Sometimes I wonder if my parents lived closer to us if I would take as many pictures of my daughter as I do. Don’t get me wrong; I love to take pictures, and my 3-year-old daughter is my favorite subject, but often I feel compelled to shoot extra (many extra) images because my mom, dad, brothers, grandmother, etc. live 5,000 miles away. So in essence the pictures (and video) of my daughter I send to them are the only tangible means by which they can share in her milestones.
Which brings us to the next part in our digital photography series—-photo sharing. Whether you share your favorite images with loved ones via prints or email I highly encourage you to circulate your hard work.
In a previous blog I discussed how easy it is to print shots from home. Options like Kodak’s EasyShare, in which you simply choose the photos you like, and dock the camera on the printer (press a button and a few seconds later, your printer spits out your photos in full color) makes printing so easy it’s embarrassing to admit you don’t print more often.
Another handy device is HP’s 245 printer. It is similar to the Kodak EasyShare, but it does it one better by accommodating almost all digital cameras. Instead of docking the camera on the printer you simply eject the media card from your digital camera and insert it directly into the machine. I love that the display on the printer lets you see your images and allows you to make some simple adjustments in brightness and contrast without the aid of a computer. You can even add effects like black and white and sepia before you print.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0
Another way to share your greatest shots with others is by using photo-sharing software. Adobe’s Photoshop Album 2.0 consistently gets high marks for being an outstanding photo organizing and sharing software program. In contrast, many have called Adobe’s high-end Photoshop program “user-hostile.” Adobe apparently listens to reviews because now it has taken the greatest elements of both: the simplicity of Album and the power of Photoshop, and created a totally new version: Photoshop Elements 3.0.
The new software provides easy methods to manipulate results if you are not satisfied with the auto solution. The spot healing brush retouches photos in a flash. But, the bottom line for most amateur digital photographers is organizing and sharing digital imagery. These features are present and enhanced in Photoshop Elements 3.0. You can instantly sort through thousands of pictures to find certain shots of just your pets or just those special events that interest you without pulling an all-nighter to do so. The software also allows you to create slide shows, photo albums, web photomontages, and other displays. Photoshop Elements 3.0 runs about $90 for Windows and $80 for Mac.
Related Articles:
Digital Photography 101: Printing Footnotes
Digital Photography 101: More Printing Options
Digital Photography 101: Printing Your Pictures
Digital Photography 101: An Introduction
Digital Photography 101: Picking The Perfect Camera
Digital Photography 101: Getting To Know Your Camera
Getting Digital Pictures To Friends And Family FAST!