SLR Cameras - What Is A Single Lens Reflex?

The hottest thing in the digital camera market is undoubtedly the digital SLR, which is better known as a dSLR. While dSLRs are flying off dealer shelves, many new users are confused about the terminology. Most people know that SLR stands for "single lens reflex." Since nearly all SLRs accept interchangeable lenses, it would appear they should be known as multiple lens reflex (MLR) cameras.

If you want to understand how the SLR received it's name, you have to dip into the history of the camera. Early cameras were similar to the view cameras used today. The photographer looked through the lens, focused, composed and then inserted a single film plate behind the optics to make an image. While the entire process was crude by modern standards, the photographer enjoyed great control, since he looked directly through the actual imaging lens to compose the shot.

While this was fine for still life, portraits and landscapes, this process did not lend itself to action photography. These early cameras could only record a single image at a time. Which is why you have never seen a motor-driven view camera.

Realizing the need to offer sequences of exposures, camera makers begin to experiment with various roll-film designs. With a roll of film in the camera, the photographer could fire off numerous images without reloading. Although this improved throughput dramatically, it caused another problem. The roll of film had to pass closely behind the camera's optics, which meant that the photographer could no longer look through the camera lens to compose and focus.

Rangefinder cameras appear to keep things in focus

The lower-end, consumer roll-film cameras generally used an inexpensive "fixed-focus" lens, so a simple viewfinder was sufficient. Better quality optics, however, require the lens to be focused, and since the photographer could not look through the lens with a roll-film camera, this was a major problem. One of the first solutions to this problem was the Rangefinder -- a type of camera that offered a distance measuring scale in the viewfinder. By determining the range from the viewfinder, the photographer could then adjust the focus to match -- usually with very good results.

Twin Lens Reflex cameras offer another solution

While the rangefinder type cameras worked well, the camera industry is always evolving. A second method of allowing the photographer to focus and compose appeared in the "Twin-Lens Reflex" cameras. These cameras used two identical lenses, arranged one on top of the other in the manner of an over-and-under shotgun. The film winds past the lower lens, while the photographer can focus through the upper lens. The twin-lens cameras were fairly bulky, so designers added a mirror and ground glass to the top of the camera, hence the term "reflex.

Now the user could hold the camera at waist level and look down at the ground glass which previewed the image via the mirror behind the upper lens. As the user adjusted the focus on the upper lens, a gear mechanism moved the lower "taking lens" to match.

While both rangefinders and twin-lens reflex cameras offered a credible way to focus and preview a shot, neither allowed the photographer to actually look through the lens. This sometimes made exact composition difficult.

SLRs take cameras another step forward

In their quest to allow users to see through the actual "taking" lens, camera makers turned to the periscope -- a simple device using two mirrors placed at opposite angles to bend the light path. Periscopes are easy to understand -- any kid can construct one from a couple of mirrors and some scrap wood.

In a camera, the lower mirror is placed at a 45 degree angle directly behind the lens. Light striking the mirror is projected upwards to a ground glass. While a second mirror would show the image on the ground glass to the user, it would not appear right, because mirrors tend to reverse things. So camera designers added a prism arrangement that corrects the reversed image. When you peer through the viewfinder on a SLR, you look through a prism, which displays the image on a ground glass, which displays the projected image from the mirror located behind the lens.

There is just one problem. If you have been paying attention, you have no-doubt realized that the lower mirror blocks the light path to the film (or digital sensor as the case may be.) Now the photographer can look though the lens, but the image cannot be projected on to the filmplane.

So the camera designers had to add another wrinkle. They had to move that mirror. Just long enough to make an exposure, since when the mirror moved, the photographer could no longer see anything through the lens. So they designed the "instant-return" mirror. At the instant of exposure, the mirror flies upward, the shutter fires and the mirror snaps back down. It is a incredible feat, when you consider that instant return mirrors have to flip up and back in a heartbeat, over and over for the life of the camera.

Once the instant return mirror was perfected, photographers could once again design their images by looking through the lens. Unlike the twin lens reflex, this new breed of camera needed only one lens to focus and shoot with. So they became known as... you guessed it.... Single-Lens Reflex cameras.

Visit http://alphatracks.com where you can find a large selection of free photography articles. You can also subscribe to the Alphatracks RSS feed.

Tom Bonner provides photography and web design services to clients in the Gastonia, North Carolina area. You can find out more about Tom at http://adventuresindesign.com

Low Light Digital Photography

Achieving good quality photos in low light can be accomplished in a number of ways. The traditional methods for handling low light situations still apply, such as increasing aperture, reducing shutter speed, using higher ISO or use of a flash. However with digital photography there are additional considerations.

Increasing aperture (lower F-numbers) opens the lens' internal blades that restrict light from entering the camera. By letting more light in, you can obtain the proper exposure while keeping other camera settings the same. The two issues to consider when using a reduced f-number, is the reduction of depth of field and that most lenses do not perform as well at their widest apertures.

Lowering shutter speed without making other adjustments can also help in getting the desired exposure. The rule of thumb is to set shutter time to no less than the focal length of your lens. So if you are using a 50mm lens, you should generally try to keep the shutter speed above 1/50 of a second. This will help prevent motion blur of the image due to camera shake.

Camera shake and the blurring of images is always a problem when using long shutter times. With telephoto lenses this issue is even more of a problem. Wildlife photographers, sport shooters and reporters often struggle with creating good images in less than ideal lighting. Even taking pictures of moving people (e.g. children) indoors can often result in motion blur.

Fortunately modern image stabilization (IS) systems are now available from all major camera manufactures. Currently there are two methods for implementing image stabilization. The first is a system built into the camera body (Sony, Pentax and Olympus) which actually moves the sensor to counter camera movement. The second type is an in-lens system (Canon and Nikon) that moves internal parts of the lens to reduce blurring of images. Which system is better is a debate that will probably never reach a conclusion. In either case IS can significantly reduce problems due to camera shake during shooting.

Increasing ISO increases the camera sensor's sensitivity to light. So a higher ISO will allow you to use higher shutter speeds or smaller apertures in the same lighting conditions. These changes can be helpful for achieving the image you desire by controlling depth of field and reducing motion blur.

In the days of film increasing ISO was done by using high ISO film. In the digital era all you need to do is locate the ISO adjustment on the camera. However, just as high ISO film had problems with grain, digital high ISO settings come at the expense of digital noise.

Thankfully recent advances in camera sensors, especially with digital SLR types, allow for very high ISO setting with relatively low noise. Improvements in noise reduction software have also made extremely high ISO photography possible. Recent advanced amateur level cameras from Nikon and Sony allow for ISO setting of up to 6400 and one of the professional Nikon dSLR is usable up to ISO 25600 which was never possible with film.

Advances in dSLRs have made flashless low light shooting much easier than it once was. High ISO performance and image stabilization systems are rapidly developing. Many cameras that are available today are very good but you need to do your homework before you buy. If you are not yet invested in one system's lenses you have a lot of excellent options, but don't sell yourself short by picking up an out of date camera body unless you know what you are giving up.

To learn more about cameras, try The Camera Spider.

Have you considered a single use digital camera to spark your photographic creativity?

Why Reading Books on Photography Can Greatly Improve Your Skills

Photography, and the camera itself, have come a long way since their humble beginnings in the early 1800's. Compare the old pinhole camera to today's modern DSLR models, and they are worlds apart. Compare the photographer of yesterday to today's and they too are worlds apart. Today's photographer needs a whole new skill set to produce frame worthy prints. There are many ways to improve your photography skills, whether you are an amateur or a professional, but one of the best ways is by reading books on photography.

While most newer model cameras come complete with both a manual and a digital menu built in, if you want to improve your photography skills, and take your photographs to the next level, books are the way to go. There is a vast array of photography books available on the market, all designed to improve your skills as a photographer, as well as challenge you.

Reading books on photography can take you places you didn't even know you could go with your camera. While there is something to be said for experimentation, there is even more to be said for skill. Reading books and having the resource on hand while you hone your talent is invaluable. By reading up on how best to use your camera, how to utilize lighting, shutter speed, or change the aperture can take your photographs from average to amazing and greatly improve your photography skills.

Photography books can both inspire and teach you to take the kinds of photos you've always envied. By reading tips on photography and seeing first hand examples of what can be achieved simply by making the correct adjustments on your camera, or with the composition of a photograph, you can begin to get the most out of your camera. Having a book on hand enables you to learn at your own speed, and on your own time. Books are portable and can be taken with you on your photo shoot, whether it be to a park, a family gathering, or a nature outing. Having a handy resource can be the key to getting the perfect shot.

A camera is a big investment, and like with any investment, you want to get the biggest return you can. Improve your photography skills, and be the kind of photographer you want to be. Choose a topic, set a goal for yourself, and explore the world of photography books.

And finally, if you are interested in the  best photography books  to improve your skills, please check out Best Photography Books HQ at  http://www.bestphotographybookshq.com.

Facts About Modern Photography - Learn More Here

Once the birth of the camera arrived and the popularity of photography exploded, the only thing that could follow was mass production of cameras as well as the wide distribution of pictures. As a result of photography, it has changed history, art, memories and the in which we view the world.

