This is the time of year when new camcorder owners abound. They're wandering around excited about their new toy, but unsure what to do with it. Here are the five guidelines that I think every new camcorder owner should follow.

1. Learn about your camcorder. Every good artisan knows and understands their tools, and the camcorder is no different. You should spend some time using the camcorder, getting familiar with the controls, learning how to turn it on and off quickly, how to switch modes, etc. That way, when something worth videoing happens, you'll be ready to capture it for posterity.

2. Keep her steady. Nothing ruins a video more than a shaky camcorder; it's disorienting and it affects the video quality. So keep the camera as steady as you can by bracing it with both hands and leaning against a wall or fence.

3. Go into the light. Your eyes are better than your camcorder at adapting to low light. While your eyes can quickly adjust and see things in even the most dimly lit locations, your camcorder can't. So if you get the chance, shoot outdoors in the sunlight. If you can't, turn on as many indoor lights as you can without ruining that party ambience. Your videos will look much better with the extra light.

4. It's rude to point. One of the most common mistakes new home videographers make is rushing up to someone, pointing the camcorder in their face, and then wondering why the subject gets all uncomfortable. Many people are nervous being filmed, but here's how to help them feel more relaxed: Give them the camcorder. Before you start filming Auntie Doris, give her the camcorder for a minute so she can film you and get more comfortable with the idea of what the camcorder does. Then when you train the camera on her, she'll feel better about it. This works for kids, too: Pretty much every child I have shown a camcorder to has gotten a huge kick out of being the camera operator. And don't forget that you can always edit the results if they aren't that good...

5. Video editing software is your friend. You may think that a 3-hour video of guests coming and going from your holiday party is the most exciting thing in the world, but chances are that your family won't. Yes, you should shoot plenty of video, but take the time to edit it down to the most exciting bits afterward. Focus on the things that made the party memorable, and leave the minutiae of who arrived when for the historians.

Just follow those five rules, and the viewers of your videos will thank you. Happy videoing!

Now, on to a glance back at last year's predictions, and a look forward at what's likely to come in 2007...