Digital Photography and Printing Basics
CommUniversity - February 2006 Session
Instructor: Dino J. Milani - Milani PC, Inc.
http://www.milanipc.com
Email to: dinomilani@milanipc.com Phone: (309) 269-4735
This Class Outline is intended to give you, the student, a list of the topics that will be discussed in the four class sessions to be held for CommUninversity - February 2006 Session at St. Ambrose University in Davenport Iowa.
Always bring your digital camera with you to class if you own one, if you don’t own one then a camera of one sort or
another may be available to you during class time, depending on the total needed. A traditional film camera instead of
a digital camera may be substituted by the student but the student will need to “convert the images” to a digital format
for use in class. Class participants should bring a calculator, notebook, pen, examples of any prints or print problems
they already possess, and a willingness to have fun. There will be several in-class projects for each session and home
projects as well. The instructor will be providing the equipment and materials for the in-class projects.
Note: This outline is subject to change at the start of class.
Session One: Introduction
Traditional photography, its origins, and some history.
The Manual Camera and how it works:
- The “Brownie Box” and range-finder cameras.
- Dual lens (Yashika and Hasselbland).
- SLR cameras.
- Iris and focal plane shutters.
Small format (< 35mm) vs. 35mm vs. medium format 120mm vs. large format 1300+mm (4" x 5").
ISO Speeds: 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 film equivalents.
Pixel Counts relative to chip size (bigger isn’t always better, but it sure helps…)
Secondary processing of the image and Compression (JPG vs. TIF/RAW).
Shutter Speeds bulb to 1/1000 sec.
Aperture sizes - macro to ¥ .
Determining f numbers, ratio of objective lens to length of lens.
Achieving focus: Auto-focus, manual focus, single and multi-point focus.
Digital differences:
How many film cameras would you need to have on hand to equal one (good) digital camera for versatility or capacity? (ISO speeds and total shots)
Which is better, Digital or Film? (It depends on your needs…)
What can you do with the digital files once you have them?
Converting film to digital, processing techniques, scanners, etc.
What is a “mega-pixel” anyway? The relation to chip size, image size, and print size.
Actual camera (chip) pixels vs. Effective pixels.
Storing the “shot” on camera: CF (and speeds), SM, SD, Sony memory-stick, CD-Rom.
Power & Batteries, standard-heavy duty, Alkaline, Lithium, NI-CA (recharge), add-ons.
Session Two: Getting Your Shot
CD-Rom course materials discussed and distributed.
“Rule of Thirds”.
“The Golden Mean” and the Aspect Ratio of 3:2.
Finding your subject; stop, look each way…
Reviewing your shot.
Portrait Photography.
Miniature Photography.
Wildlife/Sports/Action Photography.
Landscape, Architectural, and Panoramic (multiple image) Photography.
Color theory, RGB, adobe-RGB, CYMK.
Color temperature.
Color balance. Why is it more important on a digital camera?
Filters and color correction, glare reduction, etc.
Auto-Exposure Bracketing, Auto-White Balance Bracketing.
Chromatic Aberrations.
Lighting, natural vs. florescent/incandescent/cloudy/mixed/custom/colored filters.
Accessories; Bulb release, lights, tripod, monopod, straps.
Flash uses and limits (built-in vs. external unit).
Print depth in dpi. Formulae for determining the size of print and what is perceptible.
Printing equipment: Types (inkjet, laser)and advantages/disadvantages.
Home Inkjet printing, costs, advantages/disadvantages.
Professional Printing: digital to traditional paper (laser, dye sublimation, & dry-process),
wide/long format inkjet (wet-process), costs and advantages/disadvantages.
EXIF info and DPOF printing. “Contact sheets” for printing results and test shots.
Paper types/uses/drying time/weights/fade and longevity/cutting and sizes.
Session Three: Computer Techniques
Storage media, Film and Negatives vs. Digital media.
Saving/Archiving files. Computer Operations, Card Readers HD storage, CD, etc.
