Best Use Of Digital Camera

The First thing you need to know ......

Let's determine the difference between a "Snapshot" and a Photographic Image: If you let the camera do all the work automatically, ( PHD - "Press here, Dummy | ) This is taking a photo. On the other hand, when you take control of how the camera sees the subject, this is making a photo - Being creative. So, if you really want to be creative with your digital camera, the first thing you need to know is: " Where is the "All-Reset" button?" When you find it, put it in the off position, and you can start being creative. This button, or control, if left on, automatically resets the camera to "auto" or "programme" each time you turn the camera on. Your camera is not just a point & shoot machine, but a very creative box of tricks, once you learn how. The next thing you need to do is to familiarise yourself with all the little controls your camera has- Read, and re-read your camera's instruction manual, until you know where everything is. Here are a few simple things you can do already:

- Go through the white balance options
- Go through the flash modes
- Set the macro mode on and off
- Set the resolution
- Go through the scene select items

When you can do these actions without fuss or fumbling, you are on the way to creativity.

Assignment 1 - If it's a bright sunny day outside take a shot of anyplace with camera in auto, (or programme) mode.

Then set your camera's White balance to sunlight and take another shot of the same subject.

Now set the white balance to cloudy, taking a third shot of the same subject. Compare the three and decide which you like the best.

Assignment 2 - If You are making a portrait between the hours of 10am-2pm on a bright and sunny day, take a photograph of a friend with the flash in off position. Get close, keeping just head and shoulders in the shot.

Now put flash in flash-on mode and take the portrait again. Note how the flash has filled in the shadows under the eyes and chin. If your flash is too powerful and flattens facial features, either place a piece of tissue over the flash window, or use a piece of white medical tape.

Assignment 3 Find a scene to photograph and using auto mode, take a shot. Take a second shot from the same position, but put your sunglasses lens in front of your camera lens. Note how the sky darkens and clouds become more prominent. Not too hard to be creative, eh?

Halfway Down (Focus & Exposure)

You will have noticed that there is a definite amount of time between pressing the shutter button and capturing a picture. This happens because the camera needs to wipe the last image from the memory card, automatically focus and set exposure. One way to overcome this problem, is to pre-focus on your subject, or something the same distance away, if you intend a candid shot, the press the shutter button halfway down. - This lets the camera pre-focus and pre-set exposure, then all you need to do is to press the shutter the rest of the way down to take your shot. While we are in the realms of exposure, here’s an experiment: Get a piece of white paper and a piece of black paper ( A4 sheets) take separate photo of each sheet, in the same lighting conditions, using the camera's meter on auto (Programme) setting - Surprise, Surprise! They both came out mid-grey. This is because the camera's meter averages out the scene, giving an average exposure for the scene at 18%grey. This is okay for the average scene, but if you are viewing a high contrast scene, you will lose detail in both the highlights and the shadows. If you use the spot meter on your subject, your subject will come out fine. Your camera will have a 5 stop exposure compensation facility in 0.5 increments:

( -2.0;-1.5; -1.0; -0.5; -0- + 0.5; +1.0; +1.5; +2.0) where zero is average 18% grey and -2 will give detail on black, and +2 will give detail on white - on a grey scale.

How much light is needed to make a photograph? That will be determined by the camera's built-in metering systems or by using a hand-held incident light meter which is used to measure the amount of light that is falling on the subject.

To aid in pre-visualising your finished photographic images I include a simplified "zone system" which you may find useful.

Tone Value
Meter Reading Appearance
1 Plus2 White with minimal detail
2 Plus1 Dried grass, bright-coloured flowers
3 0= Meter as read 18% grey - Green grass/Dry tarmac /tttarmactarmacadam
4 minus 1 Dark foliage
5 minus 2 Black with some detail

Digital Manipulation

• When I started Photography it was all very simple, but now that digital and new software has arrived it has caused many arguments and caused problems in many circlesof photography.

• I for one was on the side of "Digital Manipulation" is not photography. Yes I said so true !!

• The day came when I was handed a digital to try out, I had it a week gave it back and 2 hours later I bought the love of my life the Nikon D70.

• Kicking myself for going down that road having yelled my opinions over digital.Much to the delight of friends.

• Having been at school and loved the arts,but not having a drawing ability it was ever frustrating seeing, what you thought was not bad,being compared to that of a 4 year olds finger paintings. "Although much of what is in the Tate Mordern can more join that category".

• The day came when I was given for free PS 7. On the pc it went and was forgotten about. Then came my lack of will power, and sheer nosyness took over. I tried one photo, ONE hour later I was amazed at what it could do.So for the next few weeks I spent re-doing lots of my images.

• My reasons now for doing some real manipulations on my images are, I either do very little or I go way beyond touch up. I now have a canvas to create things I have always wanted to achieve on paper. At last I can do "Art".

• Some folk would class it as graphic design,but to get most of my manipulated images,they have to start life as a photo. For the images I want to achieve I have to set the photo up to start what I want to create. For me its Photo first then I can follow on and manipulate.

• I think now that digitally manipulated images should be classed as Photography, in the same way all those years back new art techniques such as Picasso were discussed in similar ways in the Art world. And the way nudity was created and seen in the art world by michelangelo.

