When I was a kid, the worst part of a vacation came after we got home. That's when my dad got out the slide projector and the vacation pictures.

The horror grew with each click of the projector. There I was with a flat-top haircut and a dumb smile, digging holes in the sand at the beach. There was mom hiding her face from the camera, like a mobster boss.

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A lot has changed over the years, but no vacation can end without taking a look at the pictures. They may be digital images now, but the results can be just as embarrassing.

I can't protect you from pictures you wish you could hide. But now that vacation time is drawing closer, I can help make your photography less of a chore to view.

• The camera: Film may not be dead, but it's awfully sick. There are too many advantages to digital photography to ignore. I recommend a camera with a resolution of 4 megapixels, or even 5 or 6. Nowadays it's easy to find one like that from Canon, Nikon or Sony. Since there isn't space to offer specific camera reviews, I suggest you check out www.dpreview.com. Unlike many sites, this one offers unbiased and exhaustive reviews of digital cameras in all price ranges. You'll spend $200 or a bit more to get a camera that will deliver pleasing results.

• Image storage: Instead of film, you'll use a memory card. Cameras use a bewildering variety of memory cards with an alphabet soup of initials: CF, SD, MMC, miniSD and RS-MMC. Don't worry about all that. Just get the type your camera uses. To make sure there is room for all your pictures, take along at least 1 gigabyte of memory. That may mean a single 1-gig memory card, or two 512-megabyte memory cards, or four 256-megabyte cards.

• Reading the cards: Any digital camera will come with everything you need to transfer the pictures to your computer. But remember what I just said about all the different types of cards? It's smart to purchase a separate card reader capable of handling all, or almost all, formats. If additional cameras come into the family, you'll be able to handle their memory cards. I use a card reader from Belkin at home that cost about $25. It's hard to go wrong with any national brand.

• Travel precautions: Unlike with film, your pictures will be fine even when the camera and the memory cards go through airport security. The big enemy of a memory card is static electricity. Since airline cabins are dry, static electricity can be a problem. So avoid changing memory cards while in flight. When it comes to the camera itself, keep in mind that most digital cameras are a little more delicate than the old, rugged film cameras. So avoid bumps by keeping the camera in a case when not in use.

• Prints: With film, there was the wait — even if it was just a day — for the prints. You can make your own now. Almost any inkjet printer makes acceptable prints. And a good printer loaded with special photo paper will make prints that are as good as any you'd get from a commercial processor. Use paper recommended by the printer maker.

• Your own lab: It's also a good idea to tweak the color and contrast settings using a photo editing program. For most consumers, Adobe Photo Elements is a good choice. You'll find that program at any computer store. The latest version has a suggested retail of $90, but I've seen it for much less.

• The modern slide projector: I seldom make a print anymore. Out of hundreds of vacation pictures, I only print five or six. But I can share them all on the computer. So the family can gather around and endure the same sort of embarrassment that I experienced as a kid with the slide show.

• Sharing your memories: There are dozens of online sites that offer free storage for digital pictures, and all your far-flung relatives or friends can view them there. You can password-protect the photos for privacy. One online site I like is www.webshots.com. You can get a free account or pay $2.49 a month for a membership that offers unrestricted downloads and storage for large images. Most people should start with a free membership, then consider the paid account.

• Permanent storage: My old photo albums are filled with fading prints. While prints from digital images can also fade, the original digital computer file will stay sharp and colorful. However, you must preserve the image. I routinely burn two CDs with my best pictures and keep the original files on the hard disk. Still, a house fire or other disaster could destroy them. That's another reason online storage makes sense.

• A parting thought: If you're new to digital photography, don't wait to buy your camera until two days before you go on vacation. Give yourself time to practice a bit. That way you won't mar the vacation by performing one of the most dreaded tasks known to man, and especially to men. That task is reading the manual.