Mosaic

Issue date: 5/4/06 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Kristen Tomaiolo Andrea Hansen, owner of Hansen Photography in Newport poses with husband, Dave Hansen, photographer for The Newport Daily News.

NEWPORT, R.I. - Mustard-colored doors open the way to Studio 1: Photography and Printmaking. Inside, a large printmaking press stands still while the hum of a computer printer echos throughout the room. Manuals for Adobe Illustrator, QuarkXPress, and other computer programs line the shelves above Daniel McManus, photography instructor at the Newport Art Museum.

McManus uses Adobe Photoshop to manipulate pictures he downloaded from his digital camera. Black-and-white photos of children smile back at him from the computer screen as he waits patiently for the old Epson printer to finish its job.

According to McManus, an amateur photographer does not need these fancy programs and equipment. A person should just think about taking pictures. "Don't get caught up in this equipment," McManus said. "The camera is a tool and how best can you use it with your creativity." That's something to remember if you're in the market for a new digital camera.

If you are ready to buy a digital camera, whether it's your first or fourth, it can be an overwhelming and confusing venture. According to Designtechnica, a company specializing in technological advancements, more than 50 percent of American households will own a digital camera by the end of 2006. Each of them will be on the hunt for the 'right' camera.

Local camera experts and digital photographers offer the following tips for a successful hunt for the perfect camera:

Do your homework: Arriving at a store, the typical buyer finds an overwhelming array of digital cameras with a variety of features and price tags. To avoid overload, Andrea Hansen, owner of Hansen Photography in Newport, thinks a buyer should go online and look through photography magazines for consumer reports before going to the store. "Arm yourself with knowledge," Hansen said. "It never hurts to know as much as you can about something you're going purchase." For Hansen, many stores have uninformed employees which poses as a problem.

Coming to the defense of camera store employees is Hansen's husband, Dave Hansen, photographer for the Newport Daily News. "There is a lot to learn," Hansen said. "One day they are working in TVs and the next day they are working in this, you can't expect a person to know everything." Hansen suggests going to DigitalPhotographyreview.com where every feature on a camera is tested. People can view lists and choose the features they want.

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools