For thousands of years, man has been capturing images. Before the camera was invented, man captured images through drawings and paintings. Often, the images were based on the interpretations and skill of painters, so the resulting images were not always exact. Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale says “With the invention of the camera we are now able to capture life-like view of subjects through photographs and has been the basis of documenting our lives for the past 150 years. The camera was a very important invention.”
Photos (or photographs) are images created when light falls on photographic film or electronic imager (e.g., CCD or CMOS chip). To create a photo, you would need a camera. Photography is the process of creating photographs.
Photos are either non-digital or digital. Film cameras produce non-digital photos. Non-digital photos are printed by way of processing the film or negative in a dark room.
Digital photos are photos taken with a digital camera, which uses a memory card or some other storage device instead of film for storing pictures. Digital photos come in different graphic formats (e.g., TIFF, JPEG, RAW). Digital pictures can be printed straight from the digital camera or transferred to a computer that is connected to a printer (e.g., inkjet, laser or thermal).
When digital cameras entered the market, it paved the way for many people to get into photography. They made taking pictures easy; you can take literally thousands of photos without spending a lot of money on film. Pictures are stored electronically, and what’s great is that you can print out the pictures you take yourself; you don’t need to pay for your photos to be developed.
It’s also very easy for anyone today to own a digital camera. For less than $100, you can have a digital camera that takes quality photos. With digital technology advancing at a rapid rate, companies are constantly introducing to the market digital cameras that have more features and are more powerful. “Our cell phones like the Apple Iphone will become our cameras and our viewing devices” says professional digital photographer Bob Dale.
A quality digital camera can enable you to take impressive photos. But even if you’re into photography as a hobby, it would be to your advantage if you try to learn a few basic photo composition principles and techniques. This way, you’ll be able to take more interesting photos.
In the digital camera market, Canon, Nikon and Fuji are some of the top brands. The Canon EOS series (e.g., Canon EOS 40D, Canon EOS 30D and Canon EOS 5D), the Nikon D80 and the Fuji S5 are all digital cameras that take great pictures.
Looking for a quality digital camera? Go with Canon, who is setting the standard for digital photography with its Canon EOS series of digital cameras. The Canon EOS series of digital cameras are considered among the best digital SLRs that’s ideal for both amateur photographer and professional photographers.
These Canon digital cameras are professional grade cameras that can produce high quality digital photos. They also use Canon’s 10.1 megapixel CMOS technology. If you’re in the market for a professional grade digital camera, check out the cameras in the Canon EOS series.
The Nikon D80 digital SLR camera one of the top rated digital cameras today, capable of taking professional quality photographs. It has a 10.2 megapixel CCD imaging sensor, a large LCD screen (2.5 inches) and a host of features that lets you do some in-camera editing. Carrying a mid-range price tag of $700 to $900, the Nikon D80 is ideal for photo enthusiasts who don’t have a big budget to spend on a camera, as well as for those who are new to using SLR cameras.
If you have plans on turning your photography hobby into a full-blown professional career, then you’ll do well to invest in the Nikon D300. This top-of-the-line digital SLR camera starts at $1,700. It supports live viewing, meaning you can preview your shots on the LCD screen.
Finally, the Fuji S5 comes in several models. The Fuji S5 Pro model is ideal for those who are struggling with their photography skills as this digital camera comes with auto correcting features. This digital SLR camera features 12.3 megapixels CCD SR Pro technology, three new film simulation modes for improved reproduction of natural skin tones, and facial detection technology that allows you to quickly and easily zoom in on facial details. The Fuji S5 Pro has a price tag of around $1,500.
You can easily share the photos you take with friends and family. With a few clicks, you can upload the photos in your digital camera to your computer. Once in your computer, it’s easy to e-mail the photos to your friends and family, as well as upload them to Yahoo! MySpace, FaceBook, Flickr and other photo sharing sites that allow you to create your own online photo gallery.
There are some inexpensive software that will let you create slide shows from your digital photos and save them in CDs to mail out to friends and families. You can even edit your photos before sharing them. There are photo editing software packages that will let you combine stock photography with your pictures to create effects that are uniquely yours.
Really, there’s no limit in what you can do with your digital photos — all you need is your trusty digital camera, some stock photos, a good photo editing program and a dash of creativity. You can even do some minor editing right there in your camera, such as correcting lighting, flash tones and red eye), and hook up your digital camera to a photo printer and print out your photos immediately.
You can shoot and print your photos quickly and easily with digital photography. You don’t need to mess with film or know how to process the photos yourself.