Week 1

Digital Photography

Ms. Knudtzon (for now)

September 7, 2005

Week 1

Things you will learn• Taking Digital Photos

– Camera Basics– Camera Features– Basic photography skills

• Processing & Displaying Photos– Traditional photo techniques with Photoshop– Uniquely digital techniques with Photoshop

• Syllabus for the course (Handout)– Web Site - Will be ready sometime this weekend– Note: Final Portfolio & Critique

Week 1

What I expect of you• Keep all notes organized in a binder

– Take notes in class

• Do the assigned reading• Do all the assignments

– Including journals

• Have fun; do hard work• Come to me with questions, concerns, and ideas• Follow the lab rules

Week 1

What you can expect of me• I will do my best to make class interesting• I will create interesting projects for the course

– Please provide me feedback throughout the course• I will be a master learner

– Teachers should be a model for learning in the classroom environment and facilitate the learning of others

• I will be available for help – After school or by appointment– I will answer questions via email (Allow at least 8

hours for a response)

Week 1

Your expectations and background

Fill out Interest Survey

Week 1

Introduction to Digital Photography

• Beyond Point and Click– Discussion: What is the difference between a

snapshot and a photograph?– How do you move beyond being a beginner?

• Other Considerations– Photography as art– Digital photography (digital creation) within

the field of computer science

Week 1

Photography as Art• What is photography?

• What does it take to be a photographer?

• What does it take to become an “artist” within the media of photographs?

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Why Digital?• Film cameras vs digital camera

• Digital camera – Immediate feedback (can view image on lcd)– Can take many more pictures at one shoot

• Better chance to get a great image

– Great flexibility and on-camera control– However LCD can get in the way, causing you

to miss good photo ops (must be careful)

Week 1

Digital Creation as CS• Digital Creation sits at the intersection of art and

technology– Artistic elements occur when taking the raw image and providing

a vision of the final product– Technological abilities are required to make the vision a reality

throughout the process, on both the camera and the computer

• The computer science aspect involves linking these together – developing the technology for accomplishing artistic ends– Understanding the inner working of the tools will allow you to

become better able to articulate your artistic vision– A gateway for you to begin looking at working with computers

from the perspective of a scientist

Week 1

First Homework• Look over syllabus on the handout

– Email me or bring to class tomorrow any suggestions or additional ideas of topics you might want to cover in this course

• Start reading chapter 1 in MDP book– We will cover topics from the chapter in class this week

Week 1

Digital Photography

Ms. Knudtzon

Lecture 02

September 7

Week 1

MDP Book

• Reading - Chapter 1: Digital Photography from 50,000 Feet – Quick Overview

• Make sure you get the book soon!

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Quick History of Digital Cameras• Evolution of Digital Cameras

– Texas Instruments in 1972 • Had to view images on a television

– Sony Mavica (Magnetic Video Camera) in 1981• Television viewing or printing to a color printer

– Throughout 80s more electronic photography developed (but very expensive & low quality)

– 90s – more development of cameras, but low resolution

– 2000+ - digital cameras start to become more like good film camera

• Also photo printers became more available (inexpensive printing options)

Week 1

Intro to Digital Versions of Film Camera Features

• Lens Selection– Beginners generally just use zoom– More advanced photographers want to consider if the camera will

support additional lenses• Selective Focus

– Beginners want an “in-focus” picture– More advanced photographers will want isolate or emphasize portions

of a subject • “Film”

– Digital “film” adjustments can adjust sensitivity of sensor (on camera)– Otherwise most other film characteristics are handled in the digital realm

with software• Color sensitivity (white balance); Retouching; Compositing; Filters; Image

contrast; Color saturation• Will cover these topics more later…

Week 1

Digital Photography Uses and Considerations

• Uses where digital photography has become important– Photojournalism– Portrait Photography– Photo illustration– Anything else you can think of?

• Consideration for you as a photographer– Copyright (you own any image you take)– Selling your photographs– Ethics in photography (especially in photojournalism)

• Should journalists be allowed to manipulate their photos in Photoshop? If you think so, how much manipulation is okay?

Week 1

Copyright• Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws

of the United States to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.– Note: it applies to photographs as soon as they are

taken

• It gives the owner the right to (among other things):

– Reproduce and distribute the work

– Prevent other people from doing the same without permission

From www.copyright.gov

Week 1

Fair Use• Four factors for consideration of fair use

(no one test to determine) :– the purpose and character of the use, including whether such

use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes

– the nature of the copyrighted work

– the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

– the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work

From www.copyright.gov

Week 1

Camera Care• See Manuals for specific care for camera• Batteries

– Don’t trick the camera by turning it on and off to get another shot from exhausted battery – can confuse camera’s circuitry and could interfere with saving the file or worse – it could damage the memory card

• LCD Display – can suck battery life• Lens cleaning supplies – use to remove smudges• Camera bag for protection• Keeping camera dry

– If shooting in wet weather, use a ziplock bag (with a small hole around the lens) to keep most of the camera dry

• Handouts:– http://www.digital-camera-review.us/maintenance.html– http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/cache/11517-0-0-39-121.aspx

Week 1

Journal• Please write 1/2 -- 1 page journal about your

goals for this semester in this class. Please include/consider:– Your background– Your interests– Your worries– What you are most excited about

• This will be due Friday before class (bring to class, or send it by email)