A Few Great Things About digital photography

I have to admit that in digital photography I personally have been a laggard. I have two traditional film cameras – a vintage Manual Focus Nikon and a Canon Rebel, which is a newer model equipped with Auto Focus. Up until recently, I’ve been heroically resisting the temptation of trying a Digital Camera, although each of my kids has had one for years now. But a few days ago, my father gave me one of his – a mid-priced Olympus – because he didn’t like the menus. I’ve decided to give it a try and I was surprised I actually like it.

I take a lot of pictures so obviously the first thing I loved about it is that it had no film. I also got two large Memory Cards from my father along with the camera and I never run out of film. I no longer have to pay for developing photos that I don’t even like. Actually, I don’t develop photos at all. And now that I’m able to see them on the spot, I can delete the ones that turn out wrong and free up space for new ones. I take hundreds of pictures and this helps me improve my technique and get better results. I can still keep the things I liked about traditional photography as my camera lets me select film speed and worry about shutter speed/aperture combinations. This means that I can still use my photographic skills, which is a Very Good thing. I also love that I don’t have to wait for days to see how the pictures turned out like.

Another thing I love about digital photos is the fact that you can edit them later. I haven’t purchased Photoshop yet, though I plan to buy the Elements program soon. For now I just use Picasa, which is free, and my PhotoDeluxe application which came with the scanner. Even with these basic programs I can still change the photos to a great extent. I sometimes have problems with the exposure because I don’t always notice backlighting. Luckily, poor exposure can be easily corrected afterwards, and the same thing you can do with red eyes or excessive tint.

You can also adjust contrast, sharpen focus and warm up colors. Cropping is another tool I use very often. It helps me remove parts of the background or excess sky. I can even transform a landscape photo into a close-up if I remove a large part of it. You also have a lot of special effects. You can transform your photo into an oil painting, add filters, neon, glow – just set your imagination free.

When I’m all set, I can send those photos I really like to a processing service. With Picasa you have an option to send your photos to a processor over the Internet and you will get the printed photos into your mail. Or you can upload the pictures to a website, use them in a blog or email them to your friends. Having so much control over your photos is just great. If you haven’t already switched to digital photography, you should think about it. It is a real blessing.

Intro to Basic Digital Photo Editing Tools & Concepts – Part 2

Digital Photography: Expert Techniques $34.95 This absorbing book, by professional photographer and author Ken Milburn, offers a ton of expert advice to those who are ready to move to the next level with digital photography. Rather than a general discussion of photography principles, Digital Photography: Expert Techniques focuses on workflow: time tested, step by step procedures based on hard nosed experience by and for genuine practitioners of the art. The book’s conversational tone presents detailed information about what to look for in today’s affordable high end digicams, how to use simple techniques and equipment to shoot breathtaking shots, instructions on shooting great panoramas, dos and don’ts for creating better Photoshop masks, and professional digital darkroom techniques for everything from knockouts to restoration to transforming your photos into watercolors. It even shows you how to get your most prized photographs printed and ready for exhibition. Contents include: Understanding your digital camera from the inside out. Creating effects with the camera: making panoramas, high resolution matrixes, infrared photos, and more. General composition and managing your workflow. Using the digital darkroom and Photoshop CS to make your images professional caliber. Understanding the power of Photoshop CS selections and masks. Using special effects to save what’s good, and get rid of the bad and the ugly. Creating fictitious photos: bend and wrap images to fit an object, insert a more interesting skyscrape, and more. Professional color and tonal management Creating portfolios and presenting your images on the Web. Digital Photography: Expert Techniques is in four color front to back, allowing you to see each step in the Digital Photographer’s workflow, including the steps in between. Serious photographers, including professionals, who want to take advantage of the unique creative powers available through digital photography and digital image processing will find this problem solving book invaluable. Author: Ken Milburn Published: February 2004 ISBN: 0596005474 400 pages

Introduction to Digital Photography $59.95 Introduction to Digital Photography with Taz Tally, Ph.D. is a movie based tutorial designed to help graphics professionals and photo enthusiasts learn the basics of digital photography from the ground up. The training begins with digital image fundamentals such as pixels, resolution, capture bit depth and image channels, then quickly advances to cover calibration, compression, file formats, sharpening, setting white points, controlling zoom, capture speed and depth of field, and basic lighting options. Image editing and correction techniques are also covered, as well as tips for selecting a digital camera and setting up your own digital photo lab. Step by step instructions allow you to follow along and learn at your own pace. Running Time: Approximately 5 Hours Topics covered include: Digital Camera Image Fundamentals Controlling Your Camera Settings Post Image Capture Digital Photo Adjustments Taz Guide to Shooting Fundamentals: Image Composition What to Look for in a Digital Camera and System System Requirements: Macintosh 250Mhz or better Power PC 32 MB Ram 800×600 screen resolution Mac OS 8.6 or better Windows 250Mhz or Intel/AMD Processor 32 MB Ram 800×600 screen resolution Windows 98 or better

