Our phone is everything from a GPS device to a portable ATM machine, so we’re giving it a break on the photography front.

Did we judge the Fuji XF1 camera ($499.95) by its looks at first? Absolutely — but who can resist (faux) leather exterior and fab retro look?

But what made it a mainstay in our tech arsenal is its pro functions (think wide angle 4x manual zoom lens and manual shooting modes) and foolproof ability to take gorgeous photos.

Say cheese! —Christine Laroche

www.fujifilm.ca

Whether you're on a beach, in a field, or inside (hiding from the rain) this summer, good holiday snapshots make for great memories. We asked Nicole Gurney, a Vancouver-based photographer and mother of twins, to give us some tips on creating great photos.

1. Hire a professional. Your kids are only young once so it's worth having some great shots of them. And it's a bonus to have some of you in them. Family albums tend to have tons of shots with dad and the kids and a couple of you probably in a nightgown.

2. The DIY Route. If you do plan on taking some shots of the kids yourself, plan for a day in the park or the beach. Run a brush through their hair and have a couple cute back-up outfits. If you can ask a friend or babysitter to come along and lend a hand, it helps with keeping the kids together.

3. Look for shade. Shooting in bright mid-day sun can produce hard shadows, not always so attractive. So find some shade or shoot in afternoon light.

4. Beware of the cell phone. If you are taking shots with your phone make sure the photos are not crap! A lot of cell phones take horrible pictures and some people take all of their family photos on them. It's a shame to look back at the younger years of your kids lives as a blurry fog (even though it kinda is).

5. Print Print Print! People tend to store all their photos on their computer and never print. Print a couple shots, maybe covert them to black and white and find some simple frames to put them in. Clustering a number of framed photos on a wall looks awesome and doesn't have to break the bank. DIY coffee table books are a great option too, such as Blurb or an IPhoto book.

Nicole does beautiful family portraits, weddings, and event photos (the proof: this adorable photo of my son!) in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Check out her website, www.gurneyphoto.com. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Bombarded by pics of post-rehab Lohan we occasionally forget that life extends beyond the borders of Tinseltown.

Get a powerful dose of reality at the World Press Photo exhibit presenting the best photojournalism of the past year. See 2009 winner Pietro Masturzo’s image of discontented Iranian voters on an evening rooftop, casualties of drug wars in Colombia, and George W. Bush’s last days in office.  While many are haunting, there are lighter moments like the extreme skateboarder flying over a 27-meter mega ramp and the determined face of a 99-year-old table-tennis player in full swing.

Will Lindsay’s pout make the cut next year? Only time will tell.

World Press Photo 10, until October 3, Just for Laughs Museum, 2111 St-Laurent Blvd., Montreal, 514-845-4000, www.worldpressphoto.org

Ever wonder where your baby drifts off to when she falls asleep?

Mommy blogger Adele Enersen creates whimsical scenes around her napping daughter Mila, and photographs them for her imaginative blog Mila's Daydreams.

Sweet dreams indeed.

http://milasdaydreams.blogspot.com

Annie and Ansel aside, it’s tough living off the avails of one’s photographic art.

So we’re rather impressed by Montreal snapper Arold Blanchet, who’s making his name selling limited edition prints in miniature. His series of black-and-white prints are displayed around town in portable kiosks and feature Montreal-centric scenes like bikes in the snow, café culture, lonely parking meters and back alley graffiti. At just $4.65 a pop, collect them all and you’ve officially become a patron of the arts in a snap.

At Papeterie Nota Bene, 3416 Parc Ave., Montreal, 514-485-6587, www.nota-bene.ca and Boutique Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, 185 Ste-Catherine St. W., Montreal, 514-847-6906, www.macm.org

Between blogspots and Twitpics, we believe there’s a little paparazzo lurking inside all of us.

With the launch of Lomography’s snap-and-shoot Pop9, we’re getting in touch with our inner Perez. This fantastical 35mm gold-encased camera (US$40) has multiple lenses creating a wallpaper of nine identical images on the same print. But unlike the paparazzi, you’ll just have to show zen patience while it’s being processed the old fashioned way.

Snap snap.

At www.lomography.com/pop9

So your kid grows up to be the next Damien Hirst. You'll want to be able to point to the evidence that was there all along.

While you may be honing little Lilly's art portfolio and photo-documenting young Allistair's every quirk, you'll never have the time to put it all together in an interesting way.

Enter visual artist Scott Morgan, whose new Kid Grids are the ultimate in artsy anthropology.

He'll set up a mini-studio in your house, sequester your youngsters, and get them to be themselves with all the stuff they love, be it crafts, clothes, toys or, who knows? Sharks in formaldehyde? Here's hoping.

Shoots available in all major Canadian cities. Learn more at www.scottmorgankids.com

We never thought we’d be quite so enamored by musk oxen, but so it is.

Enter the animal kingdom at Etat Sauvage, a tented exhibit of 130 National Geographic photos on display across from the Bell Centre. From necking Tanzanian giraffes and singing Kenyan hippos, to leaping lions from Botswana and packs of Russian reindeer, the oversized images and subtle sounds of wind, snow and birds is a walk on the wild side.

Etat Sauvage, tickets $12, until September 7 under the big tent, De la Montagne, south of René-Lévesque Blvd., Montreal, www.etat-sauvage.com

It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and nowhere is this more true than in press photography.

Since 1955, World Press Photo has been awarding prizes to the very best photojournalists around the world. Gleaned from 80,000 entries, this year’s crop of winners include a series about retired Polish circus performers, and an eerie black-and-white shot of Benazir Bhutto adjusting her headscarf.

While not always technically perfect, the images capture moments in time that are fascinating, at times upsetting, but most definitely unforgettable.

World Press Photo ‘08, until September 28 at Just For Laughs, 2111 St-Laurent St., 514-845-4000, www.worldpressphoto.org

It’s pouring buckets and your sunny patio plans have, quite literally, gone down the drain.

Instead of moping inside, stroll in style with a pretty parapluie.

Forget staid black and basic beige, Magenta Studio will print your favourite photo on an elegant, full-size umbrella ($135). Get creative with vintage fashion magazine shots or a picture of yourself puddle hopping age six.

See? No one rains on your parade!

Available at Magenta Studio Photo, Rockland Centre, 2305 Rockland, T.M.R., 514-739-9966, see more locations at www.magentaphoto.com