By Christina VanGinkel
I worked on several layouts for my most recent scrapbook under construction over the weekend. As usual, I struggled with the words to accompany each page. Coming up with appropriate titles and sayings to accompany the pictures is not always as easy as it seems. What is ironic is that though I make my living as a writer, and I take 99.9% of the photographs I use in my layouts (my daughter contributes a few and I have a selection of ancestral photographs I am converting into layouts), I am often left without any words to convey what I want the pictures to say. I can sit and stare at a layout for literally hours as I adjust this, and choose the perfect paper, and find the ideal embellishments, even knowing where I want to place the title or journaling, just not what it is going to say!
When this does happen, I turn to scrapbook magazines and books of sayings and quotes. I have also discovered a few online sites that have suggestions of actual titles, and ideas for getting your own ideas flowing to come up with titles that will not work for any other layout than the one at hand.
Some other ideas I have come up with for creating titles that fit perfectly is borrowing titles of songs that convey the emotions in the photographs. As an avid music listener, if I hear a song that makes me think of someone or of some special date, I have taken to jotting it down with the thoughts of the moment to make my next scrapbooking journey a little easier.
Poets and thought provoking authors are two other outlets that I love to borrow from, especially famous poets such as Longfellow, or from writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson. When I do this, or borrow the title of a song, I always give credit in small print at the end of the title or journaling as to where the quote or title derived from, so future generations looking through my scrapbooks do not unintentionally give me credit for a title or saying.
As a writer, I do strive to write personal quotes, titles, etc. When nothing at all seems to fit, yet I want to use a picture, and nothing else will do, I will create a simple Haiku to use in place of any title or journaling. To create your own Haiku, a form of Japanese verse, remember to write simply what words come to your mind that invoke the photograph at hand. A Haiku is always done in three lines, the first line bearing five syllables, the second line bearing seven, and the final line again being done in five syllables. As for the layout itself, the Haiku also lends itself well visually to most, with its structured design fitting perfectly under most circumstances. Depending on how you create your lettering, try to match the font as well, to take this simple idea all the way to becoming the perfect finishing touch to your work.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Knowing your Wants and Needs before Buying a Camera
By Christina VanGinkel
It seems like this time of year, in the last two or so years, has brought out the people who want to purchase a new digital still or video camera, and want the recommendations from those of us who have already made the plunge and purchased one, or even two for ourselves. They are the ones who want the ease of owning and using one, but do not want to spend the time learning the differences from one camera to the next. There is nothing wrong with this scenario, except that I have to tell each of them that they really need to know what it is they want to use the camera or video recorder for, what computer equipment they already have, and do they plan to use the two together.
This will often draw blank stares from them, especially from those who do not use their computers for more than a bit of Web surfing or the occasional email. Heaven forbid I go so far as to ask them what type of printer they have, and if they want to be able to print their photos at home. I will try to explain to them that if they plan to store family videos, say on DVD, they need to know if they have a DVD burner on their computer, I can even elicit replies back from them that could not be printed in a family friendly forum such as this is.
Knowing someone's' needs and wants from a digital still or a video camera these days is important though. If all they plan to use their digital still camera for is the odd picture for posting on a website such as Ebay, paying out several hundred dollars, even near to a thousand, for a camera with five or eight MP, or even more, is a waste of money. Especially when something as low as 1.3 MP would be more than adequate and can be purchased for less than fifty dollars.
If you are getting ready to buy your very first digital still camera, ask yourself the following questions.
What and where do you plan to use the camera? Does it need to be waterproof? Will I want to be able to print the pictures I take, or will they be strictly for Web use? What size prints do I want to be able to print? Do I intend to print them at home? If so, do I have a printer that is capable of printing quality photos, or will I also need a photo printer? How many pictures do I want to be able to take at once? Does the camera come with adequate memory, or must I also purchase an additional memory card? Will the camera plug directly into my computer, or do I need a media reader? Is my computer current enough to recognize my camera? (Some older computers may not.)
For video cameras, the questions are similar, but you also need to know if you plan to download your video to edit on your personal computer. If so, is your computer capable of doing so, and if you plan to burn DVD's from your finished videos for easy sharing with family and friends, do you have a DVD burner? While it is possible to burn to CD's, keep in mind that the concept is not as easy when sharing those with family.
This is truly one of those times when knowledge can go far in both saving you money, and assuring you that you purchase what you need. Take the time to answer these questions and you will find a camera that both fits your budget and your wants and needs. Have fun this holiday season!
It seems like this time of year, in the last two or so years, has brought out the people who want to purchase a new digital still or video camera, and want the recommendations from those of us who have already made the plunge and purchased one, or even two for ourselves. They are the ones who want the ease of owning and using one, but do not want to spend the time learning the differences from one camera to the next. There is nothing wrong with this scenario, except that I have to tell each of them that they really need to know what it is they want to use the camera or video recorder for, what computer equipment they already have, and do they plan to use the two together.
This will often draw blank stares from them, especially from those who do not use their computers for more than a bit of Web surfing or the occasional email. Heaven forbid I go so far as to ask them what type of printer they have, and if they want to be able to print their photos at home. I will try to explain to them that if they plan to store family videos, say on DVD, they need to know if they have a DVD burner on their computer, I can even elicit replies back from them that could not be printed in a family friendly forum such as this is.
Knowing someone's' needs and wants from a digital still or a video camera these days is important though. If all they plan to use their digital still camera for is the odd picture for posting on a website such as Ebay, paying out several hundred dollars, even near to a thousand, for a camera with five or eight MP, or even more, is a waste of money. Especially when something as low as 1.3 MP would be more than adequate and can be purchased for less than fifty dollars.
If you are getting ready to buy your very first digital still camera, ask yourself the following questions.
What and where do you plan to use the camera? Does it need to be waterproof? Will I want to be able to print the pictures I take, or will they be strictly for Web use? What size prints do I want to be able to print? Do I intend to print them at home? If so, do I have a printer that is capable of printing quality photos, or will I also need a photo printer? How many pictures do I want to be able to take at once? Does the camera come with adequate memory, or must I also purchase an additional memory card? Will the camera plug directly into my computer, or do I need a media reader? Is my computer current enough to recognize my camera? (Some older computers may not.)
For video cameras, the questions are similar, but you also need to know if you plan to download your video to edit on your personal computer. If so, is your computer capable of doing so, and if you plan to burn DVD's from your finished videos for easy sharing with family and friends, do you have a DVD burner? While it is possible to burn to CD's, keep in mind that the concept is not as easy when sharing those with family.
This is truly one of those times when knowledge can go far in both saving you money, and assuring you that you purchase what you need. Take the time to answer these questions and you will find a camera that both fits your budget and your wants and needs. Have fun this holiday season!
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Fixing Faulty Photos
By Christina VanGinkel
I have talked quite a bit lately about the ease of taking pictures with a digital camera, how we often end up with more than enough shots from which to choose from for our many projects that we make use of them in, such as framing and scrapbooking. Ending up with only one shot, and not all that good of one, can still happen though. Maybe you arrived late at an event, or your batteries died right after you started snapping photographs, or not all the rules you learned about lighting were working. For whatever reason, you have one picture that is badly composed, or poorly lighted, or so fuzzy, only you can tell whom it is you photographed. Before you hit the delete button on your camera, or toss the picture in the trash, try a few of these tricks to try to salvage the one and only picture of the occasion.
There is one rule to follow when trying these tips out and that is not to save over the original file. Always save each individual file that you believe you may use as a new image, under a new file name. If you change your mind later, you can always go back to the original copy and start again.
Bad Composition
Zoom in on the part of the picture that was the intended focal point. Crop away the unintended subjects. If you are going to use the photograph in a scrapbook, try zooming in only part way and covering the unwanted subjects that are left in the photo with embellishments such as a tag to be used for journaling, or a sticker that relates to the pictures main focal point.
Too Bright
Try turning a too bright picture into a useable subject by converting it to black and white or sepia tone. If your photo editing software has other options to choose from such as oil paint or colored pencil, try converting the picture to some of the other options.
Too Busy
Much the same as a picture that is too bright, try converting the picture to black and white or sepia tone. By doing so, many times the busy background will fade away leaving the focal point as it was intended. This is especially true when the background is overly colorful.
Fuzzy or Blurry
You may be able to salvage a slightly blurred photo by using the sharpen feature, or a film grain. If a picture is a total blur, it still could be potentially used within a scrapbook as a background for a phrase or caption that captures the subject at hand fully. For example, a recent snapshot of my son on the football field is pure blur. I blew it up to an 8 x 10 and simply wrote the word 'Speed' across the bottom of the page in a font that resembles the blur of the photo itself. It is one page in a complete book about my son's ongoing fun with the sport.
I have talked quite a bit lately about the ease of taking pictures with a digital camera, how we often end up with more than enough shots from which to choose from for our many projects that we make use of them in, such as framing and scrapbooking. Ending up with only one shot, and not all that good of one, can still happen though. Maybe you arrived late at an event, or your batteries died right after you started snapping photographs, or not all the rules you learned about lighting were working. For whatever reason, you have one picture that is badly composed, or poorly lighted, or so fuzzy, only you can tell whom it is you photographed. Before you hit the delete button on your camera, or toss the picture in the trash, try a few of these tricks to try to salvage the one and only picture of the occasion.
There is one rule to follow when trying these tips out and that is not to save over the original file. Always save each individual file that you believe you may use as a new image, under a new file name. If you change your mind later, you can always go back to the original copy and start again.
Bad Composition
Zoom in on the part of the picture that was the intended focal point. Crop away the unintended subjects. If you are going to use the photograph in a scrapbook, try zooming in only part way and covering the unwanted subjects that are left in the photo with embellishments such as a tag to be used for journaling, or a sticker that relates to the pictures main focal point.
Too Bright
Try turning a too bright picture into a useable subject by converting it to black and white or sepia tone. If your photo editing software has other options to choose from such as oil paint or colored pencil, try converting the picture to some of the other options.
Too Busy
Much the same as a picture that is too bright, try converting the picture to black and white or sepia tone. By doing so, many times the busy background will fade away leaving the focal point as it was intended. This is especially true when the background is overly colorful.
