When you're out taking pictures, and a problem crops up, it isn't always easy to solve it. There's a better way of doing things however! As football fans are fond of saying, "The best defense is a good offense." And the best offense here is to avoid problems with your digital camera in the first place.

That's not to say things aren't going to happen that are unexpected and unavoidable. However, many of the common problems photographers have when out shooting pictures are easily remedied with just a little prior planning.

Dead Batteries

There's nothing worse than missing that great picture because the battery in your digital camera died. The easy solution is to always, ALWAYS, have extra batteries in your camera case. It doesn't matter if you use rechargeable or regular batteries, you need at least one spare set of battieries.

Also, bear in mind that if you're outside shooting in cold weather, your batteries will die a lot quicker. Digital camera batteries just don't last as long when they get cold, so in the case of lower temperatures, or out cavorting in the snow to take pictures, it might be better to have a couple of extra batteries.

Yes, it's true batteries can be expensive, but it's worth the spending a little extra money to keep from beating your head against the wall because a dead battery made you miss that once in a lifetime shot. Spare batteries are a must!

When Cards Go Bad

A while back I went on vacation and took all my pictures on one card. I thought I'd have some fantastic shots. I was sure I'd filled that card with lots and lots of memorable photos.

The scenery was indeed breathtaking, but what really took my breath away was when I tried to load the pictures onto my computer and got one of those dreaded "ERROR" messages. The card was bad and most of the files were corrupted. There was no way to access them, so all those wonderful pictures were gone, gone, gone.

While it doesn't happen often, cards can and do go bad. That's why it's better to buy two smaller cards for your digital camera than one humongous card. For instance, if you're looking at buying a 2-GB card, get a couple of 1-GB cards instead.

Yes, it's cheaper to buy a huge bunch of gigabytes on one card. But if that one card goes bad, there goes ALL your pictures. Don't make that mistake. Buy smaller cards. It's better to have part of your pictures than none of your pictures.

The moral of the story? Two cards are better than one.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

The weather isn't cooperating, or maybe you just like pictures of rain. Or you're on a boat or at the seashore, and there's a lot of moisture in the air. Whereever you are, if there's a lot of moisture in the air, it can be a problem. You want to take pictures but you don't want to ruin your camera. What to do?

Well, you can buy protective gear to keep in your camera case for such times. Places like B & H Photo or Calumet Photographic stores carry waterproof cases. However, if it's just an occasional thing, you might not want to spend money for such equipment.

For a make-do solution, carry a clear plastic bag in your camera case to keep water off your camera. If you're traveling and don't have a plastic bag in your camera case, grab one of those clear disposable shower caps and use it.

Planning Ahead Saves Your Sanity

If planning ahead doesn't save your sanity, it will at least improve your chances for good pictures. Having charged-up batteries and extra memory cards plus a dry camera will at least give you the opportunity to take lots of pictures.

And getting those great pictures is why you bought a digital camera in the first place!