One area of technology where the “new technology vs old technology” debate has definitively been won is in the area of digital photography. Nowadays we find digital cameras simply everywhere. Their resolution and quality have shot up, as their prices have come down just as fast. Digital cameras have become a fixed part of our social fabric.

It seems that everyone is taking pictures and videos and emailing, MMSing, uploading or generally sharing them any which way we can. The question being, are you a bit of a photonhead, and are you simply crazy about digital ­photography? Snapping a huge number of ­photos with a ­digital camera is easy, but finding a practical way to share your pictures and show them to friends and family can ­sometimes be a hassle. Fortunately, there are many websites that allow you to upload your photos to online albums and other sharing tools. There are even some sites where you can order prints of your pictures and have them posted to you. If your goal is to get your pictures into an online album quickly and easily, there are a number of sites which can accommodate you. Some of them also offer handy special features such as sending images to and from camera phones.

Whether you have a handful of vacation shots or you’re a serious photographer with a big image archive, there are plenty of sites that can make printing and sharing a pleasure. One of the beauties of going digital is that you can tweak and twist your pictures into amazing works of art. All it takes is a little imagination, some technical know-how and the right tools.

• Photonhead – www.photonhead.com
  This is my favourite digital photography site, and where I got the name of this month’s column. It covers more than digital photography, although this is the majority of the site.
  
  
• Fly Photo – www.flyphoto.co.za
  Fly Photo is a South African site that lets you upload your digital pictures for printing. You can specify the types of prints you would like, and in a few days they are delivered to you.
  
  
• PhotoShow – www.ourpictures.com
  With PhotoShow you can share your pictures and add ­captions, frames, transitions, and music to create a multimedia slideshow which can be viewed using a browser.
  
  
• Picnik – www.picnik.com
  Picnik is a fabulous tool. This site allows you to edit images online using a web browser. It includes tools to fix underexposed photos, remove red-eye, or apply effects.

Send your comments or queries to lance@brandedinternet.co.za or visit www.brandedinternet.co.za/netsmart.