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Knowing When to Upgrade

How do you know when to upgrade your camera? In my case it’ll take winning the lottery before I can purchase my dream camera: a Nikon D90. My current digital camera is decent, but I’m always looking to upgrade. It doesn’t help that camera technology is constantly evolving and there seems to be updated versions of top-rated cameras debuting every season. But, do you really need a new camera? Before you break the bank buying a new camera, review these points: Shutter Lag: If you take a lot of action shots or sports photos, then you don’t want to deal … Continue reading →

Introducing a New Task or Expectation, Part One (Knowing when They are Ready)

There are times in our lives as parents when it is up to us to do a little nudging—we are the ones who need to encourage our children to take that next developmental leap. Of course, there are plenty of times when they just seem to naturally gravitate towards the next growth opportunity themselves, but other times, they are perfectly happy staying where they are (in diapers, not knowing how to read, having mom or dad dress them, etc.) and not the slightest bit interested or aware that it is time to grow up a little bit. Introducing a child … Continue reading →

Cameras: Knowing When To Upgrade

When you have your first child? When your kids start playing sports? When you hobby requires it? When do you know when it is time to trade in your current camera for one that has more bells and whistles? The answer: When you become consistently displeased with your pictures. At least that’s what did it for me. Let me back up a bit. My grandfather was a professional photographer. A year before he died (nearly 10 years ago) he bought me a Nikon camera for my birthday. It was a major upgrade from my well-worn (but very trustworthy) Ricoh, which … Continue reading →

Alluring Camera Features

Point-and-shoot cameras have come a long way since the days of the Kodak Instamatic. These days you can program high-tech digital cameras to take photos for you while you simultaneously juggle bowling balls and sip tropical libations on the beach. There is virtually no end to the amount of fab features included on some cutting-edge cameras. One of the latest and greatest trends in camera features is the high-resolution touch screen. Located on the back of the camera, the flat screen allows you to simply tap an icon with your fingertip to change settings. This means no more fiddling with … Continue reading →

Capturing Stunning Summer Shots

As I look back on last summer’s photos, I’ve noticed that 99% of them feature my young daughter participating in some type of water activity. Ironically, I don’t own a waterproof camera. Granted, most of the photos were taken from the safety of a dry pool deck or sandy stretch of beach, but there are instances where I waded into the water in order to capture a unique angle. Fortunately, my camera survived the water exposure. I took a risk by venturing into deep water with my camera, but it paid off. This is not to say that you have … Continue reading →

The Lure of Used Cameras

My dream camera costs $3,000. I don’t have $3,000. Perhaps that’s why I don’t own my dream camera. Santa still hasn’t delivered my Dyson, so I’m thinking he probably isn’t going to be filling my stocking with a Nikon D800 any time soon. As much as reality bites, I know I am not alone. While there are dozens of high-quality, luxury DSLR cameras on the market, most people don’t have the funds to purchase them new. For shutterbugs looking to get their hands on cutting-edge picture-taking tools without breaking the bank, there is the used camera option. High-tech cameras can … Continue reading →

Filters Are Your Friends

A friend made fun of me for posting my previous piece about giving the gift of floral photos for Valentine’s Day. I stand by that blog. I’ll have you know that when I was a sophomore in college my then-boyfriend presented me with a framed black-white-photo of a Hawaiian sunset… on Valentine’s Day. Sure, I got dinner and some flowers too, but the photo is the only thing from that relationship that I still have today. It’s a gorgeous shot; much too pretty to part with despite the fact that we parted ways more than a decade ago. Whether or … Continue reading →

Lighting from All Angles

Ideally, all photos would be snapped using natural lighting. While it’s true that you cannot control the sun, there are many ways you can capture stunning shots when you are taking photos in the great outdoors. One of the most popular techniques for snapping frame worthy shots when you are at the mercy of Mother Nature is backlighting. Not only is the technique popular, it’s also extremely effective and relatively simple to master. Start by making sure the sun is in front of you. Light should be aimed directly at the camera, and your subject should be lit from the … Continue reading →

Know Your Camera

I got a new camera for Christmas, but I’ve yet to experiment with all of its features. According to the owner’s manual, I won’t be able to snap the “best” images possible if I don’t utilize the camera’s advanced options. Whereas I agree that it’s easy to hit the “auto” function instead of experimenting with different modes, I don’t believe a camera alone makes or breaks a photo. For starters, a stunning image includes a balance of colors, shapes, and lighting. If you don’t feature contrasting colors in a shot, you won’t get that “pop” which draws attention to an … Continue reading →

Inspiration in Bloom

In a few short weeks the price of flowers will increase exponentially. Roses that are selling for $10 a dozen today will cost you five times that amount as we creep closer to Valentine’s Day. If you are pinching pennies, but still want to impress your sweetheart with some beautiful blossoms, then consider snapping stunning pictures of flowers. Mastering flower photography is not too difficult once you get some experience under your belt. If you are serious about snapping an awe-inspiring flower photo that you can frame and gift to your beloved this Valentine’s Day, then now is the time … Continue reading →