Well thanks for all the encouraging remarks, it really make me feel at home here.
Bob
Bob, there are a good many sites where every posted photograph receives unrestrained praise. As I've observed here before, if that's what I wanted, I'd show my pics to my mother. The huge advantage of posting photos here is that you'll get honest feedback, much of it (not all, of course) from people who do really know what they're talking about. Some of us have more self-restraint than others and some are rather, er, direct in their comments.
I've learned a huge amount from this site over the last few years, both from critiques of my own photos and from those of others people's. You can't expect a soft ride just because it's your first post, I'm afraid.
If people here whose opinion I respect (and there are plenty) say they like my work, I feel very flattered. If they don't, I reflect; sometimes I don't agree and sometimes I do. Either way, I learn.
Don't be discouraged; stick around. Post more.
Jeremy