This also affected well known public figures and this caused their privacy to vanish. They were constantly being photographed. Having a photograph with clear evidence that a certain event has taken place would cause things to go unchallenged.

The Art Form-

It was not accepted in the early years. The art form was criticized and challenged by many of those that opposed it being considered an art form. Photography was considered a hobby or craft and was looked at as an insult when one considered it an art.

Photography is finally accepted-

Once art schools and galleries as well as museums finally started to come around and embrace it as an art, the impact grew wildly and the end result is what we have today in the world of photography.

During the mid 1960's photography was accepted as a visual art and photographers started creating mediums of interest that were different from the more traditional norms that were first used within the art form.

Photography has been combined with other forms of expression such as multi-media and other forms of imaging.

Practical Photography-

Photography has been used for many practical situations. Photography is often time used in medicine, real estate development, military planning as well as business and media.

One area that has benefited from photography the most is science. If you think in terms of aerial maps, meteorology and geology, you'll notice they all use photography to advance the research and fact finding process.

Digital Photography-

With the invention of digital photography and the use of software, images can be changed and appear to be more or less than what they are.

As a result of digital photography being created, this caused a change in the way in which many photography techniques are used.

Photography is more than 100 years old and this is one art form continues to innovate and create new and improved technology and methods. You'd think we were on the tail end of the art form but the art continues to grow and develop and it does not appear to being slowing down anytime soon.

If you'd like to keep up with the latest developments in photography, I'd suggest you subscribe to a few of the leading magazines as well as follow a few of the cutting edge blogs.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.

Digital Photography for All Shooters

Digital photography has drastically changed the way people make and view art. To die-hard hobbyists, the craft is no more than mediocrity glorified. To the ordinary man of the streets, the pursuit is one of the boons of modern technology. This article will not focus on the debate between traditional art and digital art, but will rather show you how digital photography can cater to the varied needs of the users.

There are several opinions that surface with the mere mention of the phrase "digital photography." The most common and yet most ironic are: That digital photography is a matter of pointing and shooting pictures and that digital photography is not as easy as you think! Both statements are true - depending on the kind of camera you use.

Point and Shoot Digital Photography. This type of digital photography uses the popular budget cameras. Most moms, students and travelers you meet would say they prefer to point and shoot.

After all, what's not there to like? The camera is pocket-friendly size-wise and money-wise. For as little as 100 dollars, you can take beautiful photos conveniently with little or no adjustments to the settings. You can even skip reading the manual and have a quick go at the device.
Pointing and shooting pictures is a great way to start your romance with digital photography. It offers you that icing-on-the-cake charm that might just prompt you to become a serious photo hobbyist some day.

Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) Photography. This type of digital photography uses the pricier merchandise starting at 400 dollars and up. Many of the shooters have outgrown the allure of point-and-shoot convenience.

DSLR photography still has the automatic settings of point-and-shoot cameras. What makes it a challenge is that it gives you more features to play with. The rewards are of course every serious photographer's joy: various manual controls to let you tweak your work, better quality images, more creative control of your shots, and greater overall versatility.
You must have fallen deeply in love with the craft to pursue DSLR photography. Since the gadget is intended originally for an array of manually controlled settings, there's a steep and complex learning curve ahead of you that's waiting to be explored.

Do you wish to take photos without the fuss? Or are you in the mood for a more challenging and more rewarding photo shoot? Either way, you're sure to find your sweet spot in the world of digital photography.

Sally Stoneking is a work at home photo enthusiast who discovered the best way to sell photo prints online. She was so inspired with this method that she wrote a book that teaches others how to sell images online. Check out her website, Nature and Flower Pictures where you will find great prices on affordable stock photos.

Digital Cameras - Should You Go With One?

If you considering buying a camera, the first question you will face is whether to go digital or not. Cameras have undergone a massive evolution over the last ten years and digital is now really the most popular platform in the field.

Why go digital? Well, the modern digital camera is an exercise is convenience and quality. These cameras are point and shoot affairs. This would usually mean they are easy to use, but produce pictures that look like...well, not so hot when it comes to their clarity and sharpness. This isn't the case with most digital cameras. The quality of the photographs is top notch and, if it isn't, there are ways to fix it which leads us to our next point.

The huge advantage to digital cameras is...they are digital! This means no developing and printing. You can simply use memory cards or usb cords to download the images to a computer. You can then use software to edit out blemishes and then just post them online if you like for family and friends to see at their leisure. To get a taste of how popular doing this is, just take a gander of Flickr.

Ah, but what if you prefer traditional photography. You enjoy the framing of the picture or want to shoot unique exposure rates and the like? Well, no worries. The DSLR camera is you choice. This product is a single lens camera like you are used to losing, but with a digital image capture system. I personally prefer these cameras. You get the unique, personal touch of taking the picture, but the easy of a traditional camera in that you can just download the images to your computer. If you love photography, you'll fall in love with DSLR cameras pretty quick.

Should you go with a digital option when making your next camera purchase? I would recommend it.

Thomas Ajava writes about cheap digital underwater cameras [http://www.digitalcamerashowdotheywork.com/digital-camera/cheap-digital-underwater-cameras] and other subjects related to photography and digital cameras for DigitalCamerasHowDoTheyWork.com [http://www.digitalcamerashowdotheywork.com].

EVIL Cameras - A Formidable Foe To The Modern Day DSLRs

Some of you may have already heard about them. For those who haven't, these systems are a new breed of cameras that share similar functionalities to DSLR cameras but are much smaller in physical size. There is a possibility that it may even have more features than the DLSR you currently own. Now that's truly EVIL. One such system is the Sony NEX 5.

EVIL stands for Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens. Unlike the DSLR camera it doesn't have a through the lens optical viewfinder which is probably one of the main reasons why DSLR cameras are so big. Like DSLR cameras, you have the ability to change lenses.

So what's the big deal about these cameras? Aren't DSLR cameras the way to go?

To answer these questions, lets look at some of its pros and cons.

- Depending on the brand and model, the sensor size may be similar to the DSLR counter parts. This is the case for the Sony NEX 3 and NEX 5. Both these systems use an Advanced Photo System type-C (APS-C) sensor, which are the same as what you will find in the entry level DSLR cameras in the Sony Alpha line. Compared to the sensors in your PnS camera, these sensors are about 9 times larger! This means you can take better pictures in lower lighted environments in comparison to the PnS cameras.

- As the systems are smaller, these systems are extremely portable (fits nicely into your hand bag) and light. This also means that the camera body is too small to place the same number of hard buttons as DSLR cameras. You may have to navigate in a menu to access certain functionalities.

- At this point in time, optical view finders are still preferred by professionals as its easier to see your subject in poorly lighted environments. However, technology may improve in the near future. Who knows, we may have night vision features like what's offered in some Handy cams one day.

- As EVIL cameras are relatively new in the market, they offer some of the latest features that digital cameras can offer. The Sony NEX 3 and NEX 5 have the ability to take HD videos, Sweep Panorama shots, 3D shots, auto HDR and more. None of these features are available with the DSLR camera that I own and use.

- As these systems are quite advanced, they cost as much as entry level DSLR cameras. Sometimes a little more than the cheapest DSLR cameras in the market.

So how do I decide on which type of camera is best for me?

You should get a PnS camera if

- You are on a tight budget.

- High quality pictures and low light capability are not important.

- You want a small digital camera that performs better than your mobile phone.

You should get an EVIL camera if

- You have a higher budget.

- Quality pictures and low light capability is important to you.

- You want your system to be small enough to fit into your handbag or maybe even into your pocket.

- You want the ability to change lens.

- Your main objective for using a digital camera are for casual shoots only e.g. group shots with your friends, travel pictures when you go for a business trip etc.

You should get a DSLR camera if

- You are a serious about photography and wish to explore all it has to offer (e.g. usage of a wide range of accessories to get interesting results).

- the genres of photography that you are interested in require to be able to change your camera settings quickly e.g. weddings.

- You intend to do photography professionally.

There are sensors that are bigger than the APS-C sensor, which offers other benefits. However, these systems are preferred by a totally different group of people with different requirements. I hope what I have written so far would give you a good idea about EVIL cameras and how you might prefer getting one to a DSLR camera. Cheers!

Darren Francis is an Award Winning Photographer from Singapore. He provides a wide range of photography services including wedding photography and is an experienced photography trainer as well.

If you would like to view more of his works and photography tips, kindly visit his website: http://www.darrenf.com.

Digital Photography - High Quality Digital Photographs Made Easy Using a DSLR Camera

Going back a few years the digital photography options available were certainly nothing like the ones that are on offer now, in fact the entire digital camera range is going so fast that in some cases it often appears as though it is difficult to keep track of what is hot and what is not. And yet making the right choice for you or using the right digital camera is not as difficult as we might imagine.

The compact digital camera was the first to hit the marketplace and since then they have made quite a name for themselves with the different manufacturers offering almost unlimited variations, but the real icing on the cake is found in the DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera range.

I will be covering the DSLR cameras in a moment.

With any innovation or progress there is always the tendency by many to dismiss getting involved or proclaiming old school methods are more practical and effective. However in the case of modern photography and high quality digital photographs it appears that most of those who have a taste tend to get involved.

This is mainly down to the ease of use and fast high quality results that can be viewed or even printed off almost immediately.

Stepping away from the compact digital camera, how easy is it exactly to use and become familiar with a DSLR camera?

The basic answer is a lot simpler than you might initially think, but to offer some deeper explanation means understanding exactly what one is capable of and what they can produce picture-wise for the complete novice.

It is fair and true to say that virtually anyone can pick up one of these technologically evolved image capturing devices and be able to take high quality desirable pictures within a very short period of time.

The main reason for this is that most DSLR camera manufacturers realise that to make progress they had to come up with a product that could be comfortably used by pretty much everyone even if they lacked any previous photographic experience. With a digital camera they are certainly onto a winner in that respect.

Most standard DSLR cameras are in two main sections, the body or case and the lens. The lenses are interchangeable so you can pick and install the best lens for any specific shot that you might be trying to take.

The major feature which is a triumph and can turn pretty much anyone into a budding photographer almost instantly is the fully automatic feature or mode and they really are fully automatic. Automatic ISO settings and aperture, automatic focus all you do is zoom in and out, the camera even decides if it needs to use the flash and pops it up if it does.

Not just fully automatic, but fully automatic with quality results. Most people that use a DSLR digital camera for the very first time can hardly believe the results and that they even took the pictures that they are looking at themselves, they are generally that good.

So a complete novice can pick one up, turn it on, point, zoom and click for a top notch quality picture every time, but it does not end there.

This is just the beginning of fulfilling the journey available to all DSLR camera owners. Once comfortable with learning from the automatic functions on board the camera, there are the manual features and settings to investigate and incorporate into the photographic efforts.

At this point the world of digital photography just keeps getting bigger and bigger and with a little understanding and persistence these amazing cameras produce results that are almost hard to believe.

So although something can appear so complex on the outside it is not until we pick it up and start to use it for ourselves that we discover the true lack of complexities that are actually involved.

Digital photography is virtually sweeping across the globe with an almost viral velocity and with good reason. Not only is it great fun to take high quality pictures, but it is also a good way for modern day expression.

Virtually everyone that you talk to knows someone who is either involved, getting involved or knows of someone else that is getting or is involved with digital photography.

If it was too difficult it would be an activity purely reserved for the professionals. The next step would obviously be to take a look at some of the deals that are around and see exactly what these great digital photograph taking machines really are all about.

Now you know some of the benefits of owning and using a Digital Camera, wouldn't you like to see some at super low prices? The hard work of locating the best deals has already been done for you. So now you can check out the top makes and models and more at bargain prices by going to =>>> http://www.squidoo.com/dslr-camera-secrets-exposed

6 Reasons to Opt for Digital Photography

I thought about how I would be taking photos on a DSLR (Digital Single Reflex) camera using film. I could take a few hundred photos on a digital camera & it would cost me a fraction of the price than buying film cartridges to take the same amount of photos. One would really have to know the camera settings used to achieve a good manual photo, among other things. The correct focus & aperture for the shot, the white balance, the ISO choice, has to be perfect for the shot, & perfection comes with experience.

1st Reason

In general, digital photography is advantageous because it is more convenient. They are portable, much smaller than film cameras can possibly be & can be safely placed in one's pocket. The size of film cameras cannot go any smaller because of the standard 35mm film size. Also, there is no need to install a new roll of film every 36 shots. You can take photos until you are satisfied with digital cameras. It can be up to a few hundred photos depending on the storage card that you use. The above is the first reason why film camera users would want to convert to digital photography.

2nd Reason

Take the picture & have no idea how the photo looks, send the picture for processing, receive the results, don't like the result, go to take the photo again. Seems like a long winding process, doesn't it? It is difficult to believe that it was how & still is for some folks doing photography. One can simplify the process by using a digital camera. One receives instant feedback on the LCD of a digital camera & can decide on the spot whether to take another photo. Also with the review feature, one can look at all the photos taken, choose the best, delete the rest, & continue to keep taking a few hundred more photos. It is splendid.

3rd Reason

Digital photography allows your photos to be printed immediately, even straight from the camera itself, using the new Picture Bridge technology. Of course, one would have to have a digital photo printer that is Picture Bridge technology equipped too. The Picture Bridge technology allows users to connect the digital camera directly to the printer, press the button, & the printing starts without having to go through the computer. It is convenient for simple snapshots but for the real photographer enthusiast, pictures tend to go into the computer first anyway for viewing, cropping & editing. Nonetheless, it is much simpler than using film digital cameras as the film needs to be developed first then the photos scanned into the computer for further work.

4th Reason

Well, the list just seems to go on, doesn't it? Don't worry; we are almost at the end of the list now. As I have mentioned in the previous reason, digital photography allows for modifying your photos as often as you wish. Simply pop the data card into the card reader of your computer or hook the camera up to it via USB & start uploading away. The images are in digital files so it is much easier to crop, modify, & edit them. The digital files from your camera are usually in either RAW or JPEG format & many photo editing softwares that can read the file types. You can make the colors jump out of the photos, change the style of the photo, make the unwanted flaws in the photo disappear, & much more. It is more than what one can do with photos from film. Additionally, film camera users must invest in a top range scanner in order to digitize the developed photos from film.

5th Reason

Let your creativity work for you. Digital photos can be more than just photos. Small businesses can sell t-shirts, mugs, invitation & greeting cards, calendars, & etc using digital photos. They can be printed anywhere & on almost anything. It's one way for making more money from digital photography & the 5th reason why one should opt for digital photography.

6th Reason

Sharing digital photos is the 6th & last reason to opt for digital photography. It's easy to share digital photos with loved ones & family. Digital photos can be sent as attachment via email & placed in CD or DVD to be physically distributed. Digital photography provides less work in the sense that one does not have to scan film photos then send them online. DSLR Digital photography is one of the most alluring hobbies & profession today. In the future it will be combined with HD digital video in a single device like in digital compact cameras but only better. Users of film cameras may want to think again.

Conclusion

Sure, modern cameras can do most of the work for us but then one would not be learning much now. So set your digital camera to manual & practice creating good photos. I do it often & receive complaints for being slow too take a picture. Compared to using the auto mode & composing the photo, then pressing the button; undeniably a manual shot would take a bit longer. Some people can be too impatient.

Be thick skinned & take the complaint by your stride because we will know what is wrong with a photo when we see it. One would not want to be so trigger happy with a film camera. Therefore using film DSLR cameras are certainly not for novices. Still, I do not really know any experienced photographers using film DSLR anymore. Some folks like my parents still use film cameras, I guess because film cameras have less features to understand & simpler to use for them.

I write on stock photography & business. Visit http://money.aimvotal.com/

Facts About The Birth Of Photography

The title of photography was derived from two Greek words- "photos" and "graphein". This item was first used by the scientist John Herschel. Photography is essentially the process of using light, radiation in addition to sensitive materials.

The birth of the first image-

It has been stated that around, the early 1800's that Joseph Semaphore was able to create the first image by working for at least 8 hours on its development. A fellow citizen of the same homeland as Semaphore, Louis Daguerre was able to come up with a way to lower the exposure time to as little as 30 minutes.

The Daguerreotype-

Daguerre was the first to create the best and most useful methods for developing pictures. Louis was born near Paris. Prior to photography, he was a painter of sorts. He came up with his process and methods after experimenting with light and the way in which it effected images.

In the process of doing so, he developed a more efficient way of developing photos. After he created his methods, he wrote a book about the process and his discovery. After further discoveries in the early stages, the Pinhole camera as well as the flash bulb were created.

The arrival of instant photos-

Edwin Land created what is known as the Polaroid camera. As a result of his awesome work, we were able to take photos and get them instantly. This completely eliminated the time it took for the image to be exposed.

Digital Photography-

as we moved into the 90's the most exciting form of photography was born. Digital photography has had more impact on modern photography than anything. As a result of digital cameras, anyone can enjoy the fun that comes along with photography. You no longer needed to go you your local film processor or buy film. You also no longer needed expensive cameras that were on the market place.

Digital cameras are easy to use. They consist of advanced technology, but they are made to be user friendly so even the technically challenged can have fun using them.These are just a few facts about the birth of photography.

If you learn these facts and others, you'll have a great appreciation for photography as an art and science. When you're pursuing your photography ambitions be sure to think about all of the work that was applied to creating this wonderful art that we can enjoy today. Consider adding as much to the art form as possible that way the next generations can experience what we've been able to experience.

To learn more visit your local library and borrow a few books about the history of photography.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.

Why Are Camera Lenses More Important Than The Camera?

Now that everyone has already turned to digital cameras and developed their last film, a great number of people are upgrading from a fixed lens camera to a DSLR or an SLD. Compared to all but a handful of premium fixed-lens models, these cameras are noticeably more expensive, particularly when considering the cost of lenses.

When choosing which DSLR to buy, a great number of models compete with prices ranging from about $400 to over $8000 USD. It is easy to find a model that costs all of your budget and tell yourself you bought the best DSLR you can afford while forgetting about the cheap lens that comes with it. This is the biggest mistake you can make when buying a DSLR because:

The secret of modern Digital SLR cameras is that they are ALL really good.

