Precious Pictures

My first pick in this journey is going to have to be my camera. I knew as my daughter was approaching that I was going to want a good camera to capture all the precious moments that were in store. Now, I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination but I did know that I wanted a camera that would take a picture quickly. The delay between many "point and shoot" cameras between pressing the shutter button and the taking of the picture can be very frustrating when you are trying to catch precious expressions from a baby not to mention a fast moving toddler. In my research I found that meant that I needed an SLR (Single Lense Reflex). Of course I wanted digital. What kind of tech Dad would I be if I didn't? :) I also found that there are two main camps of camera fanatics. Nikon & Canon. I wanted to get a good camera so I stuck with the top brands. There is a big rivalry between these two companies as well as their devoted customers. In the end I found that is seemed to be a matter of personal preference. All the reviews I found said that cameras from each manufacturer would take great pictures. Now, if you want to get into the nitty gritty there are all kinds of sites that will pick apart the features of each camera. For me, I didn't have the time for all that. I was getting ready for the baby! I did however get a nice piece of advice in my choice. You will want to make sure that the camera you choose feels comfortable in your hand. I would suggest finding a way to hold the cameras you are considering. After all, you are going to be holding this device a lot and you want it to be comfortable. In the end it really came down to price for me though. Without a clear winner in the reviews I decided to pick the camera that saved me some money. I ended up with the Nikon D40. Again, I'm not a professional. I know that I am not using the full features of the camera but on automatic it takes a great picture. As long as I stabilize the camera and have the right light I love that I can put it on "rapid fire" and take a series of pictures from which I can pick the best one. I have been listening to a photography podcast because I am interested in becoming more proficient as an amateur photographer. In case you are interested check out This Week in Photography. A lot of what they cover is over my head but I have picked up some jewels as I learn the ways of photography and my D40. The great this is though that my camera will take great pictures without any advanced knowledge whatsoever. That is my endorsement. Bottom line though is that you should make sure to have a camera that is accessible and easily usable so that you can capture those memories.