Picture This!

"I don't know if it's a boy or a girl but it's a photographer," said the doctor to my mom as he was delivering me. Alright, alright maybe he actually said 'redhead' and not 'photographer' but my line is funnier.

At age 6, my parents gave me a Yogi Bear 35mm camera and the love of picture taking was instant. I began posing family, friends and neighbors right away. There's some proof around the house that I got my hands on a Polaroid as well. While growing up I studied album covers taking careful notice of how people were arranged, light and shadows. The funny thing is that I wasn't even all that aware that what I was doing was shall we say, odd, for a kid and later a teenager. I'll speed this up a bit, at 20 I was a full-time staff photographer for several local papers and a graduate of New England School of Photography.

Disney as a company was a part of my life like most kids. My parents took my brother and I to Walt Disney World and Disneyland a couple of times. We went to movies, watched TV shows, and listened to soundtracks. In my late teens and early 20's I started tagging along with my dad on business trips to Orlando and taking vacations with friends.

The real Disney fanatic in me sprung to life in 1998 when I spent the Summer in southern California. If my memory serves me right, I only went to the park once or twice back then and the fact that Disneyland was a mere 15 minutes away was torture. From my friend's driveway I use to watch the fireworks. Just 6 months later I moved to CA. With a So Cal Resident Annual Pass in hand and friends to play with, I hit the parks weekly if not more. It was our hangout where we felt safe and could be our true dorky selves. Sometimes we did nothing more than have dinner and walk around. My favorite thing to do was to sit in Town Square and watch the characters interact with guests.

As for Walt Disney World, I started buying annual passes in 2004. With an abundance of information online here on AllEars.Net, and other sites I absorbed the material like a sponge and joined a few communities. It's amazing how the Internet can bring people with a common interest together from various states, let alone countries.

Inbetwixt all of my photography gigs I've accumulated more than 5 years experience in retail camera sales. Deb asked me to assist those of you who have and those who are looking to purchase point and shoot cameras, including high-end models. I'll guide you through the lingo, what to look for and how to get better results from what you have. Deb, thanks for inviting me to be a part of Picture This!. Feel free to ask me any questions except when the 3 o'clock parade is.

There are a variety of things to consider when shopping for a digital point and shoot camera. In my experience I have found that people make the choices that are best for them and that's the right thing to do. If you do your research, without making yourself crazy, and ask a few friends what they like/dislike about their cameras you will be a better educated consumer. Let's get you started on the road of knowledge.

Batteries: Positive and Negative (get it? a ha ha hmm)

A digital point and shoot will either run on AA batteries or a lithium-ion battery. Some cameras will allow you to substitute a CRV3 lithium or lithium-ion for 2 AA batteries. AA's are what we're most familiar with. We use them in toys, walkmans, discmans, and those water bottle/fans that Disney sells. Well, I'm assuming they take AA maybe they use AAA batteries. I'm too cheap to buy one. Moving on, lithium-ions are what is in your cell phone. It's that square or rectangular flat battery that keeps your phone powered so you can talk till the cows come home from a rollicking game of bingo.

I've compiled a list of pluses and minuses to both types of power. Oh, and before you make your decision based on these lists, next time I'll go over the 5, count 'em, 5 common types of AAs.

AA

Pluses:
** Easy to find in gift shops, drug stores, and even gas stations should you forget to pack them or they wear out
** Most cameras take 2 and most chargers will power 4 at a time. This gives you a spare set ready for action
** Rechargeables will allow an average of 250-300 shots per charge

Minuses:
** Alkalines can last as little as 20 minutes
** Spend more money on alkaline and lithium

Plus and Minus: Chargers can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 8 hours, depending on the charger and strength of batteries.

Lithium-ion

Pluses
** Available in camera stores and electronic stores
** Average battery will take 400 shots per charge
** Chargers are compact

Minuses

** Average manufacturer's price is $30-60 for a spare. Off-brand lists for about $20-40
** Like your cell phone battery, some last longer than others

Lithium-ions (left and center) come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They are also designed to work with specific cameras. AA's are always the same size but are either alkaline, lithium, oxyhydroxide, NiCad or NiMH.

I previously went over the differences between AA batteries and lithium-ion batteries. This time around I'll touch upon the 5 common types of AA's; American Airlines, Aristocratic Aardvarks, Alan Alda... Making sure that you're paying attention.

Disposable

Alkaline - Bar none these are the ones we've all used. They're easy to find in your local supermarket and wholesale warehouses among many other locals. While they may be the most common they don't last very long. Alkaline batteries actually lose power sitting around waiting for you to buy them and while sitting idle in electronic devices. My recommendation is to only use them in a pinch. A 4-pack averages $5.00.

Oxy nickel hydroxide - What? I know, I know...most people haven't heard of this species. It's a new cross-breed of throw away batteries. They're not as easy to find as they should be. In comparison to alkalines, oxy nickel hyroxide batteries last twice as long. A 4-pack goes for around $6.00 and are avaliable in electronics stores as well as discount department store chains.

http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/oxyride_ms/flash.asp

http://www.duracell.com/gna/powerpix/faq.htm

Lithium - Energizer is producing these and advertising them everywhere. These powerful little guys last 5-7 times as long as alkalines. In fact they can outlast rechargeables however once they're kaput, they're kaput. Look for them in camera shops, hardware stores, and online. A 4-pack costs $15.00.

Rechargeable

Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) - An alternative to the previously listed batteries are rechargeables. Since they can be used over and over again, you'll save money in the longrun. NiCd's are a great option in this regard. There are a variety of companies making them. Ideally they are for those who use their cameras often because these batteries can develop problems if they are not properly discharged before recharging. A 4-pack of AA's with a charger sells at $20 -30.00.

Nickel-metal hyrdride (NiMH) - As more and more consumers are purchasing their 2nd, 3rd or even 4th digital camera they've learned that NiMH batteries are the way to go. Unlike NiCd's, they can withstand random charging . Available for purchase nearly everywhere you find alkalines, a set of 4 can be bought for $10.00 or with a charger for $15-40.00. Also, there's another breed elbowing it's way into town. These are ready-to-use AA's made by Sanyo and Rayovac among others. Typically they cost $12 for a 4-pack.

Important things to remember:

Never mix battery types in a camera.
Store batteries in a cool dry place. They are perishable; extreme heat or cold can ruin them.
Don't attempt to charge alkaline, lithium or oxy nickel hyroxide batteries.
New NiCd's and NiMH's need to be charged overnight before their first use.
Don't leave your charger plugged in for an excessive amount of time.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

You know all those sweet endearing songs about wanting to get close to someone? They're really just metaphors about using the macro setting. No, really, I mean it. What else could they possibly be talking about? Let us explore this feature and all get a little bit closer. C'mon!