Despite the price difference between the cheapest and most expensive DSLR, the image quality is similar and indistinguishable for most common print sizes and for sharing on the web. As a matter, it is often the case that an $800 camera and a $1600 share the same imaging sensor! There is a jump in quality between cropped-sensor DSLRs and full-frame ones which you can afford with a budget of at least $2500 USD excluding a lens. However, even that jump does not compare with the difference in quality between a cheap and a high-end lenses. Therefore, spending more money on a lens will often improve image quality much more than spending more on a camera.

Now that image quality differences are out of the way, it's time you should know that image quality has very little to do with the impact of photography. What makes a great image is complex but the least important aspect is its quality. That's right, people appreciate images based on many factors of which image quality plays a small part. Take a look, for example, at great photographs of National Geographic made over 30 years ago. They are still great images, even though the cameras used were well capable than today's.

Lenses play a role in image quality but, most importantly, they control the vision you put into your images. Depth-of-field, focal-length and perspective change your photos dramatically. Choosing the right lenses gives you creative power of all these aspects. To quote LIFE photographer Joe McNally:

...the lens is incredibly important to what photographers do; it defines what we see.

For this reason, it is critical to spend enough to get lenses that suit your photography in terms of subject and style. At least, one of the greatest advantages of DSLRs is that there are so many lenses to choose from. So, if you already have a DSLR, you should strongly consider making your next photography purchase a lens. If you do not own one yet, then the best advice is to choose lenses first.

Do not only choose your next lens, but all the ones you would like to shoot with. Start by buying one and get more as budget permits. Renting lenses is also possible for times when you need something for a special occasion. The good thing about buying lenses is that they tend to outlast cameras because optical technology changes less. Most mid-to-high quality lenses also increase in value and usually end up forming the bulk of your investment in photography, so choose wisely.

Just like buying a digital camera requires some research, so does choosing lenses. If you feel confused by basic lens terminology such as focal-length, aperture, filter-thread, supersonic, etc, then you should really start by reading a lens buying guide. By reading two pages there, you will know all the basics about camera lenses. If you already know what you are looking for in terms of focal-length, aperture and type of lens, the Lens Finder can find and compare lenses that match your criteria.

To learn more about digital cameras read on Itai Danan's digital camera buying guide with 4 easy steps to buying a digital camera, a DSLR or camera lens. There are tools to search for cameras and lenses by features or specification and compare them side-by-side.

Photography on an African Safari - Which Digital Camera to Take With

Going on an African safari is a big event in most people's lives so it's important that you take good photographs home with you. In order to do this you need to bring the right camera on safari.

I was tempted to use the word 'best' in this page title but I don't think there is a 'best' camera. The best camera is the one you have with you when you see the lion kill! It's the one you feel comfortable using and that gives you pleasing results.

We realise, however, that there are various levels of photographers out there - some are just starting out, some want to upgrade, some have budget constraints while money is no obstacle for others. If you are wanting to enter your photos into photo contests, publish them or make prints you will need to go for a minimum standard. On this page we will provide our advice for these different levels of photographers.

When we started out with photography we had a simple Kodak point and shoot camera and very quickly realised this was not sufficient for good wildlife photographs!

For the Beginner / Budget-Conscious Photographer

Compact cameras just cannot provide the picture quality and variety of settings that a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera does so we will therefore be discussing only DSLR camera options.

We recommend the Nikon D5000, D90 (both 12.3 Megapixels) or the Nikon D7000 (16.2 Megapixels). The D90 and D7000 have a built-in motor while the D5000 doesn't.

Most modern lenses come with a motor (Nikon has a SWM - Silent Wave Motor while Canon has a USM - Ultra Sonic Motor) but some lenses, like the Nikon 80-400, don't have one, so if you chose the D5000 camera with the 80-400 lens you would be shooting only with manual focus. These camera bodies are 'DX' meaning they have a smaller sensor with a 1.5x crop factor - this means that the image will be 50% larger than the size of 35mm film. The end result is that your 200mm lens now has the magnification of a 300mm lens!

Also, the D5000 has a flip-out screen so you can shoot low-angle pictures without having to buy a right-angle viewfinder - both these features (1.5x crop and flip-out screen) are great for the budget conscious.

The only problem we experienced with both the D90 and D7000 is that the program dial cannot lock so I often would inadvertently bump or rub against the camera and the dial would turn from A (Aperture) mode to S (shutter), P (program) or M (manual) and I would end up with some ugly photos! If you choose either of these camera bodies please keep this in mind and check the position of the dial before taking any pictures.

If you like Canon equipment my good friend and Canon wildlife photographer, Irvine Eidelman, recommends either the Canon 50D (15.1 Megapixel) or Canon EOS 7D (18 Megapixel). Keep in mind that the 7D is a bit more complicated to use than the 50D.

For the Intermediate / Budget-Doesn't-Matter / Professional Photographer

If budget is not an issue the Nikon D300s (12.3 megapixels) or D3s (12.1 megapixels) is my choice. The D3s has superb low-light capability and the ISO can be pushed to 12800 with minimal noise!

We use this body in Etosha, the Kruger Park and Kgalagadi to get amazing photographs of nocturnal animals. The D300s has 1.5x crop factor while the D3s is an 'FX' or full-frame camera body. The pixels on the FX sensors are larger than on the DX sensors so the image quality is a bit better because of the higher light sensitivity and dynamic range. I stress 'a bit' - I'm using both these bodies and I struggle to see a difference between photographs taken, in daylight, with each camera. For night photography, however, the difference is immense.

For Canon users the Canon 1D mark4 ( 16.1 megapixel with 1.3x crop) or the Canon 1Ds mark3 (21 megapixel full-frame sensor) would be the ultimate camera body to take on safari.

Please keep in mind that sometimes less is more. Just because a camera has gazillions of pixels does not make it the 'best' body. As an example, I enjoy nocturnal photography so a camera that can produce low noise on high ISO and focus well under low light would be my number-1 choice, hence I have the Nikon D3s.

Another criteria for you may be weight and the Nikon D5000, D90 and D7000 as well as the Canon 50D are smaller and lighter bodies so if you will be doing bush walks or walking around camps taking photographs these may be better options than the heavier pro bodies.

If you want to use the camera to also shoot videos we recommend either the Nikon D7000 or the Nikon D3s as both cameras have excellent video functions.

Mario Fazekas is a wildlife photographer living in South Africa, and is the webmaster of http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com - Find out more about wildlife photography at http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com/Wildlife-Photography.html

Travel Photography: Packing Camera Gear for a Trip

So you've decided to take a trip - that's fabulous! You're excited about capturing photos along the way, but how do you make sure you've remembered everything you need to pack? Well first, each person has a different approach to taking photos while away from home, so to help you figure out what you need to pack, consider the following concepts.

Concept #1: How many photos will you take?

When it comes to photography and trips, it's all about the balance of time spent snapping photos and time spent doing activities or relaxing; it's about how you want to experience your trip. Are you the type of person who spends hours waiting for the right light before taking a photo, or do you snap a single shot and move on? Are you trying to get the artsy shot or are you perfectly happy just to record the scene once? Part of your plans to take photos will depend on who you're travelling with and whether you're on a pre-scheduled trip, or free to make your own schedule. Are you travelling with someone who is a photo enthusiast, or will your travel mates grow impatient the instant you pause to take a shot? Have you signed up for an organized tour, or can you stay in a city for an extra 3 days if you wish? Are you planning to visit 30 cities in 30 days, or just 1 city in 2 weeks.

The number of shots you take will depend on who you are and the nature of your activities. For example, if you're hiking through forest or jungle for 8 days, you may be too tired to snap more than a few shots a day, let alone carry anything heavier than a small camera, whereas if you're staying in central Venice for 8 days, you may plan to take hundreds of shots a day and can easily change cameras or lenses should you need to go back to your hotel. Consider how active you plan to be - e.g. hiking vs bungee jumping vs rafting. Can you hold your camera securely, or do you need to rely on the camera strap, or even some other type of harness? Is your camera heavy, or do you have a lighter one? Are you willing to carry it in a large camera bag with various lenses and accessories, or would you prefer to have a small case that fits only the camera? The case or backpack that you bring to carry your camera and accessories in can make your trip very pleasant, or very unpleasant! The bottom line is that only you know yourself when it comes to snapping photos and what you're likely to do. Make sure you'll be physically comfortable with what you choose to bring or else your photography goals will be hard to achieve.

Memory card capacity is a major consideration for digital photographers when it comes to how many photos you can store; likewise film photographers need to know how much film to bring. Assess how many photos you plan to take per day, and come up with the total number you plan to take for the whole trip. Then look up how many photos will fit on each film or memory card; that should tell you how many of each you need to pack (or purchase). However, once you've calculated how much memory storage you have to pack, or how many film cartridges you need to carry, seriously consider doubling it; it's a lot easier to pack extra film or an extra memory card than spending time during your vacation buying an extra one. If you're anything like me, you'd rather spend your time looking through tacky souvenirs than searching for an internationally-known brand of film! Of course, if you're going the digital route, research the internet cafes near your lodging to see if they support USB downloads; perhaps you can burn a CD along your travels using these facilities. Or, if you're really gung-ho, pack a laptop or a video iPod and download your photos to a larger disk.

