Ignore the hyperbolic criticism from your so called expert. I have observed your submissions to UHH for several months and you are a superb nature and landscape photographer. Take the admonishment of needing to photograph during the "golden hour" with a grain of salt and photograph what you see at any time of the day. Personally, I deliberately choose to photograph during the middle of the day when everything is in full sunshine. It makes F11 through F32 feasible with fast shutter speeds. Catch lights and shadows are always present and become compositional elements that can be easily managed by a simple change of position (your position - not the subjects).

Before retiring, I taught photography to high school students and the first thing I emphasized was that a critique (by anyone including me) was not criticism (something your expert fails to understand) but was thoughtfully designed suggestions on how to improve the image being discussed. More often than not this centered on composition and proper exposure, something that you personally excel at. If you need more convincing, read the book by Bruce Barnbaum titled "The Art of Photography" where he debunks almost everything you mention. His chapter on "Exploding Photographic Myths" includes the admonishment "The best landscape photographs are made within an hour and a half of sunrise or sunset" and he provides examples that demonstrate how false the golden hour can be (myth #6). Myth #9 eliminates the need for the rule of thirds (also with examples).

Keep shooting and trust your own decisions. Your photographs reveal your vision of the world and they are as relevant as those of anyone else. I personally have enjoyed the photographs that you have posted on UHH so please do not stop.

I like the original image better.

Use Nikon's RAW converter Capture NX-D and save as a 16 bit tiff file. It's free and does an excellent conversion. No need to subscribe when you can continue to use the editor you have.

Lots of wrong information. DNA is not protein. All corona viruses are positive single strand RNA viruses with a membrane envelope (composed of phospholipids and proteins). Viruses do enter cells, after they enter a healthy cell they reproduce using the cells biochemistry. Adding oxygen to water does not make peroxide (2nd law of thermodynamics prevents this). UV light has little effect on a protein but it denatures nucleic acids IF the correct wavelength is present.

The classic filter for black & white infrared is to use a 720 nm filter. I had an older digital camera converted with this filter installed. Camera records a "color" image (internal program re-programmed how data is recorded) that yields a pink and white image on the view screen. I then use Adobe Photoshop to convert the "color" image of the RAW file to a black & white tiff file for post processing (use either channel mixer or black & white under adjustments). This leaves the "color" information intact and allows me to adjust the gray tones using the color sliders.

The image was taken in midsummer about 1:00 in the afternoon. Trees (cottonwoods) are full of green leaves in full sun (cloudless blue skies). The water appears dark due to a black mud bottom. Attached is a color version taken with a different camera. Thanks to everyone for your comments. They are very much appreciated.

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Hopefully this version can be downloaded for closer review. To meet UHH size limitations it is a lower resolution than what I would normally print. Original print measures 11.5" x 30".

View of a local (northern Utah) warm spring using a converted digital camera (Pentax with the antialiasing filter replaced with a 720 nm filter). Contrast and exposure adjusted with Adobe camera raw. Interesting that infrared reflects off surface of water at different intensities depending on angle from camera lens. Compare brightness of reflection of farthest trees with the darker reflection of solitary tree near center of image.

Judy - I had the best results teaching beginning photography students about aperture by using an old, used, bought it cheap on e-bay large format shutter designed for an 8x10 view camera. Didn't need the lens or the camera, just the shutter. The shutters for large format cameras are large enough to hold up in front of the class and the students can see the physical size change of the opening as you open and close the shutter. The other key to getting the students to understand the f-stop numbers is to remind them that the numbers are actually fractions, NOT intergers. A value of 2 on the aperture ring actually means 1/2, a value of 4 actually means 1/4, and so on until a value of 16 actually means 1/16. The lens manufacturers just don't print the numerators on the aperture ring. SO..., an aperture of 1/2 is larger than an aperture of 1/16 which helps the students to understand why a large aperture setting is a smaller number. Hope this helps.

I would highly recommend going to an accredited public college. Yes, you will have to take classes in English, History, Math, etc., plus all of yoyr photography classes. But all of them prepare you with the knowledge and skills that you will need to succeed in the business world. While there, you can also take classes in accounting, economics, and business management. All of these provide you with the knowledge necessary to succeed as an independent business (you will be the boss of your own business). If you are in a hurry, look at local community colleges that offer an Associates Degree in photography. These programs can be finished in 2 years and all of the credits can be transfered to a 4 year university to get a Bachelors Degree later.

The main reason I recoommend getting a degree is that if you are looking for employment for an established business, many use a computer to screen all the applicants and reject all those who do NOT have the college degree. The piece of paper (your diploma) is the key to getting looked at. Good luck however you decide.

Here is an example. Both images are from the same file.

Try reading either "The Photographer's Black & White Handbook" then read "Monochromatic HDR Photography", both written by Harold Davis. He describes the process used to shoot in color, then process the color image non-destructively to a finished black and white print with plenty of examples. I learned Ansel Adams' zone system for film years ago and these books (for me) come closest to giving me the same information for digital photography. Good luck and good shooting.

I currently use a Nikon D810 and the Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 for most of my landscape work. If I need a longer lens I switch to a Sigma 70-300mm f4/5.6 lens, if I need a wider lens I switch to a Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 lens. These lenses are very sharp and I regularly print 16" x 20" prints without any loss of quality.

Photoshop CS4
PhotoNinja
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Topaz

Use a normal to wide angle lens placed directly on the aquarium glass. Off camera flash can be used at an angle (my wife held the flash about 3 feet to my side). The examples here are from the aquarium in Monteray,CA.