Get the Image You Want: Essential Photoshop Editing Techniques $16.95 Creating great photographic images doesn’t stop with perfecting your shooting techniques. Once you have your photo in digital form, you can take it to the next level with image editing tools like Photoshop. While other Photoshop books go from feature to feature, explaining every little detail of this expansive program, this book is separated into eight chapters that deal with the main aspects of working with images in Photoshsop. This way, you can keep the book next to your workspace and reach for it whenever you need the perfect solution to an image editing problem. Readers will start with learning basic image editing concepts, such as importing files, correcting color and tone, cropping images, and using masks and filters. Also included is a problem/solution section at the end of each chapter, containing specific techniques and streamlined fixes that you can apply to the most common image editing challenges. Along the way, this full color, gorgeously illustrated book offers practical help and hundreds of creative ideas. Targeted at the serious beginner, this four color reference book teaches core Photoshop and digital imaging concepts at an affordable price and an accessible page count. Published: June 2005 ISBN: 0321348966 288 Pages

Outdoor & Travel Photography $32.95 Quick techniques to give your photographs extra drama and impact! Adjust color using Brightness/Contrast, Levels, Curves and Hue/Saturation. Try Dodging and burning, Motion Blurs and Converting images to Infrared and B&W. Enhance wildlife photos and create the “Magical Mirror Effect”. Lessons: Lesson 1 : Take Control of Color Add dramatic color to seemingly lack luster photographs. A look at Brightness/Contrast, Levels, Curves, Hue/Saturation and the all important Histogram. A must know for all digital photographers. Lesson 2 : Photoshop Makeover Transform a dull and drab shot into a photograph rich with color. Learn basic image editing techniques using Unsharp Mask, Burn & Dodge tools, History Brush and other creative controls. Lesson 3 : Creative B&W and Infrared Learn why Channel Mixer is the best way to create a black and white image. Also learn about Fading and the effectiveness of simple dodging. Lesson 4 : Enhancing Wildlife Photos See why Layers is the key to enhancing a subject, and why selective enhancements are important. Also included is a cool technique for drawing attention to a subject’s eyes. Lesson 5 : Save Time and Money A short, easy and effective way for correcting the “falling over backward” effect when a building is photographed from close up. It’s all done with Transform Perspective. Lesson 6 : Two Quick Tips Correct at tilted horizon line with a few clicks of your mouse or taps of your Wacom tablet using the Measure tool. Also take a look at a way cool Plug in. Lesson 7 : Travel Portraits “Travel” with Rick to Vietnam and see how he enhances his travel portraits. Some good tips on photography and shooting RAW are included. Lesson 8 : Fun with Mirrors Learn how to create the “magical mirror effect” by increasing Canvas Size and adding an Ocean Ripple filter. Lesson 9 : Create a Sense of Speed See how easy it is to create a panning effect in Photoshop CS using Layers and Motion Blur tool along with some fancy erasing.

Tonal Control in Digital Photography $32.95 Gain an understanding of tonal range and how to adjust lighting and exposures using techniques like Luminosity Masking, Light Painting and creative ways of combining multiple exposures. Lessons: Lesson 1 : Understanding Tonal Range The different ways of adjusting tonal range are demonstrated. Lesson 2 : Luminosity Mask Corrections Using the luminosity contrast mask to adjust shadow exposure. Lesson 3 : Light Painting Corrections Creating light and dark exposures and painting them together with layer masking. Lesson 4 : Creative Light Painting Shooting two exposures of the toys and painting them together for creative lighting effects. Lesson 5 : Portrait Light Painting Using the light painting techniques to enhance portrait photography. Lesson 6 : Batch Processing Corrections Using batch processing to correct exposure for a group of similar images. Lesson 7 : Outdoor Tonal Corrections Creating contrast masks to control harsh outdoor lighting conditions.

Black & White Photography Techniques with Adobe Photoshop $39.95 With the recent advent of the digital darkroom, photographers have gained access to an unprecedented range of creative techniques that can be used to produce fine art prints. In addition to the advantages of avoiding personal and environmental exposure to toxic chemicals, the digital darkroom offers a greatly enhanced degree of control and reproducibility. This book teaches you the skills you need to make the most of your black & white images and craft professional quality black & white prints in the digital darkroom. Features: Perfecting every aspect of your black & white digital image Tips for converting color images to black & white Fine art printing techniques Maurice Hamilton is a photographer and lecturer who teaches out of his studio in California. Author: Maurice Hamilton Published: November 2005 ISBN: 1 58428 173 1 128 Pages

Real World Digital Photography, 2nd Edition $34.95 Whether you re just making the transition from a lifetime of traditional photography or are looking to bring your digital photography skills in line with today s market, if you re serious about digital photography, you need this book. In the four years since the first edition was published, just about every aspect of digital photography has changed (often radically) and it s all covered in these pages. Organized in four major sections: Digital Processing Essentials, Digital Processing Techniques, The Digital Darkroom, and Output and Presentation, the focus here is on getting great pictures and spectacular printed output through a combination of smart techniques and the right equipment. As with all of the titles in the Real World series, the authors here realize that this entails learning not just techniques but the concepts behind them. For a professional level understanding of the digital photography process from how a digital camera works to advice on buying cameras and accessories, choosing hardware and software, downloading and outputting images, and more this is the place to turn. Authors: Katrin Eismann, Sean Duggan, & Tim Grey ISBN: 0321223721 Published: November 2003 448 pages

Vegas 5 Editing Workshop (with DVD) $34.95 Nonlinear (NLE), or digital, editing software permits the manipulation of digitized video. Editors can cut, splice, create transitions, and do much more than was ever possible with conventional film editing techniques. In Vegas Editing Workshop 5, novice to intermediate Vegas users, including professional and hobbyist filmmakers, learn how to master the craft of editing with the latest version of Vegas, an NLE software application for the PC platform. This editing workshop, complete with a DVD Architect tool set, delivers firsthand guidance on the art and technique of editing using tutorial lessons that cover every essential operation. Experienced editors and novices alike benefit from real world examples of how to work more efficiently. The book also covers the application’s exceptional audio features. by Douglas Spotted Eagle Paperback: 476 pages Publisher: CMP Books; Bk & DVD edition (August 9, 2003) Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches ISBN: 1578202574

The Sensual Human: Digital Photography Reference Set $75.95 This focused Digital Photography Reference Set includes: Erotique Digitale For everyone interested in the new frontier where technology and erotica meet, “Erotique Digitale: The Art of Erotic Digital Photography” is a state of the art look at a selection of the world’s most innovative erotic imagery. This brand new guide is both a compendium of digital image making techniques—from simple retouching to complex montages that combine digital photographs with spectacular graphics and 3D imagery—and a superb showcase for the work of top digital photographers, packed full of examples that reveal the tricks and techniques employed to produce some of today’s most diverse and creative erotic digital images. Author: Roderick MacDonal Published: May 2005 ISBN: 1 59200 526 8 176 Pages Digital Boudoir Photography Boudoir photography does not require its subject to be a beautiful, physically flawless woman. It does not require the use of extravagantly expensive equipments, props, and studio space. In fact, the very essence of boudoir photography is the idea that its subject is not a professional model and is not even necessarily in the boudoir. No longer confined to the idea of heavy makeup, lingerie, and the bedroom, the new age of boudoir photography is casual, sensual, and sexy. That is the premise behind Digital Boudoir Photography. Firmly grasping the freedom that digital photography affords, this book offers tips and techniques that allow anyone with a digital camera the ability to take attractive photographs of any woman. Author: John Blair Published: June 2006 ISBN: 1 59863 220 5 300 Pages Mastering Digital Nude Photography Digital photographic technology has created a surge in the popularity of nude photography. Mastering Digital Nude Photography contains ideas and techniques that will develop your creativity and challenge you to expand your boundaries. This book examines photography of the nude for the serious photographer—one who already possesses visual imagination and creativity, but is ready to take the work in a new direction. It explores a range of photographic styles, including erotic, glamour, fetish, bodyscape, and art nude. You’ll cover each important aspect of creating your initial image in the camera. Then examine postproduction through discussion of digital image manipulation and the opportunities that the computer offers for experimentation in creating your final work of art. Author: Roderick Macdonald Published: May 2006 ISBN: 1 59863 026 1 400 Pages