Camera Connectivity. Twain drivers, USB 1.1, USB 2, Fire-Wire, Serial, etc.
The “digital darkroom” and “developing” your images.
Adobe Plug-ins: DNG.PDF for RAW Info.
Modifying the originals, best practices to keep originals intact.
- File formats, JPG vs. TIF/RAW/JIF/BMP/AI/PSD/TIP/MOV/etc.
- Working with JPG, rules to keep the files from degrading.
- Working with RAW/TIFF8/TIFF12/TIFF16.
- EXIF data and reading the Histogram.
- Modifying the photo using the Histogram.
Adobe software Illustrator/Photoshop and other software.
- Red eye removal, area touch-ups, soft focus, cloning, etc.
· Changing lighting, color, exposure, and Chromatic Aberration.
- Area Masking.
- Filters: 3D-Transform and others.
- Modifying details, multi-stitching, adding (hard & feathered paste), cropping.
- Tricks and effects that make your image look like you used a $7,000.00 lens…(stitching without distortion).
Session Four: The Technical Details
Lens design, mm lengths and f ratios, light gathering, elements and glass types.
Auto-focus vs. manual focus, USM vs. gear driven, etc.
Macro vs. Telephoto.
Zoom vs. fixed.
Degrees of view (field of view).
Chip size relationship to Lens size (multiples in mm.).
Changing lenses, multipliers (magnifiers 1x, 2, 4x), and adaptors.
--Class Projects and Home Projects student presentations.--
Additional Subjects (Time Permitting):
Astrophotography: Adaptors/exposures/equipment/T-rings/T-adaptors. “Hyper‘ed” film vs. digital and image intensifiers.
Simple Astrophotography Techniques: Star Trails, Full-Moon, Planets, etc.
Astrophotography Computer techniques: Dark field subtraction, stacking multiple images and colors.
CCD vs. CMOS and Chip sizes. Smaller sizes for Prime Focus use. Cooling.
Astrophotography Filters: Daylight, polarizing, colors, gels, Ha1-Ha2-Light Pollution filters for astrophotography,
Chip filters – blue and infra-red, Sun Filters.
In Class Assignments: Always bring your camera, notepad, and calculator to class. Assignments will take place during
the last ½ hour of class:
Session One: Basic portrait, lighting, and display/miniature setups. Photograph the class members and the displays.
View the results.
Session Two: Print operations and demonstrations. Remote image capture. Additional photographs as directed
by the instructor.
Session Three: Live demonstrations of the software techniques. Some printing.
Additional photographs as directed by the instructor.
Session Four: Final in-class Student Presentations. More software and technical demonstrations.
At Home Assignments: These are voluntary assignments to be completed during the three weeks between the
class sessions and are for practicing what you learn in class.
Week One:
1. Familiarize yourself with your camera, read the manual(s), take test photographs.
2. Use your camera. Combine and/or explore several class methods and have fun with it. Photograph some or
all of the following:
- Your family members and/or pets.
- Your local landscape, home or interesting buildings.
- A panoramic (large) natural landscape.
- Close-up subjects or miniatures.
Bring in the results to show the class during session two.
Week Two:
1. Pick a theme for a portrait or landscape photo for the end of class. Take test shots and create a contact sheet.
Bring in the results to show the class during session three. Consider this the start of a “portfolio” for your works.
Consider which files to print in small and large format. Start printing your files and bring in the results on week three.
2. Work outside of your “comfort zone” and try areas you were previously afraid to do. Photograph subjects you
normally wouldn’t. Go on a “photo safari” and take one or more family members with you to assist. Bring in the
results on session three. If you need to bring in your digital files for printing and matting during class then do so
during the week three or week four class sessions.
Week Three:
1. Use some of the software techniques you have learned on your own photographs. Explore the different options
for each program and create something new.
2. Create your final large format portrait/landscape for printing. Bring in the results and your accumulated work to
show the class during session 4.
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There will be an optional disk fee of $5 for class participants. Students will choose CD-ROM or DVD-ROM format for their disks.
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