As someone who started out in photography nearly 30 years ago in the days of the manual Olympus OM1 (totally manual, nothing automatic at all) where the eye, a sense of what to look for a in a shot and common sense was everything things are certainly different nowadays.

Now before people shout me down for being a luddite and for harping on about the “halcyon days of yore” I don’t totally disagree with technical innovation as that in itself would be totally stupid. My only point is this. When virtually everything is done for you where does it leave innate talent and a flair for the right picture?

OK so the argument will go that if you make things easier for everyone and a lot less for people to think about then surely if there are more people happily pursuing a hobby then it has to be good all-round? I’m not so sure on that one and I think that if you were to ask many a conventional Portrait Photographer in many a small town the same question I think the answer would be best described by the increasing number of small portrait photographers going out of business.

Technological advances are a great thing and making peoples lives easier cannot be faulted it is just that when you make what has hitherto been the domain of people who had to train long and hard for it the habitat of the brain dead then you had better beware the outcome. For my own viewpoint, yes there has been a massive growth of people indulging in photography but this has also been accompanied by a huge increase in the absolute junk that the majority of people try and convince themselves is worthwhile photography.

A good photo should be able to tell a story in its own right completely unaided by a verbal commentary. When you have to constantly tell people that they really had to be there to experience this and that then that is the time to go back to the day job……..rant over (just my 2p).

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But there is hope!  While it is true there are all sorts of new terms and features one can deal with and benefit from, to take good digital photos you do not have be an electronics expert.  A few basic bits of information about digital cameras will allow regular people to enjoy the benefits of digital cameras.

Probably the most advertised feature is that mystical term “mega pixels”.  Basically, this is a video term that describes how many pixels, or dots of color, can be squeezed into a given space.  For example, a 6.0 mega pixel camera will cram six million pixels into a picture.  Where this comes into play is how large of a print you can make without losing clarity.  While this is one of those hotly debated topics, suffice it to say that if you plan on taking regular sized photographs, a digital camera with a mega pixel rating of 3.0 to 6.0 will be quite sufficient.

A second key will be the zoom factor.  Digital cameras introduced the concept of digital zoom, which is essentially the computer zooming as opposed to a traditional camera lens physically zooming, called “optical zoom”.  Many people prefer optical zoom instead of digital zoom, but not all cameras are equipped with optics that will zoom.  This really becomes a matter of price point, because optical zoom lenses are more expensive.

Spend a little time researching your options, and consider your photography needs.  You will quickly realize a digital camera is something you will enjoy, and grow with over time.

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Digital cameras are able to achieve such high quality photographs because of the advancements in technology in the photography arena.  The resolution of the camera is determined by the sensors within the camera which turn the light of the picture into the digitized information on the camera.  However, higher pixels does not necessarily make the best quality photographs.  Many manufacturers have been criticized for having too high of a resolution in the cameras.  Today, digital cameras are outselling 35mm more traditional cameras thanks to the convenience and quality pictures that the digital camera is capable of offering consumers.  It is important that the photographer find a resolution that works well for him or her in order to get the best quality photographs.  Not only is the quality superior because the images are stored digitally, but it also improves the quality of the pictures on an overall level.  If a person takes a bad picture, he or she can delete the picture and improve the set of pictures on a general level.

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