::: Intro to digital :::
Aim
This unit is intended for the new or existing digital SLR owner wanting a better understanding of their camera and getting better output from it as well as the 'traditional' photographer wanting a bridging course to digital. The course includes exercises aimed at finding the performance limits of your camera with the express intention of creating the highest quality output. The emphasis is on photographic output, it does not cover preparing files for printing press output. Participants are expected to provide their own laptop computer in addition to their own camera in order to establish an optimum digital workflow on the equipment they use in the real world.

Duration
9 x 3 hours per week (27 hours)

Topics covered:
  • Understanding the pixel and resolution
  • Digital image file formats
  • Nomenclature
  • Printing/output options
  • Using Photoshop to optimise images for output.
  • The digital SLR
  • Understanding the histogram
  • Optimising black & white output
  • Scanning of film & photographic prints compared with digital camera capture
  • The digital workflow/calibration
  • Basic compositing
Prerequisites:
  • Digital SLR with manual settings
  • The ability to operate a manual SLR (to a standard equivalent of Intro to Photography)
  • Your own laptop computer
  • The ability to get images from camera to your computer
  • Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements or greater. Photoshop 5 through Photoshop CS2 preferred
  • Ability to operate your computer
  • If unfamiliar with Photoshop please do the tutorial that came with the program

What the course is:

  • Understanding the nomenclature
  • Capturing the optimum image for output
  • Optimising for printed output and screen display
  • Controlling your camera
  • Discover the similarities and differences of digital and film and find ways to make the best of them
  • Photoshop as a production tool

What the course isn't:

  • Troubleshooting your computer (NO class time will be spent on this)
  • A Photoshop class - The only areas of Photoshop that will be covered in detail are those that relate to optimising an image for output and those that illustrate points we're trying to explain.
  • An introduction to Mac or Windows

Materials:
Students will be expected to try at their own expense at least some of the different output methods we discuss. Images for assessment must be printed.

Assignments:
Class assignments are set to help students understand resolution, output options and to master camera functions and operation. Additionally a fun Photoblog assignment allows students to play with the immediacy of digtal imaging and learn about optimising images for the internet.

Tuition fees
Tuition fees for courses are outlined on the Timetable page. Note that only the prices for scheduled courses for the term indicated in the timetable are given. Not all classes are offered every term. The timetable is updated to indicate the courses and fees for the following term about six weeks into the current term.