Concept #2: Airports and Customs

The obvious concern of travellers these days are the X-ray machines and what damage they can do. Digital cameras and memory cards have no reported incidences of damage from X-ray machines at airports, so you're pretty much safe if that's all you carry. Film photographers, however, do need to be concerned about film passing through X-rays, so be sure to pack your film in your carry-on luggage in a separate bag so that you can specifically request the bag be manually searched instead of X-rayed. Note that checked luggage typically have more damaging X-rays pointed at them, so checking your film is not a good idea. At modern airports, there tend to be fewer problems with X-ray damage, but I know a friend of mine who went to Iceland returned with blemishes on virtually all of his 12 rolls of film after airport authorities convinced him that X-rays would not damage the film. Better be safe than sorry.

The other concern is your destination country's customs laws and whether they limit the amount of camera equipment that you can bring, so do a little research on customs and check with your travel agent before you pack. Some countries may charge a fee or require you to bring special documentation, so it's best to go prepared. At a minimum, you should get your expensive equipment certified at your local customs before you go, so that re-entry is not a problem either.

Concept #3: Lighting conditions when you get there.

Flash will use up batteries faster than non-flash, as will using the built-in digital viewfinder on point & shoot digital cameras. So consider how much photography you'll be doing in low light. Museums and indoor photo opportunities may require flash, or use of a tripod, whereas sunny outdoor shots may need you to increase the brightness of your viewfinder.

Concept #4: Technical limitations on your hardware.

Let's face it: extreme temperatures can play havok with any mechanical or digital equipment. How hot or cold will it be where you stay? Will you be quickly going between air conditioning and hot humid weather, or will you be outdoors in frigid temperatures for more than a minute? You must weight the risk of fungus or heat damage to your film or memory cards versus convenience and the cost of replacing them. Also consider taking sealable bags to prevent condensation as you go between dry, cold hotel rooms, and steamy hot outdoor temperatures.

Do you plan to take underwater photos? If so, consider purchasing a disaposable underwater camera. These days, it seems most underwater cameras also float, but you need to figure out if that's what you want. Sometimes your camera will have a special underwater casing accessory for your camera that you can buy before your trip, but it likely won't float, so be sure you don't drop it in the ocean!

Digital photographers must consider battery life in foreign countries, and accessibility of throw-away batteries if rechargeable ones are not available. The DSLR that I own has a proprietary battery, but in case it dies, I purchased a AA battery accessory that lets you operate the camera on 6 AA batteries. Disposable AAA batteries are much more readily available than proprietary rechargeable ones, and I'd rather spend money on batteries than be without. Be careful, though; should you ever end up purchasing batteries in a foreign country, make sure you splurge on internationally known brands, rather than skimping on the cheap kind - I can't tell you how frustrated I was when I bought a brand I had never heard of in Switzerland only to find my camera detected they had no juice left!

Related to battery recharging, it's important to be aware of the power configuration in your destionation country. Do you need a power converter, or will your native power supply work? Do you plan to bring your AA battery recharger with you, or your priorietary battery charger? Check with your vendor to see if they recommend a particular power converter.

Concept #5: In case of damage...

Is there technical support available for your camera at your destination? If so, is it free, or do you have to pay for it? Can they fix your camera same-day, or replace it quickly if it outright dies? If your nearest camera shop is 500 km away, you may need to take a second camera with you, or tools to fix it yourself.

That's a lot to consider! But frankly it depends on your shooting style and your desitnation. On my trip Mexico, I took a disposable underwater camera, a small point & shoot, and a larger DSLR with a single primary lens. I left them locked in my room's safe, and only used one at a time, so it worked well for me. I took a small bag with which to dampen the affects of condensation because of rapid changes of air conditioning to humidity. But I also took a larger bag that had cleaners, spare batteries, and my AA battery pack - I used this when going inland to see Mayan communities since I knew I'd never go back and didn't want to risk coming away with no photos!

Jennifer Clarkson is a Canadian Photographer living in Ottawa. She is compiling a website of articles for Amateur Photographers to share knowledge about digital photography (http://www.jclarksonphotography.com). You can sign up to her Photography Forum to post questions and images, and you can rate the photos in her Photo Gallery. She is also compiling a series of eBooks for Beginners, and the first eBook is now available: Choosing your Digital Camera and Accessories.

Could Bill Gates' Strategies Help Photography?

Consider this. If you bought a computer without Microsoft Windows®, what in the world would you do with it? It's really that wonderful bit of software which makes the computer so great.

So what does this have to do with Bill Gates selling cameras?

Today, cameras are much closer to computers than they ever were before. The newest DSLRs (digital, single-lens reflex cameras) are wonders of modern electronics. These cameras will automatically do all the required calculations internally, in tiny complex microprocessors, to insure that you get a beautiful looking photograph. They have automatic settings for landscapes, for portraits, sports, close-ups, etc. You can even program your own favorite settings of aperture, shutter speed, or ISO and the camera will be sure to make whatever other adjustments are at its disposal to insure your photo looks good.

But how is it then, that every professional photographer I know who uses one of these marvels of technology, with many pro cameras costing several thousand dollars each, wouldn't dream of presenting a photo to their clients without first running it through Photoshop? (Adobe Photoshop® is THE photo-editing software of choice for amateur and professional photographers alike when it comes to maximizing the quality of their photos)

In fact, people have come to me after buying a new camera, asking for lessons in photography because "their camera" doesn't take photos like the ones they've seen from others using that same camera. Maybe you've wondered that too? It's quite likely you've been comparing apples to oranges, photos right out of the camera vs. those that have been optimized with Photoshop. You'd be amazed at the difference just a few simple tweaks can bring!

Imagine, a thousand dollar DSLR camera, with all its automatic features, that can't produce an optimal quality image without the help of additional software?

Now doesn't that sound exactly like a computer without its Windows?

I'm not sure who's heading up the Adobe division that markets Photoshop, but I'm certain if it were Bill Gates, you'd see every camera sold being bundled with a Photoshop installation CD. (hopefully it would be a far bit cheaper than buying the two separately!)

But until that day arrives, do not despair over your own photographs. I'm not saying the new DSLR's don't create beautiful photos on their own, they certainly do. All I'm saying is, there is so much more that can be achieved with a little assist from Photoshop.

Personally, Photoshop® is half the fun of photography for me, the most creative half.

I'd highly recommend it for anyone with a serious interest in getting the absolute most from photography.

Robert Schwarztrauber is an author, speaker and photographer who provides many online resources which help people take and create better pictures. For more information on improving your results in photography, and more specifically using Photoshop to maximize your images and your fun, please visit my blog at: http://PhotoshopHouseofCards.blogspot.com

Digital Camera Accessories - Here's A Guide On How Best to Get Everything Connected

Digital Photography Tutorial -Seamlessly Connected; It's all very well having a Dslr camera, Personal computer and other photography's kit, but at this moment you need to get them to connect with each other. Here's a guideline about how best to get the whole thing connected.

USB Connections:

The most common form of connection for a digital camera to modern PC is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection. This has recently been improved with the introduction of USB 2.0, which provides increased data flow speeds. Your keyboard, mouse, printer and scanner probably use USB. All digital cameras have a USB port for connection to a PC, and your camera should come with a USB lead as standard. This makes it very easy just to plug in and connect your PC to your camera, so you can download images for editing and printing. USB also enables 'hot swapping', which simply means you can plug or unplug the cables without needing to restart your computer or the device.

You camera will also probably come with a video lead which will allow you to connect your camera direct to TV to show pictures on screen. There are other forms of interface, the name given to connecting various digital devices to a PC, and some system will have one, two, or all of them usually depending on the price of the system.

FireWire Fast Data Connection:

FireWire is technically called IEEE 1394. It is a fast data cable connection common to higher-end digital cameras such as D-SLRs and most modern PC systems. FireWire is faster than 'normal' USB connections but not as fast as USB 2.0 and hot swappable. You'll also find FireWire on best digital camcorders and on some high-end printers and scanner.

Wireless Connections:

You'll rapidly see that wires abound with all these interfaces, so if you can afford it, consider wireless networking or Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) connectivity. Wi-Fi devices transmit data in a waveform and can connect together multiple devices, such as a printer PC or camera, without any cables. Often use for notebook and laptop PCs. Wi-Fi also mean you can work anywhere in the home, not just sat at a sat at a desk. Any hardware bought that displays the Wi-Fi logo should interconnect seamlessly with any other Wi-Fi enabled device. It can work at distances of up to 350 feet, depending on the type of connection.

Connection Speed:

It may come as no surprise that the faster the rate at which data is transferred the faster you can work and each of the main connection options has different connection speeds. We don't have to worry about the exact rate they work at, but it's useful to know which is fastest.

- Bluetooth: Bluetooth is very slow when compared to cable add to Wi-Fi connections.

- USB (Universal Serial Bus) 1.0: This is pretty much the slowest wired connection and is being phased out and replaced by USB 2.0.

- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi connections are getting faster all the time but are relatively slow compared with a direct USB 2.0 or FireWire connection. Also, Wi-Fi speed is affected by the number of obstacles in the way (number of walls and size of the room for example). The latest type (802.11g and fastest 802.11a) offers the greatest range and speed.

- FireWire/IEEE 1394: FireWire is fast and very common and offers connections fast enough for image and video transfer without problems.

- USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0: This new USB connectivity allows very fast connectivity and is slightly faster than FireWire.

Bluetooth is another example of wireless networking and can be found on many modern mobile camera phones. It is a common wireless interface for up to eight devices over a range of about 30 feet. If you have a Bluetooth-enable printer, you could print images directly from a Bluetooth camera without needing a physical wire for example. Not as flexible or fast as Wi-Fi, it still saves on wires.

Conclusion - USB 2.0 is key for swift connectivity as it makes connection of your digital camera to your PC or printer, very easy. It provides fast communication between devices, ideal for printing or transferring images.

We hope you found this digital camera article informative and also helpful. Tabitha Mwendo - She's very passionate and currently working on a new theme digital photography tutorial for more inspiration visit http://www.edigitalcamera.org

The Changing Landscape of Professional Photography

Forty years ago nobody would buy a Brownie box camera and think to offer their services as a professional photographer. Around thirty years ago Kodak and a couple other manufacturers came out with "Instamatic" cameras. Still, no one would think that with an Instamatic camera they were equipped to offer professional photography services.

As camera technology progressed, more and more "bells and whistles" got added to the improving models of what then became known as "point and shoot" cameras. Still, nobody with just a point and shoot camera would consider himself or herself a professional photographer.

You see, back in the days before the advent of digital cameras, film was the medium for recording photographs. And before the invention of Instamatic and point and shoot cameras, you had to actually know how to use the controls on a camera in order to properly expose the film to make a photograph.

Instamatic and later point and shoot cameras enabled millions of people to make snapshots and record their lives and those of their families and friends. Professional cameras with changeable lenses and aperture and shutter speed controls continued to be the tools of professional photographers and serious amateurs.

Point and shoot cameras designed for hobbyists proliferated and millions of people began to enjoy the hobby of photography. And certainly many got to be pretty good at composing and creating photographs with them. But even if all their friends told them what great photographs they made, do you think a person with a point and shoot camera would have the gumption to claim to be a professional and offer their services for hire? I think not.

Now days with all the available digital SLR cameras geared to the hobbyist consumer with a price tag that is within the reach of many hobbyists, one cannot tell by looking at the camera whether the user knows what they are doing or not! Why not? Because all the DSLRs have Program modes of operation that enable the user to use them just the same as a point and shoot camera.

The advances of digital photography have been absolutely wonderful! Now days a camera is a complex computer with a lens, and most people with a little practice can make some pretty good photographs with them. Certainly the optics for modern DSLRs are vastly improved over the point and shoot optics of yesteryear.

The downside of all this progress is that more and more hobbyists with nice DSLRs are marketing themselves as professional photographers, and charging for their services without knowing anything about photography except how to frame a picture and press the shutter release. As a result many people are being duped into hiring amateurs, and are buying amateur quality photographs because they think they are getting a good deal because the price is low. And because they don't know how to separate the amateurs from the pros when choosing a photographer to do a job for them, whether it be portraiture or commercial photography.

Caveat emptor...Let the consumer beware!

About the author: Stan P. Cox II runs a Portrait and Commercial photography studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been a professional Hawaii photographer specializing in portraiture for over 30 years. His web address is: http://www.paramountphotography.com This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

Choosing & Buying a Digital Camera

With the advent of digital camera technology, photography has been placed within reach of everybody, and photography has never been more exciting. Nowadays, there is a large variety of digital cameras to choose from. From the most inexpensive point-and-shoot camera to the most elaborate DSLR, each has its own features and capabilities. That is why its getting harder to choose the right camera.

When choosing your camera, the first step is to decide how you will primarily use it. If you just want a small lightweight camera to carry in a pocket or purse for occasional shooting, then you have a large selection to choose from. Many of today's compact cameras are capable of producing very nice results. If you want to take pictures which are worthy of a professional, or if you are a professional photographer, then of course you will need higher-grade equipment.

There are two major types of digital cameras in use - P&S or Point-And-Shoot, and DSLR or Digital Single Lens Reflex.

Now you'll need to determine which type of camera to buy. Do you need a point-and-shoot only camera or a DSLR?. Let me explain a bit about both. Generally, a so-called point-and-shoot camera is one which does not have interchangeable lenses, and does not offer true through-the-lens viewfinding. These cameras usually allow (and sometimes force) the user to rely on automatic & pre-programmed settings for image quality, exposure, flash, etc. but that can be their advantage because the user can often snap very nice quality images with no more effort than simply pressing the shutter button. Most mid-to-high end P&S cameras these days allow for manual settings too.

The DSLR or Digital Single Lens Reflex camera is simply a modern digital adaption of the film type SLR camera. DSLR cameras usually offer through-the-lens viewfinding - that is to say that what you see in the viewfinder is exactly what the lens sees. They also offer the ability to change lenses in order to accommodate different shooting conditions. For example, say you want to take pictures of family members during various activities. For most of these types of images you would use perhaps a 25-50mm lens which would produce good results. Now you've decided that you want to take wildlife shots too. Well for this, you need a good telephoto lens.

With a DSLR camera, you can use either type of lens with the same camera, whereas with a point-and-shoot model, you generally cannot. Many people also consider DSLRs to deliver superior image quality. I should mention here though that the line between P&S cameras and DSLRs is getting increasingly thinner in terms of both image quality and usability.

Most if not all DSLR cameras also offer full manual control of nearly all of their settings.

So which do you buy, Point-And-Shoot or DSLR?. Depends on your anticipated shooting needs. If you need ultimate flexibility, the DSLR is probably for you. If you just want a good all-around camera for everything from vacations to soccer games to simple portraits then go with a good Point-And-Shoot.

Next, determine how much money you are willing to spend. The really neat thing about this part is that you can buy a lot of camera for a reasonable amount of money these days. Within the last few years, camera prices have become quite attractive in many cases. For example, $400USD can buy you a nice DSLR camera complete with zoom lens, battery, charger, lens hood, etc. at the time of this writing. That same amount of money can also buy a very nice, full-featured semi-professional non-DSLR camera.

Another consideration is overall quality. After all, you probably don't want to buy a camera only to find that it doesn't live up to the claims of its makers or quits working after a short period of time. The key here is research before buying. It is easier than ever to get opinions from current and past users of the product you want thanks to the internet, and there are a lot of websites which offer unbiased and in-depth reviews of a given camera. Many large online retailers such as Amazon.com offer user opinions right on the purchase page.

A great way to research a particular model is simply to type the make & model of the unit in question into your favorite internet search engine, followed by the word(s) "review" or "user opinions" or both. then you can choose your reading from the results.

Okay, so let's review. You've decided what you want a camera for. You've figured out which type to get, done some research, and found what looks to be the perfect unit. And you've got money to buy said camera. Well, that pretty much meets all of the prerequisites so what are you waiting for? find out who has your camera for a good price and buy it!

Are you into photography as a hobby or profession? Perhaps you want some hints on how to take a certain type of picture? Maybe you want to know how to take great photos for your eBay listings? Visit Digital Photography Guide for useful information & resources on these subjects and more!

Street Photography Techniques

When you're getting started the challenge is overcoming the fear of taking pictures of strangers. Since telephoto lenses are not normally used in street photography, how can you stand a few feet from your subject, put the camera to your eye, focus, and click the shutter without getting nervous? A good street photographer is not only fearful in the beginning (this is a good sign of being sensitive) but they also don't want to do anything which will change the how the subject is behaving.

With practice, you can overcome your reluctance to photograph strangers as well as learn techniques which will help you get better candid shots. One word of caution - it can be addictive. After a while the street photographer will choose which seat has the best view in a restaurant, or which side of the street offers the best possibilities.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MORAL ISSUES

The first thing to accept is that you are invading the privacy of your intended subject. You may have the best intentions in the world, but once you decide to point your camera at someone without their permission, you will be invading their personal space. This is what it means to take a candid street shot. Before going into the physical techniques which can make your job easier, it is important to look at your own motives. Most of the time, you see something that you simply want to share with the rest of the world. It might be funny, odd, mysterious, have an interesting design, or any other quality that you think is worth shooting. But you are nervous about taking the photograph. This is normal. When you are just starting out, ask yourself whether you would take the picture if you weren't afraid of your imagined consequences. This may seem drastic, but pretend that this is your last day on earth, and that nothing else matters but getting this shot. Take a deep breath and after learning the various techniques listed below - you should be ready to get at it.

WHICH CAMERA?

A good street camera has the following characteristics: a quiet shutter, interchangeable lenses, fast lenses (F-Stop of F2.0 or lower), no shutter lag, RAW capture mode, the ability to focus well in dark places, usable high ASA, a good viewfinder and lightweight enough to take with you wherever you go. I don't know of any digital Point and Shoot camera that meets all these criteria. A digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) will meet all or most of these properties. The Canon 40D, for example is no heavier than a Leica M, but the fast lenses are larger. The high end Point and Shoot, known as a digicam, has some of these features, but they don't have interchangeable lenses, and the zoom lenses are not usually faster than F2.8 at the wide end.

