If you’re in the market for a digital point-and-shoot camera for a beginner, here are 5 models we found which are highly recommended by the leading websites on digital photography.

These cameras are compact, easy for a beginner to use, yet has enough features for a budding digital photography enthusiast. They’re also price reasonably for someone who’s still exploring the world of digital photography.

Of course, the camera can only do so much; the quality of a picture still depends on the skill of the photographer. Make sure to claim your copy of “Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros,” to get professional photography tips and tricks. It’s a totally f-ree report.

Here’s our top 5 cameras for digital photography beginners:

1. Canon Powershot A1100 IS

A top choice in many digital photography sites. It takes 12.1-megapixel photos and includes all the features beginners will appreciate, such as shooting modes that automatically select the right settings, Face Detection Technology, and Intelligent Contrast Correction. Yet other modes will allow the shooter to select his own settings for exposure, shutter speed and other variables. And at only a little over $100, this is one affordable yet powerful camera.

2. Panasonic DMC-FS25

Another 12.1-megapixel camera that gets consistently high ratings from photography sites. Aside from face detection and intelligent ISO control, the Panasonic DMC-FS25 allows the user to lock focus on a moving subject. The shutter release is ultra-fast, with a time lag as little as 0.006 seconds. At the ISO 6400 setting, you can take pictures even in almost total darkness.

3. Casio EX-FC100

This 9.1-megapixel camera bosts of high-speed burst shooting, which lets the user take 30 shots per second - great for sports and other action-packed photography. It also records HD video and features fast uploading to YouTube.

4. Sony Cybershot DSC-W290

This camera’s Intelligent Auto Mode, Intelligent Scene Recognition and Face Detection Technology make picture-taking foolproof even for the rank beginner. It even has Anti-Blink Function, which helps keep subjects from blinking, and warns the photographer when a subject has blinked. It has a range of other features, including 13 photo modes, image stabilization and a 9-point autofocus. This 12.1-megapixel camera also takes HD video.

5. Nikon Coolpix L100

This is a 10.0-megapixel camera with 15x optical zoom. The Smart Portrait System lets users take portraits without the dreaded red-eye, which the camera fixes automatically. It also has face-finding technology, so faces are always in focus, a Smile Mode, which shoots the picture when the subject smiles, and a Blink Warning, which lets the user know when the subject blinked. Other features include image stabilization, high-speed shooting, low-light shooting, and Sport Continuous Scene Mode of up to 13 frames per second.

Hopefully this list will help you find the perfect entry-level camera. Compare the features with your digital photography needs and, of course, your budget, to find the best point-and-shoot camera for you.

Even professional photographers use these compact cameras for situations when they cannot lug around a huge digital SLR camera. So don’t think that using one of these makes you an “amateur.”

The proof is in the picture. And if you’d like to take professional-looking pictures, then download your f-ree copy of the report, “Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros.”

Summary:

Digital cameras have made photography affordable, quick and easy even for non-professionals. By following a few simple principles, even beginners can take photos like pros.

Product Details:

“Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros” is a free 28-page special report from LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com.

Format:

Digital report (PDF)

Thoughts on the Product:

“Shoot Digital Pics Like the Pros” gives an overview of the special features of digital cameras compared to film cameras, then guides the reader through some basic principles of digital photography.

The report is perfect for somebody who’s venturing into digital photography for the very first time - or someone who has been using a digital camera but has never taken the time to really figure it out. For example, ever wonder what a RAW format was and whether you should select that as your camera’s file format? This report has the answer.

The report has plenty of tips that may be new even to intermediate users, such as:

- How to deal with shutter lag (page 9)

- How to take fast-action shots (page 12)

- How to warm up a picture without using a special lens (page 16)

- When and how to use fill flash (page 18)

- How much memory you really need (page 22)

Even if you’ve been using a point-and-shoot digital camera for family photos, this report will surely have you exploring your camera’s many features to get better and more interesting pictures with it!

The report is full of useful advice and tips, especially for beginners.

Where to Learn More: Learn Digital Photography Now Website

Summary: The “Your Guide to Digital Photography” by Dan Feildman is a downloadable guide for digital photography beginners and those looking for better results from their digital photography.