Fuzzy or Blurry
You may be able to salvage a slightly blurred photo by using the sharpen feature, or a film grain. If a picture is a total blur, it still could be potentially used within a scrapbook as a background for a phrase or caption that captures the subject at hand fully. For example, a recent snapshot of my son on the football field is pure blur. I blew it up to an 8 x 10 and simply wrote the word 'Speed' across the bottom of the page in a font that resembles the blur of the photo itself. It is one page in a complete book about my son's ongoing fun with the sport.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Software for Making Photo Holiday Cards
By Christina VanGinkel
If you intend to create your own Christmas or Holiday card for this season, and have yet to take the family photograph to incorporate into it, now is the perfect time to do it. Decide on who, or even what, is going to be included in the photo. Will it be filled with family members or possibly the family pet, where will you be taking the snapshot at, and will you be including any other particulars, such as Santa hats, or other decorations? Once you have decided all of this, and have gathered it and everyone all together, be sure to take several shots to ensure you will not have to repeat the process, which is especially important if you had to expend a great amount of strategic planning to get everyone in the same spot at the same time. If taking a photograph of family members, and getting them together for any group photo is like bending steel, tell them all to bring along an extra change of matching clothes, such as a pair of jeans and a white shirt. When you are done snapping the holiday photos, have everyone do a quick change and take advantage of having everyone together for a regular family photograph! This is an especially good idea if you happen to have children of varied ages, and even getting them all in the house at the same time is a challenge.
Once you have finished the shoot, take your time choosing the perfect photo to use on the card. Do not worry about picking the right one, as you will know it when you see it. Next, you will have to decide how you are going to print it. Just a few years ago, you would not have had many choices. You would either have had to take it to your local developer to be printed in house, or even sent out. You might have also had your own mail order option available. These options still exist, but more and more people are choosing to take, customize, and print their Christmas and holiday cards at home.
If you fall into this last category, be sure to check out all the custom frames that are available in programs like Microsoft Picture It! or other photo editing software. If you plan to make this a yearly tradition, check out a program such as PhotoParade Holiday Card Maker, which will not only provide a wide variety of card ideas and templates, but also tag for attaching to gift packages. By simply choosing to frame your picture, you can create a very custom look with a holiday pre made mat. Many of these programs also offer choices for sentiments from which to choose, or you can further customize them by typing in your own text. With the variety of fonts also easily accessible to anyone with a computer and Internet access, you can create a look from simple to elegant by just changing the style of the font and the matting around your chosen photograph.
Some wonder why anyone would go to the trouble to create their own holiday cards, and truthfully, with the availability of digital prints and computer software and printers, there is no reason a project such as this cannot be completed in a matter of hours, with little to no trouble at all. Save your mailing list on your computer, and in the following years you can just take a few minutes to update your list after creating your cards. So easily can all this be accomplished that you will be wondering why you never did this before!
If you intend to create your own Christmas or Holiday card for this season, and have yet to take the family photograph to incorporate into it, now is the perfect time to do it. Decide on who, or even what, is going to be included in the photo. Will it be filled with family members or possibly the family pet, where will you be taking the snapshot at, and will you be including any other particulars, such as Santa hats, or other decorations? Once you have decided all of this, and have gathered it and everyone all together, be sure to take several shots to ensure you will not have to repeat the process, which is especially important if you had to expend a great amount of strategic planning to get everyone in the same spot at the same time. If taking a photograph of family members, and getting them together for any group photo is like bending steel, tell them all to bring along an extra change of matching clothes, such as a pair of jeans and a white shirt. When you are done snapping the holiday photos, have everyone do a quick change and take advantage of having everyone together for a regular family photograph! This is an especially good idea if you happen to have children of varied ages, and even getting them all in the house at the same time is a challenge.
Once you have finished the shoot, take your time choosing the perfect photo to use on the card. Do not worry about picking the right one, as you will know it when you see it. Next, you will have to decide how you are going to print it. Just a few years ago, you would not have had many choices. You would either have had to take it to your local developer to be printed in house, or even sent out. You might have also had your own mail order option available. These options still exist, but more and more people are choosing to take, customize, and print their Christmas and holiday cards at home.
If you fall into this last category, be sure to check out all the custom frames that are available in programs like Microsoft Picture It! or other photo editing software. If you plan to make this a yearly tradition, check out a program such as PhotoParade Holiday Card Maker, which will not only provide a wide variety of card ideas and templates, but also tag for attaching to gift packages. By simply choosing to frame your picture, you can create a very custom look with a holiday pre made mat. Many of these programs also offer choices for sentiments from which to choose, or you can further customize them by typing in your own text. With the variety of fonts also easily accessible to anyone with a computer and Internet access, you can create a look from simple to elegant by just changing the style of the font and the matting around your chosen photograph.
Some wonder why anyone would go to the trouble to create their own holiday cards, and truthfully, with the availability of digital prints and computer software and printers, there is no reason a project such as this cannot be completed in a matter of hours, with little to no trouble at all. Save your mailing list on your computer, and in the following years you can just take a few minutes to update your list after creating your cards. So easily can all this be accomplished that you will be wondering why you never did this before!
Monday, October 24, 2005
Holiday Photo Cards
Over the past few years, holiday photo cards have all but replaced traditional Christmas cards-- at least in my circle of friends. Why? Because holiday photo cards are inexpensive to make or buy, they are convenient, and they are great way to show off your adorable children to all of your family and friends while sending a holiday greeting at the same time.
A few years ago, I made the mistake of booking a holiday photo session for my children at one of those pricey photo studios at the mall. Because the photos would be done in an hour, I figured I could just insert the wallet size photos in my regular Christmas cards and get them right out in the mail the next day. Unfortunately, my toddler son wasn't in the mood to pose for photos that day-- I was offered five shots of him crying and making miserable faces. And because it was only two weeks until Christmas, I didn't have time to schedule another appointment in time to get my holiday cards out.
My husband suggested that I take a holiday photo of the children myself. So I dressed my kids up in their Christmas outfits and sat them in front of our lit Christmas tree. Then I began snapping away. My son was much more comfortable posing for photos at home and I actually got a couple of good shots, so I was thrilled. Next, I downloaded my photos to an online photo site and got ready to order my prints. But then I realized that I would still be cutting it close-- buy the time the prints were mailed to me, I wouldn't have much time to get them sent out to all of our friends and relatives.
I perused a few more photo sites and stumbled upon the site for a major retailer. I found out that I could download my prints to their site and then pick them up at the closest retail location later that day. It was a great solution to my problem-- I downloaded my photos, picked a cute border for them and even had a holiday greeting and my family's names printed on them. My husband picked them up on his way home from work and I had all of my holiday photo cards out in the mail by the next morning.
If you would like to create your own holiday photo cards, just download your favorite picture to one of the many online photo printing sites. Some recommended sites include Snapfish.com, Shutterfly.com, Ofoto.com, Walmart.com, Searsphotos.com and Target.com. All of these sites offer a great array of holiday backgrounds and borders that will go great with your pictures. You can add in your own message and they will be sent to your home-- or, if you procrastinate like I did, you may be able to pick up your prints at a retail location (in my area, both Target and Wal-Mart offer this service).
If you would prefer to insert your favorite photos into holiday cards, check your favorite store for frame like cards with a 3 X 5 or 4 X 6 opening. Either way, sending a card with a picture included is a great way to keep in touch with your friends during the holiday season.
A few years ago, I made the mistake of booking a holiday photo session for my children at one of those pricey photo studios at the mall. Because the photos would be done in an hour, I figured I could just insert the wallet size photos in my regular Christmas cards and get them right out in the mail the next day. Unfortunately, my toddler son wasn't in the mood to pose for photos that day-- I was offered five shots of him crying and making miserable faces. And because it was only two weeks until Christmas, I didn't have time to schedule another appointment in time to get my holiday cards out.
My husband suggested that I take a holiday photo of the children myself. So I dressed my kids up in their Christmas outfits and sat them in front of our lit Christmas tree. Then I began snapping away. My son was much more comfortable posing for photos at home and I actually got a couple of good shots, so I was thrilled. Next, I downloaded my photos to an online photo site and got ready to order my prints. But then I realized that I would still be cutting it close-- buy the time the prints were mailed to me, I wouldn't have much time to get them sent out to all of our friends and relatives.
I perused a few more photo sites and stumbled upon the site for a major retailer. I found out that I could download my prints to their site and then pick them up at the closest retail location later that day. It was a great solution to my problem-- I downloaded my photos, picked a cute border for them and even had a holiday greeting and my family's names printed on them. My husband picked them up on his way home from work and I had all of my holiday photo cards out in the mail by the next morning.
If you would like to create your own holiday photo cards, just download your favorite picture to one of the many online photo printing sites. Some recommended sites include Snapfish.com, Shutterfly.com, Ofoto.com, Walmart.com, Searsphotos.com and Target.com. All of these sites offer a great array of holiday backgrounds and borders that will go great with your pictures. You can add in your own message and they will be sent to your home-- or, if you procrastinate like I did, you may be able to pick up your prints at a retail location (in my area, both Target and Wal-Mart offer this service).
If you would prefer to insert your favorite photos into holiday cards, check your favorite store for frame like cards with a 3 X 5 or 4 X 6 opening. Either way, sending a card with a picture included is a great way to keep in touch with your friends during the holiday season.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Using the Effects in Your Photo Editing Software
By Christina VanGinkel
I have been combining both my new digitally made photographs and older photographs with scrapbooking and wall art for some time. Thanks to my computer and photo printer, I am constantly amazed at the new things I discover that can be done with both my new photographs, and the older ones once I scan them back into my computer, to increase their aesthetic value. One of the most inventive techniques that I absolutely love to do is to print a photograph in black and white that has a distinct focal point. I then go back with my colored photo safe markers and color in just the object that is the focal point. For example, I snapped a photograph a few years back of my youngest son as he was releasing a monarch butterfly that he had watched progress from a caterpillar, into its cocoon, and then to its final stage as the monarch. I printed the photograph in black and white, and just colored in the butterfly. What I ended up with, is a photograph that is the central part of a layout for my sons scrapbook. At thirteen, he already looks back at that layout and has a comment every time about how cool it was to watch the monarch stretch his wings and dry them as he emerged from his cocoon. It is cool for me to know that a simple thing like coloring in the butterfly can help him recall the memory so vividly.
Another technique, Focal B & W, that I have been enjoying trying out, is one I actually discovered in the freeware program Picasa 2. I am sure it is included in many photo-editing programs, but I just never understood it. A color photograph has the effect applied to it, which results in the picture being converted to black and white, with a focal point left in color. The focal point can be adjusted in both dimension and original location. My first attempt with using this technique was done to a picture of a rising sun. I placed the focal marking on the sun itself, keeping the area in focus (in color) just the dimension of the sun itself. The remaining part of the picture was converted to black and white. This worked extremely well because the majority of the picture was foggy and surrealistic looking to begin with. By making it black and white, it allowed the surreal part to play fully, with the grandeur of the rising sun in full color.
While professional photographers may understand a photo editing program right out of the box, for many of us, the best way for us to gain an understanding of a programs capability is to poke around in the different controls, to try out different effects on a variety of pictures. Be sure to take some time and read any tutorials that many programs offer, as you will never be able to enjoy the capabilities included, unless you first understand the basic meanings behind them. Now, if I could just figure out what sort of photograph would be improved by a 'hot wax coating' effect, I could start my next scrapbook layout!