• If the image started life as a photograph then we should recognise the talent for those who can push the boundaries and create things which leave me always asking "How the hell did they do that" I for one am still a novice and always learning, and I salute the talent of others and I know that there are others who for not understanding the work involved and who possibly can not do it themselves are quick to put down those who can.

• I love Photography in any form it takes and I think with the involvment of digital manipulations, have helped that Photography really has set itself as a deserved right in the Art world. And no longer is seen so much as a seperate entity.

A Rewarding Advancement in Digital Photography

• In the beginning, I just basically took snapshots like everyone else, paying no attention to backgrounds, lighting or looking at any kind of composition for my photos. I have learned that all those kinds of things are important for good photography. I think the important thing to do, is look at and analyze a scene whatever it may be. You have also try to take different angles of your subject which can make all the difference in your presentation.

• This photo of Chinese Lanterns was a challenge. I have tried many times to photograph these and have finally had success. This for me became a winning photo.

• I took this photo on the black countertop in my kitchen (goes to show you can take pictures anywhere). My first thing to do, was shine up the countertop to give it a reflective surface. Next I blocked off sources of bright light and made sure I added a piece of black bristol board on the back wall to as to have a black background as well as the foreground.

• The next step was to set the Chinese Lanterns on the counter and position to my liking. I then setup the camera on my tripod, made a few camera adjustments, such as setting the flash and ISO setting at 100. I took several photos at different angles. This one I like the best for the color, composition and the reflections captured.

• In the limited software program I have for working on digital photographs, I did a little adjustment by doing some very slight cropping and ended up with a winning photo of my "Chinese Lanterns".

• My advice is to have fun, try new things and be creative like my photo below. This was achieved by just added twist and reflection from a software program I have for photos.

Growing Importance

• Each year since 1997, InfoTrends/CAP Ventures has conducted surveys to track the adoption and usage of digital cameras. This year's survey of U.S. Internet households shows the penetration of digital cameras increasing to 59% of Internet households, up from 45% in 2003. As a result of rising penetration, the demographics of digital camera owners are shifting towards people of more moderate means. Additionally, women are increasingly more likely to own digital cameras and to spur the purchasing decision for the household. While the demographics of digital camera owners continue to shift towards representing the average Internet user, digital camera owners still show a greater tendency to acquire new technology than non-owners.

• Digital camera owners' advanced approach to new technologies is reflected in their technology ownership and product usage covered throughout the study. For example, 26% of digital camera households have a wireless home network, compared to 16% of non-owners.

• "Since digital camera manufacturers are expected to introduce WiFi-enabled digital cameras in 2005, this study shows that there is already a growing potential market for WiFi-enabled digital cameras," says Michelle Slaughter, Director of Digital Photography Trends at InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. "As the consumer digital camera market matures, it's important for manufacturers to consider emerging sub-segments like this one to target a growing market of replacement digital camera buyers, who are initially more likely to appreciate advanced features, such as WiFi-enabled cameras."

• The study also provides in-depth coverage of digital camera users' purchasing decisions and feature preferences. There are slight changes from year-to-year in overall preferences, but profiles of a variety of digital camera user segments show greater differences in users' preferences. This year, the study examines differences between owners of basic point & shoot 3X zoom cameras and those who own ultra-compact or extended zoom (>3X) cameras. Manufacturers can use these profiles and others to refine their strategy for various segments of the market.

• InfoTrends/CAP Ventures' new report entitled 2004 Digital Camera Survey: End User and Non-User Analysis is obtainable immediately. The 90-page analysis with 80 figures and two sets of 120+ page tabulations reveals detailed trends related to digital camera hardware, printing, storage, applications, pricing, purchase channel, demographics, user segments, and more. A related study entitled 2004 Consumer Digital Camera Forecast and Analysis is also available.

What is Digital photography?

Digital Photography

• A type of photography in which images can be viewed on a computer screen. The process of recording images using a digital camera or a conventional camera with a digital adapter; it records on a disk or on a microchip which can then be downloaded directly to a computer in tiff, pict or eps format.

• Taking pictures with a digital camera and storing and printing them on digital devices. The "digital film," which is comprised of flash memory modules, floppy disks or CD-Rs, can be transferred to a local computer for printing, or can be uploaded to a Web site for viewing and printing.

• Uses a digital camera to electronically capture and produce images using a CCD. Scanners, software, computers and printers are used together with the camera to produce the finished image.
  

• Digital cameras record images electronically and store them as an electronic file that is often manipulated later in a software program.

• A photographic method that stores the image digitally for later reproduction. Digital photography, as opposed to film photography, uses electronic devices to record and capture the image as binary data.

In Other Words-->

• Digital photography is a form of photography that utilizes digital technology to make digital images of subjects. Until the advent of digital technology, photography used photographic film to create images which could be made visible by photographic processing. Digital images can be displayed, printed, stored, manipulated, transmitted, and archived using digital and computer techniques, without chemical processing.

• Digital photography is one of several forms of digital imaging. Digital images are also created by non-photographic equipment such as computer tomography scanners and radio telescopes. Digital images can also be made by scanning conventional photographic images.