Product Details: There are a number of components to this learning product including –

- “Your Guide to Digital Photography” - a 75-page guide that includes a variety of tips and advice for the beginner to advanced photographer. Some of the topics are:

- Taking your first pictures
- Different kinds of digital cameras
- Professional technology at affordable prices
- Finding the right low end digital camera for those on a budget
- Exposing digital photography myths.
- Understanding the features of your digital camera
- Tips for taking better digital pictures
- Pet photo tips
- Night photo tips
- Horizons and sunglasses
- How to share your digital pictures
- Printing your pictures
- Choosing a printer for you digital images
- Editing your photos.
- Understanding white balance so your photos look good in all lighting.
- Interpolation and digital zoom to improve detailing in pictures
- Finding free photo editors for your Windows computer
- Using your flash effectively
- Understanding and making the most of your memory cards
- Important equipment to take when traveling.
- Battery options and your best bets.
- Making money from your digital photography hobby.

- “Photography Quick Tips” – 37 pages showing you how to make the most of your pictures. It includes practical tips for:

- Night photography
- Action photography
- Landscapes
- Sunsets and sunrises
- Beach photography
- Desert photography
- Sports photography
- People and pets
- Street photography
- Fog & Mist
- Waterfalls & Running Water
- Rain & Snow
- Fireworks

- Picasa Tutorials – There are 8 video tutorials (you can view them online or download them to your computer) to show you how to use the free Picasa software to organize, edit, create and share your photos. The videos include:

- Downloading and installing the program
- Editing photos with Picasa
- Creating collages
- Blogging with Picasa
- Backing up your photos
- Printing your photos
- Posting pictures to your web album

- “Your Top Digital Photography Questions Answered” – This 26 page guide answers 20 common questions about digital photography including:

- What is the biggest mistake made by beginning digital photographers?
- How to decide on the right digital camera.
- How to decide is a picture is worth taking.
- How to get the white balance right.
- How to take clear shots for indoor sports.
- Advantages/disadvantages of raw vs. Jpeg format photographs.
- What are the best settings for low light/nighttime conditions?
- What is hyperfocal distance?
- How to take a photo of a glass sign or a framed picture in glass
- How to get high contrast natural light black and white pictures.
- Time lag from the time you take a picture until it is on the memory card.
- How to avoid redeye in dim light.
- Small object close up pictures.
- How to photograph gemstones and jewelry.
- How to take a picture with both strong sun and shade.
- Capturing personality in photos of people.
- How can I understand depth of field?
- Settings and techniques for photographing birds and wildlife.
- How to take pictures into the sun and avoid lens flare.
- How to take good pictures in the snow or on the beach.

- “Buying a Digital Camera” Video – This video shows you how to use the Internet to conduct research from unbiased sources.

- “An Experiment in Photography. What Exactly Happens When You Change the Settings on Your Digital Camera?” – This 12 page guide shows photos of the same object (a house, in this case) with different camera settings resulting in very different photos.

- “Secrets of Night Photography” – A quick 6-page guide with concise advice about nighttime photography. It includes information on:

- Trails of Light (Cars)
- Trails of Light (Stars)
- Weather and Exposure
- Horizons and Sunglasses
- Tripods
- Low Cost Filtering

Format:

The main guide is a PDF ebook. There are extra guides (PDF) and videos (free Flash & Shockwave required). If you’re not sure how to use these files, don’t worry, all the download information is carefully explained and any software you may need is free and safe to download.

Thoughts on the Product:

This package covers a lot of ground on the topic of digital photography. All of the advice is very step-by-step and detailed, but doesn’t include unnecessary filler. Even for someone who has never used a digital camera before, the information is clear and concise enough to take that person from buying a camera to taking their first shots and being proud of their work.

The product can be downloaded instantly upon purchase, so you don’t have to wait for a bunch of books and videos to come in the mail. For those who are new to online downloads, full instructions are included.

Where to Learn More: Learn Digital Photography Now Website

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Digital cameras have no doubt overtaken conventional cameras when it comes to demand but just what exactly sets these two cameras apart? How does a digital camera achieve what it achieves? Well to start with just like a conventional camera a digital camera has a series of lenses that focus light in order to create the image of the scene that you intend to capture, however instead of focusing this light onto a piece of film it focuses it onto a semiconductor device that records light electronically. This information is then broken down into digital data by a computer. Essentially a digital image is a long string of 1s and 0s that represent all the tiny coloured dots, otherwise known as pixels that collectively make up the image. It is this digital data that allows you to, for example, email an image over to a family member or friend.

