Joseph Ciaglia, Barbara London, John Upton, Ken Kobre and Betsy
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00 0789731207_fm.qxd 4/6/04 2:16 PM Page i Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Digital Photography Joseph Ciaglia, Barbara London, John Upton, Ken Kobré, and Betsy Brill with Peter Kuhns 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 00 0789731207_fm.qxd 4/6/04 2:16 PM Page ii Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Digital Executive Editor Photography Candace Hall Copyright 2004 by Que Publishing Acquisitions Editor All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval Karen Whitehouse system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record- Development ing, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability Editor is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although Karen Whitehouse every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability assumed Managing Editor for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Charlotte Clapp International Standard Book Number: 0-7897-3120-7 Project Editor Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004100876 George Nedeff Printed in the United States of America Copy Editor Karen Whitehouse First Printing: April 2004 Indexer 07 06 05 04 4321 Mandie Frank Trademarks Production Editor All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks Seth Kerney have been appropriately capitalized. Que Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the Publishing validity of any trademark or service mark. Coordinator Sharry Lee Gregory Warning and Disclaimer Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as pos- Interior Designer sible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information provided is on an “as Anne Jones is” basis. The authors and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility Cover Designer to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the infor- Dan Armstrong mation contained in this book. Page Layout Bulk Sales Eric S. Miller Que Publishing offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For more information, please contact U.S. Corporate and Government Sales 1-800-382-3419 [email protected] For sales outside of the U.S., please contact International Sales 1-317-428-3341 [email protected] 00 0789731207_fm.qxd 4/6/04 2:16 PM Page iii Contents at a Glance Part I Digital Quickstart . .1 1 Quickstart to Digital: Pix to Print in Seconds . .3 2 Advantages & Disadvantages of Digital Cameras . .11 3Film Basics . .29 Part II Digital Basics . .43 4 The Importance of Lenses . .45 5 Exposure and Focus . .63 6 Getting Your Pix Onscreen . .71 7 Files & File Formats . .81 8 File Recovery: Finding “Lost” Images . .97 Part III Image Editing . .111 9 Basic Editing with Photoshop Elements and iPhoto . .113 10 Editing with Selection Tools . .133 11 Advanced Selection Tools . .151 12 The Importance of Selections . .173 13 The Importance of Filters . .191 14 The Importance of Brightness/Contrast . .205 15 The Importance of Levels & Curves . .219 16 The Importance of Layers & Masks . .235 17 The Importance of Channels . .255 Part IV Digital Output . .267 18 Printers and Printer Resolution . .269 19 Preserving Your Images . .285 20 Color Theory . .293 21 Lighting . .307 Part V Using Your Digital Pictures . .323 22 The Portrait . .325 23 Digital Photography & the Web . .337 Glossary . .347 Index . .353 00 0789731207_fm.qxd 4/6/04 2:16 PM Page iv Table of Contents I Digital Quickstart . .1 Direct Print . 27 Design Rule for Camera File 1 Quickstart to Digital: Pix to Print in Systems . 27 Seconds . 3 Digital Print Order Format . 27 What Do You Mean by “Digital 3Film Basics . 29 Photography”? . 4 Choosing a Color Film . 30 Why Flash Media Is Important . 5 Types of Color Film . 31 Photography and the Internet . 6 Negative Film . 31 Is Digital Photography Reversal Film (Slide Film, Expensive? . 7 Transparency Film, or “Chromes”) . 31 Is Traditional Photography Really Professional Film . 31 Less Expensive? . 7 Films for Specialized Color 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Balance and Exposure Times . 