I have been combining both my new digitally made photographs and older photographs with scrapbooking and wall art for some time. Thanks to my computer and photo printer, I am constantly amazed at the new things I discover that can be done with both my new photographs, and the older ones once I scan them back into my computer, to increase their aesthetic value. One of the most inventive techniques that I absolutely love to do is to print a photograph in black and white that has a distinct focal point. I then go back with my colored photo safe markers and color in just the object that is the focal point. For example, I snapped a photograph a few years back of my youngest son as he was releasing a monarch butterfly that he had watched progress from a caterpillar, into its cocoon, and then to its final stage as the monarch. I printed the photograph in black and white, and just colored in the butterfly. What I ended up with, is a photograph that is the central part of a layout for my sons scrapbook. At thirteen, he already looks back at that layout and has a comment every time about how cool it was to watch the monarch stretch his wings and dry them as he emerged from his cocoon. It is cool for me to know that a simple thing like coloring in the butterfly can help him recall the memory so vividly.
Another technique, Focal B & W, that I have been enjoying trying out, is one I actually discovered in the freeware program Picasa 2. I am sure it is included in many photo-editing programs, but I just never understood it. A color photograph has the effect applied to it, which results in the picture being converted to black and white, with a focal point left in color. The focal point can be adjusted in both dimension and original location. My first attempt with using this technique was done to a picture of a rising sun. I placed the focal marking on the sun itself, keeping the area in focus (in color) just the dimension of the sun itself. The remaining part of the picture was converted to black and white. This worked extremely well because the majority of the picture was foggy and surrealistic looking to begin with. By making it black and white, it allowed the surreal part to play fully, with the grandeur of the rising sun in full color.
While professional photographers may understand a photo editing program right out of the box, for many of us, the best way for us to gain an understanding of a programs capability is to poke around in the different controls, to try out different effects on a variety of pictures. Be sure to take some time and read any tutorials that many programs offer, as you will never be able to enjoy the capabilities included, unless you first understand the basic meanings behind them. Now, if I could just figure out what sort of photograph would be improved by a 'hot wax coating' effect, I could start my next scrapbook layout!
Two Must-Have Digital Camera Accessories
Now that you've finally taken the plunge and purchased a digital camera, it's time to examine the possibility of purchasing two accessories that can help you get the most out of your camera. These days, it's not uncommon for digital cameras to be available in combo packs that include various accessories. That kind of package deal has both positive and negative aspects to it. On the one hand, you can often save some money by purchasing the combo pack versus purchasing each item separately. On the other hand, you often have no real control over which accessories come in the combo pack, so you might end up paying for something that you have no real use for.
That's why if you're relatively new to digital photography, I recommend purchasing accessories one by one. When you do it this way, you not only have complete control over which items you buy, you also don't have to shell out a large sum of money at one time. You have more flexibility in terms of saving up for the more expensive accessories and/or deferring the purchase indefinitely. So let's take a quick look at what I think are the two most important accessories for your digital camera.
The first accessory you should buy is a case. This almost goes without saying, and yet I've said it anyway because I can't even begin to tell you how many people either don't have or don't use their camera cases. Digital cameras are very expensive, and most of them are pretty delicate. They won't stand up to too many jarring shocks caused by dropping them on the ground, and their lenses scratch very easily. You can prevent a lot of accidents by storing and carrying your camera in a protective case when not in use. The actual case that you buy doesn't really matter. As long as it offers real protection and is to your liking as far as looks, size, and price go, you'll be ok no matter which one you get.
The second accessory you should purchase is a large-capacity memory card. Most digital cameras these days come with a memory card that hand hold 32MB of data. That's not very many pictures, especially if you take all of your shots on the highest-quality setting. So go ahead and spend the extra money on a 512MB or even a 1GB memory card. It will save you lots of hassles in the long run, such as when you're on extended vacations. With a larger memory card, you won't have to travel with your laptop and upload pictures every night back at the hotel room. Because the memory cards are so small and portable, you'll be able to carry the standard 32MB card in your camera case as a backup for emergency situations.
These two accessories should get you started on the right track as you explore the wonderful world of digital photography. As you become a more seasoned photographer or as your needs change, there are a myriad of other accessories available as well. Happy shooting!
That's why if you're relatively new to digital photography, I recommend purchasing accessories one by one. When you do it this way, you not only have complete control over which items you buy, you also don't have to shell out a large sum of money at one time. You have more flexibility in terms of saving up for the more expensive accessories and/or deferring the purchase indefinitely. So let's take a quick look at what I think are the two most important accessories for your digital camera.
The first accessory you should buy is a case. This almost goes without saying, and yet I've said it anyway because I can't even begin to tell you how many people either don't have or don't use their camera cases. Digital cameras are very expensive, and most of them are pretty delicate. They won't stand up to too many jarring shocks caused by dropping them on the ground, and their lenses scratch very easily. You can prevent a lot of accidents by storing and carrying your camera in a protective case when not in use. The actual case that you buy doesn't really matter. As long as it offers real protection and is to your liking as far as looks, size, and price go, you'll be ok no matter which one you get.
The second accessory you should purchase is a large-capacity memory card. Most digital cameras these days come with a memory card that hand hold 32MB of data. That's not very many pictures, especially if you take all of your shots on the highest-quality setting. So go ahead and spend the extra money on a 512MB or even a 1GB memory card. It will save you lots of hassles in the long run, such as when you're on extended vacations. With a larger memory card, you won't have to travel with your laptop and upload pictures every night back at the hotel room. Because the memory cards are so small and portable, you'll be able to carry the standard 32MB card in your camera case as a backup for emergency situations.
These two accessories should get you started on the right track as you explore the wonderful world of digital photography. As you become a more seasoned photographer or as your needs change, there are a myriad of other accessories available as well. Happy shooting!
Friday, October 21, 2005
An Ordeal With A Camera Phone
Written by James Fohl
You know, if you look around a lot of people have cell phones. A lot of these cell phones have built in cameras that allow you to take pictures. I remember waiting several months for my cell phone contract to expire so that I could go and purchase a new cell phone. I knew for months that I wanted to get a nice camera phone to take pictures of whatever I saw fit.
When the time came, I went to the local dealer to pick up my new camera phone. At the time, it was the top of the line camera phone that my service provider had, and of course it was priced for a pretty penny.
After I let the battery charge, I remember anxiously going around and taking pictures with my cell phone. I had to be really careful because my camera phone did have a camera, but it lacked a flash, which pretty much cut the usefulness of the camera in half.
I did not let this stop me though, because I figured even without the flash I would be able to still take a lot of great pictures without carrying around my bulky digital camera. It took me about two days of snapping a few pictures that I soon realized that my top of the line camera phone could only hold twenty images.
Geez, I thought to myself when I read the manual to make sure the phone wasn’t making a mistake when it displayed “Memory Full!”. Even at the lowest camera setting, the maximum amount of pictures that I could take with my new top of the line camera phone was still a measly twenty pictures.
“That’s okay” I thought to myself. I figured that I would just transfer the pictures to my computer or upgrade the memory card. Unfortunately, there was no memory card accessible in the camera, and the connection cable to connect the phone to my computer was never released to my dealer.
At this point I was kind of mad. I talked to one of the sale representatives at the cell phone dealer, and was told that the only way I could get the pictures off of my phone was to email them in a text message. I was later told that this was twenty five cents per picture.
Now, after hearing this I was mad. I spent several months waiting to get a camera phone, and even though I purchased the top of the line model, I still received something that didn’t even live up to half of my expectations. When I gave in and spent a five dollars transferring my photos to my computer, I quickly realized that the quality of the camera’s images really paled in comparison with my digital camera.
And so I learned the hard way that a camera phone is really a novelty item to have, but you just can not expect one to take the place of your digital camera.
You know, if you look around a lot of people have cell phones. A lot of these cell phones have built in cameras that allow you to take pictures. I remember waiting several months for my cell phone contract to expire so that I could go and purchase a new cell phone. I knew for months that I wanted to get a nice camera phone to take pictures of whatever I saw fit.
When the time came, I went to the local dealer to pick up my new camera phone. At the time, it was the top of the line camera phone that my service provider had, and of course it was priced for a pretty penny.
After I let the battery charge, I remember anxiously going around and taking pictures with my cell phone. I had to be really careful because my camera phone did have a camera, but it lacked a flash, which pretty much cut the usefulness of the camera in half.
I did not let this stop me though, because I figured even without the flash I would be able to still take a lot of great pictures without carrying around my bulky digital camera. It took me about two days of snapping a few pictures that I soon realized that my top of the line camera phone could only hold twenty images.
Geez, I thought to myself when I read the manual to make sure the phone wasn’t making a mistake when it displayed “Memory Full!”. Even at the lowest camera setting, the maximum amount of pictures that I could take with my new top of the line camera phone was still a measly twenty pictures.
“That’s okay” I thought to myself. I figured that I would just transfer the pictures to my computer or upgrade the memory card. Unfortunately, there was no memory card accessible in the camera, and the connection cable to connect the phone to my computer was never released to my dealer.
At this point I was kind of mad. I talked to one of the sale representatives at the cell phone dealer, and was told that the only way I could get the pictures off of my phone was to email them in a text message. I was later told that this was twenty five cents per picture.
Now, after hearing this I was mad. I spent several months waiting to get a camera phone, and even though I purchased the top of the line model, I still received something that didn’t even live up to half of my expectations. When I gave in and spent a five dollars transferring my photos to my computer, I quickly realized that the quality of the camera’s images really paled in comparison with my digital camera.
And so I learned the hard way that a camera phone is really a novelty item to have, but you just can not expect one to take the place of your digital camera.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Choosing Photographs to Scrapbook
By Christina VanGinkel
Choosing photographs for a scrapbook layout is not always as easy as it seems. With digital photography now taking hold in many households, it is easy to have fifty pictures of a single event, in comparison to when you once might have only snapped two or three, with hopes that at least one or two would turn out. We also have more events photographed for the same reason. With the ease of both taking, and only printing, those you want, we are much more open to taking pictures of more common, everyday happenings. In the last week alone, I have snapped photographs of my oldest sons, girlfriend's children, a buck, and doe that chose to walk through our yard and numerous shots of the trees in and around our yard as the leaves change their colors for fall. I have also photographed a grouping of mushrooms that sprouted up in front of our giant pine (I thought they would make an ideal background print for some of my other outdoor pictures), and several pictures of items I want to list on Ebay, this all in the matter of a few days with nothing very significant happening.
When we actually have an event, such as my grandson's second birthday, it is nothing for me to snap fifty or more pictures. I end up with what I refer to as 'running' sots. Those taken one right after the previous, with just minute changes from one shot to the next. If you page through them fast enough, some of them almost appear to make the subject look as if they are running, hence my nickname for them. With Halloween and Christmas arriving in the coming months, I can guarantee you that I will easily add several more folders to My Pictures file on my computer. Where I will start to separate the pictures worthy of a page in one of my scrapbooks, and those that are good, but not quite right for one reason or another, I myself am unsure. One way I have begun to deal with this though is to create mini collages of those 'running' shots. I pick out one or two feature photos to headline my layouts, and then pick out all the other pictures I deem worthy. The more I choose, the smaller they will be as the collage accommodates each one the same amount of space, so I still try to choose these wisely. In the end though, I am capable of using more of my photographs in each layout that I use this technique.
