Digital Cameras : Photo Taking Made Easy!

Summer activities lend themselves to great opportunities for making memories as families have time together to cook out, camp, fish go on vacation, enjoy trips to the beach...the list is endless! Taking photos to capture the moment and share the good times in years to come is a wonderful idea. Like me, however, you may not be a natural photographer or even a decent shutter bug! Don't give up your dreams for the family photo album, a digital camera may just be the solution to your dilemma!

Until recently, I had to leave the picture taking to others. Place a camera in my hand and I happily shot rolls of film and had plans to put together scrapbooks and albums of all of our 'Kodak moments'. My big plans inevitably fell apart after I took the rolls of film to be developed only to find frame after frame blurred beyond recognition or if by chance I did get a clear shot, someone's head was always cut off or a thumb got in the center of the picture as I fumbled to snap the exciting events of family life.

My introduction to a digital camera came when my daughter showed up with one and asked me to snap a shot of her and her friend together. Digital cameras are still cameras and I thought she must have suffered a serious memory lapse to expect me to take a decent picture. Laughing she said, "So if you mess up, we'll delete it and take another"! With digital technology there is no need to wait to 'develop' the pictures to see results, simply look into the screen and preview it!

Digital cameras had a distinct advantage and appeal to me right there on that simple difference alone!

Other advantages a digital camera has over a 35 mm automatic like I had been unsuccessfully using includes...

No need to buy film! A memory card and a hookup to your computer and zap....download your pictures to print at home, or take the memory card to a processor and have them print the pictures.

Once pictures are downloaded and saved to disc or computer, you can delete them from the camera and/ or memory card and be ready to start a new batch of memories!

Most digital cameras have auto focus, auto flash and can even be set for a 'sports or action' mode that eliminates blurs from unexpected movement - Yours or the subjects! Multiple snapshots can be taken one after another and then it's a simple matter of deleting all but the best once you preview them on the camera itself.

How many times have you thought you had the 'perfect picture' on a traditional 35mm camera only to find out once the film was developed that the pictures was totally useless? Of course by then the moment you were hoping to capture is long gone!

With a digital camera, you can immediately preview the shot and try again while the subjects are still there in front of you! No need to miss those memory making moments again.

Digital cameras make picture taking so easy, even I can capture some cute moments without any worries that the snapshot won't be usable.

Digital cameras come in many makes, models and price ranges. The cheapest will be good enough to email snapshots to friends simply to keep in touch but for any photos you want to save and be printed for long time enjoyment , you should probably look for a digital camera in the mid-price range and up.

All digital cameras come with the information and programs to download to your computer so read and make sure you find one compatible with your computer system and that you have enough free memory to use it!

Still skeptical? Find a friend with a digital camera and try it! Ask what they like or don't like about it, then conquer you fear of taking pictures. Start by taking a picture of the person loaning you the camera. They can talk you through the process and help you download it to the computer after. By then it should be clear that a Digital camera makes picture taking a whole lot easier!

So get ready for summertime fun, grab a digital camera and get snapping those pictures.

Your next 'kodak moment' may be right in front of you!

Resources:
Digital Photo Center: About Digital Photography.
May 17, 2007
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