Digital camera owes its existence to NASA where digital imaging was developed to help astronauts to navigate their spaceship. During that time, the camera certainly looks different what you have today. It was using a mosaic photosensor to produce digital photograph.

This photosensor was later developed into a charge coupled device (CCD) which most compact digital cameras are having now. The CCD will record the picture when light struck on it. Then the recorded images will be converted into digital data to be display on the LCD screen and later stored in memory.

As the technology improves, these cameras were developed into a few categories and among the few famous one are the compact digital camera, bridge camera and DSLR (digital single reflex lens) camera.

Compact digital camera is the point and shoot camera that occupied the consumer market. It is smaller in size, affordable and suitable for occasional photographer. Bridge camera is the camera that shares the feature of point and shoots camera and DSLR camera. It has similar manual control as DSLR and cheaper than DSLR. DSLR camera is considered as the professional camera and you can change lenses depending on the purpose of your photography.

Now, you can only enjoy digital photography when you have the right camera. When you are starting on photography, you should start with compact or bridge camera. Not just that DSLR is more expensive, it is also more complicated. You will have problem enjoying the hobby when you have problem appreciating your tool.

With all these technology backing you up, you are now more likely to be able to take great photos. So, what you need to do now is to choose the right camera. Always look at what you need. When you have problem choosing the camera, get the retailers or professionals to help you. They will are experience enough to fit the best camera to your needs.

Then you need to practice digital photography with your camera. Always keep your camera close to you. You never know when the best subject will comes out. When you are taking your pictures, remember to take more shots and different angle of your subject. With digital photography, all your pictures will be converted to digital storage and you need not to worry about spending money for films.

After that you need to compare the photos you have taken. This is the trial and error stage where you find out the best way to photograph your subject. Which of them looks better? Ask yourself why you this picture is better than the other? Think about what will happen when you change the white balance to photograph the same subject. Sometimes, challenging yourself is how you improve your digital photography skills.

During the comparison of your photos, you also need to recall what you did to the photos. This is because when you move forward with digital photography, you are supposed to consistently pump out great photos. You are supposed to know how to position yourself to take great photos of your subject. You are supposed to know how to use your flash under different circumstances instead of trial and error with your pictures.

The last tip to taking great pictures is that you must constantly update yourself. Go online, read magazines and visit exhibitions to find out how other photographers are taking their photos. It is even better that you can talk to other photographers and have them comment on your work.

1.Introduction of First Digital Camera – Mavica

Since the above invention world had to wait around five years to see breakthrough in digital photography. In year 1981, world renown Sony Corporation introduced the first prototype digital camera which was called Mavica (Magnetic Video Camera). This new camera called Mavica was an electronically operated still camera with two CCD chips, It recorded images using magnetic impulses on to a compact two-inch diameter still-video floppy disk. However the first digital cameras for mass market were available in mid nineties.

It could be hooked to a computer through a serial port cable. For example, the cameras which came out with such facilities were Apple Quick Take 100 camera (February 17, 1994) worked with a home computer via a serial cable. The other similar digital models were introduced to the market by Kodak (DC40 camera in March 28, 1995), Casio ( Casio QV-11with LCD monitor in late 1995), and Sony ( Cyber-Shot Digicam in 1996).

2. Digital Image Software and Printers

Although there were several manufacturers came out with different types of digital cameras, none was so popular as Kodaks DC40 digital camera which produced for mass markets. Later Microsoft and Kinkos both collaborated with Kodak to introduce the digital image-producing software workstations and corner shops. The consumers were able to use these software and corner outlets to develop photo CDs and photographs as well as adding digital images to the documents. Similarly, IBM worked with Kodak introducing the internet-based network image exchange. At the same time, Hewlett-Packard was the pioneering company to make the first color inkjet printers that helped consumers to print good quality images which was an impetus to the popularizing the digital photography.

3.True Digital Camera

In 1988, Fuji developed the true digital camera, DS-1P which could record images in the form of computerized file. Other unique feature of this camera was its internal memory chip with a capacity of 16 MB while using a battering to store. However, it was noted that this Fuji camera never marketed in the United States or not even in Japan. As such, we can reasonably assume that the first commercially produced digital camera was Logitech Fotoman (in 1990) which was also called as Dycam Model-1. This camera used a CCD sensor which stored images digitally and later cold be transferred to Personal Computer (PC).

The background or evolvement of digital photography stress that that the future is the digital photography. This is already proven as the recent market surveys indicate that in year 2006, approximately 35 billion images were printed or stored in Western Europe.

Following is a list of differences that are important to understand. The differences are listed in no particular order.

