Textures and meagre pixels

Here's a recent image, using a Nikon D50. Now I know that "real" resolution requires 8 megapixels or more, but really, 6 megapixels is heaps. The resolution I used to get with my 35mm film Pentaxes was great, but it was film and push dependent. I tended to take fast shots of distant objects and blow them up enormously, so depth of field was not critical but shutterspeed and overall sharpness of focus was. But the end result - a print - was often grainy because I either pushed the film for speed (ASA, or ISO if you prefer) or had blown it up in my darkroom (my blacked-out laundry). And I only printed 10x8inches, or projected transparencies. So it wasn't a big deal.

Which is to say that unless you want to print poster-size, don't get hung up on resolution, pixel numbers and DPI. Work on framing, focus and interest instead. In fact what I usually want to do is "print" to screen on the web or maybe on a T-shirt or mug. Sure, you need to understand the minimum requirements for your end needs, but don't go overboard. (Yes, it's always nice to keep a backup up maximum size original image.) So, with that in mind... here's a texture shot with the D50. Basically I got close to some weathered paintwork, used natural light, focused and checked the aperture. Given that it wasn't a moving object and it was fairly good lighting the shutter speed and aperture weren't really big factors in my consideration.