As a photographer, myself, I always appreciate the work of other photographers. Here is one that you have to meet.


Here is our interview with the photographer, Jessica -

Briefly describe your photography?

I am most drawn to extremes with light and color. I want to tell a story with my photography. I am always trying to capture a moment in my life that I want to remember, not just for the image that is taken but for where my life was at that time, what i was experiencing, how I was developing, and in which direction my life was headed.

What do you enjoy photographing the most?
I really like photograph architecture. I would say that I am most drawn to that because I like the lines. I am also very interested in Urban life right now. City scenes, spray paint...stuff like that.

How long have you been an artist?

Since I can remember. I always knew I was an artist. I really wanted to be a painter or a sketcher when I was little because that is what my grandma and dad are good at, but I am terrible. It wasn't until later that I discovered my eye for photography.

How did you get started?

The first time I ever thought about selling my photography was about 4 years ago while I was living in France. My husband and I were taking a day trip. We were in the car, driving through the french country side, right before a storm. The sky was this amazing mix of purple, grey, black and yellow and the silhouettes of the trees against the sky were beautiful. I really wanted to get a picture of it but my camera was dead. I somehow managed to get my camera to turn on for long enough to snap one picture. For some reason that picture is what made me want to share my work with other. It's funny because I don't think that is even the best photo I've ever taken just the most inspirational. (You can find that picture on my Etsy shop, titled "A Tree in the Storm")

Where does the name of your shop come from?

I lived in Paris for a couple of years. Le Metro Ligne 6 was the closest line to our apartment there. I have so many fond memories of my life there that I thought it would be appropriate to incorporate my shop name into that experience.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

That I really love what I do!

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Love what you do!

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You have to come and see this nice work. Visit this shop and then come back and leave a comment.

Scan Instead of Photograph

I recently posted some new items in my Etsy shop and when I photographed the items the images were just coming out with colors to match actual items. I used my good camera - the one that never fails - and put the images through Photoshop to correct the color as best that I could - and still the colors were not correct. There were color casts and tones that just would not go away no matter what I tried.

I was about to give up when I thought of my scanner. Now, my new items are flat and could easily go onto the scanner bed, but I have done this in the past with fully three-dimensional items and it has worked well.

First chose a good background - a piece of color (or white) paper or cardstock. Place the object on the glass bed of the scanner. Cover the object with the background. Close the scanner cover gently on top of the item. Most scanners are made to scan open books so there will be some flex in the cover hinges to get the cover closed flat. If you find that the cover sticks up too far and too much light gets to the bed, cover the top of the scanner with a dark cloth to block the light (this is rarely necessary). Go to your computer and scan. You will get a perfect image that you can place into your software and resize, crop, or manipulate as you choose.

This won't work for everything but it works for many items - especially if they are small and relatively flat.

Recently, new technology is being introduced to scanners that work with digital camera technology rather than a light bar that scans as a photocopier does. These new scanners are actually shooting high megapixel photographs of whatever is on the bed of the scanner. One that I heard about from Lexmark is selling for about $400. I am sure more will come along and the prices will drop considerably.

New Camera

I recently moved up to my first digital SLR camera - Canon's newest model - T2i. Getting this camera was not easy. It was released this March and almost immediately sold out everywhere. It took until just recently for me to get a hold of one of my own. I did a lot of research and looked and tried a number of cameras until I decided that this is the one. One major factor was price range. You can purchase a DSLR anywhere from $500 to $4000. My budget was $1000 and I wanted to get the most for the money at the best quality. For those who are not heavily into photography, a DSLR is a digital camera with interchangeable lenses and what you see in the viewfinder is not an electronic representation of what the camera sees but the actual view through the lens brought to the viewfinder with a mirror. Essentially, what you see is what you get - with the ability to make any adjustment possible in exposure, lighting, tone, depth of field, etc. Way back before digital cameras I did shoot a film SLR - which I still have - but let's face it with the ability to shoot digitally whatever you see at no cost in film or developing - well.

