If you already have a computer, then it is easy to get started in digital photography. Strictly speaking you do not need a computer, but it is best if you do. Digital cameras come in all styles shapes and sizes, so you can always find something to meet your needs.

Higher quality digital cameras cost more, but the cheaper versions will give you cheaper quality shots. It's the same as with traditional cameras--you get what you pay for. But you don't have to pay through the nose. Mid-priced cameras can take great pictures, especially if you're only using it to put snaps on the internet. Be sure to go for a high pixel count, at least 3 mega- pixels. But even the number of megapixels won't help if you have a poor quality lens, so be sure to splurge on that.

Buying from a well known brand is a good idea, but always start by looking online for the latest product reviews.

There is no doubt that digital photography is big. People who tried traditional photography and gave up are finding digital photography really rewarding. There are a few reasons for this, the main ones being cost, creativity and freedom

1) Digital photography is actually cheaper in the long- term than traditional photography. After you pay for the camera itself (as well as any ink and paper you may need to print out photographs), the cost is minimal. Traditional prints are incredibly expensive, and we've all learned that most rolls of film include at least a few pictures we wish we hadn't taken. But with digital cameras you can just delete bad pictures and focus on the ones that are good. Also, most people generally don't even print out digital pics--they beam them around the globe via email or by posting them on the web.

2) Digital cameras give us a great amount of creativity. Traditional photography took away our own control--we had to pay professionals to crop, enlarge or reduce. But with digital camera software we can take care of all of those things for ourselves. You can crop, change colors, and much more. Software makes it easy to do all these things.

3) Digital photography frees us from the constraints of traditional photography because we aren't using up rolls of film. Instead of having to change the roll every 24 or 36 shots, we can shoot away with abandon, and without worrying about the cost to develop all these shots. And we don't have to wait until the film is developed to see if we got good pictures. We can simply look at the screen!

Now that you know the above, consider the following:

Be willing to experiment a bit. Once you spend money on a good digital camera you can stop worrying about all the cash you're wasting on film--so give yourself the freedom to experiment and just feel things out. Lay on the floor, take pictures at crazy angles, shoot from far away, zoom in incredibly close, and so on. Take pictures of anything and everything that interests you, as this is the best way to stumble across fantastic pictures.

Learn to use your photo software properly. It might take a bit of time reading the manual or working through online tutorials, but it really is worth it. Understanding what to do to improve your shots after they have been taken will mean you can show your shots to their best, and get murmurs of approval from all around.

Deborah Kilgaron, Professional photographer
http://www.rpphotography.com

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