digital photography - doug hitchcock - 2006 all rights reserved photos from pixels...

Digital Photography - Doug Hitchcock - 2006All rights reserved

Photos from Pixels

[email protected]


A Bit about Me • Avid Photographer– Travel, boating– Family– Eastman House lectures

• 4th Digital camera– 2004 will be 100%

• Video Editing on PC– Dad’s Movie-making

• Marketing Mgr.

• No relation to Alfred


What You’ll Learn:• What is a digital photograph?• How does a digital camera work?• How good are digital cameras?• What features should I look for?• What accessories do I need?• How do I get the pictures out of the camera?• How do I edit and print the photos?• What else can I do with digital?


Tell me about Yourself:

• Current type of Camera

• Uses

• Type of computer

• Type of Internet connection

• Type of home printer


FIRST things first• www.dpreview.com• www.shortcourses.com• www.google.com (Picasa)• www.microsoft.com (Picture Resizer)• www.imagerescue.com (photo media recovery)

• Online archival & storage? (too many to mention)– http://rollingthunder.smugmug.com (multiple sizes & video)

• Online sites for prints:– www.ofoto.com, snapfish, photoworks, etc– www.clubphoto.com (photo items)– www.mypublisher.com (photo books)


Photo “Workflow”: Three EASY steps

Input

Optimize

Output


If the World was:Black & White: 0 and 1

Pixels not Pixies!

Two shades of Gray: 00, 01, 10, 11

The eye can “see” 256 shades of a color256 shades in digital is “8 bits”00000000 up to 11111111

All 65 million colors can be made from shades of Red, Green, Blue


What makes digital “film”?


Types of Digital CamerasPoint & Shoot (no zoom)

Megapixel with Zoom

Professional (Dedicated & 35mm adaptable)

Digital Video Cameras

•“Big Box” Retailers•Camera Stores•Online Merchants•E-Bay


Digital “Film”• Older Styles:

– Compact Flash– Smart Media

• Newer Styles:– XD Media– Optical (CD/R & DVD)

• Sony-unique:– Memory Stick

SanDisk T-flash (for cell phones)


Batteries & Charging

Ni-MH


Typical Viewfinder

Flash mode

Macro mode

PicturesRemaining

ZoomLevel

ImageQuality


ViewFinders & MenusUse TV cable at home to

“play” with menus


Digital Camera has TWO zooms• Digital Cameras have:

– Optical Zoom– Digital Zoom

• Optical uses the camera’s LENS• Digital zoom uses only a portion of the

camera’s megapixels

(extrapolated means GRAINY!)

W

T


Effects of Digital Zoom


Setting the Aperture

Low F-stop3.2

High F-stop16

Short

LongDepth-of-Field


Good use of Depth of Field


Shutter Speed1/1000 sec.

1/2 sec.

4 sec.


Flash Pictures

Wall Shadow

Red Eye

Fill-in


Uploading Images from Camera• Cable to PC

• Card Reader

• Docking Station


Digital Camera WorkflowCamera PC

USBport

CameraControlSoftware

Photo EditingSoftware

InternetBrowser

CD/RBurner

Homeprinter

USBMemorydevice

USBport

Memorycard

DockingStation

KioskInput Photo

printer

InkjetOr Thermal

WebSite Other

Media


Photo “Workflow”

Input

Optimize

Output


10 Tips BEFORE you edit1. Get Closer

Look through the viewfinder! Professionals typically use long lenses (85-105mm) Most point and shoot cameras have 35mm lenses.

2. Include People in your Shots Add atmosphere and context. Makes the subject easier to relate toGives a sense of scale

3. Capture Action Keep the people movingTry to 'catch the moment'


10 Tips BEFORE editing (page 2)4. Simplify the Composition

Uncluttered backgrounds offer less distraction Focus on the subject material

5. Put the Subject Off-Centered Place the main subject off the centerProfessionals use a 'rule-of-thirds'

6. Vary the Angle Can add humor and dramaThere are many other possibilities


10 Tips BEFORE editing (page 3)7. Put Foreground in Scenes

Gives depth to the shot and adds interest and contextUsed to frame the subject.

8. Pay attention to Lighting Where is the sun? Light alone can 'make the shot'.

9. Use Flash Flash can be used even outdoors on dull daysEffective range is very limitedAdd additional natural light to a room

10. Hold Still Brace against objectsFlash can help to freeze the action.


The Rule of Thirds• Eyes at 2/3 line• Leave “walking & Talking” room


Basics of Cropping• “Casually” crop in the camera’s viewfinder• Plan to “tighten-up” later on• Cutting-off heads is quite acceptable


Photo Formats

Portrait

Landscape


Camera comes with Software

Installer• Drivers• Editing s/w

Thumbnails• Viewing• Sorting• Printing


Picasa (by google.com)• Free

Built-in Archival Tools


3rd-party Photo Editing Software• Adobe Photoshop Elements

• Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7

• Microsoft Picture It!

• Ulead PhotoImpact 8


Microsoft’s Digital Suite


Microsoft’s Digital Suite

Can OUTPUT “Photo Story Lite” to CD


Microsoft’s Smart Erase• No need to “paintbrush” the artifact


Red Eye removalWhere does the red come from?Light from the flash passing through the pupil and being reflected on the blood-rich retina

How it happens:•Flash (built-in) is close to the lens•More pronounced with a telephoto lens•Getting close to the subject•More common in dark rooms or in the dark

Effect is less dramatic when a person's reactions are impaired, e.g. during a night on the town

But…Don’t shoot and drive!


Converting Format• Don’t do this in the camera; use your PC

– Black & White– Sepia Tone– Fine Art Effects


Only what the lens could seePrint to 4”x10” frames

Special Effects: Panoramas

A A B B

PIC0001 PIC0002 PIC0003

PAN0001.JPG(2-3X size)


Making a “work of Art”


Making a “work of Art”

www.kodak.com

My Comix Book

Lorum ipsum jib jabBlah, blah, blah

Hi there


Everybody wants to SEE them now...

Input

Optimize

Output


• At home

• Corner Store

• Photo Lab store

• Online (Internet)

• Not at all (video & LCD display)

Printing Digital Pics

Bypass your PC


Digital Format Differences• Film format & size is “slightly different”

than digital

• Digital is 4:3

• So…….– 4”x6” print is

• 4”x5.33”

– Crop lines automatic


Carry-in Kiosk Printing• Take your media card (digital “film”) into the store:

– Grocery store– Photo store

• Edit on-site (touch screen)• Prints ready shortly


Online Print Stores


Other Things to Make!


Too many pictures?PhotoMontage software


“Soft” Pictures from Camera

Video Slide Shows

“Ken Burns” Effects

Movie file (mpeg)


Keep your Pictures with You• LCD Jewelry• USB Memory Watches• FIRST on a “stick” for patrons


Novel Uses for Digital Camera• Home inventory

• Remembering something before taking it apart

• Legal proof and claim


Thank You• Please feel free to follow-up

with me

• Doug Hitchcock– [email protected]

digital photography - doug hitchcock - 2006 all rights reserved photos from pixels...

Documents

optical zoom digital

zooms digital cameras

digital camera work

cameras lens digital

rights reserved photos

rights reserved batteries

digital film older styles

output slide