Buy A Camera
Ready to invest in a decent camera? Go ahead and research what you think you might want to buy online; but with the amount of information out there, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed and over (or under) assume what you may need.
So when you’re ready to buy, the best suggestion I can make is to go to a reputable store and talk to an expert. (This is coming from someone who does 90% of her shopping online.) Be prepared to answer questions like how you’ll be using the camera, what types of prints you’ll be making, etc. And be sure to try out as many as you can before settling on the one that’s right for you.
Something to consider when buying a camera: size and weight.
10 Bromfield St., Boston, MA 02108
Bromfield has an excellent reputation for being knowledgeable and helpful. They also do camera repairs and develop prints. Best of all? They sell used photography equipment – that means you can not only buy a quality camera used (and save a ton of cash), but you can let them consign your old camera if you’re looking to upgrade.
Bromfield has an excellent reputation for being knowledgeable and helpful. They also do camera repairs and develop prints. Best of all? They sell used photography equipment – that means you can not only buy a quality camera used (and save a ton of cash), but you can let them consign your old camera if you’re looking to upgrade.
The helpful folks at Ritz will sell you only what you need.
100 Cambridgeside Place, Cambridge, MA 02141
I was most recently in Ritz two days ago forking over cash for my new camera. And though they may be a chain, I’ve always had good experiences here with everything from getting prints made to buying cameras. Ritz has unbeatable service plans for all cameras purchased in their stores, and also offers free classes for their customers to help them get the best they can from their new toy.
I was most recently in Ritz two days ago forking over cash for my new camera. And though they may be a chain, I’ve always had good experiences here with everything from getting prints made to buying cameras. Ritz has unbeatable service plans for all cameras purchased in their stores, and also offers free classes for their customers to help them get the best they can from their new toy.
...Want To Get Retro?
Film has now been replaced by digital cameras. But more and more, photography devotees are reverting back to film to add a certain je ne se quois to their pictures – something that can’t be captured digitally without some help from Photoshop.
The adorably vintage-y Diana+ camera.
This little plastic lady with a cult following uses 120 film (yes, I said film) to take some of the most dreamy, color-saturated pictures you’ll ever see. Known as a “toy camera”, it’s light, kitschy, and is tricky to master, but the rewards are worth the effort.
The amazing magic of a Diana camera.
...for $49.95, it’s worth a try!
The fabulous Polaroid camera.
Think about how revolutionary this camera was back in the day: you’d take a picture and the photo pops out instantly. (One reason we all love digital cameras so much: instant gratification.) Sadly, the surge of digital has caused Polaroid to recently announce that they are no longer making film for these old-school units. Which has only caused the romance and devotion towards these cameras to surge.
Polaroid by Flickr user J.F MPLS.
Browse here to get a new appreciation for the pictures this camera spits out.
Get Inspired
The quickest way to catch the photography bug is to check out other people’s work. Great photographs run the gamut from imperfect to perfectly-perfect, so there is something for every taste and something lovely to be achieved by every skill level.
...Go To A Gallery
Panopticon Gallery is the exclusive agent for the estate of famed Civil Rights photographer Ernest C. Withers.
500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
One of the oldest photography galleries in the United States, Panopticon shows work from photographers they represent as well as historic Boston and New England images and new work from up-and-coming photographers.
One of the oldest photography galleries in the United States, Panopticon shows work from photographers they represent as well as historic Boston and New England images and new work from up-and-coming photographers.
...Surf The Web
A lovely image from Lisa Cohen.
Lisa Cohen is an Australian photographer specializing in shooting lovely representations of lifestyle and food for magazines. Her photos are superb and convey an elegance, style, and sophistication.
A shot of Boston’s bustling North End by Lucie Wicker.
This local Boston photographer specializes in cityscapes, coastal images, and Fenway Park.
A winning photo from photographer Graham Monro.
This fabulous resource recently came out with a list of 2008 award-winning wedding photographs. Not only are the winners pure eye candy, but also inspire you to capture people as they really are (rather than posed and with forced smiles).
...Check Out Flickr
Get ready to get addicted. You can easily spend hours browsing the images users upload to this photo-sharing site. A tip: if you find a user whose pictures you love, check out their “Favorites” to see who they love.
