Course Structure
The course contents are as follows:
1. Introduction To Digital Technology: How images are captured and stored, categories of equipment & software, scope of applications.
2. Equipment -getting started; deciding what you need: CCD's, Image Sizes, Raster Images,, Video Cards, Colour depth, Computer terminology etc.
3. Digital Technology : Colour, resolution, sensors ( how technology enables digital images to be captured).
4. Digital Cameras : Image formation, lenses, camera stability, one shot cameras, 3 shot cameras, terminology (eg.DPI, DVD, Bit, EDO RAM, Plug In etc).
5. Taking Photographs : Principles of Photo Composition, Creating effects, Default Setting, Compression of Data, Dithering, Halftones etc.
6. Scanners : Techniques which can be used for digitally capturing images from film photographs, or graphics .
7. Uploading Images : How digital images can be transferred effectively from a camera (or scanner) onto another device (eg. a computer, video monitor, television set, etc).
8. The Digital Darkroom :Techniques that can be used to process digital photographs within a computer to achieve improved or changed images.
9. Compositing & Imaging - Production & manipulation of images: How digital photos can be manipulated and changed to produce altered images.
10. Special Effects : Scope and nature of special effects that can be created with digital photographs.
11. Outputs & Applications- Printers, The Internet : How and where digital photography can effectively be used.
NOTE: Students will need access to a digital camera and some type of storage or output device (eg. usually a computer) during the course. This is required so that you can take some photographs on a digital camera and submit them as a print or as a digitised file. An inexpensive digital camera and a printer or 3.5 inch floppy disk would be a minimum. If you plan on purchasing a digital camera, but have not yet decided what to buy, it is recommended that you delay buying a camera until you have completed Lesson 3 and commenced Lesson 4. It is also suggested that you ask your tutor's advice as to which camera would best suit your needs. Access to a suitable computer is advantageous but not essential.
Duration: 100 hours
Aims:
- Describe the scope and nature of digital photography
- Select appropriate equipment for use in digital photography
- Explain how technology enables digital images to be captured.
- Compare different digital cameras and select an appropriate camera for a particular application.
- Control the effects created in a digital photograph which you take.
- Describe techniques which can be used for digitally capturing images from film photographs, or graphics.
- Explain how digital images can be transferred effectively from a camera (or scanner) onto another device (eg. a computer, video monitor, television set, etc).
- Describe techniques that can be used to process digital photographs within a computer to achieve improved or changed images.
- Explain how digital photos can be manipulated and changed to produce altered images.
- Discuss the scope and nature of special effects that can be created with digital photographs.
- Identify how and where digital photography can effectively be used.