I shouldn't admit to it, but I'm still not finished with the many, many photos I took on my road trips from Connecticut to California 4 and 5 years ago. There are thousands of photos in those caches.

I'm an Elements user (2014) and us the Nik plug-ins. I also use layers and will attempt to answer your questions.

• The reason for using layers in PP and the advantage over direct image manipulation/when to use and when not to use layers?
The reason for using layers and the advantage are the same. If I don't like the results of the image after using a layer I can delete it very easily. I used to work directly on the image (saved as a copy) but I still think using layers is easier. I click on the "eye" to see if I like (or not) the improved image.

• How to decide which of various types of layer to use and the optimal tool/process to use?
I am still learning the various types of layers so I cannot answer this question.

• How to determine the individual layers transparency?
By experimenting with the opacity of the layer. It's the only way to do it.

• How to arrange the order of the layer stack for optimal results?
Again, I have a work flow that seems to work so I use a consistent stack until I flatten the image. As I learn more I'll probably change my work flow.

My only advice is shoot with as wide an aperture possible to minimize depth of field. You don't want the background (the crowd) distracting from the game in progress. You need to shoot fast (1/250 or faster) which means you will need a high ISO because you (most likely) won't be using flash.sdf

I spent my first year in digital photography using Auto Mode; I shot film for 30 or more years. My digital lenses did not have aperture rings on them and I was lost. I didn't have a user's manual and didn't learn how to set aperture until I went on Youtube. I took some nice photos in Auto, but I'm glad I learned how to set my aperture settings and shoot in Manual, but if you told me I had to shoot in Manual from the beginning, I would have thrown in the towel and quit from frustration.

It is a depth of field issue plain and simple. "the leaf in front" looks like it's in front because of perception (it is in focus, after all); I bet that it actually on the same plane as the in focus flowers "in the back." I could be wrong, but I've run into the same situation in the past.

If you want it all in focus, decrease your aperture (and make the necessary adjustments to the exposure triangle).

I think the real fear is people shooting flash that will degrade many artifacts (the color,etc.). I went to the Louvre in 1974 (weekend in Paris while stationed in Germany); they had a guard whose sole job was to yell (in English) "no flash, no flash." I photographed one statue and he yelled (at me), "no flash." I showed him my camera and said, "no flash!" With my SLR I didn't need flash.

it could be your card reader went kaput. I know it sounds foolish, but it happened to me. I bought a new card reader and haven't had any problems since.

I've compared results using Camera RAW in Photoshop Elements and Corel's Aftershot Pro. I definitely prefer Elements; I think the photos are warmer and I like the color rendition of the JPEGs. I only paid a nominal amount for Aftershot Pro, so it's no real loss for me. Perhaps the shortcoming is actually with me as I have not mastered Aftershot Pro, but Camera RAW is so easy to use.

You didn't bring it up, but I hope you have backed up your photos somewhere. I myself use three external hard drives for backup. External hard drives also fail (I know, I've had three fail; thankfully, I had the two other backups and promptly bought a third drive). I would hate for you to lose your 90000 photos.

I am sorry for your loss. The photos do justice to the level of love you have for her.

I was at the Grand Canyon (south rim) a number of years ago; I took the bulk of my photos with my wide angle zoom (18-55); I took fewer photos with my 70-300, but I'm glad that I had it for the photos I took.

my type of photography!

Twice I took a road trip from Connecticut to California. I stayed off of the interstates except to go though big cities. I was amazed by the roadside buildings along the way (stopping to photograph them). Old school buildings, abandoned houses, cattle pens, even whole towns (that I could not access). My daughter and grandson (my excuse for driving to California) moved back to Connecticut and I no longer have an excuse for making extended road trips, but I was really taken by the barns on US 40 in Illinois, I wish I photographed them with the advertising signs on their roofs.

If you're talking about people here who do that, read the previous comments.

If you're talking about people who do it on other sites and actually review the camera, many of them are either given or lent the camera they review with the intent that they will put the camera through its paces and write an honest review about it. I used to listen to one (now defunct) podcast where they made it a point that they always bought the cameras and lenses they reviewed so they could give an honest, unbiased critique. They would then have a digital drawing to give their equipment away. They would tell you whether or not the camera, lens, bag, whatever was worth it.

I use PhotoShop Elements (14) for my photo stacking and I learned how to do it in Scott Kelby's book "PhotoShop Elements for Digital Photographers."