Thom, so you don't get jumped on or corrected by someone unkindly, the term is metadata. As you know, it is infinitely useful in finding out the camera, lens and exposure details about a picture.

I am thinking that "fill" is "field."

Fair question. Actually, I like the Sherpa idea. I just don't speak Tibetan and that could create a problem. I'd ask for a lens and he'd hand me the tripod.

Is that cheaper than, say, a Domke? It would certainly be cooler.

If you want to bully people, find a different playground.

I have been on SmugMug for about 5 years. I used it in the past to share and sell pictures with other parents when our daughter was in the high school marching band. You can follow the link in my signature to the site. I like the changes they are making to the site now. It is much easier to customize.

It was sold as a kit lens with another camera body, which is why is was in a white box with no instructions. I just bought a 24-85 AF-S lens on ebay that came in the same way. The 18-105 is a nice lens and if you got the spot off OK, you should be happy with it. You can probably search the Nikon USA Website and find an instruction book for the lens if you want one.

What a great way to start the morning, thanks for kicking things off. I started photography nearly 40 years ago with an Argus rangefinder that was as old (or older) than I was at the time and handheld light meter. I didn't think it could get much better when I got my first SLR with a built-in light meter. This post has started a great, and generally civil, discussion about why we love this hobby (or profession for some)and why we do what we do. I am new to UHH and have enjoyed my time here so far. I look forward to what I will be learning from you all.

Having said all that, for most of what I shoot, the DOF is the important factor and that keeps me in Aperture priority mode. But, as many have said, the critical point is to understand exposure and know what piece(s) of the triangle (shutter, aperture, ISO) you want or need to set manually in each situation and what pieces you can trust to your camera's electronic wizardry. Great post & great discussion.

That WAS a really big strobe.

None of the first two recommendations are DSLR. If your goal is to just take pictures, either recommendation will work. If you want to learn photography, I would recommend the "bridge" camera or a good used DSLR with a zoom lens. There is a book by Brian Peterson called Understanding Exposure that will introduce you to the basic principles of photography. You will also need to learn about composition and post processing. The reason I like the bridge camera or DSLR is that they will allow you to use Manual, Shutter priority and Aperture priority exposure modes. One of the best ways to understand what your camera is doing in an automatic mode is to learn to use it in manual mode. Keep asking questions and start reading and practicing.

I started shooting RAW instead of JPG when I moved from a digital P&S to a DSLR. I like the flexibility it gives me in processing images. To quote your post, shooting RAW doesn't necessarily give you a better picture, but it does give you more to work with in creating the picture that you want. If you search this topic here on UHH I am sure you will find some lively discussion and good arguments for shooting RAW and JPG. As with most things, there is no "right" answer but only what is best for what you are shooting and how you use it. If you have not shot RAW, it is probably worth your time to try it for a while to see if you like the results better than shooting JPG.

OK. That's a start. What's you're budget and how much time do you want to invest in learning photography?

What part of the creation do you have in mind?

I agree with the recommendation for Peterson's book. It is excellent.

I have used both the VR and non-VR versions of the Nikon 70-300 lens. I have taken sharp pictures at 1/15 at 300mm with the VR lens. But, as others have pointed out, the VR helps reduce the effect of the camera shake but does nothing to help you if the subject is moving. The AF-S VR version of the lens focuses faster and hunts less in low light. On the 3200, it will give the effective focal length of a 450mm f5.6 lens and is sharp in good light. For action photography, I'd go with the AF-S VR version of the lens.

I have not had good luck with non-Nikon lenses. But, it looks like others here have. If there is a camera shop that would let you rent a couple to try them out first, that is the best way to go.