Mark W. Decker News

By: Terry Parker

What is the true nature of digital photography? Many people have been asking this question for a long time. In fact, when people ask the question about the true nature of photography, they often mean to ask whether it is art or it is science.

Many people consider photography as an art because it allows for an expression of emotion. They believe that digital photography is a continuation of the art of drawing or painting. You see, photography is just like painting in the sense that although it does take accurate pictures of reality, it also allows for some modification through the various digital tools available today.

Even without the editing many people still believe that digital photography is art because of the fact that it does take an artist’s eye to find a great subject of digital photography. The nature of electronic photography as an art has something to do with the fact that an artist is able to express emotions and statements through visual subjects.

The supporters of this art also argue their case by stating its ability to convey emotional messages through aesthetics. The beauty of each photograph, of course, needs also to be credited to the person taking the pictures. One of the strongest arguments for the artistic nature of electronic photography is the fact that the picture is rarely really what is seen with the naked eye. Through the camera and computer, a person can alter the image in order to present what he or she wants to show.

Some people argue that science is the true nature of this art. One argument is that photography, unlike painting, actually comes from something existing and not from a painters mind or emotion. This can be very persuasive since, indeed, a photographer does not actually make photographs. He or she merely takes them.

Another argument regarding the scientific nature of digital photo taking is the fact that the editing that people do and adjustments that photographers make are based on a series of steps that can be narrowed down scientifically. People who argue for the scientific nature of digital photos may reason that the same series of steps can be taken in order to achieve the same results. There is a certain quality of constancy about this type of photography that renders it a science.

But what is the true nature of digital photos? We have read the various arguments supporting science and art. There appears to be no solution to this question, right?

The true nature of digital photography will always remain to be a paradox. This means that though it can be considered as an art, it can also be considered as a science. When is the paradox of the nature of digital photography solved? Well, it is solved when a person takes a digital photograph.

Author: David Smith

More than likely some of your more recent goals would have been to take up a hobby that will include the latest in electronic gadgets. It will also encourage the mind to learn something new and at the same time allow you to indulge in a pastime that reflects your enjoyment for photography. Digital photography is an ideal hobby that mixes together all these three goals together. Now go out and purchase and learn to use your new digital camera.

If you are new to all this type of latest technology, it is very important to educate yourself with a well thought out basic digital photography lesson plan. Your basic digital photography lesson plan should include how to shop for a digital camera and a basic understanding of how to utilize this new electronic apparatus.

Some Basic Features

A no frills digital photography lesson plan will start with the purchase of a digital camera. Let’s not forget there are many factors that need be considered prior to purchasing your digital camera.

One of the first considerations should be the number of mega-pixels that the camera is rated at. A pixel is considered the smallest unit of a digital image that encompasses the entire digital picture. Therefore a mega-pixels can be defined as over one million pixels. This attribute of a digital camera is very important as the greater number of pixels equates to a higher quality digital image. For that reason it is important to select a digital camera that has over five mega-pixels.

Another essential learning step in the digital photography lesson plan is the purchase of a memory card. The memory card should meet your digital photography needs. Generally speaking the physical size of these memory cards are the same. However, the amount of data that the memory cards can hold varies from card to card. Quite often the memory cards come in 4 different capacities. Those capacities are 8MB, 16MB, 32MB or 64MB. Obviously the more megabytes the more data the memory cards will hold. Let’s not forget that the greater the capacity size of the memory card, the greater the cost will be.

Another essential accessory that you will need to invest in is the battery charger. Often digital cameras will expend the power of the batteries quite quickly, especially when the viewfinder is utilized repeatedly. Therefore, it is important to have a spare pair of batteries as well as a battery charger.

Basic Operation Steps

The next step that you will work towards in the digital photography lesson plan is the basic steps required to operate the digital camera.

When the power has been turned on, an indicator light usually signals to the photographer that the camera is ready to take photographs. Some features on the camera may allow for the activation button to be depressed without taking the photograph. This action allows for the lens to focus on the image to be captured.

Once the digital image has been taken, the camera may allow for the image to be viewed on the viewing screen. This gives the photographer the opportunity to immediately view the digital picture to make sure it meets their standard.

