Lesson: Avoid Apple in the future.

The craft of photography may rise to art in the right hands.

Cute innocent smart predators. Nice catch of these coyote pups.

Ditto: "it needs to at least be sent for a complete inspection by a qualified technician."

March Field Air Museum hosts an SR-71 "Black Bird" on static display. The plane used to sit on the tarmac there. Now, it has been brought inside a large hanger, with a ladder from the floor up to a platform near the cockpit for viewing inside it. This aircraft presents historical aviation greatness.

Good morning. My eye likes the photorealistic images you have produced. They project an immediacy to the visual sense. They flatter the subject, too. The skin tones appear as near to natural as possible.

I once read a book whose author demonstrated how to adjust the camera settings to achieve a perfect exposure even while in the JPEG file format. He did the work under studio conditions. Your images indicate a similar exposure technique, or maybe the same.

The book got buried when I moved to another dwelling. I tell myself I must find it.

This screed ignores the capacity of a computerized device to learn by contact with facts and information in the real world.

Further, this screed fails to account for the weighty commercialization via sell-jobs pushing the concept and use of AI for profit.

In all the hub-bub, the crowd of keyboard jockeys will tout AI as the next great leap forward to accomplish the science fiction notion of a thinking machine, subject to the rules of physical robotic entities.

Read more here of the historical context of this subject: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics

The self-directed machine and the ability to replicate itself will mark the advent of an android mirroring a human being. For addressing this outcome, see the film "Blade Runner." This film presents the limit of a robot or even an advanced android to feel and to express human feelings, much less to love.

This next question, typically ignored, bears attention: Why invent a human-like machine in the first place? Or, put another way, why develop a life-like machine to do human things? Why does Man wish to produce a new lifeform from nothing?

This human being sees other values and activity more worthy of research, study, and funding: Prolongation of natural human life and genetic healing. This effort could include manipulation of DNA and genes to produce super-humans with high intelligence and disease-resistant makeups.

Besides, the human exploration of extraterrestrial phenomenon has already begun while dependent on human control and direction of this mission. Computerized devices can transport humankind to faraway places to investigate conditions there. Already, a satellite (Voyager 1) launched in 1977, has left the direct influence of the solar system, even as it continues to collect and transmit data back to Earth. Robots can do such work.

Good point. From my experience as a novice trying to learn photography, I did answer that way. I still lacked an effective set of skills to evaluate my own work.
My direction in photography developed as time passed. I found I had no interest in doing extreme photography, such as underwater photography. My preference became more or less settled from my actual practice.

Words of wisdom: "High quality images can be made with almost any new-ish camera."

Good morning. Yes, a grey-scale exposure better suits some subjects. Your photos nicely express the visual bang of the black-and-white treatment of your subjects. My eye lingers over the shapes and surfaces of these old machines. By your photos, you have given these subjects new life.

The assertion of FZ does not apply to my photographic work. I saw early that selling my photographs would introduce a bias in my efforts. I could not but lean toward money shots over my inclination to follow my eye when deciding what to photograph. I never accept money for my photographs.

You have found and captured a visually attractive subject. Thanks for sharing. You have a way with black-and-white photography. Your photos satisfy the visual sense.

Thanks for sharing the pictures of this automotive design beauty. Very sleek to the eye, and striking, with bold coloration.

Good morning. Your questions indicate to me that you have become serious about doing photography. I offer my comment from that standpoint.

The camera brand or type comes second to knowing how to use any camera to produce worthy photographs.

So, I strongly recommend that you study and apply the fundamentals of image composition. Visit this website for guidance in this central aspect of doing photography: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography/discover/photo-composition.html

Attend a workshop or two to become familiar with camera operation as well. Doing so will help shorten the learning curve; after all, photography functions as a craft. We must learn its tools.

The concern for which brand of camera to buy and use opens the door to a big topic in the field of photography. Let me please suggest that you rent a camera that seems to suit your hand and eye. Hands-on experience may persuade you in a purchase. Let's face it: Photographers may select a camera in part from its ergonomics.

But this concern also presents a choice arising from the personal appeal of photography to your senses. Do you like black-and-white or color (or both) as the primary avenue of photography. Do you like landscapes or portraits? And so on. The field of photography covers a lot of ground. You may not know the answer to this paramount question of which way to go until you actually practice photography.

Try the informal approach while you learn more about photography: Take a lot of pictures. Learn from your failures and successes.

As to the choice of a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, let me please note that only a short time ago, the DSLR served as the latest advance in technology; now, the mirrorless camera pretends to wear the crown. Yet, consider that you and me and others cannot tell one from the other in the final product of either camera.

Of course, we now see the flashy Artificial Intelligence approach to doing photography. The sell-jobs for it have started. Do not fear this technologic advance. The basics of doing photography remain in place, as always.

As to which brand of camera to buy and use, I offer this guide. Consider the availability of gear and software behind and underlying the product. Canon leads ahead of all others.
Third-parties will naturally cater to this leader, offering a wider array of support. Nikon-lovers will find plenty of options, too.

Canon offers refurbished cameras at a cost lower than for new. I note that Canon scrutinizes these re-done cameras while undergoing cleaning, inspection, repair, and testing. In effect, the used camera performs as new-like, although another human being has taken pictures with it. I have bought and used refurbished photography gear from Canon with no problem. I also like SIGMA for its line of lenses compatible with Canon DSLRs. I own and use more than one SIGMA lens.

The hardest part of my comment here has to do with the intense sales bombardment urging photographers of all persuasions to buy this or that item, as if it represents the be-all and end-all of products under the sun.

Beware. Do your homework with a critical frame of mind. Read reviews. Avoid buying anything dependent solely on the shouting of an advertisement. Sleep on any purchase action. If really interested, rent to try before you buy.

In ending, I note the following extreme outlook for doing photography: You need only a single camera and a single lens for the practice of photography, or to learn it. You can practice photography with a point-and-shoot camera or your cellular telephone camera.

Despite non-stop, widespread advertisements showing photographers wearing backpacks, you really only need a camera bag with a sling strap to lug the camera with lens, along with, say, a spare battery and a lens-cleaning kit.

Note as well, that few photographers truly need a tripod for the practice of photography, no matter the bias and blandishments of manufacturers and their ads. Effective image stabilization subsystems have relegated the tripod to the fringe at best. I will grant that microphotography and certain other sub-fields require a tripod for best results.

I qualify my limited view by the obvious fact: Doing photography with artificial lighting (AKA flash lighting) does involve certain specialized gear. It brings up another side of photography.

Let us leave this side for later.