Gene51 is RIGHT ON THE MARK precisely with his description.

I am a photojournalist, photojournalism is done with video as well as with still images. I shoot TV news, in addition I freelance for NBC, HBO, Yahoo Sports and many other broadcast and/or internet companies. Yes, it's all video, nonetheless, it is photojournalism.

I sometimes write my own stories to go with the footage I've shot, sometimes a producer writes the story.

Regardless, and there is NO exception to the rule… a photojournalist cannot stage a shot, reenact a shot, do a retake of a shot… every frame must be a capture of what happens as it happens. If you miss the shot, too bad so sad. With that said, unfortunately, there are those unethical "photojournalists" that do break the rules. If they're caught they will usually find themselves unemployed and pretty much blacklisted from the industry. They could even be sued if the story they covered results in reputable harm to an individual or business.

A photojournalist cannot retouch, add effects, sweeten the audio or in any way crop the original footage. Photojournalism is a DOCUMENTATION of what happens as it happens the way it happens.

Now, in addition to being a photojournalist I am also a photographer of the non-photojournalistic kind when I shoot primarily models, pets and architecture. Sometimes as a hobby, sometimes as a paid photographer. Trust me, while on the clock as a photojournalist, everything I do as a model, pet or architectural photographer in the way of being creative stays out of the picture while documenting real life events for the media.

Although TV news is shot with my broadcast video camera, I also shoot stills… that's where my Nikon comes in for my non-photojournalist shooting.

One must be at least a semi-skilled photographer to be a photojournalist. As one poster put it, all photojournalists are photographers, but not all photographers are photojournalists. Hope this helps clear up the OP's initial post.

By the way, I far more enjoy shooting models, pets and architecture than I do news.

I like the idea of stitching together a couple of shots but have no clue how to do this. I will check youtube to see what's there, but then I'll need to find the software needed as well. Any suggestions?

Nope, the OP (me) is still here, hasn't bailed. I've been reading and appreciating all of the feedback to my question.

I've learned a lot from all of you who have responded. I love this forum.
I'm still looking for the right lens to shoot interiors, preferably without flash as I need to capture the ambiance of indoor table lamps, ceiling lighting, track lighting, etc... the real "warmth" of a home.

I did contact the seller of the Nikon 14-28 f4 that I had mentioned was listed on craigslist... I did some test shots and didn't find it to be to my satisfaction under natural or ambient light, even with kicking up the ISO to 1600. So, I'm still looking for the right lens, however my BIG dilemma is cost, I live on social security so I need to find the right lens "used", this why I searched on craigslist. And that is my biggest obstacle. I just can't afford 2.8 glass so I'm looking for something wide enough for a cramped room that will let in enough light without using speedlights or strobes.

Thank you to all who responded so far… I'm now wondering if this is a lens I should get, the one on craigslist is selling for $425. BUT… I'm guessing that an f/4 lens is NOT considered a fast lens? I would be using it primarily for indoor real estate photography and need something with a wide angle, but I want a fast lens.

I found a lens advertised on craigslist listed as "NIKON 12-24mm f/1.4G ED DX LENS" however the photo of the lens attached to that ad does not read as f/1.4 but instead shows 1:4 G so my question is, is an 1:4 (that's 1 colon 4) lens different than a 1.4 lens? I'm guessing it would be quite different. So is a lens reading 1:4 actually an f/4 lens as opposed to an f/1.4 lens? Is an f/4 considered a fast lens? I would be using it primarily for indoor real estate photography. I need a wide angle lens, but is a lens that has printed on it 1:4 fast? Seems to me that is an f/4 and not a f/1.4 as the seller says it is. So does this mean it is NOT a fast lens? Please help! I don't want to throw away money needlessly. If it matters, my camera is the Nikon D7100, so is it even compatible with my camera?

I want to say "thank you" to all who responded. I knew this forum would come through for me. UHH and it's members are the BEST! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thanx! I just PM'd both of them, waiting for a response. This is a great forum, so much help when one needs it. Thanks again Shellback.

So, I take it to mean batch "editing" is one thing and batch "retouching" is quite something else and generally cannot be done, as I gather "retouching" is rather "localized" then? I consider Lightroom more as an "enhancing" application and Photoshop more as a "retouching" application, is this correct?

Thanx for your reply Searcher, I do appreciate it, however in my case most of my shots are not consistent for each scene, each are distinctively different, weddings for example, or boudoir, or event… most of the shots vary with backgrounds, angles and sometimes even lighting.

I do my best to compose each shot with what I feel should be the best camera settings however when it comes to retouching such as blemishes, skin smoothing, reshaping, etc., I don't understand how one can possibly edit (retouch) a high number of images in a matter of only minutes or even a couple of hours. Thus, my question of batch editing… what is it exactly and how is it done? I'm stumped.

With so many pros on this forum I know I've come to the right place for help… I often hear photographers offer something like 50 retouched images from a shoot and promise them all the next day or so. How on earth does someone retouch a high number of images so quickly? I hear this a lot for wedding photography and other events where a high number of images are shot but can't for the life of me understand how one can turn out so many retouched images in such a short period of time. As for myself, after a boudoir shoot or something similar, I can spend as much as 20 minutes retouching just one image. I've also shot weddings and there's no way I could ever offer 50 retouched images, at least not with a turnaround of only a day or so. I also hear some photographers offer 100 or more retouched digital images when they only charge $200 for the shoot, and this includes all the retouched digital images.

It's that time of year where I'm doing a lot of Valentine boudoir shoots which mean images that need to be ready well before February 14th, only a month away, so if a client chooses say 10 images for retouching but I'm doing numerous shoots (numerous clients) that adds up to a whole LOT of retouching.

What am I missing here? Is there something I should have learned along the way but didn't?

Any help of any kind would really be appreciated.

I know I can count on you fellow hogs for a real answer. And I thank each and every one of you who chime in on this.

Is it just me, or is he MIA lately?

I have this tripod. I use for my D7100 will ALL my lenses. LOVE it! Can pick it up with my little finger, yet it's strong, durable and I love it, love it, love it.

NOTE: MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CAMERA BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED:
Once the firmware is available for download: You will download it to a folder on your computer. then you will unzip it: Copy the unzipped .bin file to your memory card (in a card reader or by usb cable to the computer) then put the card in the camera and go to the (Y) wrench and then firmware. The camera should see the .bin file on the card and say it found a new version .. do you want to upgrade. answer yes.

http://cdn-10.nikon-cdn.com/software/firmware/D7100/WINEN.pdf

This is Nikon's pdf on how to do it.

The upgrade is still not available yet


I only see a WINDOWS version. Is there one for Mac? I guess I can look at the Nikon site.

YES! I fully agree. Russ, MT and the Capt have all been great contributors. I learn a lot from all of them. My post mentioning Bobby was because with some of the targeting a few have done regarding some of his images being inappropriate I felt I could speak as someone who knows him outside of this forum and vouch for his integrity. I know first hand Bobby is a class act both as a photographer and as an artist of the human form.

I have read all the posts thus far in this thread, I finally reached a point to where I could no longer just sit back and not speak up. I know Bobby personally. I live here in Las Vegas and I am a member of his meetup group. I know FIRST HAND not only the quality of Bobby's method of teaching, I also know first hand the integrity, the professionalism and personal desire to TEACH that Bobby exudes at each and every instructional and shootout session he holds. And he does it with class. Every one of Bobby's models is of the highest quality, they are experts in modeling and are themselves the creme' de la creme' in the looks department, which of course is an added bonus. He does not allow any sleaze, pornographic or questionable behavior from ANY of his models or photographers during any of his sessions. His sessions have one, and ONLY one purpose… to teach both photographers and models how to improve their craft. While his specialty is "lighting", he shares a wealth of knowledge in posing technique, prop usage, post production/processing and even covers the do's and don'ts of proper behavior of a photographer, and especially the behavior of the model. I can assure each and everyone one on this forum Bobby Deal is an artist and every image he posts here is of extreme value for those who wish to benefit from his teachings.

I feel extremely lucky to know Bobby through his workshops and I have gained more knowledge just in the past several months from Bobby than I had garnered in several years thinking I was a photographer. Once I started attending Bobby's workshops I immediately realized I didn't know anywhere as much about photography as I had thought I did. There's so much I've learned from him and I know there's so much more I'll learn from him as I continue to attend his workshops in the future. I know I'll never be the photographer he already is but I also know I WILL improve as I learn more and more from Bobby.

Back to the initial intention of my post… Bobby Deal does not deal in sleaze. Bobby deals in artful photography by means of artful posing, artful lighting and "people photography" is his thing. This section of the forum is intended for those who also have an interest in "people photography". If you appreciate art, if you appreciate the beauty in the human form then this is where you belong. If you wish to learn as much as you possibly can from one of the best photographers available anywhere then please just be thankful Bobby Deal makes himself available to you as he does. He not only LOVES to teach, he goes the extra mile to go into detail like no other on this forum. Let's just all give Bobby a big THANK YOU for his existence here and move forward.