The current crop of DSLRs have many features of a good street camera.

So, let's get to it. Whatever digital camera you use, turn off any beeping the camera makes. Also turn off the immediate playback on the LCD. Do some tests to find out that highest ASA you can use without getting too much digital noise. Again, this is where DSLRs are best. Cameras like the Canon Mark II can allow you to use an ASA as high as 3200 (maybe more) without creating much digital noise in the image. Most point and shoot digital cameras creating noiseless images at much about 200 ASA.

Most DSLRs depend on a tic-tac-toe matrix of focal points. Keep the center point on, and turn the other focal points off.

For a digital camera with a cropped sensor, a 30mm F1.4 is a good walking around lens. Sigma makes an excellent one though remember, the Sigma f1.4 30mm won't work with a full-frame sensor). If you are using a full-sized sensor, then a 35mm f1.4 lens, in combination with a 50mm f1.4 is an excellent combination. Having a lens that gives you a good quality shot at F1.4 is very important. And just because a lens opens to F1.4 doesn't mean that it's good at that F-Stop, so pick this lens carefully. In the Canon line, the 50mm F1.4 which is for a full sensor, and which works with a cropped-sensor as well, is one of their best lenses and compared to their other F1.4 lenses is cheap.

A DSLR usually has a method for decoupling the exposure from the focal point. It's a good idea to do this. The Canon 40D and in fact almost all Canon SLRs (going back to the film days) have this feature. You set the focus lock to a button on the back of the camera, and a half-press of the shutter locks exposure. I dwell on this idea because many times you are going to use the button on the back to pre-focus your shot, and do framing as the camera comes to your eye. The idea that you want the camera to take it's exposure off the focal point doesn't make much sense. In general, if you are relying on the meter, than it's better to lock focus, and have the meter do a general reading of what's in the frame.

Whether it's a sunny day, or an overcast day - ASA 800 is a good place to start. You almost always want all the shutter speed you can get. If your camera produces very noisy images at ASA 800 than it is not the right camera to use.

Never use a lens cap. Not at any time, for any reason. You should always have a UV filter on the lens, which will protect the lens and make it easy to take a quick shot. You can always tell an amateur if they are using a lens cap.

DRESS THE PART

You'll be headed out to a tourist spot, so dress like a tourist. I'm not kidding. Although you may have lived in your city for 50 years, get yourself a tourist map and dress like you have just arrived from the mid-west on vacation. I'll leave that part for you to figure out.

Visit a crowded tourist attraction where everyone has a camera. Dress and act as just another tourist. Study your tourist map. Gawk at the landmark like everyone else. And keep an eye out for interesting subjects.

DO NOT REMOVE YOUR EYE FROM THE CAMERA AFTER YOUR SHOT

Start off like everyone else. Take pictures of the landmark. Keeping the camera to your eye you can now scan through the crowd for something interesting. As you take pictures, do not remove the camera from your eye even after you have the shot you wanted. Continue to move the camera around pretending to take pictures. Never give away the fact that you've taken someone's picture by removing the camera from your eye after taking the shot.

You may not find anyone worth shooting, but this is an easy way to get started. It shouldn't be very scary, and you will find that even while standing very close to your subjects you can take their pictures without arousing suspicion. You can employ the same techniques at street fairs, or parades. Just about any crowded area which is filled with tourists is a good place to practice.

KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN, TURN OFF THE LCD

Keep your non-shooting eye open. You should be able to look at possible subjects even with the camera to your eye. Most DSLR cameras have an LCD screen for viewing images on the back. This should always be turned off.

You just don't want the LCD coming on while the camera is to your eye. It's annoying and it gives away the fact that you've taken a shot, especially in a dark location. Also, if the LCD is off, and you hold the camera a bit in front of your face, you can see the reflection of what's going on behind you.

Knowing what is happening behind you is useful in a street where people are moving around because you can estimate the distance the potential subject will be when you turn around, and have your camera pre-focused for that shot. Of course you'll need to gauge how fast they're walking towards you, and about where you'll turn around and snap. But again - as you turn keep the camera to your eye as if you are just looking around. You will be surprised at how easy it is to take a picture of the subjects when they are five feet or so from you without them knowing.

SHOOTING FROM THE HIP VS. HAVING THE CAMERA TO YOUR EYE

As a general rule of street photography, if you can get the shot with the camera to your eye, you will get a better shot. I know that there is an entire school of shoot-from-the-hip photography, which you can practice as well, but you will never be able to frame this sort of shot as well as if you put the camera to your eye. (That's my own opinion and of course open to debate.) There will be times when it is simply impossible to shoot with the camera to your eye, and so shooting from the hip is worth learning. But I don't think it's a good way to get started.

You need to make decisions about depth-of-field. A common technique for the street photographer is relying on hyper-focal distance. I don't think this is as necessary with modern auto-focus cameras, but the idea is that with a wide lens, in the 30 - 35mm range, you can set the lens to f8, if you have enough light, and set the focus at ten feet, and know that everything from approximately 6 feet to 15 feet will be in hyperfocal distance.(I'm not looking at a lens as I write this so the exact distance and f-stop may be off, plus most modern autofocus lenses don't include a hyperfocal scale. But for older cameras with a hyperfocal scale on the lens, this is a tried and true technique.) I just haven't found it to be necessary with modern auto-focus cameras.

PRE-FOCUS

For example, with the Canon and Nikon DSLRs you can assign focus lock to a button on the back of the camera and exposure to the shutter button. You anticipate that you are going to shoot a certain subject, and hold the back button down to focus on them, but maybe you aren't ready to take their picture yet and they aren't moving much. You can continue to hold that back button down until you are ready to take the shot, or you can turn the lens to manual focus while holding the button down. Then you can release the button and know that the focus remains the same. Don't forget to turn autofocus on the lens back on when you're finished or all your subsequent shots will be out of focus.

Modern cameras have a matrix of focal points. They are a big selling point. But they are not very useful for street photography. I would recommend turning them all off except for the center focal point, which you'll use to pre-focus with. I don't like the idea of having the camera decide what to focus on.

Suppose you're walking down a New York street and you see a bunch of subjects leaning against the building to your right. You know that you are going to turn and face them at take your picture and then walk on. So the distance between you and any building directly to your right is the same. You focus on a building to your right before you arrive at your subjects and lock that focus. Now as you approach your subjects, you turn to your right and take your shot without the need to focus.

HAVING A FRIEND ALONG

This technique goes back a long way in the history of street photography. Walker Evans would bring a woman friend along with him, and stand on a crowded street pretending to take pictures of her. She was a decoy, and he would move the camera so that she wasn't in frame and take pictures of the people that behind her.

GADGETS

Sneaky camera gadgets have been around for a 100 years. The right-angle attachment on the viewfinder was often used by famous street photographers. It can swivel at various right-angles so that you are looking in a different direction than where the lens is pointed.

A similar device that fits on the end of the lens has a mirror inside. The front of the lens is points straight ahead, but the mirror is pointing to your left or right.

Both gadgets are still made, but they take some getting used to. I haven't found them necessary, although I've experimented with both devices.

TOUGHER LOCATIONS

The subway car is another popular locale for street photographers.

When Walker Evans did his series of subway "portraits," he used a Rollei Twin Lens camera. You look down at the ground glass to focus and compose. Evans used a cable release which he ran up the arm of his coat. He put the camera on his lap, sat directly across from his subject, and kept his right hand in his pocket to operate the cable release.

He knew ahead of time, what the distance was too his subject. If you are shooting on the same subway line, the trains are always the same dimensions. If you don't have a camera with auto-focus, you know the distance between different points.

Evans had one problem with his setup. After taking his shot, it was very obvious that he was advancing the film to the next frame. He would usually get up and settle down in another car with a new frame loaded.

Although the subway is a difficult place to shoot, it has one advantage: it's noisy. There's always enough noise to drown out the click of the shutter. I have taken thousands of pictures on the subway with the camera to my eye without running into any sort of trouble other than the occasional nasty stare. However, before the camera is raised to your eye it should already be focused. This rule is true for most street shots.

You can focus on your subject when they aren't looking, set the camera lens to manual and wait for "the moment" if it ever happens.

Whether on a train, or some other location, the easiest time to shoot is when there is a distraction. For example, when the mariachi band enters the car, everyone will be looking at them. You can shoot other passengers without being noticed.

And even if you are seen, people will understand that you have your camera out if you take a few shots of the mariachi Band as well. This is the same technique as using a landmark as a reason for taking pictures.

Another modern phenomena which makes life easier for the street photographer: everyone, whether on the street or in a subway car, is already distracted by their iPods, cell phones, e-books, and Blackberry devices. One day I was on the train, and noticed that everyone around me had earphones, or were reading their email. Combined with the noise of the train, I was able to take closeup shots of a passenger who was about a foot and a half away from me without being noticed by anyone. I found that amazing. It wasn't like that ten years ago.

SHUTTER SPEED

As a rule for hand-held shooting, your shutter speed should equal the focal length of your lens. If you shoot with a 30mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/30th of a second. If your shoot with a 90mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/90th of a second to prevent blur due to camera shake.