We'll begin with the icon for the macro setting on your camera. The universal sign for macro is a flower. Most cameras have this identifiable symbol on the 4-way controller on the back of the camera. As camera designs change however, readily available controls are moved to fit below increasingly larger LCD's (screen on back) or disappear entirely and are only obtainable via the camera's main menu.

"So come on baby come on over. Let me be the one to show you." When you press the macro icon, you turn on the function that will allow you to take close-up shots of things that are small, such as flowers and coins.

Then there's the ability to get detail on something larger. For instance, normally you'd take a headshot of your child but with the macro function you can photograph his/her cute little freckled nose. Scrapbookers can go wild and take photos of each part of the face and put them together as a collage. Oh, and one small request, no one tell my mom about the option to photograph freckled noses. That'll be our little secret, OK?


I used the Digital Macro mode (manual setting) on a Canon Powershot SD500 to get the entire pin as well as the dangling piece by itself.

Then I used the auto mode and turned on the macro setting and got this. Although it's a clear photo, I couldn't get as close as I could with the Digital Macro setting.

Just to show you why macro is important, without it the pin looks like this. Blech! Who wants to buy a blob?

So my friends, go out and capture the details in everyday life and as you do you'll say to yourself, "Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be close to you."

I'm sure that many of you if not all of you have taken photos of your family, friends and/or vampires at night. The lights are low, Cinderella's Castle is basking in the glow of magenta and blue gels. You want to capture the end of a glorious day at the Magic Kingdom. As an excited mom or dad, you tell your offspring to stand there and smile.

Mom: The castle is beautiful. Let me take your picture in front of it.
Teenager: (head tilts back, foot stomps cement) Mommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Mom: Oh come on, do it for me. It'll be quick.
Teenage: You like already took like a GAZILLION photos.
Mom: I'm glad you're keeping track. Count this as a gazillion and one. Now go stand over there and for crying out loud, try to look happy.
Teenager: Ugh! (stands, gives big cheesy grin). Can we go nooowwwww?

In order to recreate this photographically, I had to improvise. I'm not at Walt Disney World right now so my neighborhood will act as Main Street less the delicious scent of baked goods, throbs of people heading to the monorail, shops, Cast Members and a stunning castle. Please use your imagination. Also, I don't have children of my own so I borrowed my neighbor, Ciara. I loaded her down with props and put her to work. She received no payment for modeling however I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to sneak in with my luggage when I leave for Disneyland in October. (waving) Hi Ciara!

The pictures below were all shot with a Nikon Coolpix 5600. I also used a tripod to show you that they are imperative for night photography. This camera only has Auto ISO and will make it's selection based upon available light. I stood roughly 8 feet away from her.

Shot using the Night Portrait setting.
The camera slows down the shutter and uses the flash with red eye reduction. You can see a yellow tint caused by the street lamp next to Ciara and she's slightly out of focus. Since the shutter stays open longer in order to allow available light to hit the sensor there's a chance that the photo will be slightly blurred.

Shot using the Night Landscape (looks like a building with a moon) setting under the Scene Menu. Again, the camera slows down the shutter but does not use a flash. This mode is designed to shoot scenes not people. You can see that she is extremely yellow and blurry.

Shot using Auto Mode (icon is a camera) with the flash on with red eye reduction. Ciara is now sharp and has the proper skin tone. The street behind her is dark.

When you're photographing your loved ones at 11:32 PM and you don't have a tripod with you or a flat surface to place the camera on, use the auto setting with flash. Maybe the castle won't be as bright as you'd like it to be but your kid won't be able to try and tell your parents that you were drinking yourself silly based on blurry photos.

This blog entry is designed to help those whose cameras don't allow for manual control over shutter speed, aperature and/or ISO. It's also for anyone who isn't sure how to use such settings. I will go over advanced night time shooting later. Until then, remember that vampires don't like it when you use a flash.

One of the great things about strolling down Disneyland's Main Street is that all of our senses get to enjoy it. The mouth-watering scent of peanut brittle coming from the candy shop. The sound of hooves clunking along the concrete as a horse pulls a carriage. The taste of Fantasia ice cream (R.I.P.) made of pistachio, cherry, and banana.

Walking past shops you touch the smooth buildings and once inside the Emporium feel the soft squishy stuffed Disney characters. Last but not least, we see what is going on around us. Balloons are dancing with each other, children with eyes wide open and mouths forming nothing more than a slow motion "Wow."

With all of these going on at once you can easily miss out on the simplest of things. I had a portraiture teacher who repeatedly told us to keep it simple. You don't need a lot going on to make a great shot. You can also change the mood of an image simply enough by seeing it in black and white. There's something about it that strips the picture down to it's core. Details become more noticeable. Give it a try the next time you're making your way to Tomorrowland or Adventureland. It just takes a moment to stop and see things in a whole new light.

There is an abundance of cameras on the market these days for the consumer to choose from. The important question is, which one is right for you? Do you only take photos at birthday parties and family gatherings? Are you at every soccer game cheering on your daughter? Have you found yourself hoping for more control over your images? These and many other questions will help to determine what type of camera you are looking for.

In this chapter, I will go over the basic differences between compact point and shoot cameras and those designated as high end. Afterwards, we'll take a 10 minute break and resume with a whole hearted discussion on why Donald Duck only wears a shirt but after a shower, has a towel around his waist.

Compact cameras come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They have 1 of 2 types of lenses: normal or internal zoom. Since most cameras are small they can be carried around easily. Just like many people wear their cell phone case on their belt, a small camera case can also be worn in the same manner. Compact cameras vary in additional features however they all (less some kids cameras):

Have a timer
Record video clips
Have red eye reduction
Have an LCD
Offer scene modes: Auto, Portrait, Night, Action, Landscape
Have a built-in flash
Have an optical zoom of 3x or 4x and a digital zoom

Additional features may include:

Scene modes: Fireworks, Dusk/Dawn, Beach/Snow, Museum, Copy, Pets, Macro, Copy, Food
Sound with video
Voice recording
Adjustable ISO settings
Aperature Priority
Manual Mode
Shoot in enhanced color, B&W and/or Sepia

Pictured above are two examples of compact cameras. On the left is the Nikon Coolpix S50. That square on the top right of the Nikon is an internal zoom lens. To the right is the Fujifilm FinePix V10. Does anyone else hear "It's Hip to be Square" playing in their head right now?

