1. Product comparisons: What kind of camera do you need? How much are you
prepared to spend?
Film vs.
Digital
Point-and-shoot (under ~$500)
Pro-sumer ($500-$1500)
Professonal ($1000+ for the camera body -- lenses not generally included)
2. Feature considerations: What kind of pictures do you want to take?
Price
Megapixels
Optical vs. Digital Zoom
Size and weight
Battery type
proprietary
standard (AA)
Storage type: Memory Stick (Sony), Compact Flash, SD Card (the most popular these days) , CD-RW
Special considerations
Weather and/or shock proofing
Automatic timer
Nighttime photography
Underwater photography
Long exposures
Fast action (Burst mode)
Panoramas
Close-ups
3. Review sites: How do you choose a camera or compare models?
4. Safe places to shop online: Where can I get a good deal from a reliable
company?
5. Let's take some pictures: How do I take a good picture?
Focus
Auto vs. manual
Focal point
*Manual vs. auto features
Lighting
Outdoors-back to the sun
White balance (set for incandescent, fluorescent, cloudy, sunny)
Err on the side of overexposure (more data to work with)
Exposure: auto vs. manual
Composition
Zoom
Close-ups
Flash and red-eye reduction
*Off-camera flash (Prosumer and Pro only)
Field trip: let's take some pictures
6. Sizing photos: How do I prep a photo before sharing it?
Crop: Can I cut unnecessary information from the picture?
Scale before you mail: Can I reduce the size of the file?
Web safe colors
Digital Image File Formats: Different image formats for different purposes
7. Digital Editing Tools: How can I adjust a photo?
Software that comes with camera?
Software that works with your computer?
8. Photo publishing websites: Where can I publish a set of photos?
9. Photo printing websites: Where can I get prints of my digital photos?
10. Color Printing: How do I print my digital photos?
Selecting a photo printer
Color management
Sharpness
Resolution
Paper type
Fading
Waterproofing