Young smartphone-toting travelers aren’t aware of the revolution in photography that has happened just in the last decade or so. Seniors can recall olden days when we ventured out with cameras. Whether a pro or serious amateur, you lugged a heavy bag, bulky camera, several lenses, light meter, shutter cable, big flash unit, glass film plates or dozen rolls of film.

The Old Ways: Whenever a great scene happened, we hauled out all the gear, then had to connect, focus and shoot. By the time we were ready, the right moment too often had already passed.

When travel ended in olden days, exposed film went to a processing lab. Then we had to wait anxious days for the prints or slides, blindly hoping everything went right.

Today’s Photo Miracles: Most cameras are DSLR (digital single lens reflex), much more compact than the old SLRs, and require no extra add-ons. The self-contained lenses go from wide-angle to telephoto, with auto exposures and flash.

Results are immediate, no waiting for processing. When more shooting is necessary, the digital camera’s capabilities are endless, with easy focus on back-of-camera flat screens.

And Much More: Many smartphones and cameras can also shoot video. Think of all the travel TV and photos you’ll proudly show friends and family! No more need to paste up bulky albums, when it all goes into computer memory or DVDs.

At popular travel destinations, sports events or celeb sightings, you see endless rows of cameras shooting get-in-the-picture selfies. Picture Matthew Brady going into Gettysburg with just a tiny smartphone camera and shooting a selfie during Pickett’s Charge.

Elder Experts: Today, any Ansel Adams wanabee can climb around the Grand Canyon without lugging tripods, light meters, lenses, rolls of film and all the other old-fashioned heavy equipment. Results are instant, with no need for darkroom drudgery, smelly liquids, pans and enlargers, nor long waits for processing.

Some Things Never Change: For today’s magic digital cameras, basic rules for getting good photos are the same as in days of great photo masters. Get close to subjects, with light from over your shoulder. Compose each shot as if you were Ansel Adams, Matthew Brady or Leonardo da Vinci, and just keep shooting until you get it exactly right.

Info: Traveling seniors today can seek help about photo-taking. There are many online resources for honing capabilities with today’s digital cameras.  Just one example is travel.aarp.org/articles-tips/info-02-2012/5-great-vacation-photos.