 
  I have been into photography since I was 13.  
I have had a color darkroom and I still have a drum processor.  But, I have switched to digital and I no longer own a film camera.
At some point, I decided that some things work better as paintings or drawings.  This took me into a strange new world of creating digital art from photos.  I use combinations of programs to achieve this.  The best program for this is Corel Painter, but I also use Akvis Sketch, Snap Art and Photoshop in various combinations.