In Which my Camera Phone
CUTS THE MUSTARD

It was a dark and stormy night when I decided to immortalise my bookcase with my Treo 600 camera phone.

In no time flat I had achieved this striking photo.

Impressed by the unusually cheerful colour scheme, I was about to call the fire brigade when a thought struck me.

In other words, I saw the light. Or rather, I took a good look at it - and traced its source to an electric bulb.

Somebody once called photography 'painting with light'. Sorry I can't remember who, but they were right.

Again I focused my Treo 600 camera phone on my bookshelf. This time I restrained my impatience to release the shutter, allowing the digital camera time to deal with the feeble orange illumination.

Yes. The picture on the phone screen was changing colour before my eyes. Automatic White Balance was working its mysterious chemistry. The picture phone was busy saving me the trouble of fiddling around with special camera settings for artificial light.

...The Treo camera seemed to be doing a pretty good job of it too...

Fearing my photographic artwork might disappear entirely, I hastily pressed the button.

My second photo may be a little on the chilly side, but you have to admit I succeeded in dousing the flames.

Er... If I were you I'd hasten on to our next thrilling installment, PHOTO LIGHT - EPISODE 2, where the MORAL of this tale is revealed and the picture phone manufacturers live happily ever after.

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