Commercial Advertising Techniques $99.95 Learn commercial applications of Photoshop techniques and Workflow from one of the best!. Jack will share valuable methods for Camera RAW, editing in the File Browser “Lightbox”, White Balance Corrections, Selective Color Changes, creating Contact Sheets, Actions, Copyright Registration, Changing Backgrounds, Architectural Corrections, Comic Portrait Transform and Replacing a Face. Lessons: Chapter 1 : Workflow Lesson 1 : The Workflow Chart Learn efficient methods of managing job workflow to be certain that everything is getting done. This chart will clarify what stage a job is in and when all related tasks are completed. Lesson 2 : File Browser and Camera Raw Manage your images using the power of File Browser and control your Camera Raw images by using the extensive tools found in the Camera Raw interface. Use custom settings to apply to batches of images. Lesson 3 : Editing the File Browser “Lightbox” Sort your images in the File Browser in a myriad of ways. Learn how to group images from one job for many different media applications. Lesson 4 : Actions Use Actions to manipulate and enhance your images in the File Browser. Save an incredible amount of time processing images with your own custom built Actions. Lesson 5 : Contact Sheets Create custom Contact Sheets for your own use and for your clients. Save time and money by including Contact Sheets with your digital files so images can be efficiently viewed, sorted and selected. Lesson 6 : Copyright Registration Learn how to protect yourself from fraudulent theft of your images with a valid copyright registration filed with the United States Copyright Office. Chapter 2 : Basic Digital Color Lesson 7 : How Computers See Color Understand the difference between the way the human eye sees color compared to digital color in your camera and computer. This basic description of digital color will help you achieve consistent results in image output. Lesson 8 : Histograms Understand Histograms and why they are a valuable tool in photography. Take the guesswork out of evaluating the tonal range in a photograph. Lesson 9 : White Balance Learn to balance or “neutralize” the color in your images, both in the camera when shooting and later in Photoshop when processing your images. Chapter 3 : Enhancing Techniques I Lesson 10 : Comic Portrait Transform Use the Pen Tool, Free Transform Tool and Liquify Tool to distort and transform a portrait into a comic caricature. Lesson 11 : Changing Colors Use the Lasso Tool, Select Color Range and Hue/Saturation to change the clothing color in a portrait. Lesson 12 : Adding a Background Learn to add a gradated background to a portrait using the Gaussian Blur Filter and separate it with a Layer Mask. Lesson 13 : Free Transform Use the Pen Tool and Free Transform Tool to transform an object. Also use Hue/Saturation and a Multiply Adjustment Layer to control tonal value of an object. Lesson 14 : Replacing a Face Learn how to combine two images to replace a face a

Video Production: Digital Video Editing (DVD) $29.95 The essential guide to Lighting for Video. Light it right! Discover the lighting techniques that will help turn your ideas into top quality productions. Covers light theory, tools and terms of lighting, studio lighting, indoor daytime lighting, outdoor daytime lighting and outdoor nighttime lighting. Copyright: 2000 Runtime: 30 minutes

Enhancing Digital Photography with Adobe Photoshop CS2 $74.95 Enhancing Digital Photography with Photoshop CS2 is a video based tutorial designed for professional photographers and enthusiasts who want to get professional results. Chris Orwig, a professional photographer and instructor at the world renowned Brooks Institute of Photography, shares the secrets and techniques that he uses to enhance his own photography in Photoshop. The training follows a photographer’s digital workflow, starting with essential color management decisions and organizing images with Adobe Bridge. Chris moves on to cover processing Camera Raw files, enhancing tone and color, and correcting imperfections. He then demonstrates how to prepare the images for output and client reviews. Chris shares examples of his work as exercise files that accompany the training videos, allowing you to follow along and learn at your own pace. Approximate Running Time: 14.5 Hours Topics Covered include: An In Depth Look at Digital Images Foundations of Color Management An In Depth Look at Digital Images Using Adobe Bridge Camera RAW Layers Masking Selections Levels Curves Blending Modes Color Correction Modifying Color and Tone Black and White Conversion Retouching Expanding Exposure Perspective Removing Dust and Scratches Removing Noise Creative Effects Sharpening Panoramas with Photomerge

Learning HDR Photography $79.95 In this video training course on High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography, expert trainer, digital guru, and photographer Andy Anderson takes you through the process of shooting and processing HDR images. HDR techniques allow you to capture a better photography representation of the intensity levels found in scenes, and can produce the most amazing images you have ever seen.

