The Basics of Digital Photography
If you own a personal computer you are already
on the way to becoming an expert in digital photography. (Actually,
you can dabble in digital photography even if you don't have
a computer, but that would make it a bit harder.) You will
definitely need a digital camera, of course. Pick one that
suits your needs and sensibilities--they come in all shapes
and sizes!
Higher quality digital cameras cost more, but the cheaper
versions will give you cheaper quality shots. It's the same
as with traditional cameras--you get what you pay for. But
you don't have to pay through the nose. Mid-priced cameras
can take great pictures, especially
if you're only using it to put snaps on the internet. Be sure
to go for a high pixel count, at least 3 mega- pixels. But
even the number of megapixels won't help if you have a poor
quality lens, so be sure to splurge on that.
Generally speaking the well known brands make good digital
cameras, but the market changes so fast you need to look at
a few online reviews.
There is no doubt that digital photography is big. People
who tried traditional photography and gave up are finding
digital photography really rewarding. There are a few reasons
for this, the main ones being cost, creativity and freedom
Cost. It is cheaper- of course you need to factor in the
ink, the paper, the camera itself, and the fact you need a
computer for most digital photography tasks. But a lot of
people prefer the fact that you do not have to dig into your
pockets to get 36 prints developed, most of which are rubbish.
Instead you can look at them on a monitor before deciding
to print them off. Many people never print any digital photos,
just share them online and on screen.
Creativity. This is the most important thing for many people.
Although it was possible to pay for traditional photos to
be cropped and changed, hardly anyone found it worth the effort.
With digital however, cropping out ugly buildings, reframing
your shots for better proportions,
changing color to black and white, making the pictures brighter...
all this is easy, even for beginners.
Freedom. Many digital photography enthusiasts will tell you
that going digital has set them free. This is usually because
you can so easily take photos, lots of photos, then delete
the ones you do not like. For years, camera magazines would
advise people to take whole roles of film on one subject to
make sure they got one decent shot. After all, this is what
professionals do. Most amateurs found this advice pretty unhelpful,
given both the cost of film and developing and the fact that
the entire family will think you had gone mad! With digital
you can snap away, trying new things, and if it does not work,
you just delete it when you get home (or in the field if you
are sure it is hopeless).
Now that you know the above, consider the following:
Use your digital camera as a chance to experiment. Once you
spend money on a camera, you will find that you become free
to experiment to your heart's desire. Look at new objects,
shoot details that you would not have wasted film on before,
and so on. Be adventurous, because that is how you will wind
up with great pictures.
Also, be sure to take the time to read over the manual and
learn how to utilize all the components of your camera. These
are intricate pieces of equipment, so it's important to figure
out how they work. Your software manual will also show you
how to fix your pictures once they are on your computer. Your
friends and family will be very grateful!
About the Author:
Professional photographer Deborah Kilgaron helps other people
follow her path through her website
Raising Profile Photography. Become one of Deborah's students
- visit the Raising Profile Photography online community at
http://www.rpphotography.com
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