32 of Digital Cameras . 11 Selecting and Using Film . 32 Capture Delays . 13 Color Balance and Film . 33 Do You Need a Film for a Sensor Resolution and Crummy Special Purpose? . 34 Lenses . 14 Storing Film Properly . 35 Film Speed . 35 The RGB Color Space . 15 Film Speed Rating Systems . 36 The CCD Image Sensor . 17 Film Speed and Grain . 37 CCD and Color: Using a Color How Film Responds to Light . 41 Mask . 18 CCD Competition: Low-Cost CMOS Image Sensors . 20 II Digital Basics . .43 What About Foveon? . 20 4The Importance of Lenses . 45 Aliasing and Other Imager Problems . 21 Lens Focal Length . 46 Normal Focal-Length Lenses . 47 Highlights and CCD Sensitivity . 23 Focal Length and Digital Digital Camera Technologies and Cameras . 49 Standards . 23 Long Focal-Length Lenses . 49 EXIF 2.2 . 24 Short Focal-Length Lenses . 51 Exif Print . 26 Special-Purpose Lenses . 52 PictBridge . 26 00 0789731207_fm.qxd 4/6/04 2:16 PM Page v Automatic Focus . 54 TIFF File Format . 91 Types of Autofocus . 55 Center-Weighted Autofocus Lock . Photoshop File Format . 95 56 8File Recovery: Finding “Lost” Images . 97 Focus and Depth of Field . 58 Controlling Depth of Field . 58 Using PC Inspector File Lens Focal Length, Aperture, Recovery . 99 and Light . 60 Recovering Lost Images from 5 Exposure and Focus . 63 Flash Media . 100 Recovering Specific Images . 102 Digital Cameras and Color Partially Corrupt Files . 102 Balance . 64 Color Balance and Film . 66 Filesystems at Work: The File Color Balance and Slide Film . 66 Allocation Table (FAT) . 103 What Happens to Lost Data . 106 Exposure Latitude . 66 Preventative Maintenance: Film Latitude . 67 Defragmenting Flash Media 107 6 Getting Your Pix Onscreen . 71 Formatting Flash Media . 108 Working with Scan Software . 73 Formatting in the Camera . 108 Making a Scan Step by Step . 74 Another Disaster Point: USB . 109 Determining the Samples per Inch of a Scan . 76 III Image Editing . .111 Scanning for Internet Output . 77 Scanning for Inkjet and Dye- 9 Basic Editing with Photoshop Sublimation Output . 78 Elements and iPhoto . 113 Scanning for Laser and Offset Printing . 79 Finding an Image on Your Computer . 114 Alternatives to Scanning . 79 Editing with Photoshop 7Files and File Formats . 81 Elements . 116 Printing Resolution . 116 Photoshop Elements and Resizing an Image Step Photoshop: File Format by Step . 116 Compatibility . 84 Resampling an Image . 118 JPEG File Format . 86 Rescan or Resample a Photo . 119 How JPEG Works . 88 Resampling 101 . 120 The Replacement for JPEG: JPEG2000 . 90 00 0789731207_fm.qxd 4/6/04 2:16 PM Page vi vi ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY Modifying an Image in The Amazingly Versatile Pen Elements . 121 Tools . 157 Perspective Correction in Elements . 121 Saving Selections . 163 Rotating an Image in When Your Software Tools Quit Elements . 122 Working . 163 Unlimited Transformations in The Power of the Color Range Elements . 124 Command . 164 Modifying Selections . 165 Editing with iPhoto . 126 Feathering and Antialiased Working with the Print Dialog Selections . 168 Box in iPhoto . 127 Don’t Forget the Crop Tool . 170 Resizing an Image Step by Step . 130 Photoshop Elements Workarounds for Pen and Quick Mask . 170 10 Editing with Selection Tools . 133 12 The Importance of Resolution . 173 Introduction to Selection Tools . 136 Understanding Different Terms Toolbox Options . 137 for Resolution . 174 Fly-Out Menus . 137 Input Resolution . 176 The Most Popular Selection Digital Cameras and Tools . 138 Resolution . 176 Using the Magic Wand Tool . 140 Resolution of Film: How Many Using the Lasso Tool . 142 Pixels? . 178 Using the Rectangular Marquee Scanner Software and Tool . 143 Resolution . 180 Using the Elliptical Marquee Understanding Bit Depth . 183 Tool . 144 12- and 16-bit Scan Rates . 184 How Can a 48-Bit Scan Help Introduction to Image Editing . 145 Me? . 184 Color Balance 101 . 148 Drawbacks to 48-Bit Images . 185 11 Advanced Selection Tools . 151 Output Resolution . 186 Digital Methods for Increasing The Polygonal Lasso Tool . 153 Resolution . 186 Printing Press Output and Magnetic Lasso . ..