Thank you for all the advise, this is what I need to turn my love into art! Now that I will have the equipment (I think that helps...I could be wrong....kind of like most people have an oven but they can't bake!) and the love for the art....I can take my raw skills and learn to create the art I have so much loved! I did purchase a book by David Taylor..."Digital Photography Course....." to give me a guide on all the technicals that I have never used regarding composition, angles, lighting etc; registered with this site to obtain honest opinions and advise and will be looking into finding a local photography club to assist with hands on.
Family members have always loved my photo's (every year for their birthdays I present to them a small album of shots personal to them as a gift) I've just went in and looked at two of them that I am currently working on and notice that my backgrounds need alot of work! So I think I will do some work with cropping (don't really know anything else yet) to eliminate some of the unwanted items in the background to make these albums better and from this point forward I will pay more attention to what is in the background when shooting to consider whether it is an enhancement or just a distraction. Thank you!

Nathan-originally being from Philadelphia I travel down frequently, maybe next time I'm down we can have coffee and you share some of your experiences...with finally having equipment that I can make adjustments on I can really start having fun and learn! I'm so excited!

Both shots were just shots taken, if it looked good through the viewfinder I pushed the button...#1 shot up close with a point and shot #3 cellphone probably moved as pic snapped. I just love taking pics but haven't "learned" how to...the #1 reason for joining this site is to start getting input and information on how to improve....hope to someday (during my retirement) suppliment my income with photography, maybe selling pictures in the travel industry, this way I can combine both my loves.....

Thanks! Got it!

Thank you for the welcome! Will have this camera with me at all times so that I can do as I have always done...if I see it, I shoot it! Just got a new job that will also open my time availability up alot; giving me more time to devote to my love of the art and learning more!

Thank you for the welcome! Looking forward to creating lots of posts!

Thank you for the welcome; I wanted to post some of my pics and just went into my computer folder and picked out a few to show my variety and that one had resized a little with the software already loaded in my computer eliminating some of the foreground; thank you for the advise about the camera club, always wanted to join one but when you are using a phone and a point n shoot didn't feel comfortable...but will be looking for one now!

Love it! Happy to see that others take shots of just anything...I do that all the time! Looking forward to learning how to do the special effects! Being new at this can someone recommend an easy to use (inexpensive or better yet Free!) software that I can download to my laptop? I have windows 10 and the "pictures" folder has some editing but it is very limited.

Hi! This is Vicki from PA; after a lifetime of point & shoots, bridge cameras and cell phones, I have finally been able to take a small leap into "real" photography...just ordered Canon T6 kit from Amazon. Think it was a good price with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II and EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Lens, wide angle and 2x telephoto plus filters, extra batteries, cards, etc. for only $459. Should have on Wednesday and I can't wait! Love to photograph everything! I always have a camera of some sort with me and have always just taken a shot...having no idea what I was doing and some good some turn out really bad...in recent years every now and then I take a shot or two and play with the "editing" on my computer (whatever comes in the computer under "pictures" file and turn a bad shot into something decent Looking forward to learning manual settings, in fact my intent in not to use the automatic setting on this camera at all! I'm including some of my pics that I have taken, please be kind and remember I have no experience except snapshots! Constructive criticism and advise will be greatly appreciated! I want to learn!

Just some greens in a vase....


Uma, my first born Granddog!


Yes, I'm a foodie!


Out for a walk with grandson