I think of all the functions in a camera as tools - some are more advanced than others - and you need to learn how to use them before they can be useful.

Knowing a tool is about understanding its strengths and weaknesses and being able to predict what it is going to do for you in any given circumstance.

Once its behavior is predictable, you can make appropriate choices about when and where to use that tool. The right choice will make what you want to do easier (or just possible).

Of course you also need to know what you want to achieve in the first place.

I took a look at your site BTW and I like your work. If you’re ever in Cork give me a shout.

I’ve long promoted GIMP as an alternative to spending nearly a grand on Photoshop but this is the first time I’ve used it for a published image.

It did everything I needed to do (and a lot more). It would take some getting used to but that’s probably because I’m already used to Photoshop - and that’s taken a long time.