Okay. But the computer will need to have photo processing software on it if you want to switch between raw and JPEG and resize images. That's independent of your connection.
Those programs arrive compressed just like your updates.

Now if your computer keeps crashing maybe the problem isn't just bad dial up internet maybe you have malware also.

Bitdefender. Is very good protection.

Once you have decreased your image sizes (OFFLINE) then perhaps you'll have less trouble uploading.

Sorry to hear of your rural technical troubles.

A few things NOT to worry about in the new sections. Unkind behavior and juvenile squabbling will not happen here and if it somehow occurs, those kinds of posts and responses will be deleted. I too, have virus protection, however, you can consider me a human "troll filter"!

As for images posted for discussion, fun, critiques, advice or instruction, don't worry about resolution or obtaining the utmost in screen quality- just do the best you can. Oftentimes, some quality, resolution or range is lost in transmission. At this stage of the new sections we don't have to produce masterpieces or "picture postcards" and we are not running a "print" competition or a salon. It is more important for each of us to provide "grist for the mill" such as conversations, images that pose interesting problems, solutions and questions and create a workshop-like environment.

For many of the members on this site, photography is a hobby which means their participation should provide some fun and entertainment as well as "education" and and avenue for artistic expression. It certainly is not fun to be bullied, belittled or "hazed" by folks who derive their fun by insulting or harassing others. In my own professional business, we often work in teams where many people are involved in the projects. We are frequently working under some degree of stress, there are deadlines and rushes and of course, that's when technical problems or or other snags arise. Even in that environment, a friendly, cooperative and fun atmosphere seasoned with healthy sense of humor keeps the moral up, the creative juices flowing and accelerates the work flow. I hope we can accomplish this kind of a situation here and preclude any stress.

What can be learned about product photography that can benefit all photographers?

If you are a photographer who is not particularity interested in commercial photography, per se, you may ask why delve into this specialty and subscribe to this section of the forum other than for the sake of passing curiosity. Good question! Perhaps some more artistically inclined photographers consider the commercial aspect of the craft a more workaday endeavor, especially in the areas of product photography - one might envision the pages of a mail order catalog with its clean but not particularly visually exciting or “different” imagery.

From a creative and artistic point of view, there is a good measure of visual psychology involved. In commercial product photography the photographer becomes a vital part of the advertising and SELLING process. Two of the first components of a SALE of any item or service is attracting attention and creating desire for whatever commodity is being offered. Visual illustration and presentation are very persuasive elements. Whether it is an online or print catalog page, a poster, a billboard, a newspaper ad, a TV commercial or the pictures on the packaging of everything on supermarket shelves, we are surrounded by visual stimulation in the commercial world. “A picture is worth a thousand words” may be an understatement, when you come to think about it.

Good photographers need to be good story tellers - their images are their “words” and certain methodologies in creating powerful and tactile imagery can benefit all photographers.

From a technical standpoint, the most important attribute or skill a commercial photographer can possess is that of photographic problem solving. A “product” can be anything, in size, from a tiny electronic microcircuit to a jumbo-jet airliner. Many surfaces are intrinsically problematic and can range from a slate blackboard to a chrome-plated appliance or a mirror and every imaginable surface finish and texture in-between. Often, extreme kinds of surfaces appear on the same item, or two or more vastly different materials or items must be in the same shot.

Aesthetically and psychologically speaking, terrycloth towels have to look soft and fluffy, stainless steel knives have to appear metallic and sharp, kitchen appliances must appear clean and shiny without distracting reflections, flowers must be colorful, yet delicate, tools must look strong, durable and ergonomic, the wood grain of fine furniture has to be rendered correctly, and it goes on and on. There are as many challenges and solutions as there are products.

As for equipment and materials - historically, for many decades, the basic tools of the commercial product photographer were extremely simple and unsophisticated. A wooden or metal large format view camera, with its swings and tilts, a few sharp lenses, a sturdy tripod or camera stand and a decent set of lights were all that was needed. OH! - and an enormous degree of skill and technical savvy! There was no automation as to exposure or focus. There was no PhotoShop kinda post processing. Most of the work for lithographic reproduction was done on color transparency film with little or no latitude. Issues of color balance, filtration, and exact ISO (used to call it ASA) indexes had to be determined for each film batch by careful testing. The photographer was responsible for exposure determination, composition, all manner of image management such as distortion control, depth of field, selective focus, filter and bellows extension factors, lighting aesthetics, and also make certain the resulting transparencies had the proper dynamic range to conform to the final lithographic process. EVERYTHING had to be on the film in that manual transparency retouching and other pre-press remedial applications were tedious and costly and needed to be precluded in most cases.

Nowadays, of course, what with many technical advancements and the advent of the digital imagining, many technicalities have been simplified, automated and made more accessible and convenient, however, many of the older and classical methodologies are still applicable to commercial work and many other aspects of photography. The finite application of lighting has never been automated and still requires perception and skill on the part of the photographer.

It may be surprising to some enthusiasts that some absolutely beautiful and elegant still life imagery can be created with one simple light source and a few home-made reflectors. Shooting glass objects or shooting through glass can be easier than it seems once you have the technique down pat. Whether you are into shooting butterflies, birds and bugs, food and beverages, cars and trucks, antiques and collectibles, landscapes and buildings, or rusty old barn door hinges, there are some things to be gleaned from commercial photographers.

TUNE IN!