Photography

I have become an amateur photographer since we bought our new camera. The old camera lasted almost eight years, so it was definitely time for something new. We splurged a little and bought a good digital camera—and I am so glad we did! The quality of the photos is amazing. We haven’t been to the Alabama Gulf Coast since buying the camera, and I can’t wait to see what kind of pictures I end up with the next time we visit.

I am particularly interested in photographing the wildlife at the Gulf. Pelicans, seagulls, herons and cranes are fascinating to watch and make great pictures. I’ve taken some nice pictures of these creatures in the past, but I’ve developed a small photographer-ego and I’m hoping to capture a really superb wildlife moment—a heron in flight might be nice.

Of course you don’t need a fancy camera to take great pictures of Alabama Gulf Coast wildlife. Any camera will serve the purpose of preserving these memories. The best part is just being there to experience the remarkable wildlife.

And if you have a great wildlife photo (or obtain one in the next few weeks), you might consider entering in the “Show Us Your Best Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Vacation Ever” contest. Just go to www.thebeachiscalling.org.

My aunt was in town yesterday. We were looking at the hundreds of pictures that my cousin has taken—in the past week—of her young baby, and we realized how different picture-taking habits are today compared to the “old days.” It really wasn’t all that long ago that you had a limited number of pictures you could take, you had to pay to develop them, and you couldn’t even preview them before. You waited for that perfect moment, snapped the picture and hoped for the best. Now you can take fifty pictures in ten minutes and not think twice about—and not have to pay for them!

My aunt, who is a little old-fashioned, thought that this devalues pictures, that a hundred pictures of a child’s first steps aren’t as special as one or two of that precious moment. But I completely disagree. I think having lots of pictures helps you to fully recapture the moment. For example, I have an endless number of pictures from our last few trips to the Alabama Gulf Coast. I was able to take a picture anytime the moment seemed right, and now we can look back at those pictures and remember everything. I consider that to be extremely valuable.

And thanks to all of those digital photos, I had a lot of options to choose from when entering the “Show Us Your Best Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Vacation Ever” contest, which is still active…so if you haven’t entered yet, go to www.thebeachiscalling.org.

There is so much to keep track of on a family excursion that it can be tempting to leave behind the camera gear. With the chances of dropping something in the Gulf, losing something in the sand or leaving something behind, perhaps it is a good idea to leave your quality camera at home.
What, you ask? Take the tykes to the beach and not take a camera? Impossible.
Well, you can get the best of both world – lasting memories without the worry of ruining your camera.
On your way to the Alabama Gulf Coast, stop in to a retailer in Gulf Shores or in Orange Beach and check out the array of disposable cameras. The technology has come a long way, and there are styles designed to be waterproof. You can even find disposable video cameras.
For a souvenir the entire family can enjoy making, get a camera for each person. Collect them all at day's end and have double prints made. Each person can put his or her prints in a personal album (there are hundreds of styles to choose from at shops along the Alabama Gulf Coast), plus there will be a set for a family album.
Then, have each person choose a favorite to submit to www.thebeachiscalling.org. From the home page, scroll over the Photos & Fun button and look for “Visitor Favorite Photos” in the drop-down menu. Follow the link for a form to submit photos for consideration.