Hi, Bob. IF I had to pick just one image editing software program to use, I would choose Paint Shop Pro. I have older versions going back to when it was owned by JASC and later by Corel. The biggest problem with the newer versions is that they DO have more features, but they are also larger programs that use more memory and hard disk storage. This is especially true for the latest version of Adobe Photoshop Elements version 5 .. which is why I purchased version 4.0 .. I wouldn't even be able to use Elements version 5 on my Dell laptop, it is such a memory hog. I also got Elements version 4.0 because it is compatible with my Logitech NuLOOQ Navigator (a hardware device to use in place of a mouse and in conjunction with a graphics tablet). I already had Elements version 2.0 on my computer. Adobe Photoshop 7.0 came bundled with some hardware I bought, possibly my WACOM Intuos graphics tablet. BTW that is a good way to end up with free copies of editing software.. watch the ads for which software programs companies are tossing in if you purchase their hardware.. graphics tablets, laser mice, scanners, photo printers, etc. Elements 4.0 is very good for making quick edits, Auto Enhance, etc. And a nice feature of this is you can also get a more detailed editing window if you choose to, where you have emore control over the editing. I think the big difference between Adobe Elements and Corel PSP is that there are more online places to go get free downloads and tutorials and Plug-Ins for Adobe Elements. Also, many of the Adobe Photoshp Plug-Ins will work in Elements. And some of the Plug-Ins from Adobe WILL also work in Corel PSP. There are more books written for the Adobe products, too. An excellent manual for Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 is "Photoshop Elements 4: the Missing Manual", by Barbara Brundage. This weekend, when I have more free time, I will go thru both my Corel PSP and Adobe Elements programs and give you a better comparison. I learned to Image Edit on JASC Paint Shop Pro so have the most familiarity with it. If you stay behind the latest upgrade by a version, you can get it cheaper once a newer version comes out. And you can buy used software at Amazon.com and eBay. It is almost annoying how fast the companies keep coming up with upgrades for their image editing software. Makes it harder to learn the programs and get a feel for what is where in the layout. Gail R (WNY)

Having visited the Prado and the Cathedral de Sevilla, I recognize a scam when I see it. Spam!!

I upload my from the camera to the hard drive, save them in my pictures by date, as in 03-27-08. By using the 0 in front of a single digit month, it keeps it in the correct order, datewise. If you just type in 3-17-08, when you get to October, which reads 10-17-08, it will put October first in the order saved. I delete the really bad ones, or ones I know I don't want even if they aren't good. I about killed DH one day. He decided to go thru and delete some of the bad pics we had from something, after I had saved what I wanted. Before I had them backed up, as in the next day! I had purposely kept some of the blurry ones, as they were the only ones I had of that particular shot. And I had a use for them. He deleted them. He won't do it again!!!!! I keep them backed up, but unless it's a huge video file, like our trip to Vermont 2 weeks ago when he took video with the camera, I'll leave them on the computer for the whole year, then do another back up of them on a DVD and then I will go thru and delete the ones I don't want to store on the hard drive to show someone when we travel. The video DH took on our trip I will save to DVD and delete, because it takes up so much space. I print all I want printed at home. I have a photo quality printer, and only use the ink for that printer, no refills for priniting pics!!! I don't want to spend that kind of money, even at Walmart to have them all printed, and no where to store them if I did. If there is something I want to give mom & dad, I print my own. I can see all the rest any time I want to by opening that file on the computer, and do so quite often. Tami...whos camera has died, and has to be sent back.

Sophie Wheeler's post is interesting. My aunt used to travel in an RV for a regular route of specific animal shows. She did colored chalk portraits of breeders' dogs and cats, and was very good at it. She'd start a basic portrait on site and finish it up at home, mailing it to each client. Over the course of the 2-3 days the show was open, she usually had at least 4-6 commissions for work. It didn't take her long to get a very good rep (she was a good businesswoman, always meeting her deadlines and very sociable by nature). After a short while she received a regular flow of commissions for portraits of kids, grandkids, etc., as well as pets. She started having to limit her business because she really only wanted to do it part-time. I have to say that the OP's product might be interesting to an older market (my MIL would have loved it), but I can't see any of our Millennial friends being interested in the slightest. They enjoy their homes, but their artistic tastes wouldn't extend to a photo or painting (real or simulated) of it.