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Digital Photography 101for Library Applications
Instructor:
Jeanne Mojejmmoje@berkeley.edu
An Infopeople Workshop
Winter 2004
Workshop Agenda
Digital Camera Overview
Hints on Taking Photos
Who Owns That Image?
Photo Design and Repair
Managing Your Digital Photo Collection
Digital Camera Overview
Why Digital Photography?
Advantage over film cameras Immediate feedback / results Don’t need to develop film Ease of image manipulation
Add interest to your web site Publicize and document library events Pictures are worth a thousand words
Provide material for library displays
Overview of Digital CamerasLens typesCase sizesPixel depthZoom powerStorage media types Older memory formats Newer memory formats Alternative memory formats
Lens TypesRegular fixed lens with or without zoom
Digital SLR (single-lens reflex) More control over depth of field Interchangeable lenses
Large format For incredible detail
in a large image Huge file sizes
Digital Camera Case Sizes
Listed in order of price Compact Micro Medium Large
Pixel Depth
Why would you want more pixels? 3 megapixels 4 megapixels 5 megapixels Foveon technology 3.4
• Three layers to each pixel• Equivalent to 10 megapixels
Pixel Print Comparison
To maintain quality, choose higher megapixel settings if you need larger print sizes 1 megapixels 4 x 6≅ 2 megapixels 5 x 7≅ 3 megapixels 8 x 11≅ 4 megapixels 11 x 14≅ 5 megapixels 12 x 16≅
Zoom Power
Optical zoom changes the image by moving the lens
Digital zoom changes the image by cropping (enlarging the pixels)
Interchangeable lenses on SLR digital cameras – expensive! Gives you more shutter speed control Wide-angle, panoramic, specialty lenses
Types of Storage Media
Some can be used in multiple portable devices Digital cameras, notebooks, PDAs, music
players, car stereo
Standardize on a flash memory type Secure Digital (SD) - up and coming Compact Flash (CF) - still a good choice
Older Memory Formats
These formats are being phased out SmartMedia (SM) MultiMediaCard (MMC)
Mini-CDs, floppy disks
Compact Flash (CF) More devices use CF that any other media
type High capacity
Newer Memory Formats
Memory stick (MS) only used by Sony
xD-Picture Card Fujifilm, Olympus Projected highest capacity
Secure Digital (SD) Projected highest use Broadest support
Alternative Memory Formats
CF Mini hard drives IBM microdrive Up to 1 GB in storage
Digital camera off-load units
Now For Our Camera Tour…
Finally, Taking Photos…
Before You Start
Practice with the camera
Double-check your camera settings
Carry extra batteries
Experiment with flash How close to subject? Test red-eye settings
Hints On Taking Photos
Use a tripod or lean against stationery object
Conserve batteries Limit use of
screen viewer Is camera turned off
when not in use?
Automatic & Forced Flash
Automatic Fires automatically as required Useful for ordinary photography
Forced Flash Photograph backlit scenes Use outside in shade Color correct
fluorescent light
Suppressed & Red-Eye Flash
Suppressed Flash Indoors where flash is ineffective Photos taken through glass
Red-Eye Reduction Pre-flashes so subject’s
eyes appear more natural Fires automatically
as required
Slow-Synchro Flash Types
Slow-Synchro Slow shutter speed for taking pictures of
people at night Will show both subject and night time
backdrop Recommend tripod
Red-Eye Reduction plus Slow-Synchro
Example of Flash Icons
Red eyereduction
Forcedflash
Suppressedflash
Red eyereductionplus slowsynchro Slow
synchro
White Balance Control
Will attempt to correct the color for given light sources such as: Daylight fluorescents Warm white fluorescents Cool white fluorescents Incandescent lights Outdoors Shade
Delayed Shutter Response
Anticipate shutter lag Shutter delay varies between cameras
Ask your subject to hold still!
Image-writing delay while the camera stores the photo Some cameras are able
to store images more quickly
Taking Photos of People
Avoid red-eye Use red-eye flash function Ask subject to look away from flash Use natural light
Don’t get too close Distortion You can crop
image later
Flattery Or Kindness?
Avoid harsh shadows
Try different viewpoints
Use natural light instead of flash
Red clothing will overpowerskin tones
Hold Still!
Posing versus natural action
Take numerous photos of same pose Subject may relax Pose will look more natural
Shutter lag makes naturalaction shots difficult
Connect That Camera…
Connecting to a Computer
Install camera software
Check camera battery charge or plug in power adapter
Choice of connections Camera to computer Memory media to computer
Copy or move files from camera to computer
Problems?
Where to go if you have problems with your camera
Camera batteries weak?
What if your computer won’t talk to the camera?
