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Light, Focus, Composition

Light, Focus, Composition. Digital Photography Basics. Photography. The meaning of the word photography is a Greek word that means "light writing" or literally - writing with light.

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Light, Focus, Composition

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  1. Light, Focus, Composition Digital Photography Basics

  2. Photography • The meaning of the word photography is a Greek word that means "light writing" or literally - writing with light. • It’s not about only “taking pictures” it’s about using the camera as a tool to explore and understand other subjects.

  3. Lighting • Direction • Quality • Intensity • These characteristics of light each have a dramatic effect on your pictures

  4. The best source of natural light is the sun • But it is best to avoid taking pictures at noon, when the sun is at its zenith. • It throws very short shadows and produces an intense, white light that is not good for taking pictures. • The best light is when the sun is lower on the horizon • either in the morning or in the evening. • During these hours, light has a soft golden red hue that adds to the colors in the picture. • Some photographers suggest taking landscape or outdoor pictures two hours before sunset or two hours after sunrise. • If you are photographing in sunlight, try to position yourself so that the sun hits your subject from the side, this will give you nice 'modeling' and help create a 3D effect in the picture. • Sunlight behind the subject can give a very pleasing 'backlight' effect but be careful that you are not getting 'flare' in the lens, which degrades the contrast of the image.

  5. Composition • Rule of Thirds • Instead of placing the main focus of interest in the centre of the frame, you look to position it on an intersection of the thirds. (like a tic tac toe board). • Kodak’s Site: • Photography Hints: • http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=38/39&pq-locale=en_CA • Interactive Demo: • http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=38/39/6369&pq-locale=en_CA • National Geographic • Adventure Photography: • http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pathtoadventure/phototips/

  6. Simple Ideas TRY THESE • Mover closer to your subject! Use the zoom lens to get closer. • Think composition. Try not to center your main subject. Apply the Rule of Thirds. • Think vertical. Take “portrait” (vs. landscape) type photos for vertical-based subjects (people, trees, flowers, etc.). • Working with lighting. The best quality photos are taken outdoors. If you have to take a photo indoors, remember that your flash is only good up to 10 feet distance. Photographing people: • Move closer to people when taking their photo. People doing activities make good photos. • For portraits, “head and shoulder” shots are the best (crop the feet out). • For creative photos, try photographing above or below your subject. Get on your hands and knees, typically not at “eye-level,” for those award winning shots.

  7. Quality: Know your Resolutions Typical resolutions: • 640x480- great for web only use. • 800x600- OK for multi-purpose use with consideration to storage space. • 1024x768- best overall for use with both web and small prints. • 1472x1104- 1.6 megapixel overkill for web images, good for small prints. • 1600x1200- ~2 megapixel quality • 2000x1500- 3 megapixel quality • 3000x2000- 6 megapixel quality Megapixel:More pixels = better image detail and quality. • 1mp- looks good on a computer screen, with limited features and prints good to 3 x 5 size. • 2mp- pictures look good on a computer screen and provides quality prints up to 5 x 7 size. • 3mp- quality camera with many advanced features and prints to 8 x 10 size. • 4, 5, 6+mp- high-end camera with quality optics, many advanced features and prints to 11 x 14.

  8. Editing • Resizing • Always make a new file by choosing 'save as' and giving the photo a new name. This way you will still have the original file. • Cropping • You can change the focus of your image by cropping into the desired section • Recoloring • You do not have to “take” the photo in black & white or sepia, these modifications to your image can be done with an image editing program • Brightness/Contrast • Tool we will use today is Irfanview for these basic edits

  9. Digital Workflow • Take pictures • Organize them • Fix pictures • Print and share

  10. Classroom Projects • Virtual Reality Movie using images • Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm • Chasing Metaphors: http://education.apple.com/education/ilife/lesson_plans/chasingmetaphors.pdf • Living Alphabet:http://education.apple.com/education/ilife/lesson_plans/livingalphabet.pdf • ILife Lesson Planshttp://education.apple.com/education/ilife/subject_template.php?subject_id=3

  11. Links for using digital photography in the classroom • Adobe Digital Kids Club: http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/lessons/index.html • Sample: Are you really symmetrical? http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/lessons/symmetry.html • Additional Links will be visited this afternoon

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