Wow! Some gorgeous reference shots! 
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@sheralmyst I’m so impressed by your new photos that I’m thinking of getting a PixPro myself. What model did you get?
I only use my phone for photography (frustrating), podcasts, and audiobooks. I don’t use it a phone. I still have a landline.
It might be nice to only have to lug a pocket-sized camera around with me again. I want something with lots of memory, and I love that the PixPro will connect with the PC.
EDIT: I’m looking at the FZ55. Is that the one you got?
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The AZ401 because it was one of the 2 models in stock locally. It uses AA batteries so I will get some rechargeables. Not real crazy about that but extra batteries are better than a dead rechargeable. It needs an SD card for sure and will take up to a 32GB. It does not fit in a pocket but does have a neck strap. The lens cap can be attached to that which is recommended because it comes off easily. It is comfortable in my hands and easy to reach the focus lever which is a ring around the shutter button.
It also records video and you review your photos with the same play button. There are a number of settings I have not dug into yet.
The flash is on top of the lens and must be popped open with a little lever. I don’t use much flash though.
The macro button is the flower icon on the left of the SET button.
And yes, you can remove the HUD from the screen and declutter the view though I don’t remember how cause I did it accidentally
EDIT: forgot to mention it uses a micro USB to A cable to connect to my PC. Most phones now use C. I happened to have one from an old tablet. You can still find them but they are less common now. Does not come with one but uses a full size SD so if you have an SD slot in your PC, you won’t need a cable.
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Thanks for all the info! Very helpful. I think I may go for the “pocket sized” one the FZ55, so I can leave my un-phone at home. I’m not that committed yet. I have to be careful because my eyesight is so bad.
Is that your puppy!? So cuuute! 
EDIT: umm… had another look… maybe it’s a cat? 
(definitely blind! --still cuuute though)
Speaking of bad eyesight, I think I’m going to have to make my oil studies larger, maybe 12x12" or larger. Today Ihad to pick up the Vine Tomato study from the easel and hold it closer to my nose --AND take off my glasses so I could see it well enough to to give it its finishing touches, 
I’ll give the Vine Tomato another try on a larger panel in a couple of days (as soon as I am sure I’m done with the smaller study).
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My really old cat, yes. He is a Russian Blue mix.
I hate to hear about your eyes. I have to take my readers with me to use the camera. And I still cannot really see the detail I would like. It really sucks to have our eyes go bad. But there can be a lot of appeal in really large canvases. I could use about 2ftH x 4ftL to go over my fireplace 
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Indeed! most of my large ones are 36x48"(iirc), some are 36x36" and a few 4x6 feet. I can image a huge painting of mushrooms over your fireplace.
I had a Russian blue once. Beautiful cats.
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So this is really, really awesome! I will go back out when the sun starts to set so I can get a better view. Tried to shade it with my head. But what is happening is definitely something I must capture.
It is like a little hanging moss garden.
here is a shot in the sun.
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Oh, wow! That is so exciting! I can’t wait to see what you create from these!
Is it possible for you to combine both photos (in Gimp or some other image-editor) so that you get the contrast/drama of the lit shrooms, and the partially shadowy foreground moss?
I love the idea of this as a tiny ecosystem. 
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Gimp. I have it but use photo editing so rarely, I have to re-learn it every time I use it…but I may work on that on the side. Or get my daughter to do it 
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Personally I find that doing it myself: crop, paste, move, change colour temperature, etc., shoves more visual information of the image into my brain that I can utilize while painting. ymmv, of course.
But it’s always nice to get the kids involved. Mine is helping me design my Domain.
I spent so many years using Photoshop that I found GIMP difficult. My muscle memory keeps wanting to hit something different than what Gimp wants.
Fortunately I got better at moving stuff around in the painting as I went along and now rarely need to photo-edit.
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Yes! Yes! Yes!
I have been trying to get back to respond to this post and I finally made it!.
I love your photos. I’m jealous of people who have shrooms around to photograph. All we have is honeysuckle and poison ivy (not entirely true!).
I also love the photos of your sketchbook! Painting from Life can be amazingly absorbing. Your paintings are lovely. They have an organic feel to them, even the mechanical objects. Good job on the figure, too.
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I think that is the very best description of “Art” I have ever seen. Thank you (and Tom Robbins) for that!
My own definition is this: “Art is Love made corporeal; Love is a verb.” (I don’t think I have ever written that down before. I hope it scans.)
Thank you for that list. I like it.
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I forgot about my shroomie last night. 
This phase is such a quick one, it is soon gone. So I grabbed a shot of the last stages where shroomies quickly become not so appealing…
Here is a top view
I decided to hunt for more pleasant themes.
Here is Ophelia Fallen Into the Weeping Brook
Wait, that is not more pleasant…
To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall,
The snail sticks close, nor fears
to fall,…William Cowper
I collect old and broken yard decorations and place them in an area of my yard called The Garden That Was.Here are its frog buddies. The frog did not quite come into focus. My eyes don’t help me a whole lot when setting up these shots.
But I still like it because a second froggie is peaking over the flower pot.
I really should clean up my bench. It is a wonderful shady spot under a Birch tree and a great place to relax when out working in the yard
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This one would make a fantastic painting! :swoon: Maybe a 36x48-inch one. ;`)
Oh! That is just wonderful! What a lovely crazy lady you are! I love your creative ideas.
Your last photo seems to me like it could make two paintings, both in Vertical format by cropping it right down the middle. I love the one with the two frogs the best. It has a perfect composition and the delightful humour of the little one peeking out at just the right spot.
That new camera of yours is working well for you. I’m impressed.
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State of Decay
I think I like this one the best
We actually had rain yesterday. It was wonderful. So there are a few stray clouds hanging around but the sun popped out just as I took this one and it caught a reflection of the shiny ring around the lens.
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Lovely!
To me that one begs for the square format. (But then I do really like square format for some works)
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This guy makes me want to hang up my brushes! Good thing my motto at times like this is “I give up! and then I keep going”
He is at this time 22 years old. 
He started painting at the same age I did (at ten) but had full support from his family from the get go. What a difference that can make in a life.
https://www.kylemafineart.com/works
I can hardly imagine what his work will be like when he’s my age. Too bad I won’t be around to admire it by then. >.> I wish him the best.
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Gorgeous! For me it is the loose brush strokes and the high contrast that make his paintings so great. However, I realize that no matter how much I love it, that is not a level I would likely ever attain to so, I remind myself that we don’t all have to paint like that to be ‘good’ at what we do… though, we may not ever make the money he no doubt makes…but since when has art ever been all about the money? 
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I have difficulty painting a shed wall in a single colour nicely, let alone the magic you amazing peoples conjure.
I can relate to your Garden That Was though…
I have an (now overgrown) corner that was a collection of houshold items I removed during renovations. A bath tub & a pillar style sink became planters for succulents & aloe vera & provided a unique backdrop.
Some wrought iron & glass coffee tables sit in the foreground with several items of glass & crockery set upon them. This particular area I’ve let go wild in a Nature Takes It Back sort of theme.
Most of my gardens are ‘rambling’ with a less manicured look. My front yard is tended to always look slightly overgrown, allowing various decorations to peek through & be discovered rather than standing out.
Its fun to watch these areas change as the seasons pass.
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I think you shared a couple of your sculptures before. They were very nice! Share some more.
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