I have been shooting professionally with a Canon that is in-between a DSLR and a Point in Shoot and all of the photos that I have sold up to now have been with that camera. I have even won photo competitions with that camera and have gallery displayed my work. But it was time to make the move and now with 18 megapixels and a high tech camera I am hoping to expand both my market and my ability to capture what I see.

Here is a photo from my first excursion out to take pictures.


The photo was actually the worst of the pictures that I took that day and I decided to improve what little I had with photo software. Why did I pick the worst shot to show you? To show what is possible both with the camera and the ability to manipulate a photograph after it is taken. I must say that in the end it came out pretty good - and is offered for sale both at a Stock Photography site and at my page on Red Bubble.

This picture was taken with a 18 to 55 mm zoom lens - the standard lens included with the camera when you purchase what the camera companies call the "kit" meaning that it includes the camera body and a lens from the manufacturer. This is the "kit" lens. I also purchased a longer zoom lens - 55 to 250 mm. This lens I am finding is more versatile when outdoors as it can bring the distance in close and still has a decent wide angle view.

What I am finding out most is that I have a lot to learn about this camera, but so far the results have been very pleasing. As time goes along I will be showing more photos on my various sales sites from this new, great camera.

If you are thinking about getting more seriously into photography this is a camera to definitely check out - Canon T2i.

Something a Bit Different

I thought that with all of the promotion and presentation of other artists that I do on this site I might blow my own horn and share some of my work with you. I am an eclectic craft artist. I work in a variety of mediums. I have been creating craft for more than forty years and I have always look at new ways to express myself. What will happen is that I will see something that catches my eye - a medium that I have not tried yet and then start finding out all that I can about it. Almost all of my skills have been self-taught. I am a strong believer that if you are motivated and willing to put in the time to find out how something is done you can do it.

As I am blowing my own horn here I will say that what I have set my mind to mastering I have been successful at. I have had many exhibitions of my work. I sell in a gallery. I have won awards, both local and statewide. I have been published in craft and art magazines. And I have three pieces in a museum collection. All this in addition to selling for the past over thirty years at craft shows - and now on the Internet at Etsy and my own sites.

I present to you a sampling of my work. With it you will find links where you may purchase if you so desire - and if that link does not work, it means, happily, that the piece has been sold.

I have been turning pens for about six years. I work on a wood lathe and create the barrels for the pens and assemble the wood barrels onto high quality pen hardware.

This particular pen is of artistic styling - not a conventionally shaped pen. This pen is made of Goncalo Alves and interesting wood that is light reddish brown in color.


This pen sells at my shop at Etsy. If you are interested take a look HERE.





Here is something from my other passion - living history. I am a reenactor of the American Revolutionary War period.
I created this game to play at 18th Century encampments and thought it would make a great addition to my crafts for sale. I has proven very successful and is sold through a national catelog/website for living history. I also sell it at my shop at Etsy. In my shop this is called The Pirate's Box Game. It is a gambling actually played in the 18th Century. It was very popular at seaports and with pirates, along with those with a bit of coin to lose in taverns.

This is a fun game that may be played by all ages. The game may be played solitaire or with a group. If you are interested in this game - they make great gifts - come and take a look HERE. These are always in my shop so if this link does not work just go to my Etsy shop - Q Branch Ltd. to see one.


This is called a Lucet. This is another of my historic reproduction. This is an ancient cord making tool used for thousands of years to create strong, decorative cord. If you look at Cinderella's dress and see the lacing holding it up in the front - that is cord made on a lucet. Lucets were used commonly throughout the 17th Century through the 19th Century in America. They are still commonly used in parts of Europe today.

The lucet is fun to use and VERY EASY to learn. The cord made on the lucet today is made from any string, thread, floss, ribbon, yarn, and so on. The cord that is created is thicker and stronger than the string that it is made from. Today it is used by craft artists for jewelry, fabric embellishment, laces, and so much more. This is simple enough for a child to learn and create friendship bracelets, shoe laces, and such. These are always in my Etsy shop made from different woods and there are two styles - with a handle and without. This has no handle. The difference is just a matter of preference - as they make the same cord. If you are interested in a lucet look HERE. Also if this link is sold there will always be others in my Etsy Shop.