Digital Photography Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools $20.95 Your digital camera is more than new incarnation of your old film camera. Yes, it still produces photos, but it also offers new outlets for creativity, including instant gratification of seeing your photos now, the ability to experiment without worrying about expense, the technology to fine tune your photos with advanced professional techniques, and the means to share your work instantaneously with anyone, anyplace in the world. It’s no wonder that digital cameras are outselling traditional cameras for the first time ever. But the question most digital camera users ask is this, “How do I get from taking ‘decent’ photos to doing the things I’d really like to do? How do I tap into that potential?” Digital Photography Hacks is your passport to taking the kind of digital photos you’ve always aspired to. Written by Derrick Story, photographer and author of Digital Photography Pocket Guide and other books, it goes beyond the standard fare of most digital photography books such as camera basics, understanding memory cards, and when to use a flash to the things that professional photographers have learned through thousands of shots’ worth of experience, years of experimentation, and fiddling and hacking. The book includes a foreword by photographer Rick Smolan, author of America 24/7. With exquisite, full color photos throughout, the book presents a collection of tips, tricks, and techniques for photographers ready to move beyond the basics. And if you don’t have the latest in digital camera photography, this book will show you how to extend the life and functionality of your existing camera. All the hacks in the book are platform agnostic, designed for use on both Mac on Windows based computers. You’ll find 100 proven techniques in the areas of: Daytime and nighttime photo secrets Flash magic Digital camera attachments The computer connection Photoshop magic Fun photo projects Camera phone tricks This book is for the photographer you are now, and the one you want to be. Digital Photography Hacks is for the creative adventurer who resides in each of us. Author: Derrick Story Published: May 2004 ISBN: 0 596 00666 7 352 pages

Collins Complete Photography Course $11.99 Author: John Garrett. RRP: £14.99. This inspiring project-based course book covers everything from basic composition to the latest digital darkroom techniques. Contents include: step-by-step projects on exposure, aperture, lenses, light, filters, colour, black and white and image enhancement and more. The fully interactive and project-based approach will help you to raise both your camera confidence and your level of photography. Format: Hardback. ISBN: 9780007279920. Published: 01/09/2008. Publisher: HarperCollins . Genre: The Arts. Total pages: 192. Free delivery by post. This item will be delivered free, by post, usually in 4 working days (depending on your local postal service).

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY $18.75 Excellent Condition Used

Learn Digital Photography in a Day $19.95 Explore the exciting world of digital photography in non technical, concise terms. Megapixels”…”PPI”…”optical zoom”…what does it all mean? In this new book, Arnie Abrams deciphers the complex, exciting world of digital photography in non technical, concise terms. You can read the book in a day or use it as a reference at any time. Learn Digital Photography in a Day is suitable for use as a textbook for students 6th grade and above or as a guide for teachers of any grade level. Features and Benefits: Features hundreds of full color photos and diagrams Explains the variety of digital imaging software and features available Includes a gallery of great digital photos as examples Each chapter has web links for more information Written by an educator for students and teachers in a non technical, concise style Great for use as a textbook in art, photography, technology or journalism classes Topics include: How to choose and use a digital camera Using scanners Using printers How to prepare photos for the web Tips for taking better pictures Does not include software. Table of Contents (pdf) Sample Chapter and Projects (pdf)

Tips & Tricks for Using Digital Photography $18.99 Learn dozens of creative ways to incorporate digital cameras and photography into your classroom-writing prompts, art projects, report presentations, pen pals, and more!

The Digital Photography Handbook $6.29 Total pages: 224. Free delivery by post. This item will be delivered free, by post, usually in 4 working days (depending on your local postal service). Published: 28/10/2010. Publisher: Quercus Publishing Plc. Genre: The Arts. ISBN: 9781849165259. Format: Paperback. In this edition Doug Harrman includes the very latest developments, equipping you with everything you need to become an accomplished 21st-century photographer. Truly professional results are within reach of all, and this book shows you how to combine photographic flair with digital expertise to achieve them. In the last few years digital cameras and ‘digital darkrooms’ in the form of computers and image manipulation software have revolutionized modern photography. RRP: £6.99. Author: Doug Harman.

Digital Photography in the Classroom $24.99 Learn about the many types of digital media available, where to find them, and how to use them in the classroom. Then use step-by-step lesson plans for fun projects across the curriculum.