Digital Photography Handout Notes

Two delays in capturing photo: 1 Refresh Rate Delay (What the camera does after you shoot) Clears image sensor Sets white balance to correct for color Sets exposure Focuses image Fires flash (if needed) Captures picture Duration of delay depends on camera features 2 Recycle Time Delay (Why you cant take another quick shot) Camera is Busy: Processing captured image Storing captured image Delay depends on camera features and memory card Allows you to take several photos in rapid sequence (burst, continuous, or sequential mode), as long as you hold down the shutter button. Photos processed after you release the shutter button. Number of photos you can take in one rapid sequence depends on: size of images (measured in pixels) cameras internal buffer memory (MP) available space on memory card Digital Camera Categories Consumer (Hybrid Imaging Devices & Compact) Prosumer (Advanced Amateur) Professional Optical Zoom True way of shooting close-up of distant subject Keep camera steady Image Stabilizer (IS) or anti-shake feature helps Digital Zoom Same as cropping a photo (done better with photo editing software) Caution: Reduces resolution even though pixels may be added to the image Digital Photographs are made up of tiny squares called Pixels (Picture Elements) A metering cell measures the intensity of light (brightness) striking pixel Filter in front of each pixel is used to measure one of red, green, and blue (RGB) primary colors of light Megapixel = 1 million pixels Digital Image Resolution Quality of digital image depends in part on the number of pixels used to create the image (resolution) More pixels add detail and sharpen edges Enlarge a digital image enough and you will see the pixels (called pixelization)

Grace Goodrich
Digital Camera Image Size Higher numbered MP cameras, take better quality photos for display and printing purposes
Camera type Print Size 2-4 MP 5 x 7 5-8 MP 8 x 10 9-10 MP 11 x 14 11-14 MP 17 x 22 15-18 MP 20 x 30

Acceptable quality may be higher, but not photo quality.

Removable/Reusable Memory Digital Memory Cards (measured in Bytes) Megabyte (MB) ~one million bytes Gigabyte (GB) ~one billion bytes Number of Photos saved on Memory Card is in relationship to Digital Image Size Capability of Camera (Megapixels). Note number visible on your camera LCD screen when memory card is empty. Backup Photos twice, then Format Memory Card Create Picture Folders on Computer by Significant Category Create New Folder within My Pictures Folder Right Click, Select New then Select Folder Start New Folder Name by Date: 2011 07 21 Followed by Event Name, Holiday, Location, etc. May also use more specific subfolders Download Digital Photos Directly Into New Folder Sort and Delete unwanted photos Windows image-edit: View, Thumbnails Make sure up is up May need to Right click on Thumbnail of picture, and Rotate Preview or View as a slideshow for more detail Save Photos to Two Places and then Delete from Camera Easiest/Quickest way to Delete is to FORMAT Memory Card in Camera: Select TOOLS then Select FORMAT Photo Storage Devices CD-R, DVD-R Disks Hand-held Devices Flash Drives (USB Port connection) External Hard Drives (USB Port connection) Common Battery Types Alkaline - Low Power Outlet Lithium (Non-rechargeable) - Expensive to replace Lithium-ion (Li-ion) - Rechargeable Avoid buying Cameras that dont provide removable, rechargeable battery feature Carry extra battery pack or set of batteries Pack Charger for trip Two-Step Shutter Button Point camera directly at what is most important for your picture Apply zoom, if desired Press lightly on shutter button Hold it at halfway position to lock focus and exposure (signal bounces back from subject)

