Photography is a popular hobby, and one country which loves new technology is Japan, so what are the latest directions from this area of the world? One which has been around for a few years is the use of toy cameras. These devices are digital but often give the kind of analog results seen from traditional film.

Many are designed to replicate vintage cameras. Their viewfinders are often very basic, and the images are grainy. Of course this is deliberate and is all part of the appeal.

There are even whole books written on the subject, full of fuzzy images. One company has produced a waterproof version, while another is small enough to clip onto a key ring. As yet none of the larger camera producers have chosen to manufacture these tiny but quite charming cameras.

These miniature cameras are nothing new, they have been around for 25 years. The original model was Russian, but it's easy to see their appeal to the young and fashionable as they do have quite a refreshing and pleasing aesthetic style. Even though the same analog effect can be recreated with other cameras using software, it wouldn't be quite the same as shooting photos with one of these retro designed toy cameras.

This is not the only thing which is catching on in the country. It is becoming increasingly popular to have your picture taken in a photo booth, but these are no ordinary booths. The end result delivers tiny pictures the size of postage stamps which are often printed out as stickers.

While some of these booths will take two people at a time, others are constructed to hold up to half a dozen. Some offer various different types of backgrounds or the opportunity to write on the pictures before they are printed. Others even have their own props such as humorous wigs.

These have been around since 1995, but took a while to achieve any level of popularity. Since being embraced by the pop culture they have become extremely popular. There are now more than 25,000 machines in the country. Not surprisingly they are most appealing to teenage girls, and because of this some cities have taken the precaution of banning men from entering areas where these machines are located, although most have areas for couples.

The machines are very easy to use and their use is evolving. The latest Japanese photography trends have seen the photos being sent to cellphones. Some can even create short video clips, complete with special effects and music.

You can find complete details about the latest Japanese photography trends and learn how to create HDR photos at http://www.photokore.com/ now.