Digital cameras have been around for a good few years now and as a result the technology is continually becoming more advanced as are the accessories that are available for the cameras. One example of this can be seen through the lenses that are now available for various digital cameras.

Lenses are one of the main examples of accessories for digital cameras, however the type or model of lens that you purchase for your camera depends on the type of digital camera that you own, for example if you have a Canon digital camera then there are a number of lens available to you, Canon actually produce a range of lens that are said to cater for the needs of every photographer. They were also the world’s first manufacturer to introduce a lens that has built in stabilisation. This technology is used to offset the photographer’s camera shake. So the Canon lens range now includes the stabilisation lenses on top of the macro, portrait, and ultra wide and super telephoto lenses. A prime example of a popular Canon lens is the Canon 15mm f2.8 Fisheye EF Lens. This lens has a 20cm close focus for unique close up shots. It also has a fixed petal type hood and a gelatin filter holder at the rear.

Canon is just one example of a range with a lot of choice when it comes to camera accessories in the form of lens; another example is Olympus. A prime example of a popular Olympus lens is the Olympus 50mm f2.0 ED Macro Zuiko Digital Lens. This is a high quality macro lens which contains the impressive ED glass element to give you the highest image quality around. This combined with a 24cm close focus and a 52mm filter thread make this lens an ideal choice for Olympus camera users.

So what other accessories are important to anyone using a digital camera? Well it goes without saying that you will need a memory card. However before you use your memory card it is important that you format it in the camera rather than through your computer. You should aim to format your memory card when you first get it but you should also do it if you are changing camera and putting it into a new camera. So what does formatting actually do to your memory card? Formatting deletes every image on your memory card, including the ones you have protected. What it does is recreates the file system, which includes new directories and folders where images are saved on the card. Formatting is basically important as it turns your memory card pretty much new again as it also improves the overall performance of the card.

There are countless amounts of accessories that are now available to you for your digital camera; lens and memory cards are just two of them. Other accessories that you may be interested in getting for your digital camera include printer docks. These are what enable you to print your images off your digital camera without having to place the images on your computer before hand. Instead you simply connect your camera to the printer block and print your images off using this.

For those of you who either don’t want to or have too many images to even think about printing them off there are digital photo frames available. Your photographs are uploaded to the frame and then you simply plug the frame in and the images are then shown at random; this allows you to present a number of images without the need for separate frames.

The above are just a few examples of the accessories that are available to you for your digital camera. There are however hundreds more, from those for beginners through to those for the most advanced photographers. So no matter what level of photography you are at or what you love to photograph you will be able to find the perfect accessories for your digital camera.

Practice taking shots of moving targets. Learning how to pan moving targets will allow you to take dramatic photographs with a sense of speed.

Keep your camera handy and set up for unexpected encounters. Make sure you have fully charged camera batteries and plenty of film or memory.

Before you go into an area, read up on what kinds of animals and birds are commonly found there. Learn all you can about these animals and birds. This will help you know where to look to find them and what kinds of behavior to expect.

Learn to walk and move quietly and practice freezing your position so that your presence is not startling or threatening to the animal.

Learn to be observant of everything around you using all your senses. With a little practice, you will gain the ability to be aware of small movements, unusual colors or sounds, even smells that can tip you off to the presence of an animal or bird even when they are well camouflaged. I cannot believe how many times I’ve watched people walk right by wildlife without noticing them. Hiking with an awareness of your surroundings enhances your experience immeasurably.

In the wild, telephoto lenses are basically a must. This brings you in a little closer without scaring the animals. The use of a tripod is not always mandatory, if you have enough light you will be able to shoot at a fast shutter speed to eliminate shake. Some telephoto lens have vibration reduction technology but are considerably more expensive.

When you photograph animals and birds, make sure the focus is sharpest on their eyes.

Shoot small animals from a lower angle.

The best times of the day for viewing and photographing wildlife are early in the mornings and just before dark. This is when wildlife is usually most active and the light is the most dramatic.

