Welcome to Digital Imaging Basics. I am an instructor at the local community college and a professional photographer and artist. This website is used to help me teach.
A typical student in the Digital Imaging Basics class would be most anyone who has in interest in digital images, and more specifically anyone who has a new digital camera and who does not know what to do with it.
This class is to de-mystify the technology. This class helps students understand the basic concepts and workflows that they will need to understand in order to be successful with their camera and with storing and manipulating thier digital images. It is not unusual to have students repeat this class 2 and 3 times. The world of digital images is a fluid and rapidly changing world that takes focus and concentration to keep up with.
11 Week Class Plan & Weekly Assignments:
Week 1: Explore individual student goals. Discuss the History of Imaging. Discuss where a digital image comes from.
Homework for Week 2: Read about your camera at www.dpreview.com. Ensure that your camera has these settings set correctly and that you either understand them or ask about them in Class 2. Bring your camera and an extra battery to class next week.
Week 2: The first half of the class will be spent discussing digital cameras, files, and answering questions. The second half of the class will be spent photographing...most likely at the beach.
Homework for Week 3: In addition to your camera and spare battery bring a card reader (a highly recommended option) to class next week.
Week 3: Discussion about files, how to file images, and how to use the Windows Explorer. Images will be transferred from the camera media (the card) to the Swocc Computers. Images will be opened in Photoshop Elements
Homework for Week 4: Always bring your camera, spare battery, and a card reader to class with you. Sign up for a free Flickr account (on-line photo gallery).
Photo assignment for Week 4: photograph yourself without using a flash. Bring a favorite image in printed form (if you want to learn how to print). Else know what your favorite image is so that you can share it with the class.
Week 4: Discussion about Histograms, Composition, Telephoto, and Wide Angle. An introduction to PhotoShop Elements 2. An introduction to the workflow. Resize and save images for email. Publish to an on-line photo album.
Homework for Week 5: Camera, battery, card reader.
Photo Assignment for Week 5: Photograph using your 'telephoto' setting.
Week 5: Discussion about printing photographs. In depth introduction to PhotoShop Elements 2. Introduction to Detailed Workflow for PhotoShop Elements 2. Optimize images per the workflow. Save images into your file system. Publish images to your Flickr account.
Photo Assignment for Week 6: Photograph using your 'wide angle' setting.
Week 6: Discussion about Batteries, Filters, and other Digital Camera accessories. Continue optimizing images...being more careful now to do a good job optimizing the total image. Work through entire workflow. Publish to Flickr account.
Photo Assignment for Week 7: Photograph a human or animal, using your flash. Try to get some 'red eye'.
Week 7: Open discussion. Discussion about Selection. Complete Selection Practise. Begin optimizing portions of images. Remove red eye. Work through the entire workflow, optimizing entire and portions of an image. Post to Flickr account.
Photo Assignment for Week 8: Photograph geometric shapes.
Week 8: Open discussion. Discussion about Cloning. Complete Cloning Practise. Work through entire workflow, cloning, optimizing full and portions of an image. Post to Flickr account.
Photo assignment for Week 9: Photograph water.
Week 9: Open discussion. Introduction to Vector images, Clip Art, Stock Images. Introduction to Layers. Complete Image Repair assignment.
Photo assignment for Week 10: Photograph shadows.
Week 10: Open Discussion. Explore on-line tools, galleries, resources, and RSS. Apply Text to an image. Create Advertisment.
Photo assignment for Week 11: Photograph Love or Passion.
Week 11: Open Discussion. Put a Ferrari in a Box!
That's all folks!! The digital world is different now...isn't it?
Remember...follow your passion!
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