I also take photographs and lighten them enough to make them work as a background page for one of their accompanying photographs, or lighten one slightly and print it out on vellum for an overlay. Finally, one of my favorites for creating a scrapbook page layout when I have gotten a little snap happy on an occasion, and ended up with numerous good shots, too good to just let lie in a folder on my computer, is to print them out wallet size and create a timeline of the event I am scrapping. I am able to use many more than just one or two this way, and the effect is a nice break from some of my more traditional scrapbook pages.
Choosing photographs for a scrapbook layout is not always as easy as it seems. With digital photography now taking hold in many households, it is easy to have fifty pictures of a single event, in comparison to when you once might have only snapped two or three, with hopes that at least one or two would turn out. We also have more events photographed for the same reason. With the ease of both taking, and only printing, those you want, we are much more open to taking pictures of more common, everyday happenings. In the last week alone, I have snapped photographs of my oldest sons, girlfriend's children, a buck, and doe that chose to walk through our yard and numerous shots of the trees in and around our yard as the leaves change their colors for fall. I have also photographed a grouping of mushrooms that sprouted up in front of our giant pine (I thought they would make an ideal background print for some of my other outdoor pictures), and several pictures of items I want to list on Ebay, this all in the matter of a few days with nothing very significant happening.
When we actually have an event, such as my grandson's second birthday, it is nothing for me to snap fifty or more pictures. I end up with what I refer to as 'running' sots. Those taken one right after the previous, with just minute changes from one shot to the next. If you page through them fast enough, some of them almost appear to make the subject look as if they are running, hence my nickname for them. With Halloween and Christmas arriving in the coming months, I can guarantee you that I will easily add several more folders to My Pictures file on my computer. Where I will start to separate the pictures worthy of a page in one of my scrapbooks, and those that are good, but not quite right for one reason or another, I myself am unsure. One way I have begun to deal with this though is to create mini collages of those 'running' shots. I pick out one or two feature photos to headline my layouts, and then pick out all the other pictures I deem worthy. The more I choose, the smaller they will be as the collage accommodates each one the same amount of space, so I still try to choose these wisely. In the end though, I am capable of using more of my photographs in each layout that I use this technique.
I also take photographs and lighten them enough to make them work as a background page for one of their accompanying photographs, or lighten one slightly and print it out on vellum for an overlay. Finally, one of my favorites for creating a scrapbook page layout when I have gotten a little snap happy on an occasion, and ended up with numerous good shots, too good to just let lie in a folder on my computer, is to print them out wallet size and create a timeline of the event I am scrapping. I am able to use many more than just one or two this way, and the effect is a nice break from some of my more traditional scrapbook pages.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Free Resources for Learning Digital Photography
Photography can be a frustrating activity sometimes. In large part, this is because in order to do it well, it takes equal almost an equal amount of study and practice. Most people simply don't have the time for both, and so they either focus on one or the other. For example, there are some would-be photographers who spend an inordinate amount of time reading books and other sources of information on the subject. In fact, they're spending so much time reading that they never even make it out into the field to practice their newly-learned techniques.
And then there are the would-be photographers who are just the opposite of this. They are always snapping photos of different subjects and experimenting with different settings, but because they don't ever spend time with a book, they never learn what's really going on with their photos. As a result, if they have a problem in a particular area, they have a hard time discovering the cause of the problem and fixing it for future photos.
In order to be the best photographer that you can be, then, it is important to do a little bit of study as well as field work. I think most people have the field work part of the equation down pat. You just grab your camera and other equipment and head out the door. Finding good study materials regarding photography can be little more difficult. Here are two suggestions:
Podcasts
Those who do not study up on digital photography usually don't have enough time to do so. That's why podcasts are such a great resource. Podcasts are simply MP3 audio files that have been recorded and posted on Internet websites such as Podcast Alley (www.podcastalley.com) or the Apple iTunes store. There are some wonderful podcasts that pertain to digital photography, including one called Tips From The Top Floor. This is an excellent podcast that is usually only 5-10 minutes long. The host doesn't waste a lot of time with small talk; instead he just gives you useful tip after useful tip regarding digital photography. These tips don't involve fancy equipment -- you can start using them right away.
Digital Photography Forums
Forums are Internet message boards, and are an excellent way to come in contact with other people who share your passions. There are forums for every hobby or calling under the sun, including digital photography. The best thing about forums is the fact that your can post your own messages (after a simple registration process) and then get precise answers or suggestions regarding photography problems that you are having. The answers usually come from more experienced members of the forum, so you'll be getting suggestions from people who have "been there, done that." Another benefit to forums is that you can find one dedicated to the type of photography you are most interested in, such as sports, weddings, portraits, etc.
These two resources can help you learn about digital photography on your own time. There's no commitment (you can come and go as you please) and no money involved (both resources are free). So get out there and start learning about digital photography today!
And then there are the would-be photographers who are just the opposite of this. They are always snapping photos of different subjects and experimenting with different settings, but because they don't ever spend time with a book, they never learn what's really going on with their photos. As a result, if they have a problem in a particular area, they have a hard time discovering the cause of the problem and fixing it for future photos.
In order to be the best photographer that you can be, then, it is important to do a little bit of study as well as field work. I think most people have the field work part of the equation down pat. You just grab your camera and other equipment and head out the door. Finding good study materials regarding photography can be little more difficult. Here are two suggestions:
Podcasts
Those who do not study up on digital photography usually don't have enough time to do so. That's why podcasts are such a great resource. Podcasts are simply MP3 audio files that have been recorded and posted on Internet websites such as Podcast Alley (www.podcastalley.com) or the Apple iTunes store. There are some wonderful podcasts that pertain to digital photography, including one called Tips From The Top Floor. This is an excellent podcast that is usually only 5-10 minutes long. The host doesn't waste a lot of time with small talk; instead he just gives you useful tip after useful tip regarding digital photography. These tips don't involve fancy equipment -- you can start using them right away.
Digital Photography Forums
Forums are Internet message boards, and are an excellent way to come in contact with other people who share your passions. There are forums for every hobby or calling under the sun, including digital photography. The best thing about forums is the fact that your can post your own messages (after a simple registration process) and then get precise answers or suggestions regarding photography problems that you are having. The answers usually come from more experienced members of the forum, so you'll be getting suggestions from people who have "been there, done that." Another benefit to forums is that you can find one dedicated to the type of photography you are most interested in, such as sports, weddings, portraits, etc.
These two resources can help you learn about digital photography on your own time. There's no commitment (you can come and go as you please) and no money involved (both resources are free). So get out there and start learning about digital photography today!
Repairing Damaged Photos
By Christina VanGinkel
My mother-in-law borrowed me an old black and white picture of her mother and two aunts. It is from when they are teenagers and the three of them are standing with their arms looped around each other. It is the perfect picture to complement any family grouping of photographs, save for the fact that is has a terrible stain of some sort in the upper right hand corner and numerous scratches across the face of all three girls. It is also complete with several other blemishes in just about every corner. To top that all off, the whole picture is about an inch and a half high by about three inches wide, not big enough to show up much detail. It will look fantastic when I blow it up and have it framed! What?
Do not, I repeat, do not throw away, or give up on a family heirloom picture just because it may have damage to its surface, or it is so small you wonder what the original developer was thinking of. With the capabilities built into the most basic computer, you can fix most of these problems with just a few basic tools included in your photo editing software. There are even scanners that have this capability built right into them, but I am not even talking about anything as fancy as that. Just the basic software included in most photo editing software sold for today's computers.
Open up whatever photo editing software is on your computer. If you have more than one suite of software for this purpose, check each one, even if you find these right away in the first one you look at, as some will be easier to use than others. What you are looking for is the 'scratch removers' tool, and the 'clone' brush. Both work in a similar way, but the clone brush gives you more freedom as to both size and what you are actually cloning. After selecting the clone brush for example, adjust the size and shape of the brush. Then, zoom in on the area that you need to fix, but allow your screen to include part of the picture that is in relatively good shape. Right click your mouse pointer on an area of the picture whose background is intact, and would work to replace the damaged area. Place your cursor over the damaged area next, and left click to clone the good area into the damaged area. This may take some practice, but when you grasp the concept, you will be amazed at how easy it is to fix a damaged picture. The scratch remover works in a similar fashion, but I have not had as much luck with gaining control over it. You click on the scratch and it selects the area around it, then by clicking again, it works by smoothing the area.
Be sure to try these simple tricks before trashing any older heirloom photos that have obviously seen better days, or even newly damaged photographs that you do not have the original files for or the negatives. Thanks to modern technology and a few clicks of your computer's mouse, they can be as good as new in hardly any time.
My mother-in-law borrowed me an old black and white picture of her mother and two aunts. It is from when they are teenagers and the three of them are standing with their arms looped around each other. It is the perfect picture to complement any family grouping of photographs, save for the fact that is has a terrible stain of some sort in the upper right hand corner and numerous scratches across the face of all three girls. It is also complete with several other blemishes in just about every corner. To top that all off, the whole picture is about an inch and a half high by about three inches wide, not big enough to show up much detail. It will look fantastic when I blow it up and have it framed! What?
Do not, I repeat, do not throw away, or give up on a family heirloom picture just because it may have damage to its surface, or it is so small you wonder what the original developer was thinking of. With the capabilities built into the most basic computer, you can fix most of these problems with just a few basic tools included in your photo editing software. There are even scanners that have this capability built right into them, but I am not even talking about anything as fancy as that. Just the basic software included in most photo editing software sold for today's computers.
Open up whatever photo editing software is on your computer. If you have more than one suite of software for this purpose, check each one, even if you find these right away in the first one you look at, as some will be easier to use than others. What you are looking for is the 'scratch removers' tool, and the 'clone' brush. Both work in a similar way, but the clone brush gives you more freedom as to both size and what you are actually cloning. After selecting the clone brush for example, adjust the size and shape of the brush. Then, zoom in on the area that you need to fix, but allow your screen to include part of the picture that is in relatively good shape. Right click your mouse pointer on an area of the picture whose background is intact, and would work to replace the damaged area. Place your cursor over the damaged area next, and left click to clone the good area into the damaged area. This may take some practice, but when you grasp the concept, you will be amazed at how easy it is to fix a damaged picture. The scratch remover works in a similar fashion, but I have not had as much luck with gaining control over it. You click on the scratch and it selects the area around it, then by clicking again, it works by smoothing the area.