High end point and shoot cameras are right smack dab inbetween compact cameras and SLRs. They offer more creative control than compact cameras and better lenses yet don't measure up to the quality of an SLR. You also can't change lenses. These cameras are also inbetween when it comes to size. They won't fit in your handbag (well, most anyway) but you could put the case in a duffle bag.

What you'll find on high end point and shoots:

Timer
Video recording with sound
Rey eye reduction
LCDs and viewfinders
Scene modes
Built-in flash
Optical zoom of 10x, 12x, or 18x digital zoom
Higher quality lenses
Adjustable ISO settings
Manual Mode, Aperature Priority, Shutter Priority
Image Stabilization

Additional features may include:

Hot shoe for external flash
Macro and Telephoto lens attachments
Custom Functions
Greater range of ISO settings
Advanced metering

Pictured above we have the Sony Cybershot H5 and the Olympus SP-550UZ.

Sit back, relax, and pay close attention as this a true story.

It was a damp and dark night with the fog rolling in from the Atlantic coastline. In the distance, a shrieking owl and the rattling of chains echo in moonlight. Then all of a sudden,

Wait, wait, wait, that's the wrong story. Sorry folks. I left the computer for a few minutes and my cat got ahold of the keyboard.

A woman came into my work today with her Kodak Easyshare C653 wanting to print out her photos. We inserted the SD card into the computer and it said she had 20 photos on her card. She shook her head and told me she had LOTS of photos and she'd taken them recently. Alright, they are probably stored in the camera's internal memory. I put the SD card back into her camera and copied them from the camera to the memory card.

By doing a quick calculation in my head, I guessed the monitor would now show a total of 30 photos, give or take. I reloaded her card into the monitor and it showed a new total of 72 photos! If I was a cartoon character, my eyes would have bugged out, my jaw would have hit the floor and I would have left a mark on my forehead for smacking it too hard. Why, you ask. Because you see my friends, in order to get that many photos into 32 MB of internal memory, you have to reduce the megapixels to next to nothing.

What does this mean? It means that the photos she took of her grandkids weren't going to make good prints because they were shot a 1 MP. That's right, just 1 million megapixels.

What happened when she tried to print her photos? The computer gave her a warning that said her file size was too small to get a decent 4x6 print. In bolder terms, the kids are going to look like they're made out of Legos or if they're toddlers, Duplos.

How does this happen? It's quite simple. Someone lowered the quality level on her camera. Many pepople do this so they can get more photos on the memory card, understandably. However, they're usually not aware of the impending results. I see this happen all too often. Dads who kick themselves and friends who are saddened all by the fact that their great shot won't make a great gift.

How can I get more photos on my memory card? The larger the card, the more photos it will store. The more megapixels in your camera, the larger the file sizes. Today's cameras average 8 MP and either come with a 32MB or 64MB (megabyte) card or internal memory of the same size. That's around 8 photos at the highest resolution. Be good to yourself and get a memory card that is no less than 512MB. That will hold around 160 photos on a 7 or 8 MP camera. To double that amount, you'll want a 1GB (gigabyte) card. We'll go over memory cards in more detail in a future edition of Light Meter.

The best advice I can give you is to always shoot at the highest resolution your camera has. If you have a 6 MP camera, set it to 6 MP. It may also offer a quality level showing a number of stars. Choose the most stars. This way, you'll never have to worry about changing the settings and if you can make that enormous poster of your hubby dressed as the Tooth Fairy for his surprise 40th birthday party.

What? I don't know. I was trying to think of a title for this installment of my blog and honestly, I had a brain cramp. Forgive me.

There's one question I hear more often than anything else. How many photos can I fit onto the memory card? For your enjoyment, I have designed a pretty chart that will answer that very question, approximately. Yes, approximately because the precise number of photos per memory card will vary depending upon the camera itself and the image being shot. The chart is based upon shooting at the camera's High Resolution for JPEGs.

Click on the chart to see it larger.

MB = Megabyte, GB = Gigabyte

As they say, variety is the spice of life. It's easy to "spice up" your photographs by simply taking a few minutes to walk around and shoot from different positions. You may find yourself standing on benches, crouching down or leaning over things. Sure you'll garner strange looks from people but you'll have the cooler photos.

I started shooting near the Rock 'N Rollercoaster restrooms.

Then I moved closer and stood near the wall and shrubbery between the entrances to Tower of Terror and Rock 'N Rollercoaster.

I moved once more over by the CM exit/entrance by Rock 'N Rollercoaster, walking forward and backwards a bunch while swatting bugs.

Here you are on vacation with your family and you are having the most excellent time EVER! You've dined on yummy desserts, ridden it's a small world 4 times in a row, and shopped till you dropped. Sure you've taken a few photos of your cousin Matthew around the World but where are the ones of you?

It's Tuesday and you've got the day off but all of your pals are busy working. How much more laundry can you possibly do? Time to hit Disneyland and enjoy a pleasant afternoon. You've got your handy dandy $12 purple 35mm camera with you. It's time to play.

Suffice it to say I've been to Disneyland and Walt Disney World a combined amount of...way too many times to count. With solo trips to both parks I've learned to make sure my good times are recorded as well as those of my friends.

There are a few ways that you too can get in the picture.

1. Ask a nearby guest to take the picture of you. I'd be on the lookout for someone who has an SLR with them. Why? It's more likely that this person will take a little more time to get a nice keepsake for you.

2. There are Cast Members all around and they're more than happy to help you out. Don't be shy just ask nicely if they'd please take a photo of you.

3. Put your camera on a flat surface, set the timer, and run! All point and shoot cameras (except disposables and my $12 purple one) have a timer. The average time you have is 10 seconds before it takes the picture. Consult your manual for instructions. It's a great and simple feature to use.

4. Self-portrait. It can be done and can be done even better if you have long arms. For best results hold the camera above your eye level and tilt it down a little bit.

How good will your photos turn out...well that's up to the photographer and your imagination.

Here I am at Pop Century dancing with my shadow on the wall.

This is me at Super Soap Weekend at Disney's California Adventure, poised and ready to meet my adoring fans.

Sometimes I bring props.

On October 21st I will be at The Disneyland Resort walking for Children's Hospital of Orange County. If you'd like to learn more and/or sponsor me, please click here. Thank you.

It was not that long ago that digital camera manufacturers advertised their products as having a 9x combined zoom. This led most consumers to believe that cameras had a 9x zoom, period. The box would likely say 3x optical/6x digital/9x combined. This can be rather confusing. People did not know there was such a thing as an optical zoom and a digital zoom.

Nowadays you're less likely to hear digital cameras touted for their combined zooms as it's become apparent that digital zooms are rarely used and for good reason as you'll see.

