lmTrying Loc: WV Northern Panhandle

In my nine months on this forum, I have read a lot about post processing. I know a lot of you will say LR/PScc. That's not the question. I know I need to start with organizing and I may start with AfterShot. That's not the question either.

I need to really understand terms like the following: RAW, jpeg, Tiff, dng, dynamic range, HDR, and a whole lot of other things I can't bring to mind right now. Plus the processes of converting from one to another. Preparing to print, sending files over the internet, why one picture loads in a flash and another takes forever

I've seen a lot of suggested reading on composition. How about suggested reading on post processing in the camera and in the computer that explains the above information and more. At this point I'm just really confused due to the little bits I have pieced together but don't understand. A "how to" book on operating PS is not what I'm looking for. I don't assume to get to the level that many of you have attained, but I would like to truely be able to understand and follow your conversations and apply some of it to my own photo work.
Thanx up front.

Robeng Loc: California

You are making this so overcomplicated on yourself. If you’re interested in a particular subject go to YouTube and watch the video. Every one starts somewhere.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

If you don't get personal recommendations here, Google "beginner photography books" and check amazon.com

Often amazon has the first few pages, including table of contents, available to read online + there are reviews.

Check with your library to see if you have access to lynda.com for free. If not, and you are OK with videos vs. books, see if you can sign up for just a month in order to sample the topics. There are many structured courses.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I second Google as your tool to investigate any term / acronym you read and don't understand. You might also visit Ken Rockwell's site. He has many excellent articles in section "learn" that focus on background information for photography.

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

Hi ImTrying, What you really want to know is how do those terms inform your ability to make "successful" photographs. In addition to the advice above I recommend Scott Kelby's books and online material. He has a knack for explaining all things photographic in easily understandable language and has a ton of practical advice.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

And another -
http://www.diyphotography.net/the-real-meaning-of-common-photographic-expressions/

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When I take a picture, it stays untouched on the SD card. I do not delete or process in the camera. It's too easy to mess up and lose a potentially good shot.

As for organizing images, that's important, and there are lots of programs, free and not free, to help you do that. I use my own system. "My Pictures" is the main folder. In side that I have Cars > Mine, Foreign, Car Shows, etc. I don't like sorting by date because I can't remember if I took a certain picture in 2002 or 2007. If it's a picture of a car, I know exactly where to look.

Organizing -
https://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-choose-asset-management-software-for-your-digital-picture-archive--cms-24356
http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/multimedia/best-photo-organizing-software/
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/10-free-photo-managing-software-you-should-at-least-know/
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/412-best-free-photo-management-software.html

monroephoto

I found membership in KelbyOne, Scott Kelby’s video tutorials, to be most helpful. A ton of different subjects are broken down in simple and easy to understand terms. Try it!

riderxlx Loc: DFW area Texas

The replies are very correct. There is so much online you can find anything you need. Also, I have visited the Half Price Book store(s) here is the DFW mid cities area;Texas; and there is a large selection of books right there on the shelf. I am new to this forum myself and have found it to be very helpful and informative. Happy searching,,
Bruce.

Vince68 Loc: Wappingers Falls, NY

Go to youtube and search for Anthony Morganti. He has a full set of tutorials on processing starting for beginners. He is very good and explains what he is doing thoroughly. Another website to look at is Photography Life - https://photographylife.com/ They have lots of articles on processing, composition, light, and all things relating to photography. Click on the "Search" tab up top, then go to the "Site Search" and search for a topic, such as RAW, JPG, Dynamic Range, HDR as you listed above. If you use the site search it will only search their website, not Google too.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Get Tony Northrup's books on Lightroom and Photoshop and Stunning Digital Photography. Get on Google and do a search for Glossary of Digital Photography by John Blair.

Meanwhile:

RAW files are unprocessed but digitized data from the sensor. They are analogous to unprocessed, exposed color film.

JPEG files are compressed images. They can be generated in your camera, or saved from post-processing software from raw (and other) file formats.

TIFF is a class of Tagged Image File Formats, and there are at least 49 flavors of them. They are all bitmapped images of varying bit depth.

A bitmap is a grid of pixels (picture elements). Pixels are just numbers representing color and brightness.

Bit depth is how many binary digits — powers of 2 — are used to create each of the colors in an image. An 8-bit per channel file has 256 shades of red, 256 shades of green, and 256 shades of blue, and can describe about 16.7 million colors.

The dng format is Adobe's public domain file format for storing raw files. They convert camera manufacturers' proprietary raw file formats to a common set of characteristics.

Dynamic range is the difference between the brightest and darkest tones a camera can store at a given ISO (sensitivity). In audio, dynamic range is the difference between the loudest and quietest parts of a signal. In both cases, DR is measured in decibels.

In photography, each f/stop of dynamic range is 3db. A dynamic range of 42 decibels can record about 14 stops of information between the noise in the signal and the brightest tones that can be recorded. Photo paper can reflect only about 5.5 stops of dynamic range in normally bright room light.

In audio, a 3db change makes a signal twice (+3db) or half (-3db) as *powerful.* A 10db change makes it twice or half as *loud,* "psychoacoustically."

HDR is a method of achieving "high dynamic range" in an image by combining the best of underexposed, normally exposed, and overexposed images together in software. Some snarky people make fun of it by calling it "High Definition Reality", since, if overdone, it looks UNREAL. (Gentle use of HDR techniques goes a long way!)

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Scott Kelby's books are excellent resources. Very thorough and clear!

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Over on Wikipedia there is an article on "abbreviations in photography."

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

I’ve been a participant here for nearly seven years. There’s a lot I don’t know, either, but I knew a lot less then. But, I’ve enjoyed the journey and to me, that’s the purpose. Find enjoyment in the craft.

Once you learn about some of that stuff, you’ll realize that you didn’t need/want to know about it. But, something will catch your eye and you’ll read books/watch videos about it in an effort to know more. In the course of doing that, you’ll learn about other stuff. If something totally escapes your understanding, then you’ll know it’s time to ask questions.

I dare say that everyone here has traveled that road for some period of time. In my mind, it’s how it’s done. Be patient, take pictures, process them and know that there’s still much to learn. Most of all, find joy in it.