Be sure to try these simple tricks before trashing any older heirloom photos that have obviously seen better days, or even newly damaged photographs that you do not have the original files for or the negatives. Thanks to modern technology and a few clicks of your computer's mouse, they can be as good as new in hardly any time.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Rules to Follow for Wedding Photographs
By Christina VanGinkel
Great engagement and wedding photos go far beyond the lighting and the scenery. The two main subjects, and how they interact with each other, will have just as much if not more bearing on how well the photographs turn out than any other factor. If you are one of the subjects being photographed, keep these thoughts in mind when the big day arrives, and even before, when having your engagement photographs taken.
Engagement photos can be professionally done, but this is not required. Oftentimes, couples will use a favorite snapshot, or ask a family member or friend to take one. This is very acceptable in today's world of high-end digital cameras. On the wedding day itself, if you do hire a professional, be sure to put in place several rules, discussed below, that will make your photographer's life a whole lot easier.
On the big day, tensions can run high. This is normal, yet does not make for great photos. Try to stay focused on each other. Of all the days in your life to remind yourself to have a good time, this is the day to do it. Make sure that your photographer remembers who the focal point of the photographs is, and be sure they snap some of the two of you gazing into each other's eyes, and even walking away from the camera. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well photographs such as these turn out. With all the wedding regalia of the dress and tuxedo, (or for that matter, any outfits you have deemed appropriate for the event), shots that do not focus on your faces will allow these items to shine.
If photos are being snapped of the rest of the wedding party, what should you do if one of the younger members is having a meltdown? Make sure the photographer knows ahead of time that taking a shot or two with everyone is fine, but then politely ask the offending party and whoever is responsible for them to remove them from the area the photographs are being taken. If you are upfront with all the adults ahead of time that this request might be made, no one will be able to argue the point. Remember that this is your big day, and if you do not want a sixteen-year-old bridesmaid making a scene because the fifteen-year-old bridesmaid did or said something to her, this is your right. If they cannot behave, they apparently do not want to be involved in the pictures. The same rule should definitely apply to the young flower girl and ring bearer. If naptime arrives suddenly, have the photographer snap a couple of quick shots, then remove the cranky tot before everyone is so on edge from his ensuing tantrum that all your shots are ruined, not just the ones he will be missing from.
Lastly, if you have a photographer that you trust, and why else would you have hired them in the first place, take their lead. Listen to their direction, and be sure the rest of the wedding party does also. You can then sit back and relax, knowing that you will have a fantastic wedding album like none other to look forward too.
Great engagement and wedding photos go far beyond the lighting and the scenery. The two main subjects, and how they interact with each other, will have just as much if not more bearing on how well the photographs turn out than any other factor. If you are one of the subjects being photographed, keep these thoughts in mind when the big day arrives, and even before, when having your engagement photographs taken.
Engagement photos can be professionally done, but this is not required. Oftentimes, couples will use a favorite snapshot, or ask a family member or friend to take one. This is very acceptable in today's world of high-end digital cameras. On the wedding day itself, if you do hire a professional, be sure to put in place several rules, discussed below, that will make your photographer's life a whole lot easier.
On the big day, tensions can run high. This is normal, yet does not make for great photos. Try to stay focused on each other. Of all the days in your life to remind yourself to have a good time, this is the day to do it. Make sure that your photographer remembers who the focal point of the photographs is, and be sure they snap some of the two of you gazing into each other's eyes, and even walking away from the camera. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well photographs such as these turn out. With all the wedding regalia of the dress and tuxedo, (or for that matter, any outfits you have deemed appropriate for the event), shots that do not focus on your faces will allow these items to shine.
If photos are being snapped of the rest of the wedding party, what should you do if one of the younger members is having a meltdown? Make sure the photographer knows ahead of time that taking a shot or two with everyone is fine, but then politely ask the offending party and whoever is responsible for them to remove them from the area the photographs are being taken. If you are upfront with all the adults ahead of time that this request might be made, no one will be able to argue the point. Remember that this is your big day, and if you do not want a sixteen-year-old bridesmaid making a scene because the fifteen-year-old bridesmaid did or said something to her, this is your right. If they cannot behave, they apparently do not want to be involved in the pictures. The same rule should definitely apply to the young flower girl and ring bearer. If naptime arrives suddenly, have the photographer snap a couple of quick shots, then remove the cranky tot before everyone is so on edge from his ensuing tantrum that all your shots are ruined, not just the ones he will be missing from.
Lastly, if you have a photographer that you trust, and why else would you have hired them in the first place, take their lead. Listen to their direction, and be sure the rest of the wedding party does also. You can then sit back and relax, knowing that you will have a fantastic wedding album like none other to look forward too.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
You Can Never Snap Too Many Memories
By Christian VanGinkel
My son played his last football game of the season yesterday, and after a very good season, they ended it with a loss, but a good game nonetheless. The team they lost too had not won a game all season. Our coach chose to play most of the third and fourth string players, but also first and second string, to make sure everyone ended the year saying they had plenty of field time. This resulted in a ton of parents on both sides out in full force with their cameras, snapping photographs of their children not only solo, but also in small groups of two, three, and four kids to catch a memory of who their best friends from the season were. Nobody was left out and kids often ended up in more than one photo. It turned out to be one of those picture-perfect fall days that parent and kids alike will look back on fondly years from now when they are reminiscing about youth football, heck, about their youth at all!
Team photographs and individual shots are taken early in the year by a professional photographer brought in for each team in the league, but I can tell you from past experience that these 'friend photos' taken on the last game day of the year end up meaning much more to the kids than any clean uniform shot that was staged. These show the kids in all their muddy glory, after four quarters of working their hardest. They show them tired, but grinning widely. There is nothing staged about them at all, other than one kid grabbing another to drag them into a shot. This frenzy to snap a few photographs makes for some of the best scrapbook photos ever.
Last year's favorite photograph in our household from football season is now situated in its very own layout, with the words 'Friends Forever' as the title, and is not even one that we purchased from an onsite professional at one of our son's away games. It is one taken on a day matching yesterday's photo opportunity. If anything is to be learned from a day such as this, which presented the perfect occasion for taking a few quick snapshots, is simple. Some of the best photographs you will end up cherishing years from now will not be the ones you paid heftily for to have done professionally. They will be those taken with your own personal camera.
Professional shots have their place, and there are certain circumstances where I would whole-heartedly recommend that you always hire a professional, such as a wedding, but too often, we are caught up in the word professional itself, and overlook the meaning behind most photographs. Memories! If we are not taking photographs to capture the instant memories that last but a few seconds in comparison to the length of life itself, why are we taking any photos at all? The next time you think you already have a photograph matching the occasion at hand, bring along your camera anyway. You might end up with a photograph that will be the gleaming star of your next scrapbook.
My son played his last football game of the season yesterday, and after a very good season, they ended it with a loss, but a good game nonetheless. The team they lost too had not won a game all season. Our coach chose to play most of the third and fourth string players, but also first and second string, to make sure everyone ended the year saying they had plenty of field time. This resulted in a ton of parents on both sides out in full force with their cameras, snapping photographs of their children not only solo, but also in small groups of two, three, and four kids to catch a memory of who their best friends from the season were. Nobody was left out and kids often ended up in more than one photo. It turned out to be one of those picture-perfect fall days that parent and kids alike will look back on fondly years from now when they are reminiscing about youth football, heck, about their youth at all!
Team photographs and individual shots are taken early in the year by a professional photographer brought in for each team in the league, but I can tell you from past experience that these 'friend photos' taken on the last game day of the year end up meaning much more to the kids than any clean uniform shot that was staged. These show the kids in all their muddy glory, after four quarters of working their hardest. They show them tired, but grinning widely. There is nothing staged about them at all, other than one kid grabbing another to drag them into a shot. This frenzy to snap a few photographs makes for some of the best scrapbook photos ever.
Last year's favorite photograph in our household from football season is now situated in its very own layout, with the words 'Friends Forever' as the title, and is not even one that we purchased from an onsite professional at one of our son's away games. It is one taken on a day matching yesterday's photo opportunity. If anything is to be learned from a day such as this, which presented the perfect occasion for taking a few quick snapshots, is simple. Some of the best photographs you will end up cherishing years from now will not be the ones you paid heftily for to have done professionally. They will be those taken with your own personal camera.
Professional shots have their place, and there are certain circumstances where I would whole-heartedly recommend that you always hire a professional, such as a wedding, but too often, we are caught up in the word professional itself, and overlook the meaning behind most photographs. Memories! If we are not taking photographs to capture the instant memories that last but a few seconds in comparison to the length of life itself, why are we taking any photos at all? The next time you think you already have a photograph matching the occasion at hand, bring along your camera anyway. You might end up with a photograph that will be the gleaming star of your next scrapbook.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Digital Wedding Photography
We were on a tight budget when planning our wedding a little over a year ago. We wanted a photographer that was traditional yet modern and a little bit different. We chose to go with an up and coming photographer that was charging low fees due to her inexperience. Her style was similar to some others we had liked that were way out of our price range.
I was warned by others that I should not hire a photographer that uses digital cameras. This photographer was all digital. I was told by many people that it was risky, that my pictures would be of a low quality and grainy, and that no reputable wedding photographer would use all digital. I thought very highly of digital photography. After all, it is the latest technology and most photographers are offering it, if not completely switching over to it. After thinking it over and seeing the photographer’s portfolio, we decided to hire her.
I found out later that digital photography makes the job simpler for the photographer. She was able to quickly post all our photos to a website. Just a few days after our wedding we could view our photos and easily share the website link with friends and family. The website also allowed wedding guests and family to order prints. She also immediately sent us several copies of a cd containing all our wedding photos. We did not have to meet with the photographer at all after the wedding. We simply chose which photos we wanted in our album and for our prints, and selected them on the website. The photographer did not create our prints or album. She simply sent the digital files to other vendors to fill her orders.
At first, I did not like the idea of the photographer having other companies create our prints and album. I always thought it was the photographer’s job to sit in a darkroom and develop pictures. But with digital photography, it is different. Printing equipment is more important than developing skills. She out sources the printing so she does not have to invest in high end photo printers. Our prints were of good quality, and our album was incredible. Instead of prints in matted pages, the album contained pages printed edge to edge with our photos. Some pages where an entire single photo, while others were laid out with several photos. I love having such a unique album, and everyone who sees it is amazed.
Since our wedding, our photographer has almost tripled her fees. I am amazed at how such a complicated, specialized profession no longer required developing skills. Photographers can now simply focus on the art of taking photographs, and do not need the skill of developing. They simply send the digital files out to be printed. The photographer can go on to shoot more weddings without worrying about having time to develop film and make prints. While this is fascinating and the new direction of photography, it is someone sad to think that we may lose this art form.