I am not going to overwhelm you all with too much but I should mention my other shop - Past Perfect and show you a sample of my work from that shop. This is my photography shop and I have been professionally taking art photographs for the past four years. Here is just one of my photos. This is a red tail hawk. This hawk was rescued by a wildlife rescue preserve. I was doing an indoor craft show and this preserve was showing some of their animals to the public. It happened that our booth was right next to their presentation area and I was so close that I could take photos that I never would have been able to get any other way. I am glad I had my camera with me that day.

If you are interested in this photo it is HERE. There are many other photos - and another hawk too - at my shop Past Perfect.

So there you have it. A small sample of my work. I thank you all for looking and appreciate any comments.

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

First, Happy Thanksgiving to all!

We have another great photographer to feature. Come and meet



Here is our interview with the photographer...

Briefly describe what you make?

I make fine art photographs. Mostly I focus on nature photography, but I also have some whimsical and some industrial subjects.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I am adoring digital photography because I take A LOT of pictures! Digital allows me to try angles and styles that I might not have with film because of the expense.

How long have you been creating craft?

I've always been interested in photography. My grandparents gave me my first "real" camera when I was about 8.

How did you get started?

When my grandfather passed away a few years ago, my grandma gave me his circa 1970 Olympus and all the lenses and things he had acquired over 30 years. Since then I've switched to digital, but I haven't stopped shooting!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

The name of my shop comes from my desire to show things the way they actually appear. Nature photography is my main focus- hence, the "stone." Presenting nature unaltered, unPhotoshopped, unposed is where the "unturned" part comes from. I don't turn the stones I photograph!

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I show people what I saw. I rarely alter photographs beyond cropping, and perhaps changing to black and white. I really only use Photoshop to put on my watermark! I like people to know that what they are seeing is real, not the result of tweaking in a computer program. I think that's important to show people real nature before it disappears.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Doing something you love is so important. It's such a thrill to open my new images and find something that makes me proud. I wish that feeling on everyone.

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You know the expression that a picture is worth a thousand words - check out this shop!

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Here is a photographer on Etsy with some great Fall themed photographs - and more. Come and meet


Here is our interview with the photographer, Ezzy!

What do you make?

The short answer to that is Artwork! I shoot with a Nikon D40X - digital - then use photoshop to enhance, change, and edit my work. My subject matter mostly includes landscapes, but I also take a few still lifes. I do some portraiture outside of my etsy shop.

What mediums do you enjoy working in the most?

Well, photography in all aspects of course, but there are, after all, many different aspects of photography. I was never much good at taking pictures when I was young. I can't tell you how many photos I have of people from the neck down that I took with my first camera. But eventually I started working with film - and I fell in love with it! Nothing makes a better sound than the swish and click of the shutter on a completely mechanical old camera. And then there is the darkroom . . . the acid smell of the developing chemicals and the weird light. But digital has been a fun experience as well. The convenience, ese adn versatility of digital is a great addition to the world of photography. And then there is photoshop. It took me a lot longer to warm up to that than anything else, but now that I have learned it, it is so much fun to create in it!

How long have you been crafting?

Well, as an artist, I have been drawing as long as I can remember. I ghad an old Sunday school teacher who used to tell me she knew I'd become an artist because when I was two and in her sunday school class, she gave all the children crayons and paper. And while all the other children were eating the crayons and throwing them at each other, I was sitting quietly, drawing little circles on my paper. I started painting with oils when I was 11 and continued that through college. It wasn't until my sophmore year of college that I discovered photography, but I fell in love with it. I'm 26 now so I have been photographing for about 7 years now.

How did you get started?

