do this week, gang ... I'll post another On Assignment essay, another critique of a RAW Dawg's portfolio by a Globe photographer, some recent Globe exhibit reviews, and of course, entries for the December "'Tis the Season" contest.

Eloquent Nude: The Love and Legacy of Edward Weston and Charis Wilson
Film at the Museum of Fine Arts next Saturday (Dec. 20) at 10:30 a.m.

By Sebastian Smee
Globe Staff

She was preposterously beautiful, their story intensely romantic. But Charis Wilson, who was once the lover, model, and collaborator of photographer Edward Weston, wants you to know above all how to pronounce her name. It's "Karis," folks.

Lorietta Snyder Shactman, who taught digital photography in the Merrimack Valley and worked at Ritz Camera stores in the region, died of lymphoma at her home in Plaistow, N.H. recently. She was 51.

Mrs. Shactman was born in Malden, Mass. She graduated from Stoneham High School and attended Northeastern University. She taught workshop classes on digital photography in the Merrimack Valley and worked as a professional photographer. She also worked as a manager at Ritz Camera stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for 15 years.

Mrs. Shactman leaves her husband, Steven of Plaistow; two sons, Scott of Norwood, Mass., and Jordan of Plaistow; her parents, Carol and Robert Snyder of Plaistow; and two sisters, Wendy Bush of Plaistow and Nancy Nadler of Atkinson, N.H. Burial was in Sharon Memorial Park in Sharon, Mass.

Beloved shop steps out of the picture

By Justin A. Rice
Globe Correspondent

To the sounds of Sunday morning jazz playing on his stereo, Steve Walker drained bleach and other chemicals from a series of tubes inside a large device that transforms film into printable negatives. While Walker shut down the machine, his friend Raphael Pol unhooked an even chunkier machine that prints negatives on paper.

"This machine has had very little use lately; I used to do 50 to 75 rolls [of film] a day," Walker said. "The last year or two, I've done 20 or 15 a week."

With the age of digital photography in full bloom, Walker's shop, the South End Photo Lab at 597 Tremont St., will close its doors at the end of this month after 20 years in business.

Hey, gang -- sorry I was out of commission yesterday ... believe it or not, I have other responsibilities outside of RAW, although a completely RAW life would be a nice indulgence ...

Here are some Thanksgiving images from around the country for you to enjoy this holiday weekend. Click on the full-screen link for large images.

By Mark Feeney
Globe Staff

Jules Aarons, a Boston University physicist who was an internationally known expert in the study of radio-wave propagation and an acclaimed photographer whose work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, New York's Museum of Modern Art, and Paris's Bibliotheque Nationale, died last week at his home in Newton after battling congestive heart failure. He was 87.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Here's some food for thought: If you have nude photos of your wife on your cell phone, hang onto it.

By Christopher Shea
Brainiac blog

The writer John Hockenberry has soured on the postmodern metropolis -- a view he airs, not unironically, in the November issue of Metropolis magazine. "From the ground, megacities have trouble conveying a distinctive skyline," he writes. "Shape and texture are best appreciated from the air. From the foreground, sheer density trumps all other qualities." And he has little good to say about the modern skyscraper-office, which he refers to as "stacks of boxes" and "factories for making to-do lists."

By Michele Morgan Bolton
Globe Correspondent

For a decade, Patricia Fanning has navigated the delicate balance between two passions and worlds.

One is her job as an associate professor and head of the sociology department at Bridgewater State College.

The other, a biographer of F. Holland Day, a Norwood native and one of the world's most influential photographers at the turn of the 20th century.

E-mail your Democracy in Action shots to raw@boston.com.

Hope you've all voted or will at lunch or on your way home from work. It appears that many polling places were crowded this morning, so democracy is in full bloom.

There are a few ways you can take part in our coverage of today's voting.

If you have your camera handy when you vote, send us your photos of the scene at your polling place.

Or be one of our poll-watchers; that is, after you vote, report to us on where you voted, who you voted for (if you don't mind telling us), how crowded the polling place was, and any other details you want to add. You can read what others have written so far here (and sort by town), and if you want to add your observations, just fill out this easy form.

Feeling patriotic? Then belt out a tune for all to hear. All you have to do is dial a number, wait for the beep, clear your throat, and start singing. We even provide the lyrics to four popular patriotic songs. Believe me, you don't have to have a good voice -- just listen to some of the clips others have already recorded. Here are the details.

