Digital Photography: Take Photos and Print Them In a Snap

Our fascination with capturing images started thousands of years ago. Prior to the invention of the camera, early man tried to capture images through paintings and drawings. The images, of course, weren’t exact mirrors of the subjects; they were mostly a reflection of the skills of the painter and his interpretation of his subject. Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale says “With the introduction of the camera, though, we can now capture our subjects in their exact likeness through photographs.”

Photos (or photographs) are images created when light falls on photographic film or electronic imager (e.g., CCD or CMOS chip). To create a photo, you would need a camera. Photography is the process of creating photographs.

Photos 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).

With the introduction of digital cameras, photography has become something that anyone and everyone can engage in since digital cameras have 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.

It’s also very easy for anyone today to own a digital camera. For less than $100, you can have a digital camera that takes quality photos. With digital technology advancing at a rapid rate, companies are constantly introducing to the market digital cameras that have more features and are more powerful. “Our cell phones like the Apple Iphone will become our cameras and our viewing devices” says professional digital photographer Bob Dale.

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 Fuji are some of the top brands. The Canon EOS series (e.g., Canon EOS 40D, Canon EOS 30D and Canon EOS 5D), the Nikon D80 and the Fuji S5 are all digital cameras that take great pictures.

Looking for a quality digital camera? Go with Canon, who is setting the standard for digital photography with its Canon EOS series of digital cameras. The Canon EOS series of digital cameras are considered among the best digital SLRs that’s ideal for both amateur photographer and professional photographers.

These Canon digital cameras are professional grade cameras that can produce high quality digital photos. They also use Canon’s 10.1 megapixel CMOS technology. If you’re in the market for a professional grade digital camera, check out the cameras in the Canon EOS series.

The Nikon D80 digital SLR camera one of the top rated digital cameras today, capable of taking professional quality photographs. It has a 10.2 megapixel CCD imaging sensor, a large LCD screen (2.5 inches) and a host of features that lets you do some in-camera editing. Carrying a mid-range price tag of $700 to $900, the Nikon D80 is ideal for photo enthusiasts who don’t have a big budget to spend on a camera, as well as for those who are new to using SLR cameras.

If you’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.

The Fuji S5 is actually composed of several digital camera models. However, if you’re still lacking the photography skills, you’ll benefit from the Fuji S5 Pro digital camera because it comes with a number of auto-correcting features. Other features of this digital camera include: 12.3 megapixels CCD SR Pro technology, facial detection technology (for quick and easy zooming in on facial details), and 3 new film simulation modes for improved reproduction of natural skin tones. This feature-packed digital camera can be had for bout $1,500.

With digital cameras, it’s extremely easy to print and share photos with others. You can seamlessly transfer your photos from your digital camera to your computer, e-mail those photos to people in your address book, and even upload them on FaceBook, Flickr, MySpace and other photo sharing websites that give you web space for your own online photo gallery.

There are some inexpensive software that will let you create slide shows from your digital photos and save them in CDs to mail out to friends and families. You can even edit your photos before sharing them. There are photo editing software packages that will let you combine stock photography with your pictures to create effects that are uniquely yours.

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.

With digital photography, anyone can become a photographer. You don’t need to know the complicated process of developing photos. Just aim your digital camera, press the shoot button and print your photos in a snap. It’s that quick and easy.