Very nice landscape! I like the fact that the HDR and Topaz adjustments don't look overdone. Congrats on your new toy.

Dropbox is free, but they do have a premium service for a fee. The free membership gives you 2GB, and you can increase that when you refer others. The irl is www.dropbox.com. Just go to that site, and you can register for a free account. It does integrate with your browser, I use Chrome, but it will work well with MS IE, and probably others (like Firefox, Safari, etc.).

There are other file sharing sites as well, Google also gives you 2GB, maybe more. You can sign up for Google+ to get that service. So that's another option.

Jim

I've seen articles about focus stacking, but must admit I haven't tried it yet. It is intriguing, so I'm sure I'll make an effort sooner or later. Hopefully, someone here can offer some advice in the meantime.

Congratulations on your retirement and your acquisition of CS6.

As for sharing examples of your efforts, I don't think a file or two posted here will be a problem. I would try to follow the guidelines for posting found in the site's rules. If you have a large number of files, or large files in general, I suggest using Dropbox and include a link to the file or files you want to share. There are other file sharing sites as well.

Jim

I'm not sure every image needs sharpening, it depends on your subjective perception, how well focused the image is in the first place, camera shake, etc. Of course, if you're starting with a RAW file, white balance will always be applied by whatever conversion software you use typically. So, I guess it's fair to say some PP is done, even if it's just the conversion your camera does going from the data supplied by sensor to the jpeg you might end up with.

I bought the FZ200 in lieu of a much more expensive long lens for my DSLR. I seriously considered the Canon SX50, for its ridiculously long zoom. But in the end, I opted for the FZ200 for the f2.8 through the whole range, albeit a more modest 600mm equivalent (but still generous).

I thought so, but I'm not very knowledgeable about flowers. My neighbor's yard is well landscaped though, I should get some more, and let them educate me as I do. They would probably like copies too.

Thanks, I actually meant to post a different one. This one isn't well composed, it's off center.

I agree that 'past their prime' can be interesting.

Experimenting with in-camera HDR and my new Lumix FZ200.
Unknown flowers in my neighbor's yard.

Thanks - I always appreciate a link to something I probably would not have stumbled on myself. You are a gentleman and a scholar!

I appreciate your kind words and support! I must admit I am counting on the good will and expertise of participants. I have lots of good will, but little meaningful expertise.

I agree the nature of the software can be a technical maze, but I hope we can touch on more than just the button-clicks. When I was in the darkroom as a teenager, I quickly realized I could make a different print every day, even while using the same negative. I came to appreciate the art of the process that came after pressing the shutter release on the camera.

The art I speak of came from the imagination, not just the technical steps used to achieve the print. I've seen comments from time-to-time disparaging PP, implying, or even expressly stating, that getting 'it right in the camera' is superior. Maybe, but it misses the point to an extent. Were Ansel Adams alive today, would anyone say to him "you didn't get it right in the camera" when he revisited a negative in the darkroom 10 years after he made the original?

I contend PP is an important part of the process. Thoughtful adjustments can, and DO, make images better.

Jim

That's funny. I failed the Rorshach test...

Wow! The after image does look like an Audobon rendering. You did a fantastic job!

No offense taken - I was afraid I left the wrong impression. Thanks for checking into the PP section.

It wasn't meant to anything more than an invitation. Not being much of a writer, perhaps I chose my words poorly. Myself, I'm not that interested in 'way-out.' The floor is open.

Jim

Here is a link directly to the section:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-116-1.html

You can also subscribe to this, or any other section, by going to the Home page (click Home at the top of this page), then click on "All Sections." This will display all the sections on UHH. From there, click "Subscribe" to any section you're interested in following. After you have done this, you will see the sections you've subscribed to when you go to the Home page.

Jim