camera Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Top skills every new photographer should learn

Posted on May 12, 2025

Ever taken a photo that felt perfect in the moment, but ended up blurry, flat, or just off? You’re not alone. Photography looks easy until you try to get it right.

These days, everyone snaps pictures, but learning the craft means going beyond casual phone shots. It’s about mastering light, telling a story, and noticing the details others miss.

The best part? You don’t need expensive gear to start—just the right skills.

In this post, we will share the top skills every new photographer should learn – along with a few tips for connecting with professionals who can help you grow faster. [Read more…]

Q&A: Which camera is better – Nikon or Canon?

Posted on April 24, 2024

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Michael: Rick, I have a question for you about cameras. Which brand is better, Nikon or Canon?

My daughter is wanting to get more deeply into photography and I need to buy her a DSLR. Some people are saying to get her a Canon and others are saying Nikon.

We don’t have a clue who to believe because I don’t know the first thing about DSLRs. I trust your judgement, so between Canon and Nikon, which do you think is the best? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can I completely disable my laptop’s camera?

Posted on January 22, 2024

Question from Callie: I bought a new Windows laptop (an Acer) that has a camera built into it.

I don’t ever plan to use the camera for anything and I’d like to completely disable it.

I don’t want to just prevent apps from accessing the camera. I want to disable it completely.

Is it possible to do that? If it is, can you tell me how to do it? [Read more…]

Extend your reach by mounting your camera on a monopod

Posted on April 4, 2023

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Have you ever tried to take a picture while standing in a crowd only to come away with nothing but a photo of the back of someone’s head?

Have you ever tried to take picture from a bridge or ledge only to discover that you couldn’t get your camera out far enough from the edge to photograph your intended target?

If either of these situations apply to you, I have a simple solution for you…

[Read more…]

Q&A: Does my camera have a bad memory card?

Posted on March 18, 2019

Question from Kelsey W.: I bought my wife a brand new Pentax K-50 camera back in 2014 and now she’s having a problem with it.

After she first got the camera she used it almost every day for a couple of months, then she had a stroke and was unable to use it for quite some time.

Her recovery from the stroke was long and difficult, but she is now finally able to resume some of her most loved activities, including taking pictures.

The problem is the camera doesn’t work now. When she turns it on it says there’s no memory card. But there is one and it’s inside the camera.

I read the manual and it said to format the SD card, but every time I try to format it the “no memory card” error pops up.

It’s hard to believe this is happening because she was only able to use the camera for a couple of months before she had the stroke.

Do you think the problem is a bad camera or a bad memory card?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]