The sensor: The most obvious difference between film and digital is the sensor used to take the photo. With film cameras a film sensitive to light is placed behind the lens. When a photo is taken the shutter opens for a predetermined period of time and light hits the film. The result is a photo “printed” on the film. To take a new photo the film has to be rolled and a fresh “clean” film is place behind the lens. With digital cameras a fixed electronic sensor (sometimes known as CCD) is situated behind the lens. The sensor is built from tiny light sensitive sensors each representing a pixel. When the shutter opens light hits the sensor and each pixel gets its “value”. Put together all the pixels comprise one photo. To take a new photo the photo is saved on a digital media and the CCD is electronically emptied.

What does a different sensor mean? The main difference is in the Depth of Field. Since digital sensors are smaller in size than a 35mm film the depth of field will be much higher and in fact in most compact digital cameras almost infinite. The result is that blur backgrounds can not be created.

The cost of a photo: Photos taken with a digital camera literally cost nothing. The photos are kept in erasable memory and thus can always be discarded at no cost. Also the photos you would like to keep can be copied to digital media such as a computer’s hard disk. With storage prices going down the cost of saving a photo on disk is practically zero. Film does cost money. With a film camera you have to pay for the roll of film, for developing the negative and for printing the photo. Every time you press the shutter button you spend money.

The capacity: With ever growing storage capacities digital cameras today can hold hundreds and sometimes thousands of photos on a single media. You can always have a few more in your pocket and changing is very fast. The result is that a digital camera has practically infinite capacity. You can shoot as many photos as you want and at the end of the day just dump them on your computer’s disk. Film cameras’ capacity is very limited. A roll of 36 photos can only hold 36 photos. After a roll is used changing to a new roll can take time and is not easy to do in scenarios such as darkness or a harsh environment. For that reason many professional journalists carry a few cameras on them and instead of changing rolls they turn and use another camera just so that they do not miss a shooting opportunity.

The feedback: One of the most important features of the digital camera is instant feedback. Almost all digital cameras include a small LCD screen. Once a photo is shot you can go back and watch it on that screen. The ability to see how the photo looks like results in better photos. If the photo is not good you can take another one. Being able to see the photos on the spot results in an educated decision how to fix a photo or how to better compose it. It takes a lot of the guessing away from photography. With film cameras there is no way to know how the photo on the film will look like when printed.

New shooting angles: Just a few days ago I took a great photo with my digital camera that I would have never taken with my film one. I shot a cat that was resting on little rock. I held the camera in my hand and positioned it down where it almost touched the ground and I started shooting. I probably took 50 or more photos. I immediately looked at the camera’s LCD to review my photos and make sure they were focused and had the cat in them. The result was one great photo looking at the cat from the ground. I can not imagine myself just lying down on the dirty ground with a film camera looking through the viewfinder and perfecting that one shot.

With digital cameras you can actually take photos without having your eye glued to the viewfinder. Overhead shots where you raise the camera over your head are much easier to do since you can still see what the camera is shooting by just looking up at its LCD screen.

Correcting photos: With digital cameras photos can be corrected using photo editing software. Some correction abilities are built-in to the cameras but many more are available as software packages for your PC. With film cameras what you get is what you get. After the film is developed it is very hard to make any corrections. Usually if corrections are absolutely needed the negative or the printed photo will be scanned (i.e. converted to digital) corrected and then printed again (in a long and costly process).

Changing conditions: Every roll of film is designed for best results in a specific environment. For example there are indoor and outdoor films or films with different light sensitivity. If conditions change rapidly a film camera user will have to either shoot with the wrong film, change the roll (and usually lose photos that were not used in the current roll) or use another camera with a different film in it. The results of shooting with the wrong film can be distorted colors (reddish photos for example), a grainy photo and more.

With digital cameras the characteristics of the sensor can be changed instantly for each photo taken. With a click of a button the camera can be put in an indoor or outdoor mode, low light, night photography etc. Some cameras will automatically sense the scenario and set the sensor mode accordingly.

The myth of quality: While it is true that film photography has its advantages the claim for superior quality is no longer true. As digital camera evolved the quality of high end digital SLR cameras is superb and in many ways even better than film. When considering quality you should also consider the quality in terms of composition and the scenario caught in the photo. With digital cameras’ high capacity, zero photo cost and instant adaptability to changing conditions photographers can produce better compositions and experiment more to get the best photo possible.

Longevity: We have also paged through old photo albums of our grandparents. The photo looked a a bit yellow, scratched and just plain “old”. Storage of printed film photos or even negatives results in quality deterioration. Digital photos on the other hand never lose their quality. A digital photo will be identical today and 500 years from now. As long as we remember to refresh the digital media every now and then and to back it up our photos can literally list forever and not lose their quality.