Try to keep the sun at your back so that the light falls directly on your subject.

Using all these tips will help you improve your nature photography. The very most important thing is practice, practice, practice and don’t forget to enjoy yourself, and if you would like this FREE Digital Photography Report

Author: Dan Feildman

Tips to help are: The techniques used in most other fields of photography do not always apply in child photography. The phrase “hold it” or “freeze” carry very little weight with children. They typically do as they please and if they please. Your assignment is to anticipate what a child may be about to do and capture it.

YOU can turn this into your advantage: Since children don’t always do what you want them to do, or what you expect them to do (actually they rarely do!). A solution often is: don’t expect them to become a cooperative little adult merely because you want to take their picture. Trick them - expect them to act like children. Don’t expect anything in particular. DO this and you can enter the fun and profitable field of child photography.

Know your stuff - Before you start booking sessions with children you must know exactly what you are capable of doing - what your camera is capable of doing - what all your equipment is capable of doing. Operating your camera and equipment must be second nature. Have your style of photography down pat, so when you start a session your mind is on the children). This takes your complete focus. This is not the time to be fiddling with you camera, or trying to figure out your light setup. Children take 100% of your concentration. For some children the entire shoot may only last 10 minutes - though you feel you have just run a marathon - so you have to be able to get in position , get the most cooperation from the child, get great shots. At times, this has to be done very quickly, BUT you cannot make the child feel they are being rushed.

Know your subjects - With children, you must expect the unexpected. At different ages children are capable of doing different things. The more you know what they typically do during some of these stages, the better images you are going to capture. And the happier you make your clients - which, in turn, makes you financially happy.

During a session photographing children you can get a variety of poses, expressions and antics. In no other field of photography are you liable to get such variety. The more you learn about little ones the better child photographer you will be. Children are not just children until they become adults -they come in all sizes. Between four months and four years you can place them into quite a few categories: 4-6 mos, 6-12 mos, 12-18 mos, 18-24 mos, and then you can lengthen out the age span. Awareness of these ages are needed to help you - the photographer - be aware of the limitations children (especially little ones) have.

Listening to the parent can help toward a successful session. You can learn specific things about their child that will make it or break it: Are they afraid of certain things or sounds? What are their special likes? Do they like books? How comfortable are they with a stranger approaching them? You do NOT want to spook a little one; the scheduled time may not allow for you to win their confidence.

Be ready with that camera when you first introduce something new -you do not get a second chance to get first reactions!

In most areas of photography a tripod is great for sharp photos. However with child photography you do not always have such a luxury. Once they reach the moving around stage, a tripod limits your ability to capture expressions and poses. Be mindful of your camera settings - keep that shutter speed fast enough to prevent blurring - and be ready to move quickly!

Child photography allows for close-up portraits as well as the child engaged in some activity - taking their socks off - in a box / tub with toys - climbing on or out of something. There is really no limit. As you continue to gain experience in working with children of various ages you will become more adept at learning what typically works with different age groups.

Child photography is a challenge - but don’t worry sometime it turns into children photography. Mom has twins - big brother / little sister - maybe three little cousins. The list goes on! Imagine two sister and they both have triplets! Other than the obvious difficulty of getting multiple little subjects in any semblance of position, conducive to a memorable photo you need to bring everyone’s eyes to a central focal point. Tricky, but not impossible. Adding something NEW to catch their attention, at the moment you press the shutter, can work. Use this sparingly, because when child photography turns into children photography getting all their attention on the same thing is quite a feat. The beauty of digital is no limits to the exposures you take and you can take a quick peek on the spot.

Parents can be quite helpful during the photo session. Children often are more confident with a parent nearby. Also, do not overlook the value of older brother and sisters. They have a relationship with the little one like no one else! Often they can get their little brother or sister to giggle, make faces, hold things and a host of other things that may be exactly what you need. Plus, you have the opportunity of including more subjects in the photos, which translates into a larger photo package for the customer!

As you advance in child photography you will want a lighting setup and a backdrop. A three light setup - consisting of a main light fill light and a background light - is ideal. However if you are just beginning you can do great photography with a lot less. Experiment, and add as needed. If you are using a backdrop keep the child at least four feet from the backdrop (if possible). This eliminates shadows and prevents the backdrop from competing with your subject.

