Camera Protection Tips

In today's world of technological advances, it seems that more and more people are purchasing digital cameras. The majority choose to go with the smaller, slimmer and more compact digital cameras, while others opt for the more professional SLR digital cameras (single lens reflex).And while the prices of these sleek cameras are coming ever lower,they still warrant the proper care to keep them in proper care


There are three main hazards to the upkeep of your camera. 1) water, 2) dirt and Dust and 3) damage from being dropped.

All three can be prevented from damaging your camera with the proper precautions.

1. Water and Moisture

As you can guess, water and cameras do not mesh very well. Water damage can occur in many different ways. If you are taking your camera out in rainy weather, make sure that you keep it in its' protective camera case, or a plastic bag if no camera case is available. The same should be done if you are at the beach or pool, as the threat of accidentally dropping your camera in the water is great. Another threat comes from condensation. Sudden changes in temperature can cause moisture to build inside of your camera, like fogged up glasses. Keeping your camera in its protective camera case, can help the temperature of your camera change more gradually.
This can prevent water damage to the internal workings of your camera.

2. Dirt and Dust

Dirt and dust can literally be found everywhere, in your house, your car, at work, or outside, even in your purses (ladies). These fine particulates can damage your lens, and if they get inside the camera, they can damage the interior workings, and the best way to avoid dust and dirt damage is to keep your digital camera away from overt situations. For example, if you are going to a horse competition on a dry, windy day. If you are going to be in a situation where dust and dirt are all around, be sure to keep the camera in its bag while not in use, and when you get home, be careful to clean the dirt from the exterior of the camera.

3. Damage from being dropped

Probably the most common damage to a camera is caused from being dropped. Dropping your camera can cause anything from a minor scratch to a broken lens. However, it is probably the greatest hazard to your camera. The best way to prevent dropping your camera is to make sure to use the wrist strap or neck strap that is usually provided with the camera upon purchase.

When not in use, make sure to put your camera away. Just make sure to know where your camera is, and to take care of it.

In Conclusion, cameras are expensive, and yet fragile, instruments. They can provide you with great joy and everlasting memories, but also heartache when not cared for properly. Make sure that you protect them from water, dirt, and damage from impacts, or being dropped, to ensure that they last a long time!

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NIKON : History of the World's Best Camera brand

In 1917 three of Japans leading optical manufacturers merged to form a comprehensive, fully integrated optical company known as Nippon Kogaku K.K. They launched their optical glass production and research in 1918. At the beginning of the early development of their optical lenses they invited optical engineers from Germany. They needed to catch up with technology from more advanced countries and they eventually developed a series of lenses modeled after the Zeiss Tessar lens named "Anytar".

In 1932 they adopted Nikkor as their brand name for their camera lenses and in 1946 they adopted the name Nikon for their cameras. In 1959 Nikon introduced the Nikon F, their first SLR camera. The Nikon F was a largely successful camera that became a worthy rival to the popular German manufacturers Leica and Zeiss.
Many professional photographers and photojournalists began using the Nikon F. In 1980 the successful Nikon Brand delivered its cameras to NASA for use on the space shuttle, a show of their superior quality. In 1988 the company was renamed Nikon Corporation, after its line of cameras. In 1992 the Nikonos RS was marketed as the worlds first underwater auto focus SLR camera.

The Nikon D1 was marketed in 1999 paving the way for Nikons professional level Digital SLR series. In the mid 2000's the general trend in the industry was that the sale of consumer and professional level film cameras was falling quickly due to the increase of digital cameras and their increasing affordability. At the beginning of 2006 Nikon announced it would stop making most of its film cameras and all of its large format lenses. Today Nikon is still one of the leading manufacturers of professional level cameras with its current model being the D3X.

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CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY : Art of Photography

Hello, as you continue to develop your skills as a photographer, whether you are a hobbyist or a seasoned professional, over time your knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of photography improve as each day goes by.

Light and composition are the first things a beginner wants to improve on, as it can often be frustrating when your images are not turning out as compared with other photographers. You know what I am talking about... The crooked horizon lines, the poorly placed points of interest and most of all the exposure. At this point, you are probably wondering what this has to do with contemporary photography; well it has a lot to do with it.

Contemporary photography is considered to be an art form, although it may not always appear that way. As global trends and styles adjust and modernize through time, so too does contemporary photography.

Although photographic "artists" often tend to see themselves as being the elite of the photographic society, their work on the other hand can sometimes leave much to be desired. All too often galleries are filled with pieces of "artwork" which to many eyes seem rather plain, amateurish and perhaps even boring. Sometimes there will be some nice pieces but generally, the trends of contemporary art seem to be on the "my dog could do better than that" side of things. For Artists, making a career out of contemporary art photography can be tough, it is a big bad world out there and only the bravest and the boldest will make it into the big cheese of art photographers. In saying that, you do not have to be the greatest photographer to get your name out there.

An art photographer may start selling his or her prints for $50 - $100 dollars each, which is ok, it is certainly better than nothing, but it is nowhere near what they could be making. So why do their pieces only sell for pittance when others are churning up dare I say, relatively similar pieces and making thousands, if not tens or thousands, even millions on their own work? Well the sad fact of it all seems to be not the quality of the workmanship involved but the name that is involved with the piece of artwork itself. There are a lot more nobodies in this world than there are somebody’s, and if you happen to be a "somebody" selling your photography, you will have guaranteed success without doubt.

So who buys these "photographic masterpieces" you ask? Collectors do, and those who believe that the pieces mean something and will pay a high price for having the artists name adorning their hallway. Since the big cheeses are taking in all the cash, surely they have a high standard of workmanship right? Well to be frank, no. Even at the highest level of names, their artwork can look flat, unwelcoming, lifeless, and rather ordinary. Most of us will find something like what I am talking about through stacks of old (or new) photographs yet people still buy them and often pay a high price for them too. The real question is, are these "artists" taking their followers (or fans) and collectors for fools? Perhaps not, but on the other hand, maybe so. Is the life of the professional contemporary artist complete when he or she reaches the dizzying heights of fame? Once they get a name for themselves, do they start to get complacent and photograph literally anything for a sale, which more than likely they will get?

I have seen many genuine pieces of contemporary art, some reasonably ok, others so vague and hideous that I can take neither sense nor meaning from them. I see nothing in a picture that contains a seemingly drab, uninteresting canvas of nothingness. I often wonder if contemporary art is simply a modern name for snap shooting or another lazy way of making money on the cheap!

Please give your valuable comments............

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