Yes, the tutorials are good, but the problem for a beginner is that you don't know what tutorial you are looking for....

PS - In the world of computing, applications and processes, we all have our own discrete knowledge based on need. My advice is to not try and look at tackling the problem as a whole, but rather to incorporate the things that apply to your needs. Let's be honest, NOBODY understands all of the Photoshop program and I can't imagine that there is a real need to...

Haaaahaaahaaa, I totally agree. I've been using Photoshop for quite some time and I am still at a loss about many of the functions. Even worse, when I consult the knowledge base, the information I find seems to show that many people, maybe even the programmers, are at a loss. Oh, well, we soldier on....

I'm working my way into it. It has some great features. I turned the focus mask on unintentionally, so when the green globs showed up I was completely at a loss. Now if something similar happens my first place to check will be the View menu. Live and learn. I see there is a manual to download - are there any good manuals on the market?

Bingo - many thanks. It is focus mask and it does toggle on and off in the View menu. I don't know how it got turned on (although me wandering around the program could have had something to do with it), but it really bummed me out when I couldn't figure out what it was. I thought it was an error in the program and erased and reinstalled, but the green blotches were still there. Next step is to figure out what they are for and what I should do with them. The image was shot with the 15-45 mm XC lens that came with the camera (I quickly upgraded lenses). I shot with that lens because I wanted a slightly wider angle, but that was the first image from that lens that I opened with Capture One 21 and so I didn't know for sure if it was the lens, or the program, or my graphics card. Something goes weird and you think the worst.

I have been using Capture One Express for Fuji and now I am trying out Capture One 21. I imported a .RAF file into Capture One 21 and it is covered with green blotches - they look like little masks. The green blotches don't show in Capture One Express. What are they?

I'm impressed - I'm an old film hobby photographer getting into the amazing possibilities of new cameras. HDR looks like it opens up a whole new world for me. Would you please go into a little more depth about how you achieved your third image?

Wow!! Many thanks to all who responded. Great advice from all sorts of different perspectives. I'm not really looking at the income, more at getting my photos accepted or rejected by someone with some "skin in the game". As one person said "force me to consider what I might want to improve". Although I'd rather jump into a pool of piranhas than ever shoot another wedding, I'll be giving all of your suggestions and advice some good hard thought. Many thanks, Ranulph

I'm a long time hobby photo shooter, but I'm thinking of upping my game with a bit more challenge. Does anyone have any experience putting images up on Shutterstock or Adobe Stock or one of the other sites? Is it challenging, numbing, or is it like jumping into a pool of piranhas?

Hi Rongnongno,
I started serious (hobby) shooting with a Yashica TL-Electro. No zoom lenses, so I had to carry three, and a very simple internal light meter. Loved it. I set the film speed (usually 64), chose the film maker for their colours (Kodak was warm, Fuji was good in the greens and blues, and it's been so long I don't remember the rest), selected either shutter speed or aperture for the shot I wanted and then balanced the other for exposure, and I owned the results of every shot I took. I never had to outsmart my camera. (Maybe I should also state that I drive a standard transmission). When digital took over my wife bought a Pentax DSLR (she had originally been shooting with a Pentax film camera). I got depressed and shot for a long time (when I shot) with a point and shoot (last one was a Canon). Then I bought a Sony a6000 mirrorless and a telephoto lens to go with it (Sony lovers, please excuse the next statement). I loved it and I hated it. You've heard of Pentax Colours? My wife could shoot a beautiful sunset, mine were washed out. Even on fully Manual I didn't have enough control. Next camera (current camera) is a Fujichrome X-T30 with an XF 18-55 lens, and I'm back in the driver's seat. I totally agree that a photo camera is a foolish thing to shoot video - I have an actual video camera for that - but I have the X-T30 set to manual and I have shutter speed, aperture, focus, and ISO under my own control. I shoot in RAW and use Capture Express to edit and save photos to JPG. I'm not one to promote any product, but I do want to tell you, for those among us who believe that the artist should control the result, there is hope.