Key West
Naval Air Station
Introduction to
Digital
Photography
Earl D. Gates
Overview
• Quick overview of what this workshop
is all about
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Identifying the Hardware
Developing a digital image workflow
Photographic Techniques
Image Editing
Hardware Terminology
• Digital Camera (Digicam)
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Megapixels
File Format
Batteries
Lens
• Scanners
• Flat Bed
• Film
Digital Imaging Workflow
1.Preparation
2.Shooting
3.Transferring
4.Organizing
5.Processing
6.Archiving
7.Outputting
Photographic Techniques
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Composition
People
Landscape
Pets
Image Editing
• Software
• Tools
• Special Effects
Resources
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Internet
Magazines
Books
Workshops
Summary
• Review topics
• Identify level to achieve
• What Next?
Preparation
Select digicam and
accessories
Check batteries
Clean the camera
Adjust controls
Extra memory
cards
Field storage
Back
Shooting
Back
Autofocus
White balance
Set other controls
Review images
Remove unwanted
images
Back
Transferring
Decide on a
transfer location
Memory card
transfer
Cable transfer
Infrared transfer
Back
Organizing
Sort through
images
Print contact
sheets
Rank images in
groups
Separate the
keepers
Back
Processing
Working file format (TIFF)
Evaluate images
Make overall adjustments
Make local adjustments
Save as master
Sharpen image
Back
Archiving
Organize
Choose medium
Make multiple
backups
Delete all
unnecessary
copies of image
Back
Outputting
Select output
File format
Email
Slide shows
Prints
Back
Composition
Learn to see
Rules of thirds
Viewfinder awareness
Simplicity
Back
People
Lens
Lighting
Posing
Props
Groups
Back
Landscapes
Lens
Lighting
Back
Pets
Lens
Red Eye
Back
Software
Photoshop
Photoshop Elements
Included with camera
Back
Tools
Opening, saving and deleting
Cropping
Adjusting brightness, contrast and
color
Sharpening
Removal tools - redeye, dirt, scratch,
noise
Back
Special Effects
Filters
Masks
Back
How Many Megapixels?
MP
4X6
5X7
8X10
11X14 16X20
2
Exc
Good
Fair
Poor
Poor
3
Exc
Exc
Good
Fair
Poor
4
Exc
Exc
Exc
Good
Fair
5
Exc
Exc
Exc
Exc
Good
8
Exc
Exc
Exc
Exc
Exc
11
Exc
Exc
Exc
Exc
Exc
Back
File Format
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Refers to the way the computer stores
the data
More common formats include:

JPEG
 EXIF
 TIFF
 RAW
JPEG
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Stands for Joint Photography Experts
Group
Most widely used format
Biggest advantage - can compress image
data
Do not edit JPEG images in photo-editing
programs to minimize data loss
EXIF
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Stands for Exchange Image File Format
Used by many digicams
Is a variation of the JPEG format
Stores extra data as metadata with the
image file
Metadata stores shutter speed, aperture,
and other capture settings
TIFF
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Stands for Tagged Image File Format
Is the choice for bringing images into
publishing programs
Does not compress as much as JPEG
Choose when picture quality is more
important than file size
RAW
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Simply means raw
Used by high-resolution digicams
Does not include any in-camera
processing features
Provides a truer version of the scene in
front of the camera
Large file size
Back
Rechargeable Batteries
Must Know Info
Why Batteries?
Batteries are the soul
of photographic
equipment
Battery Types
Rechargeable
 Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd)
 Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH)
 Lithium Ion (Li-ion)
NiCd Batteries
 Memory effect
NiMH Batteries
 More widespread
Li-ion Batteries
 Proprietary for specific cameras
Milliampere hours (mAh)
 Refers to how long the battery will last
Back
Its About The Speed
Lenses
Why does speed matter?
The more light a lens gathers, the less
time it needs to hold the shutter open
for proper exposure
Zoom Lens
Maximum zoom is hard to hold camera
steady for a sharp picture
Shutter Speed
Slowest shutter speed without a tripod
is 1/focal length of lens
(Based on 35mm equivalent)
To Avoid The Shakes
Image stabilization:
Using gyro-sensors to detect shakes
and compensate
Allows image to be shot at slower
shutter speed