Move camera to recompose the picture for best composition (Metering Trick) Depress shutter button the rest of the way to make photo exposure Automatic Shooting Selections Macro/Close-up: Used for taking close-up pictures. Night Usually with Flash: Longer exposures to capture darker scenes - usually used with flash, may provide opportunity to create some nice motion effects. Portrait: Camera attempts to blur out the background by using fastest available lens setting (f-2 aperture). Landscape: Camera attempts to capture detail in foreground and background by using high f-stop (f-16 small aperture) setting for larger depth of field. Sports: Camera will use the highest shutter speed possible in order to freeze motion. Movie/Video: Camera can capture live streaming video with sound. Turbo Charged Feature Four Ss of Safe Photography: Step, Stop, Setup, Shoot Composition Tips Find a clear center of interest May support with a second element Exclude and Simplify elements that distract viewer from primary subject Fill the frame with your subject Eliminate busy background Get closer by using zoom, or changing shooting position Change camera angle (high/low) May turn camera for better vertical shot Rule of Thirds (more interesting pics) Divide the frame into thirds Horizontally and Vertically (Like Tic-Tac-Toe game board) Position the important elements along those lines particularly the intersecting points Rule of Thirds - Landscapes For dramatic sky place horizon low in frame For dramatic land/sea place horizon high in frame Rule of Thirds - Portraits Place what you want to emphasis at intersection Closest eye of portrait subject at intersection Flash Notes Built in flash only effective up to 10 feet or so Use Flash Fill to reduce shadows (Depending on camera, may only be available in Manual Modes)

Use Red-Eye Reduction Mode in Camera or Fix later with Photo Image Editing Computer Program May reflect natural light or bounce flash toward subject (using reflective car window shade or poster board covered with reflective wrapping paper such as silver or gold) Too much light Tip: Try using sunglasses over lens, if you dont have a UV Filter lens Experiment with Flash Disabled Experiment with Flash Fill International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Automatic shutter speed usually 100 to 400 ISO Low light sets a higher ISO (400, but may be manually set as high as 3200 in some cameras) At higher numbers image will have more noise (tiny specks appearing in picture) Bright light sets a low ISO (such as 100 for best image quality) Drive By Shootings From Moving Transportation Use Infinity setting, Flash Disabled, & ISO 400 Hold camera as close to window as safely possible Traveling? Tell the Story of the Location Capture the Location (Photo of Postcards/Brochures) Take typical shot first, then what is unique to you People or Change position/angle for no people Include Family unaware in pictures May use Theme for series of photos (Experiment) Sunset Tip: Aim above or above and off to side of sun, hold shutter down half-way, recompose, then press button rest of way for the picture TIPS for Better Photos KEEP THE CAMERA STEADY!!! Take lots of pictures and delete later Be aware of LIGHT Shoot in early morning or early evening If in mid-day sunlight, shoot in the shade Shade lens with Lens Hood or provide other way (be sure to keep it out of picture) READ THE MANUAL that came with camera Understand and master one feature at a time reference your manual often Crop For a Great Picture Using Image Editing Software (Caution: JPEG format is lossy compression) Photoshop: Rectangular Marquee Tool, Image, Crop SAVE AS: (caution) same name (replaces file), add note (cropped, adjusted), or use new name Fix Red-Eyes In Photoshop (or other Photo Editing Software): Use Red Eye Removal Tool and click on red of eye Use em Dont Lose em Greeting Cards, Digital Scrapbooking, Christmas Card Pictures of Pictures From Camera, From Scanner

Digital Photography Handout Notes

BIBLIOGRAPHY/RESOURCES Burian, Peter K., Digital Photography and Imaging, 2004, SYBEX, Inc. Johnson, Stephen, Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography, 2006, OReilly Media, Inc. Kelby, Scott, The Digital Photography Book, 2007, Peachpit Press Kelby, Scott, The Digital Photography Book, Vol 2, 2008, Peachpit Press (Vol 3 available end of July, 2009) Kelby, Scott, and Kloskowski, Matt, The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers, 2008, New Riders Moss, Kevin L., 50 Fast Digital Camera Techniques, 2nd ed., 2006, Wiley Publishing, Inc. Shelby, Rob, Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks: Digital Photography, 3rd ed., 2007, Wiley Publishing, Inc. Story, Derrick, Digital Photography Pocket Guide, 3rd Ed., 2005, OReilly Media, Inc. Most Important: The Manual That Came With Your Camera

Grace Goodrich