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Digital Photography: Point, Click and Print Quickly and Easily
For thousands of years, man has been capturing images. Before the camera was invented, man captured images through drawings and paintings. Often, the images were based on the interpretations and skill of painters, so the resulting images were not always exact.
Photos (or photographs) are images created when light falls on photographic film or electronic sensor (e.g., CCD or CMOS chip). To create a photo, you would need a camera. Photography is the process of creating photographs.
Types of Photos
Photos can be non-digital and digital. Non-digital photos are those that are produced using a camera that has film. The images in the film are then printed in photo paper, and this process is usually done in a dark room.
Digital photos are photos taken with a digital camera, which uses a memory card or some other storage device instead of film for storing pictures. Digital photos come in different graphic formats (e.g., TIFF, JPEG, RAW). Digital pictures can be printed straight from the digital camera or transferred to a computer that is connected to a printer (e.g., inkjet, laser or thermal).
Popularity of Digital Photography
With the introduction of digital cameras like the Nikon Coolpix P5000, photography has become something that anyone and everyone can engage in since digital cameras has made it possible for people to take hundreds or thousands of pictures and store them electronically. In addition, people can print photos themselves using their printer, unlike before when negatives had to be taken to a photo processing shop.
Digital cameras have also become affordable. In fact, there are digital cameras that can be had for under $100. And as digital technology advances, more powerful digital cameras are being introduced in the market. “Even our cell phones like the Apple IPhone have become our cameras AND our display device” says professional digital photographer
Digital Cameras for Taking Photos
It's a good idea to learn some of the basic methods and techniques of photo composition. But even if you're the point-and-click type of photographer, a quality digital camera can help you create some great looking shots.
In the digital camera market, Canon, Nikon and
Look no further than Canon if you're in the market for a quality digital camera. Canon sets the standard for digital photography with the digital cameras in the Canon EOS series. Whether you're an amateur or professional photographer, the cameras in the Canon EOS series are some of the best digital SLRs in the market.
These Canon digital cameras are professional grade cameras that can produce high quality digital photos. They also use Canon's 10.1 megapixel CMOS technology, which means a sharper image. If you're in the market for a professional grade digital camera, check out the cameras in the Canon EOS series.
* Nikon D60 and Nikon D300
The Nikon D60 digital SLR camera one of the top rated digital cameras today, capable of taking professional quality photographs. It has a 10.2 megapixel CCD imaging sensor a large LCD screen (2.5 inches) and a host of features that lets you do some in-camera editing. Carrying a mid-range price tag of $700 to $900, the Nikon D80 is ideal for photo enthusiasts who don't have a big budget to spend on a camera, as well as for those who are new to using SLR cameras.
If you're thinking of becoming a professional photographer, the Nikon D300 is a very good investment. With a price tag that starts from $1,700, the Nikon D300 is a top of the line digital SLR camera that supports live viewing, which allows you to preview shots on the LCD screen; you won't need to look through the viewfinder.
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The Fuji S5 Pro model is ideal for those who are struggling with their photography skills as this digital camera comes with auto correcting features. This digital SLR camera features 12.3 megapixels CCD SR Pro technology, three new film simulation modes for improved reproduction of natural skin tones, and facial detection technology that allows you to quickly and easily zoom in on facial details. The Fuji S5 Pro has a price tag of around $1,500.
You've Taken Photos...Now What?
It's now easy to share photos with family and friends. Transfer the photos from your digital camera to your computer, and from your computer, you can e-mail the pictures or upload photos on photo sharing sites like Yahoo, FaceBook, MySpace, Flickr and many other sites that let you create an online photo gallery.
There is some inexpensive software that will let you create slide shows from your digital photos and save them in CDs to mail out to friends and families. You can even edit your photos before sharing them. There are photo editing software packages that will let you combine stock photography with your pictures to create effects that are uniquely yours.
With a digital camera, photo editing software, a few stock photos and a little bit of creativity, you'll discover that you don't have a limit for your photographic expressions. Some digital cameras allow for minor editing (e.g, correcting red eye, lighting and flesh tones), and there are small portable printers that allow for printing photos straight from the camera. Most of these photo printers have special photo effects like borders built in.