Meanwhile, I've uploaded the last of the foliage shots into the gallery; next up are your action sports shots, which are pouring in.

Also on tap: Another On Assignment essay and photos, a Globe tipsheet from photographer Joanne Rathe on taking good photos for holiday cards, polls to choose themes for December AND January (to give you time to shoot), and soon, voting for the October "Up Close" contest winner.

We've featured dramatic shots of the Boston skyline and colorful foliage; how about some action shots of people? It's fall sports season, and kids are playing football, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, running cross-country, and more. Adults are running road races, playing touch football, and pulling muscles.

Let's see some action! Send in your best sports shots to raw@boston.com.

Several things going on and coming up in the Queendom of RAW:

> The October "Get Close" contest ends at midnight Friday, so add those tags or upload those photos as soon as you can. We'll give photos added to brand-new Flickr accounts a couple of days to show up, and then a Globe photographer will help us narrow the voting choices to 50. Everybody here at B.com and El Globo are flat-out with election coverage, so if our Voting Machine doesn't get posted until the end of next week, please understand why.

There's more:

RAW is a site for amateur photographers; a place for you to showcase your images, enter contests, and get recognized for the wonderful work you do.

But it's also a place to learn -- the monthly critiques by Globe photographers are an example -- and to get inspired.

The photo above is an example of the latter. It certainly impressed the editors at Editor & Publisher magazine -- a trade journal for us journalist types. They named this photo by Globe staff photographer Essdras M. Suarez its Feature Photo of the Year. It, along with other winning photos, are in the magazine's November issue.

We're very happy for Essdras, who has won lots of awards in his career. If you want to see more of his work, visit his portfolio on the Globe's Photography site. And be inspired.

Late Columbia University librarian amassed a stunning set of historic images

By David W. Dunlap
New York Times News Service

Herbert Mitchell was a Columbia University librarian who filled his high-ceilinged Morningside Heights apartment with rare stereographs, seductive daguerreotypes, Majolica ceramics, Parian statuary, and cabinets full of 19th-century architectural books.

In 2007, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was able to add to its photography collection the 3,866 stereographic views of New York City from the 19th and early 20th centuries that Mr. Mitchell donated that year. Most show Central Park not long after its construction. Some of them were published in the winter 2008 issue of the museum bulletin, "Creating Central Park," by Morrison H. Heckscher.

Fame is the name of her game

By Mark Feeney
Globe Staff

"Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens" is, in effect, an infomercial. To be sure, it's an infomercial for a quality product. Leibovitz has long been the world's most celebrated celebrity photographer. But it's still an infomercial - for a family firm, as it were. The documentary, which aired on PBS's "American Masters" in January 2007, was written, photographed, and directed by Barbara Leibovitz, Annie's sister.

The chat has ended, and it was great. Lots of good suggestions and tips, and a lot of photo exchanging! Thanks to all who took part. We'll do it again soon. Meanwhile, you can read the transcript:

A RAW reader writes: "Hi, I was wondering if you can suggest any photography classes to take? I do not want a "school", as the course duration is often long and they can be pricey. Thank you."

First, let me tell you about the classes I've taken, then I'll throw it open for everybody to chime in.

OK folks, we have a lot on our plate today.

> In about an hour, Globe photographer Dina Rudick will sit down with RAW staffer Eric Bauer to choose -- and then critique -- a set of photos submitted by one of you. We'll post her thoughts and tips later this week. Our first critique, by Globe photographer John Tlumacki, was a big hit with all of you. If you missed it, you can read it here. And then apply for your own critique by sending five photos to raw@boston.com.

> We're testing and tuning up the Voting Machine today so you can start to vote for your favorite September "My Neighborhood" photos. And we'll start accepting entries for October's contest, which you voted to have the theme "Up Close".

> Globe photographer Suzanne Kreiter has written a tipsheet on composition; I'll post that this morning.

> Finally, you have sent in a ton of great foliage shots already ... I'll start to post those as well as soon as I can.

Thanks ...

As Arnold Kaplan pointed out in his item about good spots in Vermont to shoot foliage, it's the season to try to capture those vivid colors in interesting ways. Over the next few weeks e-mail your best fall foliage shots and I'll post them. Meanwhile, here's a sample of photos from the Globe's photography staff that may help you think about how to shoot these classic pictures in interesting ways.

