Fiddlingbill Loc: Mass.

Hi to all you shutterbugs. After long and hard thinking. I have decided to leave photography as my hobby. I will say this I have enjoyed shooting images and post processing my images myself. My main reasons are is really no understanding of the new lingo. When I was trying to do a website for last years high school baseball as there was none this year. I could not figure out how to reduce raw files to jpegs. As it really is not self explanatory. So. I will leave all of this new tech to the younger set. And if the folks that do understand it. I really do salute you. I wish all you Hedgehogs the best with your shooting. And by all means be well and be safe. I will still look and admire the images that are taken on this site. Thanks again for having me. Fiddlingbill.

BebuLamar

That's not a very good reason! But you made the decision so good luck. We miss you!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

What software are you using????

It is simple, go to save as and from the menu of formats to save in pick jpg, jpeg or however your software puts it. And pick where you want it saved to.

March 29 to August 31 isn't much of a period to give up on not mastering a subject/technology.

I am 74 and right now I am learning two new editing apps I acquired as well as considering getting the new edition of software I used before going to mostly Light Room and Photo Shop. Why? Just because that software has some features LR/PS don't and does a few others better, even if over all LR/PS are superior and work with more third party plug-ins.

Some software supplied with a camera will do it in batches. My Sigma software allowed you to download your image, highlight all of them and convert all of them with one click.

Of course depending on your camera you can shoot in RAW, JPEG or on many RAW+JPEG - that will slow down how fast you can shoot frames as the camera has to convert and then write two images to the memory card.

One last question - did you ever read the manual or search for a tutorial on line?

Or when the Covid thing passes check the local Community College, Adult School or even a Photo Club for classes where you can have an instructor to mentor you along.

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

Sorry to lose a fellow Hedgehogger, but I do wish you the best in your future. Glad to know you will look in now and then.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

If you open the RAW in a RAW editor, an option to "save as" is JPEG.
(Some nomenclature uses "convert and save".)
It's not that bad.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Why quit going what you love? Your reasoning is not good. You go not have to change a raw image to a jpeg. Just set you camera to shoot jpeg. Simple as that. And if you don't know how to do that send a pm with camera info and I will tell you.

Blu1Dog Loc: Florida

Don't give up! I am 78 with 7 cancer related surgeries under my belt. Yes I am not as strong nor as sharp as I used to be. I shoot in jpeg now because I don't have time to fiddle with my shots. Makes me shoot better, because I have to really look before I shoot. It is wonderful that you are doing that website, but don't let it take the joy out of what you love. Good luck with it, which ever you choose. Enjoy this wonderful site and all the pictures.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

My car had a flat tire so I gave up driving.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Wabbit, we've got a jumper!

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I don’t understand your reasoning for this decision. When I started in 1976, I knew nothing! My teacher was very critical of my photos too. I wanted to drop out. When my teacher found out he begged me to come back. All the while he was critiquing my photos.

I am not a professional as some are here. I’m just a hobbyist in the viewfinder. Not for nothing, so you have a difficulty. Take your time and learn the intricacies of your problem. And in no time, you can be helpful to another.

I joined this forum to learn, grow and share.
In the two years I have learned a great deal. Some of it did not pertain to photography.

While I can’t handcuff you to a radiator, you’re free to leave our humble chat room.
Besides if I handcuffed you you couldn’t do much else.

Be Well———Stay Safe!

10MPlayer Loc: California

Best of luck to you. Maybe keep doing it using film. I suspect there's more to your decision than not understanding how to save a RAW file to a jpeg. This site is filled with a lot of people who are happy to give advice. One person didn't understand fstop and they got so much information back you could put a classroom session together with it.

You could just put your camera in Auto mode and shoot JPEG. You can shoot a lot of nice stuff doing that. When there's a shot I really want and I know it's not coming around again I do exactly that to make sure I get it. I can always mess around with it in Lightroom later. If I get it.

In any case, be well.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, but good luck with your decision. What are you going to fill the hole with?

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Your choice, but I assume that doesn't mean you're throwing out your cameras. Photos, even poor photos, still have some value when it comes to family. I have lots of photos of family that, by themselves, don't amount to anything, but since the family is featured at some event, there's a reason to keep them.

Most of the photos were taken by others, but I must admit to having taken some of the real duds.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I've been a professional photographer all my working life and I was an avid amateur before that. Take it to form me, a camera has 4 functions; aperture, shutter speed ISO, and focus. If you know how to operate these functions and how they relate to each other and you understand a few principles such as depth of field and can appreciate the beauty and quality of light, you are good to go.

If you enjoy making images of the world around you and whatever interests you- people, places, nature, and, birds, sports activities, architecture, bugs, your family and loved ones, old cars, new cars, all the rest is a bunch of technobabble, gadgetry, overly sophisticated systems all of which have little to do with art or craft. Lingo, nomenclature, fancy terminology- who cares? What are you, in high school studying for the exams?

Post-processing? Believe me, there are simple apps that you can utilize on a cell phone or tablet. If you'd don't wanna mess around with complex software, look up FastStone Image Viewer- I can teach a chimpanzee to use that in half an hour and you can post-process your head off! It's a free download on your PC or laptop.

Linsten- folks change their hobbies frequently- some even change careers several times in a lifetime. The final decision is up to you. Good luck!

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

As usual, you hit the nail on the head. I could not have said it better.

Happy Shooting!