Hey, I do hope you are getting over the cancer episode. We are both 68 and have certain medical restrictions. I have been retired for over 12 years now. I understand 68 years old.
The, maybe excessive, push to RAW for you does not need to be rehashed as to the advantages. I hope they have been driven home. But the, currently, simplistic job of its use is another reason. You are a computer guru. So this should be second nature for you. Take this example. You have to put your photos on your computer. Right? DPP that came with your camera will do this automatically. It will d/l the images and display them without effort on your part. At this point, there is no difference between your jpg files and a RAW file as nothing on your part is different. OK? But now you have RAW files on the screen instead of compressed jpg.
The rendering is done by DPP automatically. But you now have twice or more of the ability to make them better. Or you can simply choose to save them as is to a jpg. The only difference here is you choose RAW on the menu on the back of the camera.
Lets add PSE into the mix. After you learn it, you will have a whole new world of editing possiblites.
Cameras can be great lead ins to make new friends. That is great. I hope that works out for you. A word on a "model release", to clarify it more. Average people do not have an expectation of privacy in a public place. There is no release required to do whatever with the images. Of course I mean non-slanderous use or degrading, etc. Even celebrities have few legal rights if they are in a piblic place. This has a gray area, however. If you state your goal is to profit from the photos you should get a release. Especially if the person cooperates. But if they ask you not take their photo, you should honor that although you probably don't have to. Anybody can sue for anything in this country. Local ordenances may apply, too. There are “community standards” laws to contend with.
None of that applies to children. They are ALWAYS off limits.
I hope you get better quickly so we can pursue the great photography hobby even futher.
EB
EOS 1D, EOS 1D MK IIn, EOS 1D MK III, EOS 1Ds MK III, EOS 1D MK IV and EOS 1DX and many lenses.
Mine was not?
