Antiquesilver...I imagine that ISO is not changeable when in any semi automatic mode. The camera wants to do that for you so it will most likely be automatic. However you should be able to raise the EV just one notch up to +0.3, or get a stronger light bulb. Also try substituting the thin cloth with white tissue paper or tracing paper. The cloth might be cutting out too much light. I know what you mean about too strong a light blowing out the detail on the silver pieces. But keep experimenting to get the right combination of camera setting, light and diffusor. If you are interested in reading photography books, I can highly recommend this one "Light - Science & Magic. An Introduction to Photographic Lighting."" by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua. There are detailed explanations of setting up tabletop lighting with a whole chapter dealing with how to photograph metal objects. You might want to have a look in your library or bookstores. The ISBN (I have the 3rd edition) is: ISBN-13:978-0-240-80819-2 , published by Focal Press. Tutorial number nine will be a few days late this week. Probably have it ready for the weekend since we had a lot to do this week, including rescuing our new cat from a neighbour's locked backyard LOL. (All turned out well there.) SharonCb

DH & I spent 6 years together only on weekends. We had an apartment in NY where he stayed during the week & I stayed in Mystic. Only sometimes would I spend a couple weeks in NY. I cooked in Mystic & froze individual servings of entrees, sides, desserts, & snacks. DH would transport via our huge boat ice chest every week. I cooked for us both on the weekends. I, OTOH, had the same opportunity to eat great POOF'd meals but rather just grabbed a carton of yogurt, a spoonful of peanut butter, or a slice of cheese & piece of fruit calling it "dinner". I didn't follow a schedule...usually ate when I realized I'd had nothing for the day. I didn't care enough about eating to even bother getting something from the freezer & walking it to the nuker. Just didn't have an appetite. But I loved cooking to fill the freezer for DH. He ate very well. I love cooking more than I love eating. Now, he's retired & we're both in Mystic. Suddenly, I'm ravenous! Now granted, the steroids I have to take now have something to do with it but it's a lot more...it's having DH here to share a meal. There's no doubt in my mind that if I were permanently alone I wouldn't bother with much cooking. I enjoy good food but (pre-spinal injury/stroke) I'd likely be involved with my piano, gardening, or painting/drawing & just never think much about eating. When I'm deeply involved in something food doesn't occur to me. DH, OTOH, wants 3 meals/day & gets grouchy if he misses one. :) Bottom line, I enjoy cooking for others but would rarely (if ever) do much for just myself. Another thing, after I've prepared a huge family holiday meal I then don't want to eat. I either don't eat at all or just pick at a small plate. Then, hours later I'll fix myself leftovers (love leftovers!). When the kids were all home it was frequently the same thing. After fixing a big family dinner I didn't want to eat. So, I'd fix something light, or leftovers again, after the kids were down. After cooking a big meal I'm just not hungry anymore. I could definitely work as a chef & not gain a single pound. Being around all that food...I'd never be hungry. /tricia

John, I wonder if you were an Italian grandma in a previous life? Many Italians in the North End of Boston where my DH grew up had second kitchens in their homes. They had tiny little sweet Nonnies (grandma) that wore aprons and pinched your cheeks. The 2nd kitchen was so the rest of the home would not overheat with all the cooking. But I believe it was for another reason, let me explain. My husband's Nonnie had a kitchen in the basement. And boy oh boy if you went down their uninvited you would get your ear pulled. It was her private space to roll out pasta, stir heated sauces, canned tomatoes, store her back patio garden grown tomatoes, onions and basil, and that basement was her retreat from the family drama. If someone showed up to dinner unannounced, no worries Nonnie had pasta in the freezer, Risotto ready to go, or a cheese that was for company. She would magically appear laided with food to make them feel welcome. Sometimes Nonnie would spend time with a sister or daughter. They would cook, laugh, cry, delight in each other's company but mostly it was for his Nonnie only. Her 2nd kitchen was her escape from the familial drama and place to enjoy her passion for cooking. Not really the heat. It was more than keeping the heat out of the city brownstone. Sometime if you were lucky Nonnie would invite you to help her but this was rare. My husband only in his 40s still remembers his nonnie rolling out Gnocchis in different containers so each one of his aunts, uncles and adult cousins could take them home. She made special meatballs for this uncle who wanted only pork and this one who wanted raisins in his and this Aunt who wanted small ones. Everyone was spoiled with food. It was her way to express her love to her family. I wish you could build a 2nd kitchen for yourself. One with giant locks, bolts and secret codes that only those truly worthy could enter. They would bring you joy while you cook and not interupt or destroy the magic you need to create amazing dishes. When we do entertain, ( i am not the chef you are) I am one of those people who pre-cooks. I know this is terrible. I make the lasagna hours before so only have to bake it, or have DH grill while my accompanyments are simple. Otherwise the interuptions and chatty kattys drive me batty. Wishing you a good solution to your layout and passion for cooking. ~boxer

Sherry and pk- No,food allergies are not to be taken lightly, which is why sis fibbed that one of her kids had a peanut allergy,to try to get brittle lady to back off. She figured that EVERYONE understands the severity of such ,even if they are to dense to take a subtle hint,or even to understand a blunt "no." I was really upset to hear brittle ladys response to her. "One piece won't kill him?!?!?!?" Really lady? How the hell do you know?!?! Goes to show the widespread nature of this problem. One of her kids does have some food sensitivities,not allergies, which are met with even more of the "oh, just a little won't hurt" garbage from know it all busybodies who have nothing better to do than bake disgusting creations and try to force feed them to kiddos when moms not looking, and then split before it's time to clean up the mess they caused. When this particular nephew of mine was 3 or 4, his paternal grandmother was on woman on a mission. At the time, the doc thought his skin and stomach problems might be caused by the red dye in some commercial food. So sis cut out everything with the dye in it. When her MIL found out, not only did she declare it dumb, she set out to prove it by picking out red mms and skittles and whatever other red candy she could find, and then slipping it to him when she would come visit.(she's very stubborn,one of those know it all hillbilly geniuses) I caught her one day,when I was at sis' house. We were just talking about how his skin and stomach would get better and then suddenly he would break out in a horrible,blistering rash and have diarrhea for days. I kept seeing her bending down right in his face, then I would see him chewing something. So I asked him "whatcha eating baby?" When he told me that his grandma had given him candy, I asked what color,he told me red. Only red. I asked how much, he just said "all day" It all came together then. Kid is fine. Grandma comes for the day. That night, all hell breaks loose. Then it clears up. Grandma comes back, here we go again. She would always be gone before the effects would show,so when she was confronted, she still proclaimed in all her homegrown yokel wisdom that she didn't notice anything wrong with him, and told sis that she thought she was making it up for the sole purpose of depriving her son of the many joys of red candy. For this and other,much more agregious acts she and her husband have committed against their family, BIL and sis have completly cut them out of their lives. They don't even know my niece, their youngest. And it just as well. Poor thing is lactose intolerant, and I could see that heifer feeding her 10 pounds of cheese just out of spite.