This digital photography software can sometimes be found with the digital camera that you buy. In the digital photography software there are various items to be found. These different programs will allow you to manipulate the pictures that you have taken when they are finally on your computer.

There are different types of digital photography software that can be found and used. You will need to make sure that all of the features in the software work properly before you download any of your stored images. The software can be ZoomBrowser EX 5.1, ArcSoft PhotoStudio, PhotoStitch and ImageBrowser 5.1 among the many varieties.

There are different types of digital camera software that you can use for Windows computers and ones for Mac computers. A few of these differences are found in the browser programs. The ImageBrowser 5.1 is to be used with Mac computers and it allows you to view, archive and manage your digital photographs. This is true for the Windows version, the ZoomBrowser 5.1.

To make these many different types of digital photography software work you will need access to device drivers. These drivers that you must have in your computer’s hardware should be TWAIN for Windows 98/2000. For Windows ME you should have WIA installed.

Besides these digital photography software you also need to have a Picture Transfer Protocol or a PTP on your computer. This Picture Transfer Protocol provides the support that you need for your digital camera to connect to any Windows XP (SP1 – 2) or Mac OS X (v10.1.5 – 10.3). With this transfer protocol you don’t need to look for the various requirements that are needed for device driver installation.

By looking at these various digital photography software you can gain an idea of the types of software that you will need to buy. The different kinds of software that is available today should not be that expensive.

You will however need to see if these various programs are compatible with your computer and your digital camera. The various features that are found with digital photography software, allows the camera enthusiast to create the masterpieces that they want.

There’s really only a very small amount of these digital photography accessories that can be truly thought of as essential to the serious photographer. Everything else is just for the fun of it really. Since digital photography accessories can be anything that you need, want, or see from one given moment to the next, I thought it best if I separated them out for you. You know, just to make your life somewhat easier.

In actual fact I did this for myself a few years ago when I was still on film cameras because I found that no matter how hard I tried, I always wound up buying something that was useful, but which wasn’t useful to me. Like the fisheye lens that I bought a few years ago, just before I got into my digital stride. It’s a digital photography accessories that is useful yes, just not for me.

Needless to say, I still have it. I’ve used it only once, but since the thought that I might actually get around to using it crosses my mind every time I try to part with it, I’m still the proud owner of a completely useless fisheye lens. If you’ve been a photographer of any sort for any length of time, then there’s a better than even chance that you’ve also indulged at some point in time and have bought digital photography accessories that’s absolutely useful – just not useful for you.

So to that end, I started out writing a list of the digital photography accessories that I absolutely must have in order to get any sort of photography done, but instead came up with a list of all the things that I needed, wanted and saw just that morning in my favorite photography magazine. Obviously that wasn’t going to get me anywhere fast, and I have to say that I ditched the list at that time.

Luckily for all you readers out there going through this with breathless anticipation, I found it just the other day that there are digital photography accessories that you should-have, or that you might want to look at getting at a later point in time. And the digital photography accessories that you want and that you will get at some point in time.

Digital cameras can help films, it seems to me, I autofocus of the mountains, a beautiful flower or small. When I first bought my camera, the seller was very convincing. And I quote, all you have to do is point and click. I was instantly sold for that perfect camera.

In the days and weeks go by, I began to be familiar with the digital camera, digital photographs and suddenly became a passion for me. I would like to take more than just ordinary pictures! I dug through my old wardrobe and found the leadership of this digital camera, and he started reading. I learned about quality, that the 300 dots per inch will provide better quality than 72 dots per inch. If only I learned so much earlier! I learned about shutter speed and exposure, white balance and, as remove red eye effects … digital photography becomes very interesting!

Do you have a problem shooting through the window? Every time I take a picture in the window, it is always reflected in the picture. Sometimes thinking so small, so I can only after I moved it to your computer. If I knew, stand closer to the window, I would have reduced the thought that reflects on the shiny surface of the glass.

Have you tried to take pictures in the dark? if you try to use flash with the camera, the picture could be too bright. Especially if you use it in the jungle, you will scare away most of the animals. There is a way to use the camera to take pictures without flashes in the dark. That is to increase your light. You can manage your shutter speed by lowering it. To reduce the shutter speed, so you go more light cameras and brighten up the dark picture.

In addition to the light current light reflected from the image then is absorbed slide. The longer shutter to close his lead, a high exposure, and the brighter the image. You wonder how cats can see well at night? Their eyes less sensitive to light a candle in the darkness can lid in general place for them. It takes some practice, and I read you excerpts. Experiment and testing, it is important to know that this is the right speed.

