This Day Has Great Potential: LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION -- July BlogChallenge #bloggingthroughJuly #summerchallenge

I remember the day that I said out loud that I didn't think "digital" pictures would ever replace good old pictures developed from film. Ha! I can't tell you the last time I actually bought a roll of film (do they even sell it in stores anymore?). I really am not so sure of the last time I even used one of my digital camera bodies. It seems everything is done from my iPhone now. I just never thought that film would go "out of style", you know?

I have always had a love of pictures. I was that mom with rolls and rolls of film waiting in a drawer to be developed as the coupons came through the newspaper. I document everything. And back in the day, that meant taking careful pictures since there were only 24 or 36 shots availlable in a roll of film and then hoping that I actually captured what I wanted to capture. There was no instantaneous checking the proof for open eyes or cut off faces. You actually had to wait -- usually a week or so -- to see if you had succesfully captured the first smile with no blur.

Can you relate? I bet I could even find a roll or two of undeveloped film if I looked hard enough. I seem to recall there was a company that sent "free" film but you had to mail it off to them to be developed. There are probably several rolls of that film hiding around here with precious memories waiting to be developed.

I like pictures of little fingers and toes and locks of hair and dimples. When I scrapbooked (which wasn't very long as I am a failure at scrapbooking), I never wanted to cut sweet fingers or toes out of my photos.

I was pretty much the same way about video cameras. Our first video camera held VHS tapes so that I could play them directly in our VCR without having to convert them. It was so convenient. And so bulky. Do you remember these?

Then we graduated to this little number that could take video on small tapes or store it digitally to be uploaded to our computers:

Now, I use my iPhone. Great video in the palm of my hand that I can put on Facebook immediately, email to family, and even send in a quick text to my kids. Who would have thought?

Times they are a changin' and sometimes that ain't so bad.

What about you? Do you find the lights, camera, . . . action part of life easier these days?