Some photographers can hand-hold a camera at 1/15th of a second with a 30mm lens and some will have trouble holding the camera steady enough even at 1/30th of a second with a 30mm lens. So this is just a guide. Camera shake is also a property of the camera. An SLR camera, with the slap of the returning mirror, vibrates more than a Point and Shoot camera which doesn't have a mirror. Many Digital SLRs now feature "Live Mode" where the mirror slap is no longer a factor. So you will need to experiment to find out the lens / shutter speed combination which will prevent camera shake with your setup.

But remember this, camera shake is not the same thing as motion blur. Even if your camera is set on a tripod, with a mirror lock-up, and a cable release, if the motion of the subject is too fast for your shutter speed, you will have a perfectly blur free background (no camera shake) with a blurred subject.

I call this technique The Stutter Step. The object of the stutter step is to be able to freeze your walk, in mid-step if needed, at the same instant you click the shutter, and then continue on as if nothing has happened. If you do it slowly, someone walking briskly behind you may just about bump into you because you have stopped dead in your tracks for an instant while you put the camera to your eye and took a picture of someone walking towards you. For this sort of shooting, where your subject(s) more directly towards you, it is best to have as fast a shutter speed as you can manage.

Digital SLR cameras usually have the following settings: P (program mode), AV (aperture mode), TV (shutter speed mode) and M (manual mode). They also have a a bunch of icons representing other situations such as Action Mode, or Portrait Mode, or Night Mode. Don't use these. Again, you don't want the camera to make decisions for you.

But it is handy, to set your AV and TV modes so that with the twist of the dial, you are set for aperture or shutter speed priority. In the case where it is a sunny day and you are walking, and expect to be taking pictures of other people who are walking, you can work in TV mode, with your shutter set to 1/1000th of a second. This assumes that you are using a relatively fast lens, and that you can shoot at an ASA of at least 800.

But to return to the stutter step. Your camera is hanging around your neck. You are wearing tourist clothes. You see an interesting situation developing ahead of you. Your camera is set to shutter priority of 1/1000th (more if you can manage it), and you must image what distance you will be when you take the shot. Aim your camera at the sidewalk and focus at the distance that you imagine you'll take your shot and lock that focus in.

Now, just when the situation is right, you halt, sometimes in mid-stride, the camera moves to your eye. You already know whether this is going to be a vertical shot or not, and what the frame will be, and while you are stock still, you take your shot and just as if nothing happened, you continue on your way. Your subjects have passed you. Even if they noticed you, it is unlikely they will turn back to find out why you may have just taken their picture. Maybe you did, and maybe you didn't.

THE BENEFIT OF HIGH ASA

One benefit of modern cameras is the ability to shoot at a high ASA. You may be able to set your walking around shutter speed at 1/4000th of a second, with an ASA of 1600. Some of the newer cameras have usable ASA ratings of 32,000 and higher without causing noise in the RAW image. This opens up a new world to street photographers. With a high ASA you can shoot with a high F-Stop and a fast shutter speed in low light situations like the subway. For example you could use an F11 f-stop with a 1/1000th of a second shutter speed, and still have enough light for a proper exposure on the subway. That is a new development in street shooting.

Previously, street photographers would push their film or use fast film for shooting. They might use an ASA of 1600 or more, but the resulting negatives would be grainy. As I write this, the Canon Mark II can easily shoot at 1600 ASA with results similar or better than 400 ASA black and white film.

DON'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY

No matter how you try, and no matter how good your street technique is, most of your shots will be ordinary. You might come back after a day of shooting with nothing to show for it. You may feel non-productive.

Street photography is like fishing. If you enjoy fishing, the catch is important, but the entire experience of getting up early, and making many fruitless casts from your boat isn't non-productive. You may enjoy the experience whether you return with fish or not. You simply can't cast your rod and expect to catch a fish every time.

Your best street catches make up for all the uninteresting shots. Unlike fishing, you can't always tell immediately if you've caught a great shot. Many street photographers will let their captures sit for a while before looking at them. What this means is: don't throw anything away. Make backups of your images, and even if you think they're not very good - don't toss them. Given the inability to describe what makes a good street shot, you shouldn't throw any away. Even an out-of-focus shot might have something interesting in it when you have enough distance to judge it. Your may find something in a shot that seems boring when you look at it again a few years later. This has happened to me enough times so that I never delete digital images.

THE OBLIVIOUS PEOPLE

Street Photography is easier then it used to be. People in the city walk around with their senses clogged up. More people are oblivious to what is going on around them then ever before. Music is blasting in their ears, or they're talking on their cellphone. If they're not talking on the phone they may walk the streets while reading their email. This makes it easier to photograph a stranger without them noticing you.

Street Photography is harder than it used to be. Since we live in an age of urban terrorism and web postings, people and the police are more suspicious than ever. This suspicion extends to landmarks and property. The subways and the streets are filled with video cameras watching your every move. While you take your photographs, most likely you too are being photographed. In New York all major infrastructure contains signs banning photography.

In New York, although it is legal to take pictures on the subway, there is the possibility that you'll be questioned by the police who think you may be a terrorist. Maybe they don't know the current laws. You are allowed to photograph on the subway, so long as you don't use a flash or tripod. However, it is always a good idea to have valid ID with you in case you are stopped. I have been stopped many times while photographing on the subway and usually I just explain that I'm a fine art photographer, working in black and white, and show some ID and that's enough. If you are going to use a flash, or a tripod, it is still possible to get a permit to photograph in a specific location in the subway.

ASKING PERMISSION

Photographers who are starting out want to know if it's a good idea to ask permission from your subject. It would be nice if you could, but it isn't practical. Once you strike up a conversation with your subject, you are no longer doing street photography. From that point on, the person will strike a pose, and you will be doing what I call street portraits. Should you get a model release? Unless you are doing street portraits, it isn't practical. On any given day, you may take 100 images only to find one good one (if you're lucky). It would be impossible to ask each person you photograph to sign a release Many of your shots are of people that rush by you in a fraction of a second.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE CAUGHT

At some point, you will be caught, and your subject will approach you. Maybe they say, "Did you just take my picture."

Honesty is the best policy. The answer is, "yes." You smile, and try and explain what it was that you found so interesting about them. With a digital camera, you can show the image on the back of the camera. The person may then be annoyed, or they may be flattered. If they are upset, and the picture isn't that great, then you could offer to delete it for them - and don't play any tricks. Delete it while they watch. If it's a great shot and you want to keep it, then you'll have to win them over. If you were using a film camera you could just shrug it off and say "no." But everyone knows that you could just show the picture on the back of the digital camera.

Most of the time the person is flattered and wants to know if you would like to take another shot. At this point they almost always strike a pose, and you take the picture knowing that you won't use it. You aren't a war correspondent. Very few images are worth getting into a big hassle over. In all my years of shooting, the worst that's ever happened is that someone asked if I would please delete their photo. I think this happened twice out of ten thousand shots.

SUMMARY

- Choose an easy locale with lots of tourists when you are first starting out.

- Turn off any beeping your camera does.

- If you photographing individuals in a crowd, don't remove the camera from your eye after you take a shot, but keep scanning the crowd with it.

- Turn off the instant playback on the digital LCD

- Use a wide to normal lens. Don't rely on telephoto lenses

- Make sure that you are focused and know how you are going to frame the image before the camera goes to your eye.

- Only shoot from the hip, or without looking through the viewfinder as a last resort.

- Practice looking for specific literal ideas: irony, juxtaposition, design elements, joy, sadness, emotional moments, things that you find unusual, surprises.

- Be prepared to take a hundred shots for every good one. And try and understand what a good shot means. (This is outside the scope of this article).

- Always have a camera with you. You'll take some of your best pictures during your normal daily routines.

- Know the laws. You don't need to get into a big hassle with the police when they stop you from taking pictures in a place where you know it's legal to take pictures; but it's important to know your rights.

- Do not ask for permission or a model release, unless you are doing "portrait" work on the streets. Do not expect that you're images will be usable for print ads unless the subject is not recognizable (profile, shot from the back etc.)

- If you are afraid to put the camera to your eye - try to imagine that this is your last day on earth, and that the shot you see before you will be great. In other words, you may need to psych yourself into taking the shot. But there is a balance and if it really is too scary - then don't force yourself. Your own fear will come across to the subject. When to shoot, and when not to push it, is something you'll learn with time.

- Never use a lens cap (have an UV filter on the lens instead)

- Remember that no matter how many of these techniques you use, you are still invading someone's privacy. There is no way around that. So you must feel that what you are photographing is worth the effort.

And finally, give yourself time to get used to the experience. Expect to be nervous in the beginning. Also expect that after you've been at it for a few years these techniques will become second nature. I think that being nervous is actually a good sign. Anyone with some degree of empathy will be uncomfortable doing street photography in the beginning. If you are the type of photographer that begins by sticking your camera in the faces of strangers, it is doubtful whether you are sensitive enough to be a good street photographer.

http://www.beckermanphoto.com (The black and white photography store of Dave Beckerman)

http://dbeckerman.wordpress.com (Dave Beckerman's New York photography blog)