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Simple Living
in a Complex World
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24 (Other) Uses for a Digital
Camera
by Patti Tokar
Digital cameras can do more than just snap vacation pictures.
Since digital images don’t require film and expensive photo
processing, you can take hundreds of pictures without spending a
small fortune. But what can you do with those images? Here are
some ideas to help you get your money’s worth out of your
camera:
1. When you need to go to the hardware store to buy a
replacement part, take a picture of the part or the fittings
that you are unable to take with you. Hold a ruler up to the
part for even better results. Sure, you will remember that you
want a five sided widget. But the picture will help you remember
that it needs to be rounded on top and flat on the bottom.
2. Take thorough pictures of your household goods,
including serial numbers. Open drawers, jewelry chests, closets,
shelves, and snap away. Print a thumbnail set of these pictures,
save the picture file on a CD or removable storage and put both
the CD and the thumbnail pictures in a safe, a safety deposit
box, or a location away from your home. This will prove
absolutely invaluable if you ever have a break in, a fire, or
other disaster.
3. Take multiple shots of the room that you are
furnishing. Take shots from all angles and sides of the room.
Print the picture. Use plain paper, but try to get the
colors as close to the actual colors as possible. This will be a great help in the furniture
store when choosing colors, styles, and sizes. There is nothing
like buying that lovely full sized couch, only to come home to
find that it will cover the room’s only heating register.
4. Take a picture of your flower gardens at various times
when the perennials are in bloom. Try to get a shot that shows
the location and shots that will show you what the leaves look
like. This will be a great help in the spring when you are
trying to decide what part of the garden to till and what part
to leave undisturbed. The pictures
of the leaves will help you decide whether that new little plant
coming up is a weed or one of your beloved flowers.
5. Take a picture of the contents of a storage box before
placing it in the attic, garage, under the bed, or in a storage
room. Then print two sets of thumbnails. Place one set in a file
and note on it what the box looks like and where you stored
it (or just be really lazy and take a final picture of the box in
its storage location so that you will know where it is). The
other set will be taped on the front of the box so that you can
avoid rummaging through all the storage boxes to find that
widget or seasonal item that you are searching for.
6. Take pictures of your yard during the various seasons
and times of the day. This helps greatly in determining the
depth of shade and sun that an area gets and also in remembering
slopes, bare patches, and established plants when you are
planning new landscaping. Print as needed for taking to the
landscaping store.
7. Choosing paint colors– take a picture of the room or
building, etc that you want to paint. Then use your picture
editor to change the colors of the shutters, walls, trim, etc,
so that you can get a good visual idea of what the total look
will be with different colors.
8. Take a picture of a name, address, paragraph in a
book, recipe, set of instructions, signs, etc. when you don’t
have a pencil and/or don’t want to have to write the whole thing
down and you don’t have a scanner available.
9. Use your camera to take pictures of your excess
stuff... then list them on eBay and sell them.
10. Get organized... take a picture of where things are
supposed to go on a shelf, then post the picture on or next to
the shelf. This is especially helpful for business applications,
such as office supplies, and for situations where volunteers or
other untrained people might be working, and even for helping
children to remember where things should go on a shelf.
11. When you put something seasonal away, such as the
Christmas table cloth, snap a picture of it in the drawer,
shelf, closet, etc., so that you can use the picture next year
to remember where you put it.
12. Take a picture of your favorite outfits, or better
yet, yourself wearing your favorite outfits. Print the
thumbnails and hang inside your closet for quick outfit
decisions.
13. Take before and after pictures. Are you losing
weight? Take a picture of yourself every week or two. They don’t
have to be glamour shots, just informational. Are you using a new
skin care product and wonder if it really works? Take a picture
now and then of the same skin area, using the same angle and
lighting, every week.
14. If you are interested in remodeling, but totally
stuck on deciding what you really want, take a snapshot whenever
you see a room, a landscape or other items that you like. It may
be a design, a color, a way that things are arranged. Anything
that flashes in your mind that this is how you want the room or
the house to look. As you assemble these pictures, you will
begin to notice, for example, that you love Victorian, or
contemporary, or mission style, or woods, or metals, lots of
glass or windows, whatever... as you start compiling those
seemingly eclectic things that really electrify you, you will
begin to see a pattern and it will become much easier to choose
your remodeling or decorating style.
15. Take a picture of the everyday things in your life.
Your child’s bedroom, the family room couch, the kids playing a
video game, your child’s favorite toy or stuffed animal, that
cartoon character pillow case that they love, their bicycle,
your favorite coat, the birthday cakes, the arrangement of
furniture in the living room, the family car, a family meal, the
front of the house, the tree you just planted, the dog
sleeping..... whatever it is that you see everyday, whatever
seems almost mundane. Take 50 - 100 shots. Then repeat this in
six months or a year. Over the course of a few years, the
earlier shots will begin to bring back powerful and beautiful
memories. It’s your life.
16. If you are doing do-it-yourself repairs and need to
disassemble something, take a picture of every step, showing the
parts as clearly as possible. This may be a lifesaver when you
are trying to reassemble the item... did I put this part here?
do I put this back first or does this other widget go in
first....?
17. If you just got a great haircut, ( or your friend did
and you want a cut just like it) or if you are having a great
hair day and want to be able to repeat the look, snap a picture.
It will help you when styling and it will be invaluable to your
hairdresser in recreating the look.
18. Take a picture of your separates pieces and “orphan”
clothes before you go clothes shopping - then print a thumbnail
page. Use this to remind yourself of what pieces you need to
complete an outfit... this will also prevent you from buying a
great sale item that matches absolutely nothing in your
wardrobe.
19. Make a chronological family journal. Use the same
reference point, such as a doorway or a tree, then take photos
of your family member(s) on a certain day each year, such as the
first day of school, or a birthday. You might even have your
family stand in the same pose and position each year to heighten
the effect. Over the years, this will make a fascinating
time-line. 20. Take a picture of your luggage before you leave for a
trip. Take a picture of the contents and the luggage itself.
Take a thumbnail print with you (don’t store it in your
luggage!!). Leave the original photo file at home. This will be
invaluable for filing a claim if your luggage is lost or delayed
at the airport.
21. Take plain, clear pictures of your pets for the
purpose of identification if they ever become missing. You can
use these to print fliers or to show to people when searching
for your beloved pet. Along the same lines, if you are traveling to a remote area or traveling
overseas, take clear, plain pictures of the people you are
traveling with. This will save valuable time in describing and
locating them if you are separated.
22. If you have an item that you no longer need or
use, but it has a memory attached that makes it hard to give it
away, then take a picture of it. In this way you can "hold
onto" the item while still giving it away. You will have
the picture to look at for the memory's sake, but you will not
have to store and clean the unused item.
23. Stay connected with a relative or friend who lives in
another city, or who is traveling. Take snapshots of everyday
events,- the kids, the house, family gatherings - and send them
as an email attachment so they feel closer to you. (Hint: if you
have a high resolution camera, learn to reduce the size of the
image before you send it.)
24. Take daily shots of an important building that is
being constructed in your neighborhood or town. Try to take the
shots from the same angle(s) each day. This makes a fascinating
slide show when the building is complete.
Now you have 24 new ideas of uses of that snazzy little camera.
Once you get started, you will probably think of even more! Now
get that camera out of the drawer and use it!
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