Below are 3 photos of Katy* all taken with a Fujifilm A900. The image stabilization was on as was the flash. This camera has 9 million megapixels, a 4x optical zoom and an approximate 7.6x digital zoom.

This first picture was taken without any zoom at all. This is a nice and clear photo.

Next, I used the optical zoom here getting as close as possible. The photo is still sharp and can be printed as a clear 8x10, at least.

Finally, I zoomed in digitally. Even in this small example you can see the pixels.

I strongly suggest clicking on the photos to see them larger. You'll instantly see the difference between the results of an optical zoom and a digital zoom. Now, there are some cameras that do a better job than this but the result you see here is extremely commom.

Why does this happen? Simply put, an optical lens brings the subject closer to you through the lens by changing it's focal length. This is what is on all 35mm and APS cameras. A digital zoom kicks in after the optical zoom is maxed out and literally enalrges the pixels. This breaks the image apart.

Let's say Katy is running track and her boyfriend Josh takes a photo of her. He's zoomed in as far as he can but she's still further away than he'd like. His best bet is to take the picture only using the optical zoom and when he gets home, crop it using photo software. He'll get far better results than if he used the digital zoom.

When you're out shopping for a new camera, only concern yourself with the optical zoom and forget about the digital. A good salesperson won't even mention digital zooms. For those of you who have been getting pixelated looking photos, check your cameras. It's quite possible that your digital zoom is turned on. Check your manual for instructions on how to turn it off.

Happy shooting!
* Katy was not harmed in the making of these photos.

You've been doing your homework about the new camera you want. You've asked your friends what they like and don't like about their cameras. You've been to the stores to check them out and see what they look like and how they feel in your hands. Now you're ready to go out there and buy yourself a brand new camera.

The absolute best place to buy a camera is in a camera store whether it's a retail shop or a professional store. This is because you will find knowledgeable people working there who are interested in helping you get what fits your needs. You can't put a price on experience and knowhow. Sure some shops might be a little more expensive than others but they are privately owned and struggling to stay afloat in a world of Amazon.com and Overstock.com. Personally, I purchase some equipment from my local shop every so often to help them out even though I get a discount at my job. They're good people and I hope they remain open for years to come.

Let's take a look at some stores near you.

Wolf Camera/Ritz Camera is the largest chain of retail camera specialty shops in the US with over 900 locations. Why the 2 names? Ritz bought out Wolf (his cousin) a few years back. The Wolf stores kept their name. You can find a store in most major malls. This company stocks little professional equipment and is geared towards consumers. Check for a store nearby. Please note that the physical stores and online store are 2 different companies although both are owned by the same person.

Calumet not only has shops in the USA but they also operate in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Here you'll find a combination of amateur and professional equipment including darkroom supplies and background seamless paper. Is there one near you?

Samy's Camera has several locations in California. Geared far more towards the professional, walking into a Samy's can be overwhelming for some and heaven for others (points to self). Need to rent a 500mm lens for your son's football game? They've got it. Wanna scan all of your negatives? Samy's Camera has what you need and can tell you how to use it.

Hunt's Photo, Video and Definately Digital serves New England residents with a total of 7 locations. Known for the yearly Hunt's Show in Boston where reps from all of the major manufacturer's offered special deals to attendees (excuse me while I sing "Memories"), it has been downsized and placed in all of their shops. Their next event is October 26-28.
Learn more about Hunt's

A few smaller shops that I personally recommend are:

Pitman Photo Supply in Miami, Florida

The Camera Company in Norwood, Massachusetts

Colonial Photo & Hobby Inc, in Orlando, Florida

I've just returned from a glorious week in overcast then sunny then overcast then sunny then smokey & windy California where I played with and tortured my dear friends at Disneyland. Good times. Good times. They are good sports as I put a few to work as models for this here blog with you, the reader in mind. I hope you enjoy these images as much as we do. If you don't well then, tough ganoongies. We still laugh at them.

It goes without saying that if you are being photographed while staring into the sun, you will wind up squinting or closing your eyes.

EXHIBIT A

After you wipe away all your tears, step into the shadows being sure your whole face if not entire body is shaded.

EXHIBIT B:

Shadows will make you look Smurferific! If you'd rather have a human-like flesh tone, turn on the flash.

EXHIBIT C:

Today's model is Yoli. She enjoys quoting "Grease," "Spaceballs," and some movie I don't recognize. You'll find her doing an impression of Bernie's walk ala the movie "Weekend at Bernie's" while walking near Tarzan's Treehouse. Yoli collects pins and popcorn buckets. I do too and it's all her fault.

Over the next few weeks I'd like to share with all of you some of my photos and recap my experience at the 17th annual Disneyland CHOC Walk.

CHOC is an acronym for Children's Hospital of Orange County. Since opening its doors in 1964, Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) has provided the highest quality medical care to children.

My friend Yoli, her stepson Marshall, and I were up, out of the house and at the Mickey & Friends parking garage by 6 AM on Sunday, Oct. 21st. After a quick call we found our friend Jen and her son Corey. At the bottom of the escalator stood a few Green Army Men pointing people in the right direction. We walked the tram route and with wristbands securely placed, walked into Disneyland amongst a mass of thousands. I made my way up as far as I could on Main St while my friends hung back at the Emporium. Another call came in and my friend Drina and her friend Kathy met up with Yoli & the gang.

Music was playing, tons of CMs were out and about, and a MC kept talking and getting us pumped up. Soon the opening ceremony began and the first group was set free down Main St. A few minutes later my group was released and I pulled off to the right for photos and to wait for my friends.

Among the walkers waiting for the event to begin.

Pluto, Mickey, Minnie, and Donald (out of range) were there showing their support.

Soon my friends caught up to me and we were on our way. I won't take you moment by moment because really, you don't wanna know all the silly things we said and did and which restroom we thought had the best tiled floor. Anyhoo, we strolled by the castle and look who was there...

Moseying along by Frontierland and into Adventureland we came upon...

and then who should be out but a swaggering and rather quiet

We rounded the corner into Frontierland taking the path that leads you behind Big Thunder Mountain and towards Pinocchio's Haus.

For those of you familiar with the goat trick, it's not as effective when you're just walking by.

Last week's episode left off as my fellow trouble makers and I had just walked into Fantasyland by means of Frontierland. We were 7 of 15,167 participants. Once you were out walking you would never have guessed there were that many people there because of how well Disneyland controlled the crowd.

At the walk, it was announced that we, the fundraisers, had raised over 1.6 million dollars. That's truly amazing. Personally, I raised $580.00 and am quite proud. My friends have decided that next year they are going to step up their game and try to beat me. A little friendly competition is good as the kids will benefit.

