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I had to know what was being done with post-processing, there is so much of it in here. So I bought Photomatix and have been playing with it. What a major time suck that is. That said, the more I use it, the more it reminds me of my days printing color photos. It feels like going back to that control over an image, even more than working in photoshop.

I don't have many bracketed shots, or raw images, to experiment with, so I have been trying single images and false brackets done in photoshop. There are so many controls, such fine tweaks, that arriving at a final image takes some doing. I am amazed at the level of details it can pull out while not destroying other levels.

Glad it's winter and I don't feel guilty sitting on my computer for hours.

I've been in 500px for over a month now and have observed a few things.

- There are photographs. I prefer them, it's what I know. I'm drawn to documentary work and photos that reflect thought at the time of capture.

- There are images. Some are very nice, some are out of my "Like' range because they exceed what I relate to. I don't think I can cross that line with what I post. Enhancing is different than altering. I want to accept it but I'm struggling with this difference and how those decisions are made.

- The amount of Likes and Favs and such can effect a person. Yet, in spite of being new in here, and having lower "numbers", I look at the photographs that I post and get excited about them. They mean as much to me now as when I took them. Only I know the back-story of each photo, and that matters, that inspires.

- I still like black & white very much, even though I have not shot it for decades.

- I can get zero views in this site, but if I tweet an image, I'll have 20 views in ...