Beginners Photography - A Concise View Of The End To End Digital Process
When you pick up your digital camera, and squeeze the shutter, you may have no idea what has gone on inside the camera. I have met many people who have taken hundreds of photos - and excellent shots too - who simply leave them sitting in their camera, and do nothing with them. This digital photography guide aims to explain, in simple terms, what happens when you take a photo, and what you can do with the pictures afterwards.
When you use a digital camera, the exposure is recorded on a grid containing millions of tiny light-sensitive elements. This is known as a charge-coupled device (or CCD for short). As soon as exposure has occurred, the CCD reads its captured image as a chain of electronic signals called the image file, and transfers it to the memory card already inserted into your camera.
The resulting images can immediately be viewed on the LCD screen on the camera, and erased, if necessary. When the memory card is full, or at any chosen time, the image files can be downloaded on to a computer. This can be done directly from the camera, by inserting the card in a slot on the PC (if it has one) or by using a memory card reader device which slots into your PC via a USB port. Another alternative is to download images directly to a printer without viewing, but of course this limits any enhancements or manipulation that can be made to the picture.
The size and quality of prints you can make will partially depend upon the number of megapixels available - basically, the bigger the desired print, the higher the megapixel count required. To make photo quality prints up to 10x8 inches a 3 or 4 megapixel camera would be needed. Larger than 10x8 inch prints would require at the very minimum 5 megapixels. That said, even basic modern digital compact cameras (and even mobile devices) now exceed these megapixel counts, so you can see that, for the modern photographer, technology is making things easier. After image download, the card can be erased and re-used almost indefinitely.
A multitude of image manipulation programs (from free tools such as Picasa, to mid range affordable software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, right up to the top of the range fully blown Photoshop version) exist. These provide you with tools to allow you to carry out 'post-production' techniques such as cropping, controlling brightness contrast and colour, right up to more advanced techniques such as merging elements of two, or more photos, or adding depth of field where it did not previously exist.
After you are satisfied with the picture, you can print it (using the guidelines above). Many printers these days (by manufacturers such as Canon and Epson) are specific models designed for producing quality photo prints. Models and technology change quickly, so it is best to refer to a Photo magazine, or ask in shop, before investing in a printer.
Another option is to upload your images to an image library (such as Shutterstock or iStock Photo) where you can receive payment for anyone using your images. It's best to check the image library website first to find out the type of pictures they are looking for, and the quality (e.g. file size and megapixels) that they accept.
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