I was warned by others that I should not hire a photographer that uses digital cameras. This photographer was all digital. I was told by many people that it was risky, that my pictures would be of a low quality and grainy, and that no reputable wedding photographer would use all digital. I thought very highly of digital photography. After all, it is the latest technology and most photographers are offering it, if not completely switching over to it. After thinking it over and seeing the photographer’s portfolio, we decided to hire her.
I found out later that digital photography makes the job simpler for the photographer. She was able to quickly post all our photos to a website. Just a few days after our wedding we could view our photos and easily share the website link with friends and family. The website also allowed wedding guests and family to order prints. She also immediately sent us several copies of a cd containing all our wedding photos. We did not have to meet with the photographer at all after the wedding. We simply chose which photos we wanted in our album and for our prints, and selected them on the website. The photographer did not create our prints or album. She simply sent the digital files to other vendors to fill her orders.
At first, I did not like the idea of the photographer having other companies create our prints and album. I always thought it was the photographer’s job to sit in a darkroom and develop pictures. But with digital photography, it is different. Printing equipment is more important than developing skills. She out sources the printing so she does not have to invest in high end photo printers. Our prints were of good quality, and our album was incredible. Instead of prints in matted pages, the album contained pages printed edge to edge with our photos. Some pages where an entire single photo, while others were laid out with several photos. I love having such a unique album, and everyone who sees it is amazed.
Since our wedding, our photographer has almost tripled her fees. I am amazed at how such a complicated, specialized profession no longer required developing skills. Photographers can now simply focus on the art of taking photographs, and do not need the skill of developing. They simply send the digital files out to be printed. The photographer can go on to shoot more weddings without worrying about having time to develop film and make prints. While this is fascinating and the new direction of photography, it is someone sad to think that we may lose this art form.
Creating Digital Holiday Gifts
By Christina VanGinkel
With the holidays arriving in just a few weeks, coming up with gift ideas for the hard to buy for, is a task already at hand. Family members seem to be especially hard to figure out for me. For instance, what do you get for the grandparents who have a houseful of every imaginable appliance and personal possession or for a doting aunt or uncle who have nearly every item known to man? I decided to look no further than my digital camera and home computer, but then challenged myself to go beyond the typical framed print, to give them not just another disk of pictures or a few quickly saved video clips. I decided to go the extra mile and actually create them all gifts 'with' the video clips and pictures!
You can do the same thing and it is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. You can give them something they can use on their own computer every day, a gift that comes from the heart and includes photographs or video clips of their favorite grandchild or niece or nephew.
Using a program such as Photo Story, create a DVD or CD of photographs that you edit with text, sound clips, even music. You can easily import any pictures you have, assemble them in the order you want them to play, and add sound clips you record yourself, even music. You can also add text as you go along to every picture, or to only those you choose too. You can then pull them together in any order you desire, mixing and matching as you go. Essentially, you are creating a digital scrapbook that they can then play on their own home or office computer, a personalized digital scrapbook that is.
A video you create yourself of all your favorite family clips from the past year is also a good gift. Personalize each one for the person receiving it. Make them the star of the show or their favorite youngster; add some fancy editing with ease by using a program such as Windows Movie Maker. There are other more detailed programs available, but Windows Movie Maker is easy enough for even a novice to use and create in, and advanced enough that the recipient will never know how quickly and easily you made their fantastic gift.
Once your gift is assembled and you have burned the disk, do not just wrap it up or toss it in a gift bag. Print a few sheets of wrapping paper on your home printer, including some of the same shots you used to create the disk. Add a few holiday themed pieces of clipart to give the whole package definite holiday flair.
If you want to step the gift up a few levels, include a gift of the same program you used to create your masterpiece. On the other hand, for the techno newbie, bestow them with a digital camera all their own. Prices are now affordable enough that you can practically give every single person on your gift list their very own digital starter camera. Top off the gift with a great big decorative bow and wish them the very best holiday season yet!
With the holidays arriving in just a few weeks, coming up with gift ideas for the hard to buy for, is a task already at hand. Family members seem to be especially hard to figure out for me. For instance, what do you get for the grandparents who have a houseful of every imaginable appliance and personal possession or for a doting aunt or uncle who have nearly every item known to man? I decided to look no further than my digital camera and home computer, but then challenged myself to go beyond the typical framed print, to give them not just another disk of pictures or a few quickly saved video clips. I decided to go the extra mile and actually create them all gifts 'with' the video clips and pictures!
You can do the same thing and it is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. You can give them something they can use on their own computer every day, a gift that comes from the heart and includes photographs or video clips of their favorite grandchild or niece or nephew.
Using a program such as Photo Story, create a DVD or CD of photographs that you edit with text, sound clips, even music. You can easily import any pictures you have, assemble them in the order you want them to play, and add sound clips you record yourself, even music. You can also add text as you go along to every picture, or to only those you choose too. You can then pull them together in any order you desire, mixing and matching as you go. Essentially, you are creating a digital scrapbook that they can then play on their own home or office computer, a personalized digital scrapbook that is.
A video you create yourself of all your favorite family clips from the past year is also a good gift. Personalize each one for the person receiving it. Make them the star of the show or their favorite youngster; add some fancy editing with ease by using a program such as Windows Movie Maker. There are other more detailed programs available, but Windows Movie Maker is easy enough for even a novice to use and create in, and advanced enough that the recipient will never know how quickly and easily you made their fantastic gift.
Once your gift is assembled and you have burned the disk, do not just wrap it up or toss it in a gift bag. Print a few sheets of wrapping paper on your home printer, including some of the same shots you used to create the disk. Add a few holiday themed pieces of clipart to give the whole package definite holiday flair.
If you want to step the gift up a few levels, include a gift of the same program you used to create your masterpiece. On the other hand, for the techno newbie, bestow them with a digital camera all their own. Prices are now affordable enough that you can practically give every single person on your gift list their very own digital starter camera. Top off the gift with a great big decorative bow and wish them the very best holiday season yet!
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Advantages to Shopping for your Next Camera Online
By Christina VanGinkel
I am an avid online shopper, doing as much if not most of my major purchases shopping online. I have different favorites for different products, but one that I find myself going back to often is Dell. The only problem with that is their site can sometimes be awkward to maneuver. For example, I purchased both my first and my most recent digital camera from them. Both times, I did an enormous amount of research before actually placing the orders, plus quite a bit of price checking across the whole Internet. With the first camera, I would go to Dell's home page and from there, click my way to the cameras. Because I was often checking various sites, bookmarks would have worked, yet I was forever forgetting which site I had just been too. With my most recent purchase, I tried a new tactic that ended up working very well.
I began my search at CamerasAndCameras.com. From their well put together site, I was able to step directly to Dell's camera section, go back to CamerasAndCameras.com, and step directly to a handful of other shopping site's camera sections including Amazon, Best Buy, Camera World, Circuit City, CompUSA, Ebay Cameras, Exposures, Gateway, Overstock, Ritz Cameras, Smart Bargains, Toshiba, Wal-Mart, and Wolf Camera.
By them having a single page that already organized the best camera shopping sites, I was able to do my search over a several day span, and not have to worry about finding my bookmarks. If you are new to online shopping, you may discover a tactic that works extremely well in comparison to the given 'normal' that you will hear others discuss, such as I did here. That is one of the best things about shopping online, and one of the greatest things to remember when you are making a major decision on a possible purchase, that the Internet should make the purchase easy.
There can be downfalls to shopping exclusively online, especially if you are shopping for something very unfamiliar. Even then, if you approach the online shopping experience in much the same way you would at a regular brick and mortar type store, those downfalls will disappear. For example, when shopping online, take full advantage of the customer support offered by a store before you place an order. Ask a question. Request some info. By doing this you will not only get your question answered, you will be able to test how their customer service department works. Was the email or phone support information easy to find online, and were they quick to respond? These things do matter the same as the customer service received locally, and you want to know the response before you buy.
As there are downfalls, so are there advantages. One of the biggest advantages to shopping online is the selection of product, as at no other time through history, as one single shopper been able to have access to such a wide variety of products, even within one genre, such as cameras. Even the most prolific store could never carry the quantity of products that you can find online in one evening of browsing. When you are ready to make your next purchase, be sure to give the Internet a chance. Remember though that after you buy online, you will find it hard to go back to a regular store. You will have become a tried and true Web shopper.
I am an avid online shopper, doing as much if not most of my major purchases shopping online. I have different favorites for different products, but one that I find myself going back to often is Dell. The only problem with that is their site can sometimes be awkward to maneuver. For example, I purchased both my first and my most recent digital camera from them. Both times, I did an enormous amount of research before actually placing the orders, plus quite a bit of price checking across the whole Internet. With the first camera, I would go to Dell's home page and from there, click my way to the cameras. Because I was often checking various sites, bookmarks would have worked, yet I was forever forgetting which site I had just been too. With my most recent purchase, I tried a new tactic that ended up working very well.
I began my search at CamerasAndCameras.com. From their well put together site, I was able to step directly to Dell's camera section, go back to CamerasAndCameras.com, and step directly to a handful of other shopping site's camera sections including Amazon, Best Buy, Camera World, Circuit City, CompUSA, Ebay Cameras, Exposures, Gateway, Overstock, Ritz Cameras, Smart Bargains, Toshiba, Wal-Mart, and Wolf Camera.
By them having a single page that already organized the best camera shopping sites, I was able to do my search over a several day span, and not have to worry about finding my bookmarks. If you are new to online shopping, you may discover a tactic that works extremely well in comparison to the given 'normal' that you will hear others discuss, such as I did here. That is one of the best things about shopping online, and one of the greatest things to remember when you are making a major decision on a possible purchase, that the Internet should make the purchase easy.
There can be downfalls to shopping exclusively online, especially if you are shopping for something very unfamiliar. Even then, if you approach the online shopping experience in much the same way you would at a regular brick and mortar type store, those downfalls will disappear. For example, when shopping online, take full advantage of the customer support offered by a store before you place an order. Ask a question. Request some info. By doing this you will not only get your question answered, you will be able to test how their customer service department works. Was the email or phone support information easy to find online, and were they quick to respond? These things do matter the same as the customer service received locally, and you want to know the response before you buy.
As there are downfalls, so are there advantages. One of the biggest advantages to shopping online is the selection of product, as at no other time through history, as one single shopper been able to have access to such a wide variety of products, even within one genre, such as cameras. Even the most prolific store could never carry the quantity of products that you can find online in one evening of browsing. When you are ready to make your next purchase, be sure to give the Internet a chance. Remember though that after you buy online, you will find it hard to go back to a regular store. You will have become a tried and true Web shopper.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Media Readers, Do you have one?
By Christina VanGinkel
I recently purchased a cutter that attaches to my computer. Similar to a printer in only that it outputs what is created on my screen in a physical sense. As a printer can produce a photograph or sheet of text, the cutter will produce a cut paper, cardstock, or vinyl version of the picture or words on my screen. Besides the cutter reading directly from the screen, it also reads Secure Digital cards, the exact same type that my camera uses. I should be all set, or so I figured, until I remembered I never used the camera's secure digital card directly with my computer, I just plug the camera in with a USB cable, and read the cards stored image files via the USB.