The final step of the digital photography lesson plan is to become acquainted with the enclosed software that the digital camera is packaged with. Often this software can be simply inserted into the CD drive and the software will begin to download itself onto your computer.

By: Dan Feildman

Photoshop is now one of the major computer programs around. The basis of it all, however, is the photographic image. Very often the quality of the original image can get overlooked or can be considered unimportant. We hear sentences like: “Oh that’ll do - we’ll fix it later in Photoshop”. Perhaps it can, but starting off with a better photograph in the first place can save a lot of trouble later. Well begun is half done. Here is the first of a series of tips to improve basic photography. Have a strong foreground, as well as the distance, and if possible have subject matter in the foreground, the middle-distance and the far distance. Looking through an archway or standing by a tree so that the branches frame the picture will give a strong foreground and serve to give the photograph a good impression of the depth there will be in the actual scene. Other objects can be found in the country to have a similar effect, such as flowering shrubs, gates, pieces of farm machinery or perhaps a charging bull.

If you’re planning on opening up a studio to take children’s photos then you’re going to need to lease a building. It doesn’t have to be anything large but it should be in a visible part of town with a lot of other businesses. Visibility is half the battle won. Finally, you’re going to have to take lots of photos, especially if you want to build a reputation for yourself. You’ll want to put together a portfolio of your work so that you can bring it around with you. Again, this is going to depend on what field you want to get into, whether it be freelancing for a magazine, setting up your own shop, or working for somebody else, which is usually a good way to break in. The world of photography is wide open. There are many options to each aspiring photographer. So pick a game plan and stick to it. With patience and perseverance, you’ll eventually get to where you want to be.

By using digital photography, even the novice photographer has the capability to produce professional quality pictures at a fraction of the cost. Photography has been around for a long time, and people have always wanted their memories captured to last for generations. By using digital photography, the photography community has opened up the doors for photo sharing in every technological form if one has the right equipment. The first thing that a person must invest in when thinking of using digital photography is the right camera. In order to understand what constitutes the right camera for someone, a person must understand how exactly the digital camera works. A digital camera works is by using an electronic device to store and capture an image into binary data. In other words, the picture is turned into a form of information that can be understood by a computer’s electronic brain.

Classes are composed of 30 lectures on various topics. You will get a brief introduction through each and then can specialize on a particular field of interest. The nice thing about the program is that you don’t have to quit your regular job. This can be done in your free time so there isn’t any pressure in learning everything about photography. Aside from theoretical lectures, there will be a lot of hands on experience. This will make it easy for you to apply what has been learned as seen in the photographs that have been taken using the camera. The common notion of being a photographer is that you must have a dark room to develop the photos. You will be happy to know that this isn’t the practice anymore. Some of the best names in the business don’t do this anymore which gives more time to focus on getting the perfect shots.

Some of you may have more options than others depending on where you live. If there are several schools in your area I highly recommend investigating the following; 1) Go over the course outline; by looking over the subject matter in the digital photography course, you will be able to check out which classes are suitable for your skill level. Some classes teach just the basics like how to work your camera. So if you’re well passed that, why not take on something a little more challenging? 2) See if there are any interesting aspects to your class. Does the class teach nothing but black and white photography? Will you be out and about in nature trying to photograph birds at six in the morning? Some of this may interest you and it also might give you a headache.

There are many people who want to make photography as their career. Many people find it fulfilling to engage in a life of taking pictures. This venture entails a good photography education. Just like any other kind of school, the appropriate selection of a photography school which will meet the needs of the students is essential for a good education. This article tries to lay down some tips on how you can choose a good photography school. Listed below are the tips: - Look at the bigger picture: In choosing a photography school, you must be able to look from afar to able to see the bigger picture. The selection of a photography school must be made under consideration of your general career goals. There are several tracks which can be taken in the field of photography.

Are you a budding travel photographer with all the required skills but not the time to travel to the locations to take those one in a million shots you’ve been dreaming of? You feel you are ready to take the leap and launch your photography career but can’t afford to give up the 9 to 5 just yet? Odd as it may sound, shooting travel photography doesn’t necessarily mean going anywhere. I remember leaving regional Australia to live in London for a few years in my early twenties thinking I was finally moving to somewhere picturesque, somewhere interesting. Returning home a few years later I realized what I had left behind.