When it comes to consumer photography these days, everything has pretty much gone digital. Oh sure, there will always be the holdouts who insist on using film but you also can find people who still use DOS and play records.
And there's nothing wrong with that so no need to become defensive if you're one of them. I understand the reasons why you continue to use the older technologies. But digital is here to stay and chances are that if you plan to get a camera, it will be a digital model. So after you read its included manual, the next thing we do is to begin taking shots. Some will be good and some won't. You can keep on snapping away and hoping for the best but I'd like to draw your attention to a really useful website that is dedicated to showing you how to use that digital camera to actually take better pictures.

Just Show Me How To is a website that contains a series of downloadable instructional videos that deal with the finer aspects of using a digital camera. What I especially like about Just Show Me How To is that its videos cover a range of subjects that are specifically tailored to using a digital camera to achieve a specific result. For example, there's a video that talks about how to use a digital camera to take better pictures of things you want to auction off on eBay. In this particular video, you are introduced to something called "Scene Modes" and most every digital camera made has them built in. I found all of the videos to be professionally produced and very easy to understand. The instructors speak clearly and effectively present the information.

Just Show Me How To breaks down its library of instructional videos into two main categories. "Learn How To Take Better Pictures" deals with using any digital camera, regardless of brand name and model to take pictures for specific applications such as the taking pictures of items to be auctioned on eBay. Other videos in this category include Photograph Animals, Photograph People, Take Travel Shots, Shoot Nature, and Shoot Sports. One of my favorites is found in the Take Business Photos category. The video shows you how to use your digital camera to take better photos of real estate.
The idea here is learning how to compose your images to show off your home.
Well-lit pictures of every room is part of the secret. Take pictures in the daylight and with all of the electric lights on. Dark images of the rooms don't help to convey what it is that you're trying to sell. The video shows how to make your digital camera grab and use every lumen of light no matter where you may be at any given moment. There's even a video on how to shoot better pictures with your cell phone.

The other category is "Learn How To Use My Camera" which deals with specific make and model digital cameras. Currently the website offers models from Canon, Casio, Kodak, Nikon and Sony with more to follow. These are further broken down to videos that show how to use them to take better pictures and exploring the specific functions of the particular model camera. This is a relatively newer feature to the website so there aren't yet too many of these videos available but more are soon to follow.

Finally, there's a very useful "Find a Camera" interview that asks a series of questions that help it to determine a specific digital camera make and model for you. Some of the questions include asking your gender and age group, your experience as a photographer, the size of the video screen on the camera you'd like, your comfort with technology, physical camera size preferences and how smart you want the camera to be. After the interview, you get to see several make and model cameras you should check out. This is a great way to begin your search through the sea of digital models out there.

Just Show Me How To follows the iTunes model in that each video costs the same price to download, $1.99. Once you download them, they're yours to keep and can be watched without limitations. New releases and the most popular videos are shown on a marquee that appears on every page.

While some of the videos are hosted by different professional photographers, most of them feature Kevin T. Gilbert as the instructor. In fact the whole operation is spearheaded by Mr. Gilbert who is a 20-year veteran photojournalist. As Chief Photographer for the Washington Times newspaper, he has won over 30 major photography awards from the White House News Photographers Association. He is also currently serving his fourth consecutive term as President and Chairman of the Executive Board of the White House News Photographers' Association. With credentials like that, you can be sure that your $1.99 will be well spent when you download a video from his website!

www.justshowmehowto.com