The Camera Phone Book: How to Shoot Like a Pro, Print, Store, Display, Send Images, Make a Short Film

186 Pages·2007·2.79 MB·English

by  Aimee Baldridge

Around the world, millions of people carry camera phones with them. In just a
few years, the camera phone has quietly become the most widely used kind of
camera in the history of photography. By combining photography with
communications, it also has the potential to become the most influential. Today,
camera phones are both more and less like other digital cameras than you might
realize. Advanced models provide many of the settings and tools you can find in
digital pocket cameras, including video features. But they also offer innovative
functions that let you use images to communicate with others, link up with other
devices, and bridge the gap between the virtual and physical worlds. The
challenge of integrating a camera into an extremely compact, mobile,
multifunction device is driving new developments in optics and imaging
technology as well. And as Robert Clark’s photographs in this book show, a
camera phone in capable hands can produce compelling images. The goal of this
book is to put mobile-imaging options in your hands when you’re selecting a
camera phone, taking pictures and exploring new ways to share your view. The
National Geographic Society has always been at the forefront of innovation in
photography, and the growing world of camera phones is our newest frontier. We
hope you will be inspired by the tools, techniques, resources and images
presented here.
AIMEE BALDRIDGE is a writer and photographer based in New York.
She covers photography and imaging technology for a variety of magazines
and online publications, and was previously a senior editor covering digital
imaging at CNET Networks Reviews. She holds a B.A. in English
Language and Literature from the University of Chicago. You can see more
of her photography at www.aimeebaldridge.com.
Creating this book required the skill and hard work of many people. I
extend my thanks to all of them, and to Russell Hart for recommending me.
Representatives of companies mentioned in this book were also generous in
sharing information and letting me give their products a spin. Special
thanks to Camilla Gragg, Kristen Kelly and Drew Crowell. I would like to
thank my family and my excellent friends for their love and enthusiasm.
Special thanks to my mother for her indispensable support and to Shams,
Ted, Anne, Sara, Bill, Evie, James and Chris—and definitely to Bryan, who
made me my own custom infrared camera-phone light. I’d also like to
remember Anil Ramayya for the friendship and encouragement he gave me
in all of my endeavors.:
CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1:
Choosing a Camera Phone
-New Designs
-Memory Cards
-Lenses and Sensors
-Manufacturers and Standards
-The Rosetta Stone Chart
-Cool accessories
CHAPTER 2:
Taking Pictures
-Ten Rules
-Photographing People, News, Landscapes, Sports
and more
-Photo Essay
CHAPTER 3:
After the Snap
-Transfer your photos
-Printing
-Digital Frames
-Portable Storage Devices
-Social Networks
-Geocoding
-Improvements
-Software toolbox
CHAPTER 4:
The Camera Phone Community
-Moblogs
-Galleries
-Film Festivals
-2-D Bar Codes and more
CHAPTER 5:
Troubleshooting
-How to retrieve lost or damaged files, and other tips

CHAPTER 1.
CHOOSING A CAMERA PHONE

Back when the cameras in mobile phones were little more than cheap, low-
quality toys, their imaging capabilities probably didn’t wow many buyers. But
now that matters have improved, the time you take to learn about camera-phone
options and compare different models will be well spent. There are several
elements to consider: the mobile-service provider and service plan you choose,
the camera phone’s design, the quality and characteristics of its imaging
components, and the software it can support. All of these factors affect how well
your camera phone will function as a mobile-imaging device—in other words,
how much you’re going to enjoy taking pictures and doing other cool imaging-
related stuff you might not have known was possible with a camera phone.
DESIGN

Fusing a camera with a phone is no mean feat; but doing so has resulted in a
broad variety of camera-phone sizes and physical configurations. To find
the design that works best for you, look over the types shown here and then
go to a store and test drive a few to see what feels right.
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