Let us walk and talk some more. The path took us around the King Arthur Carrousel where we found Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, and Aurora all waving to the brigade of paparazzi. By paparazzi I mean Jen, Yoli, and I and other Disney fanatics. Yoli and I kept making jokes like we were photographing a famous music group who we both love. The princesses waved to everyone and then went for a spin. Good photo op, really.

Obviously Cinderella is a stunt princess.

As we continued through Fantasyland we saw the Mad Hatter and Alice with some cards on their parade float. Moving along past the Matterhorn, Finding Nemo Submarines, Innoventions, and through Tomorrowland.

Stitch and his buddy cheered on the masses. I saw Stitch in the same location back in 2003. He must really like the view.

The boys decided to ditch us long before we got to Tomorrowland. From left to right: Kathy, Drina, Jen, and Yoli. Ummm, I don't know these people, especially that Yoli person.

We started back up Main St. but were directed backstage as we approached the camera shop. It was very exciting to see The InnBetween which is an eatery for Cast Members. Why was I so excited? I had actually heard of it before, that's all. I'm easily amused.

All of us came back out on stage in Town Square and walked out of the park and into the esplanade where we hit a bottle neck. Traffic! My group thought it was funny. Turned out that was where bottled water was being handed out. It wasn't hot out but since I'm not a big fan of Disani and they were handing out Arrowhead, I took it and put it away for later.

I had to stop and get a quick shot of this view. It's so quiet before the gates open.

Welcome to California! Please don't eat the candy corn "A"s.

To the beat of the rhythm of the night. Dancin' till the morning li ii ghh t. Hi. I didn't hear you come in. Ummm, have a seat and I'll tell you the rest of my story about participating in the CHOC Walk. Comfy? OK, good.

Let's see, we were just about to enter Disney's California Adventure. Once we passed through the gates we skimmed by Candy Corn Acres which is very vibrant with yellows and oranges. Not oranges you eat, the color orange. LOL You knew that cuz who has ever eaten a yellow?! Put your hand down.

Dale was feeling very shy that morning. I think lots of people told him he looked exceptionally cute in his hat and scarf.

Hollywood! La la la la Hollywood! Walkers were led past Muppets 3D, Monsters, Inc Mike & Sully to the Rescue (Sully and Boo were outside) continuing along past Hyperion Theatre and backstage. The only cool thing I saw was a bumper car from Tuck'n'Roll's Drive 'em Buggies. It was a short very short like 3 apples high Smurf height kinda short time backstage. Once we came back onstage we were in Flik's Fun Fair and somehow I had lost my party.

Unfortunately, my amigas and I don't have a cool way of calling out for each other if we get separated. I suppose we should work on that.

Once I caught up we were directed out of Flik's Fun Fair and towards Paradise Pier. Now here's something I still haven't figured out. We saw lots of people walking around Paradise Pier, near the Orange Stinger and the Maliboomer, you know, walking the walkathon. Only when we got to the point where we'd head left up the pier we were sent right in the direction of Grizzly River Run.

I have no idea what these kids were singing because I haven't seen High School Musical 2. I know, I know, I'm a bad Disney fan.

Before you knew it we had exited CA Adventure into Downtown Disney via a secret entrance near CA Soarin'. This is where people got really confused. I knew to keep walking because I'd been there done that and kept on trucking till we saw this guy.

Beyond that I knew there would be tables from the various sponsors. The girls and I split up...OK I wandered off on my own resulting in Drina, Jen, Kathy, and Yoli to wonder where I'd gone. When we caught up I was reprimanded and forced to wear a balloon tied to my camera backpack. They thought they were clever but it was the same balloon every other kid had.

This is the 5th time that Disneyland Resort has served as the location for the walk thus it's full name, CHOC/Disneyland Walk in the Park. It felt very well organized and I'd like to thank the custodial staff for having the restrooms open and sparkling clean. If you are interested in taking part in this awesome fundraiser or to learn more about Children's Hospital of Orange County please check out their website. The dates for 2008 have not been announced yet.

Thank you all for reading my blog. I enjoyed not only participating in the walk itself but being able to help kids who need medical care now and who in the future, will offer us "old" people Senior Citizen discounts at Disney parks.

I'm going to keep this brief and to the point. Yeah. I am. Seriously. Well I'll try to. The date is now Wednesday, November 28th (unless you're in Australia or Japan for instance... it may be the 29th). You are leaving for Florida (unless you live in Florida, silly) within the next few days. You've done most of the laundry and that includes washing the new matching Fab 5 shirts you bought for the entire family. There's a schedule of meets you want to attend so you can introduce your boyfriend to your Internet pals. No matter how many times Grandma has been told, she still doesn't understand why you have Disney Dollars in your wallet.

Suffice it to say you are nearly ready for MouseFest. I want to help you with your camera packing list and offer advice to those of you who bought or are planning to buy a new camera before you arrive at the airport. Yes, I'm talking to you.

Packing List for a Digital Camera:
camera
battery & charger (converter if from outside USA)
spare batteries
memory cards (take at least 2 in case 1 becomes corrupted)
camera bag
manual

Packing List for 35mm or APS Cameras:
camera
batteries
film
camera bag
manual

ALWAYS keep your film in your carry-on bag. Any film that is ISO 800 or higher should be handed to a TSA. Ask for a hand inspection of your film. It doesn't matter if the film was shot, so long as it hasn't been developed, it can be ruined.

If you are taking a new camera with you try to do some test shots before you leave home. There's always the slim chance your new camera will have a defect. Be sure to read your manual even if you can't do it until you are on the plane. If you're familiar with cameras then you should have a fairly easy time figuring out the basics such as reviewing your photos, changing flash modes, and quality levels.

If you have questions or need help with your camera, please feel free to ask me for help at the Mega Mouse Meet. I'll be at the AllEars® table. How can you recognize me? I'm the girl in this photo. If you can tell me who the guy is, I'll have a surprise for you!

It goes without saying that children want to be able to do what their older siblings and parents do. If you have kids, they've more than likely asked if they can play with your camera. You may have responded with words such as "This is Dada's camera. It's not a toy. Go ask Mommy for hers." Maybe you have allowed little Billy Bob to look at the screen and push the button and are now astonished at just how much your cat tolerates close-ups.

Since this is the time of year for the Shopping Triathalon sponsored by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover you're considering making Billy Bob's dream a reality. Good for you, really. I truly applaud parents who put a camera in the hands of a kid. Why? Because I began shooting at age 6 and I loved it. It's very important to encourage creativity and a camera is just of many ways for someone, no matter the age, to think outside the box.

Of course now the question is what camera should you buy for Billy Bob? Personally, I think it depends on the child and not just the age. While one kid may be thrilled with something simple another may be bored.