I was reluctant to do it, but I signed up for the photo class offered at my college. I borrowed an old Canon camera from a family friend, never intending to like photography enough to want to buy one of my own. I was just taking the class because I needed the credit for my art degree. I wasn't very good it at first - I actually had to reshoot my first assignment and stay after class for some one on one tutoring with my teacher. But when I finally got the hang of it, I excelled. I stayed late after class and came in to the darkroom in the evenings afer work. Eventually I grew to love it enough and gather enough skills, I presented my senior art show in photography. I now own 2 35mm fil cameras, a yashika medium format camera, a holga, and a Nikon D40X.

How did you name your shop?

The name of my shop comes from my name. In case you are curious (cause it's kind of a strange name) there is a story behind "ezzy." I have a younger brother who I am very close to. He is two years younger than I am and when we were little, he couldn't say my name - Sara. So, he called me "Sever" and I hated it! That's how little brothers are! And of course, since I hated it, he did it even more. As we got older "Sever" went way until I was in middle school and he started calling me that again. Then, one day out of the blue, he started calling me Sever again. A couple weeks later, he mixed it all around and called me Ezzfur. I was mortified and made him promise to never call me that in front of anyone ever. So what does he do? He calls me that at a birthday party in front of friends. They liked it, latched onto it and shortened it to Ezzy. And it stuck! So when I first discovered etsy, I created an account under my name. I have named my shop "In Other Words, Photography." My husband is a writer on the side and he actually helped me come up with it. It goes along with the old cliche that a picture is worth a thousand words.

What would you want people to know about your work?

I guess what I want people to know about my photography is that I never really feel more like myself than when I am behind the lens. It's a natural high - I find myself smiling every time I lower the camera after taking a picture. Beauty is all around in the big and in the small. When I am behind the lens, I get to explore that beauty, single it out, give it a voice. My portrait work, for example, is very rarely posed. My best photos are when people aren't paying attention to me - when they are relaxed and natural. I don't create wuth the sole purpose of making money - I create for the joy of it. For the sound of the shutter opening and closing, for the excitement of downloading a shoot and seeing what came out, for the smell of photo chemicals and the feel of the camera in my hands . . .

Any words of advice for other artists?

To other artists, I would say be true to yourself. Create what you love and the work that comes from it will be a true reflection of yourself. Do it for the right reasons, for the love of the yarn sliding through your fingers, the feel of the clay spinning on the wheel in your hand, the paint beneath your finger nails, and dropped beads glittering in the carpet. Don't create to make a living - live to create. Know that what you leave in this world is a little more beauty a piece of yourself that can never be erased.

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Ezzy does some very nice work! You must go and see Ezzy's shop -and then come back here and your appreciation!

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Here is another in our features of wonderful photographers who sell their work on-line. Come and meet -


Here is our interview with Andrea -

Briefly describe what you make?

I make photographs, mostly of everyday objects utilizing bold color and shapes, but I also have a few pretty flowers and landscapes available for sale.

What photo mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I always use a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera for my studio work and most everything else. However, lately I've been trying to use more film and to focus more on black & white. I'm trying to get back to why I fell in love with photography in the first place: just looking around and taking pictures of what I see instead of "creating" or "styling" a photo. When I do this, I use a Nikon N65 (my very first camera), a Holga, and a small accordion-style medium format camera called Wester Chrome-Six NKK.

How long have you been creating?

I having been taking pictures regularly since my freshman year of high school, about 8 years ago.

How did you get started?

I can't remember how I got started in photography. I've always been an artist of some kind, either painting or drawing and everyone always knew me as being very artistic. My guess would be that I've always liked looking at photographs and when I actually tried my hand at it, I liked it much more than drawing or painting. For me, it's much easier to make beautiful art with photography. If you mess up, you don't have to erase or start over, you can just take another picture. Which probably means I wasn't that good at drawing in the first place!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

The name of my shop IS my name!