I headed to the local camera store to see if they carried a card reader that would attach to my computer, with a list of requirements in hand with the specifications from the cutter, and from my digital camera, to be sure that the reader I purchased would be able to read the cards my camera and cutter both used. I learned two things, one that both use the exact same type of cards, the Secure Digital, or SD as they are often referred to as, and that I did not need to purchase a reader as I already had one. Huh? Yes! In conversation with the sales person, I mentioned that my printer, an HP Photosmart 7260, had what appeared to be several slots for different cards on the front of it, but as I never really used them, I was unsure if they would work beyond printing directly from the card. It happened that this salesperson had the exact same printer at home and she used it all the time to read her digital camera's cards along with her card from her PDA. Having a Dell Axim myself, I never even gave the cards that were installed in it a second thought, as I have a cradle that my Dell Axim sets into to synchronize with my computer, so I have never had a need to try to read the included SD or Compact Flash card that is installed on it.
She assured me that the included card reader on the HP Photosmart 7260 would work identically to any that she might sell me separately, and if I did have a problem, be sure to ask for her when I came back, as she would try to help me figure out any issues that might arise. She admitted she was not familiar with the cutter, but could not imagine how it would differ, read wise, from any other electronic that used the Secure Digital media cards.
I am happy to report that she was correct, and after turning on my printer, the included card reader worked fine. It automatically recognized the card, and when I opened the included software that came with the cutter, it had no problems accessing the clipart files via the reader on the printer. I tried it with the SD card from my digital camera, and it worked perfectly for that. If you are purchasing something new to work with your digital camera, or other electronics, be sure to know exactly what you already have on your desktop, to avoid buying things you already have at your disposal. It just goes to show you that you can always learn something new, even when you thought you already knew it all!
I recently purchased a cutter that attaches to my computer. Similar to a printer in only that it outputs what is created on my screen in a physical sense. As a printer can produce a photograph or sheet of text, the cutter will produce a cut paper, cardstock, or vinyl version of the picture or words on my screen. Besides the cutter reading directly from the screen, it also reads Secure Digital cards, the exact same type that my camera uses. I should be all set, or so I figured, until I remembered I never used the camera's secure digital card directly with my computer, I just plug the camera in with a USB cable, and read the cards stored image files via the USB.
I headed to the local camera store to see if they carried a card reader that would attach to my computer, with a list of requirements in hand with the specifications from the cutter, and from my digital camera, to be sure that the reader I purchased would be able to read the cards my camera and cutter both used. I learned two things, one that both use the exact same type of cards, the Secure Digital, or SD as they are often referred to as, and that I did not need to purchase a reader as I already had one. Huh? Yes! In conversation with the sales person, I mentioned that my printer, an HP Photosmart 7260, had what appeared to be several slots for different cards on the front of it, but as I never really used them, I was unsure if they would work beyond printing directly from the card. It happened that this salesperson had the exact same printer at home and she used it all the time to read her digital camera's cards along with her card from her PDA. Having a Dell Axim myself, I never even gave the cards that were installed in it a second thought, as I have a cradle that my Dell Axim sets into to synchronize with my computer, so I have never had a need to try to read the included SD or Compact Flash card that is installed on it.
She assured me that the included card reader on the HP Photosmart 7260 would work identically to any that she might sell me separately, and if I did have a problem, be sure to ask for her when I came back, as she would try to help me figure out any issues that might arise. She admitted she was not familiar with the cutter, but could not imagine how it would differ, read wise, from any other electronic that used the Secure Digital media cards.
I am happy to report that she was correct, and after turning on my printer, the included card reader worked fine. It automatically recognized the card, and when I opened the included software that came with the cutter, it had no problems accessing the clipart files via the reader on the printer. I tried it with the SD card from my digital camera, and it worked perfectly for that. If you are purchasing something new to work with your digital camera, or other electronics, be sure to know exactly what you already have on your desktop, to avoid buying things you already have at your disposal. It just goes to show you that you can always learn something new, even when you thought you already knew it all!
Friday, October 07, 2005
Online Photo Lab Perks
By Christina VanGinkel
With the ease and availability of photo printers, one might wonder why someone would use an online photo lab. When I discovered what the Kodak Easy Share Gallery had to offer, I knew why I would use it. For one, their pricing is cheap! Cheaper than even printing on my own photo printer at home, as they have recently lowered their everyday price to only fifteen cents a print.
They also have the added advantage of allowing you to upload your photographs to share with family and friends who may live around the corner, or around the world, seriously! You can snap a picture of your newborn daughter, and in a manner of minutes, you can be showing you sister on the other side of the globe what her niece just did so brilliantly. This feature also allows others to order prints of the same pictures if you give them the option to do so. This saves you both time and money when sharing your photographs. The features from Kodak Easy Share Gallery do not stop there though. They have a wide range of gifts that can be personalized with the photographs of your choosing, from mugs to calendars, even posters and books. I actually discussed these features in much finer detail in a previous post.
What is so compelling about using an online printer, specifically the Kodak Easy Share Gallery though is that I can now upload pictures of my own picking directly to my cell phone to be used as wallpaper on my phone and to share with friends and family via my phone. While this feature may not be a draw for everyone, it thrilled me. I could have a picture of my grandson to view every time I opened my phone instead of some generic picture of a seascape! In addition, the very best part is that they offer this as a free service, at absolutely no charge. Depending on your carrier and the specific phone you have, this and other features may or may not be available, such as ordering prints directly from your phone. However, if your carrier and phone support these features, they can be quite convenient, not to mention fun to have. How does convenience come into something like this? This is a very handy feature if you happen to be visiting someone who does not have Internet service and after looking at your pictures, decide they would love to have a few. (Think of an elderly relative) Instead of waiting until you get home, where if you are like me would probably forget to place the order, you can order them on the spot.
If you are looking for an additional way to print your photographs beyond your personal printer, consider an online photo lab. Be sure to check out several, including the Kodak Easy Share Gallery, which can offer you perks that you never even knew existed, or that you would have a need or wanting of, until you found out what they all had to offer that is!
With the ease and availability of photo printers, one might wonder why someone would use an online photo lab. When I discovered what the Kodak Easy Share Gallery had to offer, I knew why I would use it. For one, their pricing is cheap! Cheaper than even printing on my own photo printer at home, as they have recently lowered their everyday price to only fifteen cents a print.
They also have the added advantage of allowing you to upload your photographs to share with family and friends who may live around the corner, or around the world, seriously! You can snap a picture of your newborn daughter, and in a manner of minutes, you can be showing you sister on the other side of the globe what her niece just did so brilliantly. This feature also allows others to order prints of the same pictures if you give them the option to do so. This saves you both time and money when sharing your photographs. The features from Kodak Easy Share Gallery do not stop there though. They have a wide range of gifts that can be personalized with the photographs of your choosing, from mugs to calendars, even posters and books. I actually discussed these features in much finer detail in a previous post.
What is so compelling about using an online printer, specifically the Kodak Easy Share Gallery though is that I can now upload pictures of my own picking directly to my cell phone to be used as wallpaper on my phone and to share with friends and family via my phone. While this feature may not be a draw for everyone, it thrilled me. I could have a picture of my grandson to view every time I opened my phone instead of some generic picture of a seascape! In addition, the very best part is that they offer this as a free service, at absolutely no charge. Depending on your carrier and the specific phone you have, this and other features may or may not be available, such as ordering prints directly from your phone. However, if your carrier and phone support these features, they can be quite convenient, not to mention fun to have. How does convenience come into something like this? This is a very handy feature if you happen to be visiting someone who does not have Internet service and after looking at your pictures, decide they would love to have a few. (Think of an elderly relative) Instead of waiting until you get home, where if you are like me would probably forget to place the order, you can order them on the spot.
If you are looking for an additional way to print your photographs beyond your personal printer, consider an online photo lab. Be sure to check out several, including the Kodak Easy Share Gallery, which can offer you perks that you never even knew existed, or that you would have a need or wanting of, until you found out what they all had to offer that is!
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Kodak EasyShare-One Wi-Fi Digital Camera
The latest buzz in the world of digital photography surrounds the new EasyShare-One Wi-Fi digital camera from Kodak. As implied by the name, this camera has Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) capabilities, which means that you can share your digital photos via email from any hotspot without the need for a hard-wired connection to the Internet. You can also upload your pictures to your computer and print them without using a USB connection. These features give the EasyShare-One a level of convenience that is (so far) unmatched by its competitors. What else does this camera offer? Let's take a look.
First, let's cover some of the camera's other basic specs. In addition to the Wi-Fi capabilities, the Kodak EasyShare-One boasts features that are similar to other mid-level cameras in the same price range. For example, you'll get photos with a resolution of 4.0 megapixels and you'll have a 3X optical zoom lens to work with. You'll also be able to toggle between several different shooting modes, such as portrait, nighttime, action, landscape, and close-up. Furthermore, you can control picture settings such as white balance, ISO equivalents, and exposure. So far there are no surprises here. You can get these features on a lot of other cameras.
Where the Kodak EasyShare-One starts to separate itself from other cameras is with the screen. The EasyShare-One screen is 3-inches big, making it much larger than the screens on most other digital cameras. The screen is high-resolution for more accurate previewing and also has the ability to swivel out and rotate, much like the displays on handheld video cameras. The EasyShare-One screen also has touch-screen capabilities, so you can scroll through and select menu options with a stylus.
These are the features that are immediately apparent to casual digital camera users like me. There might be some other technical aspects that I've overlooked here, but I think I've covered most of the features that would be important and relevant to the average consumer. Anyway, the Kodak EasyShare-One is priced at $599 -- without the Wi-Fi card! You have to shell out another $99 for that. So right away, you're looking at having to spend close to $700 just to get this camera home. Are the extra features worth it?
Personally, I don't think the Wi-Fi capabilities would really be a factor in my purchasing decision. I simply don't encounter any photography situations where it is imperative for me to submit photos from wherever I happen to be. All of my photo sharing can wait until after I've returned home and have had a chance to upload the photos to my computer. Furthermore, I don't have much of a problem using a USB connection for uploading. It's not that much of a hassle for me, so Wi-Fi doesn't have the same appeal for me that it might for some others.
That being said, I am intrigued by the EasyShare-One's screen. I think it seems truly innovative as far as digital cameras go, and I would definitely be interested in trying the camera out for that reason alone. In that case, I think I would forego purchasing the Wi-Fi card and just purchase the camera to check out the screen.
So far, I have seen mixed reviews for this camera. Some users absolutely love; others are on the opposite end of the spectrum. It'll be interesting to see how this camera does and what other kinds of innovations will follow. Stay tuned!