Let's first explore options made specifically for Ages 5+

Fisher-Price Kid-Tough™ Digital Camera --
Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera It'll hook up to your computer via USB cable for downloads.
The average price is $70.00.

Polaroid Pixie Kids Digital Camera The camera can be used to play games.
Hook it up with the supplied USB cable.
Average retail price...$80.00.

Less expensive options would include character-related cameras such as Dora, Spiderman, and SpongeBob. However those cameras usually cost $20-50 and only produce monitor quality images. They may not have a screen to playback images and are very small. In other words, Billy Bob could lose his camera in the sofa and the dog could easily break it. What else can you buy? 35mm camera these days are extremely cheap, they withstand beatings better than digital cameras, and have better quality lenses. What was once a $125 investment is now half price.

Elementary and Middle Schoolers

For the Disney fan (you may know one or two), Disney Pix Max Camera
These offer 3 million megapixels that will turn out a fair/good 4x6 print.
It will hold approximately 30 photos internally and also accepts an SD card.
It has a color 1.5" screen.
Also hooks up to the computer via USB cable.
There's Disney software included to play with images.
Average cost is $80.00.

Unfortunately, there aren't many cameras aimed specifically at the 8-12 year old bracket.

Teenagers

At this point you jump into the "cool looking" cameras with flashy colors in petite sizes by major companies such as Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Sony, and FujiFilm. The prices go up and so does the quality. Older kids and teens are looking for fun software in-camera. The ability to draw a mustache on your math teacher, paint hearts around your crush or morph into a creature is very attractive to them.

A few options that meet their demands and yours are:

Canon PowerShot SD1000>
7 million mega pixels
3x external optical zoom
stylish, small, with a 2.5" screen
color swap, color accent, viewfinder
Average price is $200.00.

Fujifilm Finepix Z10fd
7 MP
3x internal optical zoom
sleek, available in bright pink, orange, green, blue, and black with a 2.5" screen
slide shows, resize pics for blogs, send pics from your camera to a friend's camera (IrSimple™-ready)
Sells for $150.00

Sony Cybershot DSC-T200
8 MP
5x internal optical zoom
slick, available in silver, black, and red (Sony chose black and red for newer cameras to coincide with "Spiderman 3"), 3.5" Widescreen LCD
slide show with music, paint program, touch screen
Newly listed at $400.00

Nikon Coolpix L15
8 MP
3x external optical zoom
small and easier to hold, comes in silver, pink, and black with 2.8" screen
In-camera red eye fix, adjusts under exposed photos, some cameras sold as kits with case, rechargeable batteries and charger
Sells for $160.00

Many digital point and shoots have Face Detection these days. Carefully read or ask if a camera has digital vibration reduction or optical vibration reduction. There's a substantial difference as the digital version can cause your photos to look noisy or spotted. We'll explore that subject another time.

Since I'll be at MouseFest during the time I would normally write my next blog, I will not have one for you to enjoy on Dec. 12th. Don't fret because when I return my blogs will be 33% bigger with a fresh new scent.

Bonjour. I trust you are all rested after whooping it up at MouseFest. Those of you who were not in attendance were probably causing trouble elsewhere. News gets around, ya know.

I was on a mission to come back with hundreds of photos to share with you. Photos that would demonstrate what you and your camera are capable of. Sadly for you, most of my time was spent documenting Aladdin in various locations. OK, maybe not so sad for some.

Whilst making my way through France, I came upon Serveur Amusant. This performance is wildly popular among furniture makers and health insurance agents. Certainly we all have snapshots of the "tourist" climbing chair after chair hoping to reach the height of Godzilla. But what if we changed our position to create a more dramatic looking image? Something you wouldn't normally do...something bold and magnifique!

I give you...La Silhouette! (That's French for The Silhouette!)

How did I achieve this grand masterpiece? Ah, listen closely. I made my way slowly through the sweaty masses, watching the sun, and squinting. Once the sun was behind the subject, I stopped moving. I raised my camera and pointed it at the man atop the chairs and after cursing at the LCD screen I could barely see, I pressed the shutter release button. Voila!
:curtsy after thunderous applause:

Ruh roh. Did I spoil the surprise? C'mon, you must have known what was in the box already. Seriously? How could you not know? It's square or rectangular in shape and perfectly flat on all sides. Even your new puppy knew it was a camera! What? You didn't know about the puppy?! :smacks forehead: Well quick, go open that moving present. Catch him!

Is everything alright? Alright. Back on course. Congratulations on your new camera. If this is an upgrade from what you have, awesome, you'll love it. If it's your first digital camera, you are in for some fun. If it's replacing the camera you dropped into a mug of beer while you were out shooting pool with the boys...you're a very lucky man. Go tell your wife you love her and then take out the garbage. We'll wait.

While we're waiting let's name all the Disney characters according to height starting with...oh hey the menfolk are back. 7, 8, 11, 15, 26, 53...good they're all here.

I'm going to quickly give you a rundown on everything you need to know. Ready?

1. Read the manual
2. Charge your lithium-ion battery. If the camera takes AA, get yourself rechargeables. See previous blog on batteries here and here.
3. Keep your camera safe and protected in a padded or hard shell camera bag.
4. All digital point and shoots have some delay. Newer cameras have faster processors. One way to help speed things up is to use a faster memory card. I recommend no less than 5MB/sec. If the card you have doesn't give it's speed then it's about 2MB/sec.
5. Cameras do not like liquids or sand.
6. Read the maunal. It's worth being repeated.
7. That built-in flash only goes 8-10 feet.
8. If you use any Night mode, you'll need a tripod.
9. Cameras have a tendency to get drunk on New Year's Eve, fall down, and require a trip to the repair center. Don't let your camera drink.
10. GO OUT THERE AND TAKE PHOTOS!

HERE ARE A FEW OF MINE! Why am I still yelling?! These are from MouseFest. They're not great but they're funny and if they make me laugh then they must be good.

While in the UK, my friends and I watched the World Showcase Players perform. This fellow was too close for the camera to focus properly and quickly enough. It's all good cuz I still caught the moment.

I had never stopped and sat in the waiting area for Oh Canada! before. My friends were on the bench in front of this window. It reminds me of every single zoo and I thought if we waited long enough then perhaps some monkeys, tigers or bears would show up. I'm still waiting.

Happy New Year! Let's welcome 2008 with open arms and more knowledge about taking better photographs. We begin with fixing one of the most common mistakes people make, too much headroom.

What is headroom? It is the empty space above the subject's head, not the empty space in the subject's head.

You want to fill your frame with the subject, that will eliminate excess headroom and make for a much nicer photo.

