Holidays are about stories. Stories are the way civilizations pass the reasons behind its traditions to future generations and photos are the way we pass our personal stories to future generations. So when you take photos this holiday season keep in mind your responsibility to your descendants. (And all you thought you were doing was grabbing a few snapshots.)

Telling your story pictorially is not hard if you stick to a few simple rules.

1) Before you shoot know your equipment.

Don’t let that new camera sit in the box until everyone is already on his or her second course at dinner (or after you’ve had that second glass of Uncle Robert’s homemade wine). Take it out of the box right now. Unwrap all the memory cards, software discs, and wires, charging cables, manuals, guides, doodads and gizmos packaged with the camera. Find the Instruction Manual and if you’re lucky, the Quick Start sheet.

Next compare what is in the box with what is listed in the Instruction Manual or Quick Start sheet. This will accomplish two things, first it will allow you to familiarize yourself with all the camera’s parts and, just as important, see if anything is missing. Do not throw anything away!

Now charge the battery.

While the battery is charging read Instruction Manual to learn how to operate the controls, especially the On/Off switch and Shutter button. Don’t bother to look at the camera for the moment, there are plenty of pictures and illustrations in the manual, let the battery charge. Later you’re going to read the manual again with the camera in front of you, after the battery is fully charged. Did I mention to charge the battery enough times?

When reading the manual the second time around, with the camera in your hands, play with all the buttons and shoot a few worthless pictures then delete them.

In the history of photography cameras have never been more sophisticated yet simple to use. By reading the manual cold then going back to it again with the camera in your hands you’re effectively studying its operation and re-enforcing your memory. If you take this advice, when you have an operational question in the future you’ll pick up the manual to find that you already know the answer.

2) Have enough memory on hand (or film if you’re still doing that).

There’s nothing worse than having a magical moment appear in front of you and seeing that dreaded MEMORY CARD FULL prompt on the LCD screen.

Download your memory card’s contents to your computer! Buy extra cards. And never delete individual photos from the card to free up space. You might accidentally erase the entire card.

I don’t recommend permanently storing all your photos on cards since they are small (especially SD cards) and easy to misplace. Also dropping a card on a hard surface or exposure to the elements, especially magnetic fields, can damage them and make the pictures unreadable.

3) Tell your story.

A good story has three parts: a beginning, middle, and an ending. So shoot lots and lots and lots of photos. While its true that a seasoned professional photographer can tell a story with one really great photo you’re not under that kind of pressure. You can shoot everything. In a future blog entry I’ll give you some ideas as to what to do with all those photos.

Maybe your story starts with packing the car for the road trip to Grandma’s or dressing the kids. If you’re going on a road trip don’t forget to take photos of the signs along the way. If you’re driving stop first or let your passenger grab the picture. I spent many years traveling by motorcycle and my favorite pictures (and best reminders of where I was) are of my motorcycle in front of a sign.

Shoot the turkey going into the oven or even start your story with shopping for the turkey, especially if you’ve gone to a turkey farm and picked out a live turkey. Opening a bottle of Champaign makes a good photograph. Relatives greeting at the door also makes a great image. Pay particular attention to older friends and relatives, one day you might wish you had a photo of someone that is no longer around.

Mix it up. Take generational photos. Your oldest relative holding the youngest child. If you have photos from past holidays and the same people are together arrange them in a similar pose. Make that same photo every year.

When taking photos of people eating give them a chance to swallow their food. Stand up or on a step stool or chair when shooting across the table to minimize the table clutter in the foreground. Have people get close to each other, wrap their arms and get their cheeks together (both sets). If using a flash, arrange everyone in the same plane as people close to the camera will appear lighter than folks in the background. Learn and use the red-eye prevention setting and warn everyone to keep their eyes open and smile while the flash fires multiple times.

Move in close, either with your zoom or by taking a step closer. Fill the frame.

Take pictures while saying goodbye no matter how late it is or how tired you are. Pictures of children who have fallen asleep on the spot always look angelic (as opposed to the shot of Uncle Robert who’s passed out after the third glass of his own homemade wine).

