Key West

Naval Air Station

Introduction to
Digital
Photography

Earl D. Gates
 Overview
• Quick overview of what this workshop
is all about
• Identifying the Hardware
• Developing a digital image workflow
• Photographic Techniques
• Image Editing
 Hardware Terminology
• Digital Camera (Digicam)
• 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
• Composition
• People
• Landscape
• Pets
 Image Editing
• Software
• Tools
• Special Effects
 Resources
• 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
Autofocus
Back 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
 Refers to the way the computer stores
the data
 More common formats include:
 JPEG
 EXIF
 TIFF
 RAW
JPEG
 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
 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
 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
 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