Today's model is Linda Eckwerth aka LindaLou. The poor dear had sat down at Pizzafari waiting for all the other AllEars folks to gather for lunch. I walked in and said I needed a victim, ehh, volunteer and dragged her outside. I'm not kidding this time.

Here we see all that empty space above Linda and Terk's heads. It's a waste of space and makes them look as though they fell down in the frame. They are looking at me and thinking, What gives?!

Now, all that space is gone and Linda approves. Filling the frame makes for a better picture. Don't be afraid to zoom in or get closer to your subject.

These were shot with the Olympus FE-210.

It's amazing what surrounds us at every trip to Walt Disney World as well as the world in general. There are fine details at each turn. When we stop and look we discover a whole new world with new horizons to pursue. I'll chase them anywhere....

While strolling through Animal Kingdom, I happened upon a poll which had a variety of animals and reptiles carved in it. Maybe they're plaster or clay, I'm not sure what the material is but this is what I mean by detail being within reach.

The dinosaur itself has a variety of textures from the etched scales to it's sleek smirk. He knows you have a bucket of popcorn in your other hand and he's waiting for you to turn your head and then WHAM! BAM! No more Orville Redenbacher, ma'am!

See the difference in textures, the smoothness of a feather to the patterned bumps on a lizard. This is so much safer than trying to pet Kimono Dragons
.

In order to achieve detail at close range, use the macro setting on your camera. The icon for macro is a flower and may be found on a dial, joystick or under the scene mode. How close can you get? Each camera is different, for best results just give it a try and consult your manual.

For more information you can also read my blog "Me and My Macro".

Yeehaw! I bet you boys and girls have taken lots a pictures of yur family. Like the time Joe-Joe done gradyated from 5th grade after 3 years. Or, or, or when Uncle Clyde won the blue ribbon for having the best looking twin. Boy oh boy do I remember those days.

I betya that sometimes those pictures don't look so good. That's cuz the flash only goes about 8-10 feet and your standing 12 or more feets away. That means the light falls off and doesn't iluminate your subject.

Hooey, we can fix them photos right for ya. I'll show you how. See here, I took a photo of Billy while he was on the stage singing and dancing for the fine folks at Disneyland. He's part of that band, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. My friends and I were sitting right next to the stage, off to the side in the penalty box. With my little point and shoot camera that has a 3x optical zoom, I grabbed this shot of Billy in acshun!

The flash went off but Billy was too dang far away. Now my picture is a bit underexposed. The onslaught of the yellow and magenta colors are from the stage lights cuz they are faaaaancy in the Golden Horseshoe. I could play with them pinks and yellas to try and bring Billy's skin tone back to normal but I can breathe a whole new life into the fella by changing him to black and white.

Most photo software programs will let ya make a color picture into black and white. I use Adobe ImageReady CS2. Under Image, I go to Adjustments and then Desaturate. This yanks out all of the color from the photo and gives me this.

It's now black and white but it's still dark and muddy lookin'. That Billy looks like he's gonna put that there washboard to good use.

When I go back to Image, I'm gonna click on Adjustments and then Levels. A box shows up and it shows the range in tones. Shadows on the left, midtones in the center and highlights on the right. By moving those do-hickey sliders around I can brighten up the photo. See here, now!

Woooeeee, Billy is lookin' brighter already. Too bad them levels didn't make him smarter. Heh heh heh. I got one more thing to do to the boy, add some contrast. I go back to Image, back to Adjustments, and this time I'm a gonna pick Brightness/Contrast. Just sliding that arrow to the right under Contrast is gonna make those whites pop straight at ya!

Take a look at the boy now! Those whites are clean as a whistle without losing any detail and the blacks are dark as a pig who spent the whole day rolling around in mud and then lay down in the sun just like a happy little piggy. Sooie!

All our lives we've bought film of various speeds such as 100, 200, and 400. These numbers are the film's ISO (International Standards Organization). The lower the number the more light is required to get the correct exposure. That is to say that 100 ISO is ideal for daylight whereas 400 is best for indoor photos taken with a flash. Digital cameras have ISO as well.

I am categorizing this blog as "Advanced" simply because not all point and shoot cameras allow the user to change the ISO but rather let the camera make that decision for you. A few cameras that allow you to manually make this selection are Nikon Coolpix P5000, Canon SX100 IS, Olympus Stylus 830, Pentx Optio Z10, and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K.

If you are shooting in a manual mode, you are deciding which F-Stop (aperature) and shutter speed to use. This is particularly important if you are trying to freeze something in motion or are looking for a certain effect. By changing the ISO you can alter your image. Let's take a look at some sample photos.

All photos were taken with the Canon Powershot A570 IS, f5.6, 1/60. It was 4 PM on an overcast day, a Thursday to be exact.

Today's model is ...missing. In such a situation as this, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Overcast days can appear to be brighter than they actually are because of low clouds. A speed of 80 is too slow and so the image is underexposed.

You can see a slight difference as the ISO is altered to 100.

Here you can really see a change. The subject is easier to see and things are brightening up but we can do better.

Now the skin tone is right on, there's detail in the shadows and highlights. This is the perfect exposure.

A faster speed such as 800 is too much and so the photo is starting to look washed out.

Obviously 1600 is too much for this lighting situation and the image is overexposed.

In this installment of Light Meter, I'll address common questions and concerns that I field very often in regards to copyright and photographs. I'll take you through some typical conversations my colleagues and I have had and finish up with personal stories of how my copyright was infringed upon and how things were settled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Copyright Law?
A: It is a Federal Law, established in 1976, that protects the photographer and or studio as the creator and author of all images taken.

Q: I have my child's school photo and I'd like to make copies. Can I?
A: Not without written pemission from the photographer or studio in the form of a Copyright Release.

Q: If I bought the print, don't I own the copyright?
A: No, only the person who took the photo owns the copyright.

"Copyright is the right of the creator of the work or the creator's heirs not of the person who found or possesses the photos." - The Library of Congress

Q: How long does a copyright last?
A: This can be tricky. Anything created after January 1, 1978 is protected for as long as the creator lives plus 70 years after their death. Copyrights can also be passed along to heirs. Images created prior to January 1, 1978 also receive the same treatment so long as they weren't previously registered or published. Images that were published or registered and taken before January 1, 1978 are protected for 95 years.

Q: Can I print a photo I found online or place it on my webpage or website?
A: No, digital images are also covered by copyright. There are websites that will sell you the right to print an image for personal use such as iStockPhoto.

Q: What happens if you print them and get caught?
A: The photographer may sue you in Federal Court as well as the business that reproduced the image. Be prepared to pay thousands of dollars in fines and fees.