Jen Gotch is by far my favorite Flickr user. Her images of simple, everyday things are incredibly pretty and and soft.
“The sea, the surge & the seamstress” by Samantha Lamb.
Samantha’s photos are natural, quiet, and ethereal, full of pretty colors and images.
Learn To Use It
I’m all about being self-taught. I’m convinced that I can figure things out myself and more often than not, I can. But why not speed up the process and let an expert help you not only take better pictures, but learn how to actually use the frigging thing? Properly?
New England School of Photography
537 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215
Serious photog wannabes can take an intensive, 12-week workshop at this renowned school. Here you’ll not only learn from the pros, but you will have access to amazing equipment and facilities including labs and darkrooms.
An excellent online “course” from Two Peas in a Bucket.
This online store and resource for scrapbookers (stay with me here…) is also a fantastic source for articles and tutorials on photography for the beginner. They’re all free and downloadable via PDF files.
The Nikon D40 – my (gulp!) new camera.
Photographer Ken Rockwell gives his picks for top cameras as well as tricks for great pictures, and is a fabulous resource for Nikon D40 users in particular. I’m pretty much never going to crack open my manual – Ken’s got everything I need to know catalogued here, in plain English.
YouTube is a huge resource for digital photography tutorials. Not only do you get the luxury of watching someone demonstrate what to do without having to leave your house, but you can watch it over and over again until you get it right.
Now...Shoot!
There’s no better way to learn than to just go out and do. The more pictures you take, the better you’ll get. If you’re like me, you’ll start out by photographing everything and anything around your house. But for another perspective, be sure to go outside to capture the colors and lighting that nature has to offer.
Here are some great places around Boston to explore.
...Beacon Hill
Narrow streets + historic architecture = charm x 100. You’ll get sensory overload among the snips of sidewalks, flower boxes, doorways, and anything else you see around this part of Boston. Snap shots of whatever appeals to you and you might be surprised that the most random ones appeal to you the most.
The neighborhood of Beacon Hill.
The quintessential Beacon Hill shot.
...Boston Public Gardens
Flowers? Grass? Trees? You can’t go wrong capturing beauty here. Visit on a sunny day for the best conditions, but also try going on a less-than-ideal day to see what you end up with, as well as at different times of the year as the landscape and foliage changes.
The Boston Public Gardens and Boston Common area.
The famous Swan Boats at the Boston Public Gardens.
...Faneuil Hall
Perfect for people-watching, Faneuil Hall will give you plenty of opportunities to capture them in a relaxed, unhurried setting. It also provides a variety of other interesting subjects to choose from, like storefronts, buildings, and restaurants. Go at night to practice your night photo-taking skills and you’ll love the results.
The Faneuil Hall footprint.
The well-lit area of Faneuil Hall at night.
What To Do With The Keepers
Once you get the photography bug, you’ll quickly amass a large collection of your work. Now what?
...Upload Them
There are great free photo-sharing sites out there – perfect for when you want to share your pictures with family and friends simply by sending out a link to your online album. Bonus: You can also order things like prints and photobooks directly from these sites.
Snapfish is free and one of the most popular photo-sharing sites on the web.
Shutterfly is also a popular photo-sharing site, and also has a free software that you can upload onto your computer to edit and organize your photos.
...Save Them
Sure, you can download your pictures onto your computer or upload them to a site like Snapfish. But how about also going a step further and backing them up onto an external hard drive? If your computer ever crashes, or that free site where they’re all stored suddenly disappears, you’ll be glad you did.
An external hard drive, like this one by Western Digital, is portable and easy to use.
...Print Them
At some point, you’ll want to print out some of your images. Places like Ritz Camera and Bromfield Camera (refer to them up on the left) do a great job with making prints and make it easy and quick to get the exact size and finish you want. But if you’re going to be printing them out often, think about buying a good printer to do it yourself.
The Epson Stylus 1400 Photo Printer.
25 Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108
A good one-stop shop: buy your hard drive, printer, ink, and photo paper here.
A good one-stop shop: buy your hard drive, printer, ink, and photo paper here.
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