Our friend Arnold Kaplan, who has written a book about shooting lovely landscapes (he calls them "scenics") in Vermont, has graciously shared some of his inside tips with us. If you're planning to shoot foliage up north this month, you'll find his information helpful.

By Arnold John Kaplan, APSA-AFIAP

Vermont: A Photographer's Paradise
Vermont is a special place. A photographer's world of perfect compositions. Small picturesque villages with white steeple churches and quaint houses nestled in the valleys. Old farmhouses and red barns on the rolling hills and meadows. A countryside that changes colors and character with the seasons.

The green mountains, hills, and forests of summer change to brilliant hues of orange, red and yellow in the autumn. Next comes winter with deep marshmallowy snow and crisp, clear, cold air.

Everywhere you look, you see photo possibilities and each photo scenic should be visited again and again to catch the various moods, whims, lighting, and designs of nature. All these ingredients add that extra touch for award-winning photographs on your first visit to "Photographers Paradise".

Since I wrote an earlier entry about Boston skyline shots, more RAW readers have sent in their contributions. Here are a few more:

Another good conversation going on in the Amateur Photography forum, where people are debating the merits of various online photo storage services such as Picasa, Flickr, and SmugMug.

A couple of comments:

I like Picasa. I tried to use Flickr and I like the idea, but Picasa is just so much more easier to use and upload things on to.
-- ajstarsurprise

I use Flickr. It's not free for me; I needed to upgrade due to the amount of photos I had. But I had started on Flickr, so I just kept it going. It's a well run site, in my opinion.
-- BuzzardBoots

Here are more comments. Add your own here as well.

I asked in an earlier post for people's best tips on getting a good shot of the Boston skyline, and invited anyone who had such photos to send 'em in. We've received several:

Joao Bustolin of Somerville sent in several shots, including the one above, about which he wrote: "Taken in front of MIT, a classic view of Boston. I shot this on July 3rd, when I went out to actually find a good place to photograph the fireworks the next day. I love this shot for the colorful reflections on the water. Now it hangs on my living room wall. Canon 5D, focal length was 38mm from a 28-135mm lens, f/11 through 10 seconds and ISO 320."

Joao loves shooting the city at night, he says, "even though before I leave I always think it's a burden carrying a bag with 3 lenses and a tripod, but as soon as I start, I just let the city lights take me away." You can see more of his photos on his website, Frozen Emotions.

Three more Boston skyline shots from Joao:

Hey, there's an interesting discussion starting over on the Photography forum that I wanted others to get involved in ... the question posed is this:

"I've been shooting pictures in Boston for years, but I've never taken one of those classic night shots of the Boston skyline. What's the best spot to shoot from that's not in the middle of the harbor?"

Here are the responses so far:

Everybody's taking pictures! Sammy Morris, a 9th-year running back who was doing well in his first season with the Patriots last year when he got injured, loves to take photos around New England and of course, of his family.

This photo that Sammy Morris took of his children playing in the back seat of the car while waiting for their mother is one of his favorites.

Morris enjoys photography so much that he told the Globe's Mike Reiss that although he has an interest in a career in coaching or counseling after his NFL career, he wouldn't mind if photography and writing are part of his future.

"It's just another part of what makes me me," Morris said. "I've just kind of found that I enjoy to write and take pictures."

Here's Mike's story:

We're interested in hearing what photo storing and sharing sites you use, and why. Picasa ... iPhoto ... Photobucket ... Shutterfly ... Flickr ... Smugmug ... what do they offer that you like?

Also tell us about more obscure sites that you've discovered or are emerging as good sites to store, catalog, share, and get comments about your photos.

Your information will help us compile a good, thorough resource list for everybody, so please be specific in your comments.

Tomorrow's an interesting date: Aug. 8, 2008, or 08/08/08 or 8/8/8. It's not as auspicious a date as say, 01/08/35 (Elvis Presley's birthday), but an interesting combination of numbers nonetheless.

So Flickr is celebrating the date by asking photographers to submit one photo taken at some point during the 24 hours of that day. They're calling it Flickr 888, and it's the latest in their "24 hours of Flickr" series. Not only will they publish your photos on the Flickr 888 site, they also are printing postcards to be sold in packages on Moo in the fall.

Check it out on the Flickr 888 group page.

There are several ways to submit your photos for publication on RAW. Here's how: