What is the most important accessory for your digital camera? Well, that all depends on who you're asking. Once you've spent the time researching the many cameras on the market and making what can be a sizeable investment in that camera, then the quest begins for equally important accessories.

One of the first obvious accessory choices is a quality camera bag. The camera has to be protected, plus you need something to hold all the other accessories you're going to be buying. Select a camera bag that fits your lifestyle; how and where you take your photographs, what you go through to get to your subject. Do you stand in your living room and take your pictures or do you hike into the woods for your shots? Look for quality, water-resistant fabric, strong stitching, well-padded straps and dense foam interior.

Another very important accessory you never want to be without is extra batteries. There's nothing much worse than being out enjoying a day of photography and suddenly you're batteries die and you have no replacements. Most cameras use either AA disposable batteries or AA rechargeable batteries. Many photographers are choosing the environmentally friendly rechargeable batteries, rather than the disposables. Even though you have an initial investment for the battery charger, you save in the long run by recharging the same batteries over and over. Whichever kind you choose, you always want to have extra batteries packed in your camera case for emergencies.

Next on the list of important accessories, many photographers would agree, is the memory card. Just as with your batteries, it's very frustrating to be in the middle of photographing something very special and have the only memory card you have with you suddenly become full. This is also an item that requires an initial investment, but will function for you well into the future. Make sure you have at least one extra memory card and then, if possible, add a couple more over a period of time. Many photographers choose to carry a couple large memory cards and a couple smaller ones for backs-ups.

The tripod is an accessory that has mixed reviews. Some photographers are adamant about the use of the tripod being a must, while others feel it's lower on the list of priorities. What a tripod will do is ensure you a sharper and clearer image, particularly when you're taking pictures that require a long exposure. It will eliminate any chance of blurred pictures, if you have a problem with shaky hands. There are some quality mini tripods that work well with today's digital cameras, and will fit nicely in a camera bag.

An accessory that's not often thought of, but that is a handy item to have, is a camera cleaning kit. The lenses, viewfinders and LCD screens all get dirty, and sometimes can ruin a priceless shot. For a very small investment, comparatively speaking, it's a good thing to have.

Once you've selected all the accessories you want for your camera, organize them in the camera bag of your choice for optimum convenience. Begin enjoying the world of photography with the confidence in knowing that, not only did you research the purchase of your camera, but you put an equal amount of time and thought into the purchase of the accessories you now have to enhance that camera.