Software updates andother annoyances
Indoor Lighting
Fluorescent light is green
Incandescent light is red
North light bulbs are blue
“Color-corrected” light bulbs are best
Use two light sourcesif possible
Photographing Objects
Avoid parallax effect if object has straight lines Align camera to object Align lines of object with frame of
viewfinder or LCD monitor
Use a tripod or stand
Macro lenses
Lighting Objects
Lighting Two lights are best 45° angle to object Measure distance of lights
Use a “color key” for fine reproductions
Camera Purchase Decision
Before You Choose
What is your budget?
Will it connect to your computer?
Evaluate your photographic needs Pixel depth Power supply requirements Memory needs (16 MB to 1 GB+) Do you have other portable devices? Zoom capability needed?
How To Choose A Camera
Try out cameras for a good fit Does it fit your hands? Controls easy to locate? Display screen large enough? Light enough to carry? Zoom power?
Purchase at a store or buy online?
Keep an eye on sale prices
Bookmarks Topics to Visit
Digital camera glossaries and dictionaries
Digital camera overview
Vendor web sites fordigital cameras andphotography
Taking Photos Outdoors
Outdoor Lighting
Sunlight causes shadows
North light is blue
Overcast days
Indirect lighting best for people
Use fill-in flash or reflector
Taking Photos OutdoorsSunrise, sunsetHigh noonOvercastFill-in flashFew filters availablefor digital cameras Glare and reflections Dust and smog
Legal Issues…
Do The Right Thing!
Get a signature release from your subjects
Copyright considerations
Infopeople course materialsavailable
Signature Releases
Who owns that photograph?
If you put a photo of a person on the web, get a signature release
Legal issues
Sample signature releases
Copyright Considerations
Again, who owns that photograph?
Legal issues
Get permission!
Protect your images
Bookmarks Topics to Visit
Infopeople course Library Laws For The Web Environment -
2002
Signature release samples
Copyright law
The Art Part…
Photo Design and Repair
Design and color hints
Cropping
Resizing
Color correction
Design Hints
View as abstract artwork (turn the photo upside down)
Save as black & white for a fresh view
Look at negative spaces
Avoid clutter
The Rule of Thirds in Design
Hum Beethoven’s Fifth
Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid on your image Line objects on the grid Offset the focal point
within the composition
Check for proportions of two-to-one
Value, Contrast & Luminance
Value Relative lightness or darkness of a color Black & white photography helps you see
value
Contrast Difference between highest
and lowest luminance values
Luminance relates to light
Hue, Saturation & Brightness
Hue Intensity or gradation of color
Saturation Chromatic purity - has color
been diluted with white?
Brightness Brilliance of a color relating
to hue or saturation
Color Impact
Emotional impact of color What kind of message do you wish to
convey?
Reds “bleed” May overpower other parts
of the image
Color Hints
The rule of threes in color
Squint to see the values in the image
Check proportions of color of two-to-one
Cropping and Resizing
Focus on the subject
Get rid of clutter
The web can only show so much!
Reduce image file size
Improve your design
Software Can Correct Color
Balance your color
Correct bad lighting
Punch up the values
Increase the hue
Photo & Graphics Software
Types of Software
Beginner Apple iPhoto, Hypersnap, LviewPro
Intermediate PaintShop Pro, Photoshop Elements
Advanced Fireworks, Photoshop
Camera software
Exporting for Web and Print
Exporting For The Web
Use “save as” - keep original safe
PC vs Macintosh color differences
Reduce image and file size Crop image Resize image Change file format
to jpg or gif Set resolution to 72 dpi
Exporting For PrintUse “save as” - keep original safe
Use largest pixel size setting available for camera You won’t be able to take as many photos at a
time, but the print quality will be greater
Save to highest quality TIFF format setting
Talk with your printer!
Color-correct your monitor
File Extensions
JPEG (*.jpg) web graphics
GIF (*.gif) flat color web graphics
TIFF (*.tif) print graphics
PSD (*.psd) Adobe Photoshop
PNG (*.png) Fireworks
PDF (*.pdf) Adobe Acrobat
Proprietary extensions
Digital Photos Can Be Huge!
Managing disk space
Organizing your photos
Types of file management software
Infopeople course materials availableon digitization projects
Don’t forget metadata!
Bookmarks Topics to VisitGraphics software vendorsDigital collections projectsInfopeople course materials Planning To Digitize Your
Treasures, 2000 Planning Your Digitization
Project, 2001 Creating Web Images
With Fireworks, 2002
Planning A Photo Session
Back To Reality…
What photos do you need (or want) to take for your library? How / where will you use these photos? What camera settings to use? What is the subject matter? Environment? What kind of lighting? Legal issues?
Summary and Evaluation
Overview of digital cameras
Hints on taking photos
Who owns that image?
Design and color hints
Managing your files and disk space
Recommended