Take your act on the road - You can do child photography at the park - on the beach - in the backyard, just as easily as in a studio or home - maybe more so - and nature will take care of the lighting for you, as long as you select open shade.

Items to have on hand: Depending on the ages and whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors you need a supply of items to catch and keep their interest and that look great in a photo: rattles feather dusters soft toys dolls hats mirrors a telephone (the bigger the better) a big whistle duplicate toys (for twins & overly competitive little ones) treats & snacks,  so if you need this FREE Digital Photography Report

Author:    Dan Feildman

Keep in mind that some of these special features can be accomplished with photo editing software, such as black and white or sepia-toned images. Simply open a normal color image in Photoshop and, in a few minutes, you can have perfect black and white or sepia-toned photos.

Basically, if you can easily accomplish it in Photoshop, you might be better off concentrating on taking a good color photo, and worrying about special effects later.

However, you should try out other special effects. For instance you can pan your camera to track a car moving at high speed; the car will be in sharp focus but the background will be blurred, making an interesting picture.

Or you can do the opposite: focus on a particular stationary object — a child flying a kite, a freshly-painted fire hydrant — and allow a speeding car to enter the frame. You’ll then have a sharply focused center of attention with the added benefit of motion.

Author:  Dan Feildman

Campfires

Campfires are one of the easier fire images to photograph. However, the key here is to figure out your shutter speed. I personally use a slightly longer shutter time in order to blur the fire a bit as well as give any flying sparks an opportunity to leave a light trail.

Please note that with a longer shutter time you want to make sure your subjects remain somewhat still and mount the camera on a tripod or on a suitable flat surface. Depending on what the subjects in the picture are doing, campfire shots are excellent at conveying warmth and calm or a wild party attitude.

Please be cautious, if you leave the shutter open for too long you can lose the atmosphere of the photo as the fire will be too bright.

Big Fire

Attempting to photograph large fires, while not losing the sense of the power and generated heat, can be a tricky endeavor. Most photos of large scale fires are taken from a distance, which can cause the photo to lose its impact and scale.

When photographing large fires safety should be your first concern since they can be very unpredictable. If it is possible, try to photograph larger fires at night when you can capture the drama of the smoke and flames against a dark background.

Having the ability to highlight the smoke gives your photo a sense of volume and space to the fire beyond its attachment to the ground. One more thing to remember, shooting at night with a slower shutter speed allows for more intensity in the flames varying color and brightness.

Author:  Dan Feildman

The camera, however, may be focused on the subject from various angles that can also affect the shot. The three basic camera angles are eye-level, high, and low shots. Among the three, the two basic angles are the high and low angle shots.

Basically, the angle of the camera has an aesthetic and psychological significance when it is seen in the context of the story. This is because the photographer can project an air of domination depending on the kind of angle that he wants to use or the way he wants to emphasize the subject through a distinctive camera angle.

With this, camera angle speaks only for the context in which it is found. You can’t surmise that the photographer wanted to express the whole concept or idea of the subject, in general, through camera angles. This is because camera angles only show a certain point of the story through the dominant position you may want to project.

Consequently, the correct determination of the best angle will render good picture of the subject that will, in some way or another, replicate the best view of the real scene. Keep in mind that the camera does not exactly capture the way the human eye sees a particular scene. Hence, it now depends on the expertise and skill of the photographer to determine the best angle to capture the best view.

There are many factors to consider in determining the best angle. Here are some of the basic and the most important factors in order to determine the best angle when it comes to photography:

1. Point of interest
This is the most basic factor that every photographer must learn to master. Photography should always have a point of interest. This is where the story evolves.

After determining the point of interest, the angle of the camera will follow by emphasizing on the kind of drama the photographer wants to express in his shot. The idea is to attract attention, to compel readers to see the picture and derive its meaning.

2. Lighting
In determining the best angle, lighting becomes a deciding factor in determining the personality of the subject in focus. This goes to show that the subject’s personality may change depending on the kind of lightning used in taking the picture.

Indeed, camera angles may seem ordinary but they best define what photography is all about. That is why the determination of the best angle in photography is extremely significant and Click here to Get Your FREE Digital Photography Report

Author:     Dan Feildman