The Beginner’s Perfect Photo Kit

Everyone is Ansel Adams these days. And if they aren’t, it’s not for lack of trying. Digital cameras, the photos they take, and the PC software to manipulate them allows anyone to come as close to being a pro as they want to be. If you are just starting out, here are some handy tools and accessories that will surely make your photo-taking experience easier.

Portable Storage

The Apple iPod Camera Connector is a handy little gadget that lets you connect your camera to an iPod and download all your photos onto the iPod’s hard disk. This is useful if you’re shooting lots of hi-res photos which can quickly fill up your camera’s memory card. Using the Camera Collector allows you to free up the camera’s card for even more photos. And if your iPod has a color screen, it will also allow you to browse through your photos to see which ones you really like. This little gadget is quite inexpensive, and even if you only shoot pictures for fun, you can use it to easily download your photos onto your iPod. Learn more about the Apple iPod Camera Connector here:

Digital Camera

If you want to look like a professional when snapping your images, there are plenty of digital cameras, some very expensive, on the market today that can meet your needs. A digital SLR is considered to be the best choice for professionals or serious amateur photographers. Fortunately, these are no longer seriously overpriced. Nikon’s D40X is a 10MP model, and at just over 1 pound in weight is the lightest digital SLR in the world. It starts up in less than one second and shoots at 3fps, which makes it ideal for shooting photos on the move. Learn more about the Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera here.

Camera Tripods

There are a range of low-cost tripods available from the Apple Store, but another good option is the Bogen Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod. This versatile tripod has a central column which acts as an adaptor allowing you to shoot as low as 11cm or as high as 176cm. It can also be used as a lateral arm that lets you position the camera to the side of the tripod and shoot objects directly below the camera.

Camera BackPack

Pakuma is well known for its laptop bags, but it also makes the Akara range of backpacks. As well as having a protective sleeve for your laptop, the Akara K3 is quite spacious as well. This extra room can hold your camera, tripod, your wireless mouse, and lunch if you plan on being out a long time. With plenty of pockets and panels, there is lots of room to store cables, filters, and other useful extras. For more information on the Pakuma Akara K3 Computer Backpack, click here.

Photo Software

If you are serious about your photos, Photoshop is a necessary software to have, and Apple Aperture is a good companion to go along with it. It’s not an editing program, as such, but its workflow features allow you to manage and manipulate large collections of photos. It also has a nice feature that allows you to compare similar photos so that you can rate and select the ones you like best. Check out Aperture 2.0 here:

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And Finally

I am a big fan of the Apple Wireless Mouse. A lot of folks aren’t, but it can be quite useful for aspiring photographers. The Mighty Mouse scrolling ball is more versatile than most scrolling balls because it can actually scroll through any direction in a complete 360-degree range. This is useful for quickly panning around large images in Photoshop. Find out more about the Apple Bluetooth Wireless Mighty Mouse here.

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Aperture 2.1, Apple Products, Mac Software, Technology, Photography, Digital Cameras, Camera Accessories

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Some information for this article was found via MAC Format magazine.