Probably a stupid question I know.

I got the book and read the whole thing. I was really confused before, now I'm just slightly confused. When you have 2 little boys pulling on you while you're trying to set the camera, it's hit or miss sometimes. When they are not around, I actually know what I'm doing and when I don't, I just go "P" and put on the flash and go. I don't do weddings this way, thankfully. All my clients love my work. But I didn't have good gear until recently and didn't have the desire to learn more. Now I have more time to shoot and a desire to get it just right. I got that book because someone here raved about it. I think going out and shooting new things, like I will be in WY for vacation. The last time I went there the 200 speed film I bought was a bad batch. I thought it was me. I had 4 rolls of 36 color film that spoiled in the trip. I think the film got overheated somehow. I was devastated. I thought it was me until I pulled out a fresh roll of Fuji film and the pictures turned out great. But since then I've second guessed myself. A whole vacation without good pictures. Can you imagine that?

Yes I can. I have missed many moments that I would have loved to capture for various reasons, be it a dead battery, wrong ISO, wrong focus point, etc. and not realizing it until it was too late. But now I am more knowlegable and for the most part have eliminated those goof ups. That doesn't mean I still don't have lots to learn or that all my pictures are the best, but at least some are good.

I had the 10D for a long time before I even considered shooting RAW. No one explained to me what RAW was and why some photographers prefer it. Forums like this one help people like me be brave and try new things, get out of our comfort zones. I think having great pictures posted is the key. I see a landscape or fireworks shot and I am totally inspired to learn what settings were used. That's how we can learn and ask the questions that 10 other people didn't think to ask. What's sad is I think I left my photography on the back burner for so many years due to lack of money or time. Now I am playing catch up and my little boys have a zillion pictures and my older sons have a lot of very bad pictures. At least I tried.

Ah, the pictures aren't for them anyway. They are for you and dad. As long as you like them for whatever reason that is all that matters. Your sons won't care one way or the other.

That's right. Boys don't care. I think their future wives and children will, though.

Back to the topic, I strayed, sorry, Ritz Camera gives free classes to new DSLR customers. Anyone here take the courses? I'm just curious if they are worth anything. Canon gives classes here in the DC area through Penn Camera, but I can never get there. Always on Sat. 6 hour course.