Thanks to the digital photography revolution we no longer need to worry about the cost of each image and with rechargeable batteries we don’t have to worry about buying extra batteries. However if you’re really shooting lots and lots and lots of images, then having an extra rechargeable battery and a charger is a nice idea.

Shoot photos unmercifully now and delete the one with Mildred’s eyes closed later, ON THE COMPUTER, AFTER DOWNLOADING!

Thanks for reading my first blog entry and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

If you have any questions or a subject you’d like me to cover then drop me an email by clicking on the link below with my name.

Mark Kalan

Blogmaster

Abe’s of Maine

Abe’s Special Of The Week:

Pentax Optio W80 Waterproof, Shockproof and Coldproof (Blue, Gray, Red) Promotion for only 5 days. From 11/26 to 11/30 only at Abes of Maine, the price will be $199.95 ($209.95 - $10 loyalty10= $199.95). Original Price $299.95.

Congratulations to:

Camera Winner:

Diane E from Glendale, AZ

She received a free Gold Pentax Optio E70 Digital Camera just by signing up to receive our email deals! Click here to Sign Up today and maybe next month this name could be yours!

Our Kodak Blowout Deal Winners:

Paul S from Sewickley, PA

Unn Elise J from Georgiana, AL

Yini M from West Lafayette, IN

Joseph M from Rye, NY

Teja Y from Phoenix, AZ

Sudhir B from Chicago, IL

Rajendra D from Clarks Summit, PA

Davendra P from Randolph, NJ

Yin W from Hoboken, NJ

Carlo G from Limerick, PA

Husam K from Middleberg Heig, OH

Balamurugan S from Germantown, MD

Amber L from Newark, OH

Stephen P from Antioch, CA

Philip P from Staten Island, NY

Wei Y from Wauwatosa, WI

Shihhao L from Palo Alto, CA

Angel M from Sacramento, CA

Mordechai M from Brooklyn, NY

Each one of these winners bought a Kodak EasyShare C180 Digital Camera, worth $99.95, and received a $100 Gift Card toward their next purchase!

And Our JVC Blowout Deal Winners:

Roger S from McGregor, TX

Robert K from New York, NY

Paul F from Wheeling, IL

David G from Little Falls, MN

Jesse D from Great Neck, NY

Elizabeth G from Evanston, IL

Pierre F from Vidalia, GA

Zili L from Canton, MI

Jerzy D from Staten Island, NY

Leopold L from Spring Hill, FL

Yue L from Collegeville, PA

Christopher G from St. Johnsville, NY

Anthony D from Philadelphia, PA

Eric L from Oakland, CA

Each one of these winners bought a JVC GZ-MG670 80 GB Hard Drive Camcorder, worth $499.95, for $399.95 and received a $100 Gift Card toward their next purchase!

At Abe’s, we know that nothing beats the rush of getting a great deal or winning a contest. It’s an exhilarating feeling that we want to share with you.

That’s why we created these Blowout and Closeout deals! The first 10-20 people who open the email get the opportunity to take advantage of the deal and receive up to $100 in Abe’s of Maine Gift Cards!

Each Blowout deal is unique, but they are always an incredible value for you, our customers! The only way to learn about them is to click here to Sign Up for our emails and keep an eye out for the next one!!

A new digital camera is always a good choice. Getting the best quality pictures of all the things she enjoys in life wil be greatly appreciated and will also last for years to come. Digital Cameras

Mom can finally move all that music or movies that she has on cassette tapes or vinyl or VHS into the digital age. These products that will transfer your old cassette’s, LP’s or VHS tapes straight into your computer or even directly onto an SD card! Media Transfer

Maybe mom or grandmother has lots of old film or slides from before digital cameras were around. Well now those too can be transferred directly to a computer or an SD card in minutes! Film Scanners

Who doesn’t love to watch TV? I’m sure mom would love to watch her favorite shows on a brand new HD flat screen TV! From 19″ all the way up to 60″ there’s a TV that would fit any room, any lifestyle and any budget! Televisions

Lastly, while Mother’s Day is marked on our calendars just remember that you don’t have to wait until then to show your appreciation; mothers and grandmothers deserve to feel loved every single day of the year!

