Beginner's question: opinion on cropping

Watch out! Your opening a whole new can of worms there. Actually I have tried some HDR and I'm just not fond of it.

As I mentioned before, I am a purist compared to others. And I feel Karl's plight. And respect greatly his conviction. I would use the street term "Tough Guy" to describe him. I want him on my side in a battle. Maybe he's really a softy, I don't know.

I'm a purist and also very simple. I like the device we call a camera, with which I can go out or in and capture moments in time. I don't like to spend hours tweaking and messing with things in post. I will make some adjustments and corrections as I see fit, but that is about it. With regard to creativity, I get off on being outside and being creative in what I DECIDE to shoot. Different strokes for different folks.

HDR to me was kind of a laborious pain in the #%$!!! Some guys like it. I don't. Again, my personal thinking is, since I don't like sitting at the computer processing things, I want to try my best to eliminate that part of the process. FOR ME!!!!!! We have all seen stuff that guy's do with post that is absolutely amazing and beautiful to look at. And there is a part of me that marvels at their abilities. It's just not there for me right now. Maybe some day but not now.