Get Closer With a Telephoto Shot
When you think of a professional photographer hard at work, you probably don't imagine someone shooting with a wide-angle lens. More likely, you imagine a photographer with a long telephoto lens mounted on the end of a 35mm camera. There's a reason that telephoto lenses have become synonymous with photography: A long lens has powerful magnification and can isolate a distant subject as if you were standing right next to it. Many digital cameras--even ones that don't have removable, interchangeable lenses--can capture photos like that. It might be time to see if there are telephoto lens adapters available for your model. Even if the lens is built in, you might be able to clip, snap, or screw a telephoto adapter onto the front of the camera.
Interchangeable Lenses
For professional and prosumer cameras with interchangeable lenses, the choice of lenses to bring along becomes crucial. Many come with a standard kit lens that covers the range from wide-angle to short-telephoto. For a high-end digital SLR this might be in the range of 18-70mm; for a 35mm SLR 28-100mm would be equivalent. (The magnification strength of lenses on digital SLRs varies from that of 35mm film, and even from camera to camera.) Professionals tend to buy either "prime" fixed focal length lenses or much more expensive high-end zooms. If you intend to photograph far-away objects – typical examples include going on safari or birdwatching – you will also need a strong telephoto lens. If space is at a premium, you may be tempted to ditch the kit lens and instead go for a superzoom lens that covers the full range from wide-angle to to 200 or even 300mm.