To all of the mothers and grandmothers out there: We here at Abe’s of Maine wish you a Happy Mother’s Day! We’d love to hear what you think are the best technology gifts for Mothers Day. The first 75 peope to comment will receive a special coupon code that will allow them to get $15 fo any purchase of $100 or more at Abe’s of Maine.*

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

It’s not always necessary to join a gym in order to get in shape. These days, different exercise machines offer a slew of different built-in programs that are designed specifically for a cardio, fat-burning, or muscle building. So you can accomplish a lot on one machine! And whether you’re in your bedroom, basement or den you can feel like your at the gym by incorporating some hot entertainment features. You can install a flat screen TV to watch your favorite Blu-Rays while you’re trekking away on your treadmill. Or you can surround yourself with a new surround sound entertainment system as you’re pedalling away on your stationary bike. So put some spring in your step, and enjoy doing it at the same time.

If you have a particular exercise, machine or routine that you like and would like to share with our readers, we’d love to hear it! The first 75 people to comment will receive a coupon for $15 off of a purchase of $100 or more at Abe’s of Maine!*

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

Here are some of the best ways to find the best “guilt free” deals at Abe’s of Maine:

1. The Closeout Section is always a great place to start. These are items that absolutely need to go. So you know that you’re getting a price that is as rock-bottom as they come.

2. Make sure when you search for products or click on a category that the results are listed as ascending in price order (this can be accesed at the top of the page below the search bar). This way you see the lowest priced items first. If you don’t have a lot to spend then this is the best way to make sure you are seeing the items with the smallest hit on your wallet.

3. Always check to see if any products include free items, price discounts or manufacturer rebates. These will always be applied to whatever the listed price is. Plus it means you get more bang for the buck.

4. Call, call, call! Very often certain bargains can’t be advertised online. But once you have a live person on the phone you can find out anything and everything that Abe’s (1800 992 2237) has to offer (this pretty much applies to any online store, whether you’re buying pet food, clothes, books, household cleaning fluids, roof tiles, whatever), including products and bundles you may not have been aware of that will save you money!

We’d love to hear some of your shopping success stories with Abe’s of Maine. Especially if it was guilt free! The first 50 people to comment will receive a $15 coupon off a purchase of $100 or more (BAM! There’s one more way to save!)*!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

1. First and foremost, if you are in the market for new appliances, definitely make sure you purchase appliances that come with the Energy Star approval. You know that this unit will be more efficient than one without it.

2. When cooking or baking, only open your oven door if necessary. Every time you open the door the temperature drops 25-30 degrees. Use an oven with an oven light and glass window so you can check on your food without opening the door.

3. When baking, use glass or ceramic pans. They retain heat better than metal pans and allow you to drop the baking temperature by up to 25 degrees.

4. On gas burners, don’t use your pilot light! Using a clicker lighter rather than a pilot will use 40% less gas. That reduces energy and it will also cut your gas and heating bill noticeably (safety precaution: if you do relight your pilot make sure the flame is ready to light before turning the gas back on).

5. If you have a well lit kitchen, unscrew the lightbulb from your refrigerator and freezer. Most likely you’ll be able to see just as well and you won’t have to turn those bulbs on and off every time you open and close the fridge.

6. Cleaning a gas oven will actually increase efficiency since the crud that builds up inside insulates the walls and makes it longer for the interior to heat up. However, contrary to popular belief, cleaning an electric oven, particularly the self cleaning feature, is not necessary (other than for aesthetic purposes) because the heating elements in are inside the cooking space so. Using the self cleaning feature uses more energy in the end. If you want to clean it, do it the old fashioned way: grab a rag, some water and a cleaning agent and wipe it down.