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I would want most people to know that I put a lot of time and effort into my photography, especially the studio work. I know that my style is very different from the pretty, dreamy, flowery, neutral-toned work that seems to be most popular on Etsy, but I don't mind being different. Hopefully the people who like my work will find it and support it.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

I'm so bad at giving advice... really all I can say is: if you love it, then do it. And don't let anyone tell you that you should do it a certain way or not do it a certain way. The best part about being an artist (as with everything else) is if you honestly stick to it, your art will grow and become stronger in time. Believe me, I feel I've come light years since I first picked up a camera!

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Come now and take a look at Andrea's shop on Etsy. Andrea is a member of POE - Photographers of Etsy.

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

We present once again another of the great photographers to be found on ETSY who are selling their work. Let me introduce you to


Come meet Anne -

Briefly describe what you make?

Fine art prints

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

Photography

How long have you been creating?

I got my first camera when I was ten.

How did you get started?

I always loved anything art related and having been drawing for years. I was an art major before I went into nursing. I became interested in photography specifically because it's the only color medium I feel really comfortable with. I love photography because it enables me to capture a moment the way I see it and to be able to share that with people.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Too easy...my name ; )

What would you most want people to know about your work?

How much I really love capturing the intense beauty of Mother Nature and that I hope that they experience the same sense of peace and wonder I do when I am out shooting.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

I'd pass on the best I was ever given and use often... Just keep going. Whatever you're working on, in whatever medium, may not look exactly as you'd like at the moment but just keep working because you never know where you'll end up. You may be surprised, sometimes it's the process that matter not the product.
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Please visit Anne's shop - AnneClarke. You will be delighted to find some wonderful nature photography including underwater scenes. In addition to prints Anne also offers her photos as pendants and greeting cards. Anne is a member of POE - Photographers of Etsy.

Choosing a Camera - Part 2

In my last article I started talking about what to know when choosing a camera. Now we are going to get a little more specific.

Let's start with Megapixels. Every digital camera will boast about how many megapixels the camera has. What does all of this mean? The larger the number of megapixels, the larger the image file size will be and the more detailed (supposedly) the image will be in the photograph. I say supposedly as there is some debate in the photography world that there are just so many megapixels the sensor in current camera technology can process and exceeding that makes no difference or can even have a negative impact. Never the less, the newest models are always more megapixels than last year's model. The newest models are at 15 plus mpx. But these are also the most expensive cameras. Expect to pay more for more megapixels no matter what category of camera you are looking at. Also keep in mind that high megapixel cameras can often be set to shoot photos at lower megapixel settings to save file space, but if you are going to never set your 10 mpx camera higher than 5 mpx, why pay that much more for your camera? I am not saying don't get as many mpx as you can afford - I would, but this is something to consider if you are on a budget and anticipate limited use of your camera for web photos (which need to be small anyway).

What brand camera is good? I am not going to say that any one brand is bad, but I will tell you that some brands are considered the top by serious photographers. At the top of the list are Canon and Nikon. These companies have been making film cameras for many, many years before they started making digital cameras and they bring their expertise and quality to all of the cameras that they make. Nikon has always had a reputation for one of the best lenses. Canon also has excelled in some of the features that they build into their cameras and thier lenses are also quality lenses. I have found the features in Canon digitals to surpass those in Nikon. Either one is going to take an excellent photo. Sony has been giving both companies competiton. Their expertise is electronics and they are concentrating that into their digital cameras. When I was looking for my last camera, Sony was my second choice, but Canon had more "camera" function in the model I was looking for.

I am going to jump off here to talk a bit about Canon. Many recommend the Canon Powershots - I agree with that recommendation but must add pick a model with IS in the name - IS for Image Stabilization. I spoke about this in this article. Canon has exceptional image stabilization in their IS models. This can eliminate the need for a tripod in many situtations. This can help anyone with "shaky" hands when trying to hold the camera still. Another create feature in many Canon's is "super macro", a macro mode beyond macro that will allow you to get so close to the subject that you have to be careful that you do not hit the lens with what you are taking a photo of. There may be other camera brands that do this, but from experience I can recommend Canon - as do many.