Because the digital camera is becoming cheaper and cheaper these days, digital photography now has many amateur digital photographers. The younger generation will be able to stay on the program in many of the leading digital photo images of the past is a growing hobby.

Still, you need to learn about digital photography before you start using your camera.

1. Understand the features

Do you know how wide your camera lens is? Do you know the smaller the lens size (mm) the more you can fit into your picture? How much is the optical zoom of your camera? Do you know optical zoom is more important than digital zoom when you are taking a picture?

Besides, cameras nowadays don’t just take photos. Cameras like compact digital cameras are capable of taking video too. Can you benefit from this feature?

Digital camera is just a tool to the vast world of photography. If you really want to learn digital photography, you need to realize the potential of your camera.

2. Read the manual

Unless you are really into photography, a lot of consumers didn’t read the manual. If you are one of them, probably you have even misplaced the manual now.

But the fact is, your untouched manual is a very good guide for your digital photography hobby. It often surprises the consumers because their camera can do a lot more than they think.

3. Learn the basics

The basic of using a digital camera is to look at the subject from the LCD screen or eyepiece, focus on the subject manually or automatically, snap the picture and view it on TV or PC.

You will only know how to make your pictures unique after you master the basics.

4. Experiment

One of the best ways to understand the potential of your digital camera is to experiment with it.

Capture the subject with different mode and compare which of them is better. Sometimes capturing a picture under dim light with flash off is better than setting the flash on.

So, let’s start.

The first thing to learning digital photography is to have the right camera. When you are starting on photography, you will be wasting your money when you dive straight into the professional DSLR camera. It is true that DSLR cam capture better picture but as a novice photographer, you might have problem appreciating its potential.

When you are unsure of your skill level, you should stick to a compact digital camera and practice your skills before you get something more complicated.

Then, let’s talk about the basic format of digital photography.

You need to understand that the digital images you captured is actually made up of million of pixels. Most people thought that the more pixel you have the better picture quality will be. That is not entirely true. You will enjoy better picture quality with high pixel when you have a larger image sensor.

This is because the more pixels you have in a small image sensor, the more they are compressed together. When you take a picture at high ISO, the pixels are going to introduce digital noise to the near by pixel. However, when you have a larger image sensor, these pixels will be more loosely pack. Hence the intensity of noise in your picture at high ISO will be less.

Still, it is not the end of the world when you have noise in your picture. Another beauty of digital photography is that you can always edit your picture with software. Although it does involve work but when you think about saving the once in a life time picture, all the extra work is worth it.

You might think that software is only for professionals. But as the technology improves, software developers have made the software so user friendly that you can learn it over a short tutorial.

Experts in digital photography have come to realize that the digital camera is only one of the things you need to have great pictures. There are also other factors to consider so that you will not be disappointed by the result. One of them is the digital photography lighting.

Have you ever seen digital photos that seem to blur and indistinguishable? There are a lot of cases like this. Even if you try and edit them using Photoshop or any other software, you cannot seem to get the desired lighting you want.

This is because you have not considered having the proper lighting when the photo was taken. You were thinking that the camera and its features will be able to do that for you. Yes it can. But they may not reach your expectations.

The secret to getting that perfect picture is to do it right the first time. By doing it right, it simply means that you need to think about how well or bad the lighting is in the process of taking the photo.

Below are some of the natural sources of digital photography lighting that will make your photos look terrific.

1. After sunrise and before sunset

It is during these times that photography is at its peak. Meaning, photos turn out great when they are shoot after sunrise and before sunset.

Why is this so?

This is because the orange color that appears in the sky during these times adds to the colors that your digital camera is capable. Most of the time, some photos appear dull and unrealistic when they are printed because of the representation of the colors when it is printed.

The color of the environment can add a sort of brightness to your photos. In addition, it will make it easy for you to edit them on your computer once you feel that you want to put in some combination in the natural setting of the picture.

2. Sunlight

Sunlight is one form of lighting that is very effective once you know how to modify your shots. Keep in mind that you are not capable of altering the brightness of the sun or the shadows that it can create on your photos.

It is up for you to choose the best position wherein you can make the most of the light that is emitted by the sun. Work them to your advantage. Try on different angles and see if they look perfect once frozen.

You can also make the most of the drop shadows that is created by the sunlight. Just make sure that they will not blur your photo. Fro minor adjustments, you can just edit the photos straight from your computer.

Shooting digital photos is not only about having the most advanced digital camera. It is also about looking for strategies and techniques that will benefit your shots. Try to shoot your photos with the perfect lighting and you will see that you do not need to edit or add some more colors in them.