Amateurs love taking pictures and creating and sharing albums. Capturing and preserving special times in individual and family life is a special joy for many owners of small digital cameras today. However, with the unprecedented advance of technology and the accompanying art, photography today is much more than taking a picture and hoping it turns out ?okay?.

The science of photography includes cameras, lights, sets and other equipment that can be set up in an office or carried to a location for shooting pictures. Photographers must become experts in the use of their equipment for maximum customer benefit. They learn both from understanding the mechanics of each item as well as frequent use over time.

However, in addition to learning how to shoot quality photos, today's photographer learns the process of manipulating and altering pictures to create a desired effect. This work is completed on the computer with use of specialty software designed for work with digitally created photographs. It is also possible with current technology to add artwork to photos, thus truly combining art and science in the finished product.

The ?art? of any profession is more vaguely defined and photography is no exception. Working at a computer to manipulate photos has become an art in itself. Combining photos, adding or taking away color, changing hue and intensity, cropping and framing the subject, layering? the list of artistic possibilities is almost endless. The ?retouched? photograph has been totally redefined.

The combination of art and science in today's professional photographer takes many forms. Studio photography is frequently advertising oriented, dedicated to promotion of products and/or companies. Outdoor photography includes aerial shots, landscapes and nature, again for promotional purposes or for the sake of the beauty of nature. Technical photography includes science, sports, photojournalism and many forms of specialty work. And there is always the ?beautiful pictures for the sake of beauty only? that will always capture our hearts and put a smile on our faces.