Is this going to just be a Canon ad? No. I have owned a number of cameras. Fuji has had nice features on thier cameras. Olympus has as well. But Fuji, Olympus, and Kodak, while capable are not up there with the leaders of the pack. The Lumix - made by Panasonic is an up and coming camera moving into the realm of Nikon, Canon, and Sony. They have been inovative in thier DSLR's offering a realtime and movable display on the back of the camera before the other companies did. Now, the others are also offering this on their DSLR's. Interestingly this is standard on the most inexpensive point and shoots.

In Part One of Choosing a Camera I spoke about the camera class that I am calling a hybrid - the camera that is a Point and Shoot with the look, shape, and features of a DSLR. Since starting this article I have done some research into the various brands that offer this type of camera. If you look in the photo department of your local electronics store you are going to see cameras made by Canon, Sony, Lumix, Kodak, and Nikon that look like DSLRs but are priced less than $400.00. Examine them closely and you will see that unlike the DSLR the lens is fixed to the camera and is not removable - but everything else looks so much like a DSLR. When you look through the electronic viewfinder you are looking through the lens - just like a DSLR. I am not going to repeat what I said in Part One, but I am going to tell you what I have learned looking at these cameras recently. If you want the most DSLR function in one of these "point and shoot" cameras you are going to want one of the Canon SX series. They have model numbers like SX10IS. The newest is SX1IS which adds High Def Video to the SX10IS model. Last years model - 8 mpx rather than 10 mpx, but in all other ways the same as the SX10IS is the SX5IS - still available and discounted. So what makes these Canons different than the other brands. One thing is that you can very easily add photographic filters and lens additions to the Canon. All that is required is an adapter sleeve which sells in camera shops for about $40 more. A ring on the camera lens unscrews and this sleeve screws on. The camera will now take standard size lens filters. Just screw them on to the front of the sleeve. The same sleeve accepts telephoto lens extenders and wide angle lens extenders which increase the already super range of telephoto function and wide angle function that are already built into the camera. Some of the other brands can do this but not as easily. and some only take filters and extensions made specifically for that camera. The view finder sceen on this camera can be flipped out of the back of the camera from its side and turned at various angles. This makes taking shop photos that you want to come straight down on a breeze when you set the sceen at 90 degrees to the camera. There is not a function on a DSLR that I have found that is not duplicated in some way on the Canon SX series. One I am asked to recommend a camera, this is the camera that I recommend. If you do not want any of these features, don't want anything that is the slightest bit complex, or want to not spend more than $200 to $250, then look at the Canon Powershot IS models or the Nikon Coolpix with Image Stabilization models.

Another factor to consider is whether the camera has a rechargable battery or uses regular alkaline batteries. The small point and shoots almost all have rechargable batteries. Some use regular batteries. I prefer cameras that use regular batteries - the ones that are available almost everywhere you go. For one thing, if you want rechargable you can put rechargable AA or AAA batteries into the camera. For another, if you run out of power and are near a convenience store they are going to have batteries for you to get your camera working again.

Here is another tip! If you are attracted to one camera or another in a store, go home and go online to that camera companies website. It is more than likely that the manual for that camera will be online as a free download. Download the pdf file manual and read through it. You will see how the camera works, how each feature is operated and know for certain what it can do and what it cannot do.

One thing that I must say is that you should not buy "cheap" because you want a camera that will last and one that will give you good photos when you need it. There are many discounts available on cameras. Almost every holiday has cameras being advertised at great savings - pre-Christmas, Fathers Day, Graduation season, vacation season. The store circulars are full of camera discounts. You may also find a good discount online - but don't buy online until you ahve held and played with that camera in a store. I was able to get a camera on a Pre-Holiday sale at a great price at a chain electonics store that would match prices. Right before the Holiday a local camera shop ran an ad that beat my great price by almost $40! I went into the store that I purchased the camera with the ad and got that price - the difference refunded to me! Don't be disuaded by the first price that you see. Cameras are often greatly discounted.