We’ll be bringing you some more energy saving tips in future posts. In the meantime we’d love to hear what you do to try and save energy in the kitchen. The first 50 people to comment will receive a $15 coupon off a purchase of $100 or more*!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

1. Try and take baby pictures with very plain and monochromatic backgrounds. This will put the focus of the picture entirely on the subject, the baby.

2. Take very close-up pictures. Try and get the baby’s face to fill the entire viewfinder, with as little background as possible. Baby features, such as very big eyes and small noses, grow out as the baby gets older so getting some nice close-up shots of those adorable faces will be priceless as their features change.

3. Go outside. Take pictures of your baby outside in natural light. Different lighting can have different effects on the baby’s skin, sometimes giving a soft appearance, sometimes glowing and other times the effects of shadows can be brilliant. Also, not having to use a flash indoors will eliminate any chance of red-eye.

4. Snap away…a lot. Taking photos frequently will allow you to look back and really see how your baby grew up and changed during that short span of time. Try taking a picture of the baby in the same setup on the 1st of every month for the first two years. Looking at the pictures can literally be like watching your baby grow up.

There a dozens of other methods for getting great baby photos. Share them with our readers! The first 50 people to comment will receive a $15 coupon off a purchase of $100 or more*!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

Like playing drums on Rock Band? Why not use a premium drum kit like ION Audio’s Drum Rocker for PS3 or XBOX? It’s set up like a real drum kit and feels much more like one too! Getting your hand and foot coordination down can really help out then if you’re ready to move on to a real drum set. Guitar and Bass are no different. Even though a game controller has no strings or frets, getting good at moving your fingers quickly and independently can really help make them more agile when you’re ready to tackle the real deal. So why not give it a shot? The truth is, studies show that learning music can actually benefit the mind in many different ways. And lets not forget…nothing rocks more than a guitar hanging off your shoulders, or twirling a pair of drum sticks between your fingers. So all you gamers out there, go ahead…rock on.

Have you made the plunge from gamer to musician? Have any awesome hard-rocking stories you’d like to share? Let us know! We’d love to hear ‘em. The first 50 commenters will receive a $15 coupon good towards any purchase of $100 or more*.

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

That thrill never really leaves you, and come gameday, it feels ever more present. The rush leading up to the game brings out the kid in you again and reminds you why you sit and watch 12 hours of pre-game shows, stand over a flaming grill in close to sub-zero temperatures, stock up your fridge with every drink imaginable and invite everyone you know to take it all in on a big screen that makes you feel like you’re right there on the field. True, those memories may be clear and they’re some of the best you’ll ever have. But watching the big game on your big screen, that shows the clearet picture of all, is the best way to remind you of your backyad heroics in a childhood game that no one else may even know about, yet you remember as the greatest game every played.

Tell us about your greatest childhood game or any related stories. Abe’s of Maine, and our customers, would love to hear about them. The first 50 people to comment wil receive a $15 coupon code towards any purchase of $100 or more*.

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

You never know when a great photo opp is going to present itself to you so the first rule in candid photography is: take your camera with you everywhere! Having a camera at the ready is always best if you want to catch candid shots because more often than not, you won’t get a second chance. Look for everyday occurences that would normally go unnoticed. Those can sometimes become the most beautiful and thoughtful picutres. Get used to taking pictures without necessarily having to look through the view-finder or at the screen as that can save precious seconds when trying to catch a unique shot. Be comfortable with not worrying about lighting conditions and possible distractions in the frame. It’s always possible to edit things out and lighten it up later on. Lastly, for those people who are inclined to make their own settings on their cameras, it’s also a good idea to use a higher ISO setting to increase shutter speed (although this can possibly affect image quality depending on how much light is available and the cameras image sensor size).

Tell us about some candid shots you’ve taken, tips or any related stories. Abe’s of Maine, and our customers, would love to hear about them. The first 100 people to comment wil receive a $15 coupon code towards any purchase of $100 or more.

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code.