And now it's time for Conversations At Work.

Customer: I'd like to have this photo *blown up.
Employee: This photo was taken professionally. Unfortunately, we cannot reproduce it without written consent from the photographer.
Customer: This is my son. I own this.
Employee: You own your son and you own that print but only the photographer owns the copyright. You'll have to purchase prints from the photographer or obtain written consent.
Customer: Then I'll scan it myself! Where's your scanner?
Employee: It doesn't matter who scans it. We're not able to print it.
Customer: Then I'll go to (drugstore chain)!
Employee: The Copyright Law does not cease to exist there.
Customer: You're just making things up.
Employee walks away.

*Asking to have a photo "blown up" may result in a joke regarding dynamite.

Customer: Can you help me use this computer?
Employee: Sure. Which images are you printing?
Customer: These photos (pointing) of the cars.
Employee: Wow! Those are fantastic shots. Did you take these?
Customer: No, I downloaded them from the Internet and burned a CD.
Employee: I'm sorry to tell you that we can't print them for you because they're protected by copyright law and not intended to be printed.
Customer: Ohhhh. I really like them.
Employee: Me too, they're great! You can buy posters of cars at AllPosters or BareWalls.
Customer: Hey, thanks!

Story time!! The following actually happened to me.

I was shooting and attending a concert one night in Los Angeles. I had photographed this particular group before and my photos were published in a very well known magazine. After the concert my friend saw a crowd gathered 'round looking at photos someone was selling. She told me I'd better go and check it out.

A woman had taken pictures of my published photos, straight out of the magazine and was selling them as 4x6's. She also had a stack of pictures she took of other published photos. I know the other photographers she ripped off.

I informed this woman that I was the original photographer and that what she was doing was illegal. She knew it was illegal. I gave her 2 choices, give me all of the prints she had or be arrested. She gave me the photos.

Her partner was also selling my work and so I demanded all that he had as well. The woman's excuse for breaking the law? "You're rich."

My friend co-designed a ticket for a concert that was filmed and aired on television by a huge production company. She asked if she could use one of my photos if she paid me and put my copyright on it. Yes, we had a deal. She sent all of the artwork to the production company on a disc.

Later, a fan emailed me that she saw parking passes being sold online for the event. When I got to the page, I saw the parking pass. It had the full image of the singer on it, my image. While the ticket only showed the singer's head, the parking pass and VIP Pass (also online) had the entire shot. This was not part of the deal.

I called my friend and told her to get on it. Apparently this production company thought they were dealing with a fan who thought it'd be cool if they used her photo. Wrong!

How was this resolved? I billed them and they had no choice but to pay it or face a lawsuit. Yes boys and girls, even companies who copyright their own TV specials play games.

Want to learn more?
Copyright in the digital world It's an older article but still holds true.

Disney's involvement in copyright extension

Everything you want to know and more

It's that special time of year, the time when retail jewelers advertise non-stop and chocolatiers strike gold. Now is when an infinite number of greeting cards and roses are delivered to loved near and across World Showcase Lagoon. Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day in little ways or big ways, here are a few photo related gifts that you still have time to purchase and create.

1. Cake! Yes, cake. These days it's pretty easy to find a bakery or grocery store such as Shaw's and Stater Bros. that will put an edible photograph on a cake. Just bring them a print and they'll handle the rest.

2. Photo book. You'll need a CD, memory card or images already on your hard drive to create a book online. Most e-commerce companies like Snapfish and Shutterfly can ship your book in time for the holiday. Another alternative is to order your book online at Ritzpix and then pick up your book in a local store.

3. Digitial Photo Frame. These are extremely popular nowadays. With just one memory card inserted, the frame will play all of the images like a slide show. If you're within a budget, check out Target or Staples. Higher quality merchandise can be found at The Sharper Image and Circuit City.

4. Portrait sitting. How romantic would it be to have a professional photographer capture the two of you on the beach, in an arboretum or perhaps in the studio. Treasured memories will last a lifetime.

5. Locket. Certainly one of the most beloved gifts given on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day is a locket with a photo inside of you and/or your children.

There are times when a picture truly is worth a thousand words. When you have several photos in sequence they are worth more than a thousand words, they tell a story. If you just keep shooting, you never know what might happen. Take a look.

While fashion divas and divos have already released their wild and crazy spring line on us, the camera industry is just about to start releasing theirs. OK, so maybe calling cameras wild and crazy isn't quite on spot or is it?

Canon has 4 new PowerShots due out as early as March. Let's take a quick look at what they've got.

The A470 will be the least expensive of the newbies. With 7 MP, a 3.4X optical zoom, enhanced stabilization, and a 2.5" screen, consider this camera for someone who does not use their camera very often or teens. The A470 is silver with orange, blue, pink or gray panels. Suggested price is $130.00

A slightly larger A series with more options is the A580. Highlights include a viewfinder, 8 MP, and a slightly more powerful flash. Anyone who enjoys taking photos will mostly likely enjoy this model. Suggested retail price is $150.00

The last of the new A's is the A590 IS. This camera has Canon's optical stabilizer and will help reduce blurred shots. This model like the A580 has a 4x optical zoom. You may add a wide angle or telephoto converter lens to the camera. Designed for the advanced photographer. Suggested price is $180.00

One new SD series is also on the horizon, the SD 1100 IS. In an assortment of flashy colors like gold, brown, pink, blue and the classic silver, Canon is competing in the newest trend that cameras are fashion accessories appealing to teens and early 20-somethings. Don't let it's cuteness fool you, this camera has the same flash power as the A580 and A590 IS (max 11ft.), the same 8MP with a 3x optical zoom. Retail price is $250.00

To learn more, please visit Canon's website.

Please welcome Pentax to the runway. They too have several new offers for shoppers to discover. Pentax refers to all of their digital cameras as Optio followed by a specific model number. Let's take a look.

The A40 is a sleek camera with a 3x optical zoom, 12 MP and optical stabilization. Packed with features, including a 2.5" screen, ISO 50-800, and a lithium-ion battery, Pentax as always competes with Canon and Nikon by offering more for your money. Average price is $285.00

The S12 is a lower priced entry yet still has 12 MP. Offerred in both silver and black, the LCD screen is coated to be anti-reflective in bright situations. The video mode also records sound. Lists at $270.00

With less megapixels (8) and more zoom (5x) the M50 is the inbetween camera. The M50 is avaiable in silver, pink or blue and works on a lithium-ion battery and has 51 MB of internal memory as well as a SD card slot. Average retail price is $230.00.

Learn more about Pentax.

Please keep in mind that these prices may change before the cameras make it to the shelves.