First, let's cover some of the camera's other basic specs. In addition to the Wi-Fi capabilities, the Kodak EasyShare-One boasts features that are similar to other mid-level cameras in the same price range. For example, you'll get photos with a resolution of 4.0 megapixels and you'll have a 3X optical zoom lens to work with. You'll also be able to toggle between several different shooting modes, such as portrait, nighttime, action, landscape, and close-up. Furthermore, you can control picture settings such as white balance, ISO equivalents, and exposure. So far there are no surprises here. You can get these features on a lot of other cameras.
Where the Kodak EasyShare-One starts to separate itself from other cameras is with the screen. The EasyShare-One screen is 3-inches big, making it much larger than the screens on most other digital cameras. The screen is high-resolution for more accurate previewing and also has the ability to swivel out and rotate, much like the displays on handheld video cameras. The EasyShare-One screen also has touch-screen capabilities, so you can scroll through and select menu options with a stylus.
These are the features that are immediately apparent to casual digital camera users like me. There might be some other technical aspects that I've overlooked here, but I think I've covered most of the features that would be important and relevant to the average consumer. Anyway, the Kodak EasyShare-One is priced at $599 -- without the Wi-Fi card! You have to shell out another $99 for that. So right away, you're looking at having to spend close to $700 just to get this camera home. Are the extra features worth it?
Personally, I don't think the Wi-Fi capabilities would really be a factor in my purchasing decision. I simply don't encounter any photography situations where it is imperative for me to submit photos from wherever I happen to be. All of my photo sharing can wait until after I've returned home and have had a chance to upload the photos to my computer. Furthermore, I don't have much of a problem using a USB connection for uploading. It's not that much of a hassle for me, so Wi-Fi doesn't have the same appeal for me that it might for some others.
That being said, I am intrigued by the EasyShare-One's screen. I think it seems truly innovative as far as digital cameras go, and I would definitely be interested in trying the camera out for that reason alone. In that case, I think I would forego purchasing the Wi-Fi card and just purchase the camera to check out the screen.
So far, I have seen mixed reviews for this camera. Some users absolutely love; others are on the opposite end of the spectrum. It'll be interesting to see how this camera does and what other kinds of innovations will follow. Stay tuned!
Epson PictureMate Personal Photo Lab
By Christina VanGinkel
With all the advantages of digital cameras, one that many still do not take advantage of is printing their own pictures without the aid of a typical photo developer. One of the most common reasons for this is that they do not have a computer. Well, that is no longer a valid excuse. For those who do not have a computer, or for those who do, but not always with them whenever they may want to print a digital photo just taken with their camera, you now have other options available besides running to the nearest photo lab.
Epson printers have a perfect choice, their Epson PictureMate Personal Photo Lab for one, which prints 4" by 6" prints. So perfect are the features of this mini wonder, that once you own one, you will wonder how you ever lived without it. Available in two versions, either the PictureMate, or the PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition, either is sure to be a fit for your needs. What is the difference between the two you might be wondering? There are a few, mainly, the PictureMate need the camera used to snap the pictures for viewing the snapshots, with an LCD screen for text, while the PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition has a built in Premium 2.4" Color Photo Viewer with Tilt. The PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition prints slightly faster, with a comparison of 75 seconds to 125 seconds, offers personal settings, manual adjustments, and more choices for printing output. The deluxe prints borderless, classic border, wallet, proof sheet plus Mini-wallet, and 3" x 4", Disney® borders [15], with the basic only offering borderless, classic border, wallet, proof sheet and additional cropping features not found on the basic.
Similarities are many though. Both offer prints for about $0.29 each, that are smudge and fingerprint proof, perfect for households with children! For approximately 104 years when framed, and up to 200, when stored in an acid free album, prints are also fade-proof. (Length of time the photographs will last will also be determined by actual storage method and other conditions such as humidity levels, temperatures, etc.) Both print in Color, B&W, and Sepia, and use a 6-color ink system, and 5760 optimized DPI. Both offer wireless Bluetooth photo printing and direct store to & print from CD-R, Zip drives, and thumb drives. With a price difference of $70.00, which features are important to you, will help you determine which model to choose. Both are less than $200.00, so either is a bargain for someone wanting to print digital photos without the aid of a computer.
What reasons would exist for someone to want to go this route, besides not having a computer? If you scrapbook, this could be the perfect printer for those extended crops away from home. With a small footprint, and easy carry handle, either choice is a breeze to bring along, or even to move around the house to wherever you may be working. Life expectancy of the photos is another valid reason many may choose to go with these particular printers.
With all the advantages of digital cameras, one that many still do not take advantage of is printing their own pictures without the aid of a typical photo developer. One of the most common reasons for this is that they do not have a computer. Well, that is no longer a valid excuse. For those who do not have a computer, or for those who do, but not always with them whenever they may want to print a digital photo just taken with their camera, you now have other options available besides running to the nearest photo lab.
Epson printers have a perfect choice, their Epson PictureMate Personal Photo Lab for one, which prints 4" by 6" prints. So perfect are the features of this mini wonder, that once you own one, you will wonder how you ever lived without it. Available in two versions, either the PictureMate, or the PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition, either is sure to be a fit for your needs. What is the difference between the two you might be wondering? There are a few, mainly, the PictureMate need the camera used to snap the pictures for viewing the snapshots, with an LCD screen for text, while the PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition has a built in Premium 2.4" Color Photo Viewer with Tilt. The PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition prints slightly faster, with a comparison of 75 seconds to 125 seconds, offers personal settings, manual adjustments, and more choices for printing output. The deluxe prints borderless, classic border, wallet, proof sheet plus Mini-wallet, and 3" x 4", Disney® borders [15], with the basic only offering borderless, classic border, wallet, proof sheet and additional cropping features not found on the basic.
Similarities are many though. Both offer prints for about $0.29 each, that are smudge and fingerprint proof, perfect for households with children! For approximately 104 years when framed, and up to 200, when stored in an acid free album, prints are also fade-proof. (Length of time the photographs will last will also be determined by actual storage method and other conditions such as humidity levels, temperatures, etc.) Both print in Color, B&W, and Sepia, and use a 6-color ink system, and 5760 optimized DPI. Both offer wireless Bluetooth photo printing and direct store to & print from CD-R, Zip drives, and thumb drives. With a price difference of $70.00, which features are important to you, will help you determine which model to choose. Both are less than $200.00, so either is a bargain for someone wanting to print digital photos without the aid of a computer.
What reasons would exist for someone to want to go this route, besides not having a computer? If you scrapbook, this could be the perfect printer for those extended crops away from home. With a small footprint, and easy carry handle, either choice is a breeze to bring along, or even to move around the house to wherever you may be working. Life expectancy of the photos is another valid reason many may choose to go with these particular printers.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Trail Cameras
By Christina VanGinkel
I overhead my husband and a friend discussing a trail camera a while back, and did not have a clue as to what they were talking about. I soon learned they were discussing a camera that you attach to a tree to monitor the game (animal) activity on a trail or at a bait. Some snap photographs vial a 35MM format, while the newer, more popular models use digital technology, with some even taking short frames of video.
I also soon learned that not all of these trail cameras are created equal, not even those branded to a specific genre of either 35MM or digital. The digital ones I discovered have as many various features as any other digital camera. Some take photos at such a low resolution, that doing anything other than viewing them on your computer screen is impossible. Their resolution is so low that you cannot even run off an inferior 4 x 6 print. There just is not enough resolution available in the file the camera took. In comparison, some take more than an adequate picture that can easily be printed, allowing you to show and share with ease. This is extremely handy for those times you want to brag about that ten-point buck visiting your bait every evening. Further, some digital cameras even take short stretches of video.
The 35MM camera would be useful for someone that does not have easy access to a computer, but keep in mind that you will also be incurring additional charges each time you have the film developed.
Battery use is another important issue to consider when buying one of these cameras. Of the two separate digital ones we ended up considering when we decided to purchase one, one used size C batteries, and the other use a 6 Volt. The one that use the C batteries gave no recommendation on battery life whatsoever, while the one that used the six Volts stated an average 20-day lifespan. The second one also had the option to time and date stamp each picture, set a delay from one minute, to sixty minutes between each picture, and used the infrared sensor to aim the camera where it was most likely to capture images of any game coming down the trail or to the bait. Storage space with any digital is another issue, but most offer the option of adding an SD card to expand on the built in memory. Plugging them into either your television to view the snapshots, or attaching them to a computer via a USB cable seemed to be standard with every digital trail camera we came across.
If a trail camera is in your future, take the time to consider the options available on several, comparing both pricing and features. We ended up buying a Moultrie Digital Game Camera 100, which captures both still pictures in JPEG or video clips in AVI. The camera will accept up to a 256 MB SD memory card, allowing the storage of over two thousand pictures in standard resolution, or over 600 in high resolution.
I overhead my husband and a friend discussing a trail camera a while back, and did not have a clue as to what they were talking about. I soon learned they were discussing a camera that you attach to a tree to monitor the game (animal) activity on a trail or at a bait. Some snap photographs vial a 35MM format, while the newer, more popular models use digital technology, with some even taking short frames of video.
I also soon learned that not all of these trail cameras are created equal, not even those branded to a specific genre of either 35MM or digital. The digital ones I discovered have as many various features as any other digital camera. Some take photos at such a low resolution, that doing anything other than viewing them on your computer screen is impossible. Their resolution is so low that you cannot even run off an inferior 4 x 6 print. There just is not enough resolution available in the file the camera took. In comparison, some take more than an adequate picture that can easily be printed, allowing you to show and share with ease. This is extremely handy for those times you want to brag about that ten-point buck visiting your bait every evening. Further, some digital cameras even take short stretches of video.
The 35MM camera would be useful for someone that does not have easy access to a computer, but keep in mind that you will also be incurring additional charges each time you have the film developed.
Battery use is another important issue to consider when buying one of these cameras. Of the two separate digital ones we ended up considering when we decided to purchase one, one used size C batteries, and the other use a 6 Volt. The one that use the C batteries gave no recommendation on battery life whatsoever, while the one that used the six Volts stated an average 20-day lifespan. The second one also had the option to time and date stamp each picture, set a delay from one minute, to sixty minutes between each picture, and used the infrared sensor to aim the camera where it was most likely to capture images of any game coming down the trail or to the bait. Storage space with any digital is another issue, but most offer the option of adding an SD card to expand on the built in memory. Plugging them into either your television to view the snapshots, or attaching them to a computer via a USB cable seemed to be standard with every digital trail camera we came across.
If a trail camera is in your future, take the time to consider the options available on several, comparing both pricing and features. We ended up buying a Moultrie Digital Game Camera 100, which captures both still pictures in JPEG or video clips in AVI. The camera will accept up to a 256 MB SD memory card, allowing the storage of over two thousand pictures in standard resolution, or over 600 in high resolution.
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