When you purchase your camera and bring it home the first thing you need to do is take out the manual and read it. Learn your camera before you take your first photo with it. You will then not be intimidated by your new camera in anyway and you will be able to easily use all of its functions. And don't lose that manual! I keep my manual with me in my camera bag so that it is always there should I not remember how to use a function.

Have fun with your new camera!

Choosing a Camera - Part 1

When you taking product photos of your crafts or art, you want to have a good camera, but very often the question comes up - "what camera should I buy?". What to buy is most easily answered with another question. What do you intend to use the camera for? When plunking down a hundred dollars or more, most of us want to buy a camera that will take good photos of a variety of things. Serious photographers often have more than one camera - each for a different application. Most of us have one. For the most practical camera in 2009 we are going focus only on digital cameras. Film is great but not very practical.

Before purchasing a camera you really want to think about what you might be using it for - in addition to taking photos for your online shop or sales catalog. Do you travel and take photos of the sites that you visit? Do you have children and want to take photos of all of those "special moments"? Do you take family snapshots? Would you like to start to get serious about photography as a hobby and an expression of art? Do you just want to take photos of your crafts? Or any or all of the above in combination?

How complicated a camera can you handle? Will a camera with a lot of dials and settings intimidate you? Would you just like to pick up the camera, turn it on, point it at the subject and push the button? More questions! But you need to answer each one even before you start looking. Oh yes, one more question - how much do you want to spend?

There are basically three basic categories of cameras available right now - Point and Shoot, DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex), and a new breed that has popped up in the last few years - a cross between the two. Point and Shoot cameras are fully automatic - yet they do offer you some setting that you can control when you are taking a photo. DSLR camera's have automatic features but you will need to turn the lens tube to zoom in and out to get the photo that you want and while most have auto-focus, you will want to use the lens to focus the lens yourself - again by turning it - which is one of the most prominent features of this type of camera. With a DSLR you will also be able to take the lens off easily and replace it with a lens of a different focal length giving you more options for wide angles, telephoto distances, macro photos, etc. The lens on DSLR's also allow you to place filters over the front of the lens. Filters change the light and create various effects on your photo. Most of the DSLR's, if not all, require an external flash to be attached to the camera for all flash photography. DSLR's are for the really serious interest in photography and while these are exceptional cameras, they are not for everyone. The third category of camera I have been calling a DSLR hybrid. These cameras look like small DSLR cameras. What you see through the eye piece and on the display screen is exactly what is coming through the camera's lens. Some of these add the abilitity to attach an external flash but also come with their own built in flash. Most models also allow you to add lens attachments - similar to the DSLR - including filters and various attachments that change the lens focal distance - again wide angle, macro, and telephoto. The main lens is not removed, but these attachments are screwed on to the lens on the camera. These hybrids also allow you to change the various auto settings on the camera very much as you can on a DSLR. You also have the ability to manual focus - though instead of moving the lens, you will do this electronically with a variable motion button.

Let's talk about cost. Frankly, they are all over the place. Point and Shoot camera's start at less than $50 and can go up to $300. DSLR cameras will start at about $450 and go into the thousands. Many DSLR cameras are sold without a lens - you buy the lens of your choice (generally always made by the same company that makes the camera). Many are packaged with one or two lens - of course, at a higher price. It does pay to look for those packages if you want a DSLR camera. The, so-called, Hybrids sell between $300 and $400 but are often discounted less.

When shopping for any camera you ABSOLUTELY want to look at, touch, and play with the camera. Do not buy a camera from a website - unless you have already gone to a brick and mortar store and played with it. When you go to a store, you can pick up the camera and feel it in your hands. Often the stores will have them plugged in so that you can try them turned on - try the focus, try the zoom, try the macro mode, see the settings, look at the menus, etc. You can't do this on a website and no matter what you read and learn about a camera you want it in your hands before your buy it.

I will continue this article in Part 2 talking about various brands, etc. Before that, I recommend that you read this article (if you have not already done so) to learn what you want in your camera if you are taking shop photos.