Complete Digital Photography

by LONG

• ISBN13: 9781584502319
• ISBN10: 1584502312
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-12-23
• Publisher: Charles River Media

Summary

An updated manual explains how to produce high-quality digital photographs, utilizing a variety of practical tutorials that introduce basic concepts, digital photographic techniques, choosing the right equipment, building a home studio, images editing processes, color and tone correction, special effects, and other topics. Original. (Beginner)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction	1	(10)
Whom Is This Book For?	4	(2)
What Counts as ``Digital Photography?''	6	(1)
What Else Do You Need?	6	(1)
Digital 101: A Few Basic Ideas	6	(5)
How Good Are Digital Photos?	11	(12)
A Word about the Images in This Book	12	(1)
What's Wrong with Digital Cameras	13	(6)
Did You Hear Something?	13	(2)
Color Troubles	15	(2)
Detail and Aliasing	17	(1)
Exposure Problems	18	(1)
Too Much of a Good Thing	19	(1)
``Reason?! We Don't Need No Stinking Reason!''	19	(1)
Why You Want a Digital Camera	19	(2)
Why Digital Cameras Are Better than Point-and-Shoot Film Cameras	20	(1)
Next Steps	21	(2)
How a Digital Camera Works	23	(18)
Something Old, Something New	24	(1)
A Little Color Theory	24	(4)
How a CCD Works	28	(9)
Counting Electrons	28	(2)
Arrays	30	(5)
``One CCD, Hold the Interpolation''	35	(1)
Some Assembly Required	36	(1)
Compression and Storage	37	(2)
Meanwhile, Back in the Real World	39	(2)
Basic Photography: A Quick Primer	41	(12)
Lenses	42	(4)
Focal Length	44	(1)
Zooms and Primes	45	(1)
Exposure: Apertures, Shutter Speeds, and ISO	46	(5)
Reciprocity	49	(1)
Lens Speed	50	(1)
ISO, Or ``Try to Be More Sensitive''	50	(1)
Mostly the Same	51	(2)
Choosing a Digital Camera	53	(76)
Basic Anatomy	54	(1)
CCDs, Resolution, Image Size, and Compression	55	(14)
Resolution Categories	57	(7)
Image Resolution and Compression	64	(3)
Aspect Ratio	67	(2)
Camera Design	69	(13)
Point-and-Shoot Cameras	69	(2)
Prosumer	71	(1)
Prosumer SLR	72	(4)
LCD-Only Cameras	76	(1)
Professional SLR	77	(1)
Body Design and Construction	78	(2)
Status LCDs	80	(1)
Tripod Mount	81	(1)
How to Choose	82	(1)
Lenses	82	(10)
Lens Features	87	(2)
Digital Zoom	89	(1)
Focus	90	(1)
Shutters and Irises	91	(1)
Viewfinders	92	(7)
LCD Viewfinders	93	(2)
Optical Viewfinders	95	(2)
Electronic TTL Viewfinder	97	(1)
SLR Viewfinders	97	(2)
Exposure Control	99	(5)
White Balance	99	(1)
Metering	100	(1)
Exposure Compensation	101	(1)
ISO Control	101	(1)
Exposure Locks and Panoramas	102	(1)
Preset Exposure Modes	103	(1)
Sharpness and Saturation Controls	103	(1)
Shooting Modes	104	(5)
Priority Modes	105	(1)
Image Buffering	105	(1)
Continuous Shooting	106	(1)
Movie Mode	106	(2)
Black and White	108	(1)
Self-Timers and Remote Controls	108	(1)
Camera Performance	109	(1)
Flash	110	(2)
Playback Options	112	(1)
Storage and Input/Output	113	(9)
Transferring and Viewing Images	114	(1)
Storage	115	(5)
How Much Do You Need?	120	(1)
Media Tips	121	(1)
What's in the Box?	122	(3)
Batteries	123	(2)
Special Features	125	(2)
Compare for Yourself	127	(1)
What Should I Buy?	127	(2)
Building A Workstation	129	(18)
Choosing an Operating System	130	(1)
Macintosh	130	(1)
Windows	131	(1)
Building Your System	131	(7)
RAM	132	(1)
Processor Speed	132	(1)
Storage	133	(1)
Monitors	134	(4)
Software	138	(7)
Image Editing Applications	138	(4)
Panoramic Software	142	(1)
Wavelet Compression	143	(1)
Image Cataloging Software	143	(1)
File Recovery Software	144	(1)
Accessories	145	(1)
Ready! Aim!	146	(1)
Shooting	147	(50)
Initial Camera Settings	148	(13)
Choosing a Mode	149	(2)
Image Size and Compression	151	(2)
White Balance	153	(4)
Metering	157	(1)
Sharpness, Saturation, or Contrast	157	(2)
ISOs	159	(2)
Framing and Focusing	161	(15)
Focal Length	162	(4)
Focusing	166	(10)
Metering	176	(10)
What Your Light Meter Tells You	177	(4)
The Right Meter for the Job	181	(5)
Simple Flash Photography	186	(6)
Flash Modes	186	(5)
Flash White Balance	191	(1)
Power and Storage Management	192	(4)
Feel the Power	192	(2)
Media Baron	194	(2)
And That's Just the Beginning!	196	(1)
Manual Exposure	197	(42)
Motion Control	198	(4)
Depth of Field	202	(3)
Shutter Speed and Depth of Field	205	(2)
Tonal Control	207	(13)
Don't Know Much about Histograms	212	(5)
Details, Details	217	(3)
Adjusting Exposure	220	(13)
Exposure Compensation	220	(2)
Priority and Manual Modes	222	(1)
Automatic Reciprocity	223	(1)
ISO Control	223	(2)
Exposure Practice	225	(3)
An Intentional Underexposure	228	(2)
Another Underexposure	230	(1)
Manual Override	231	(2)
Of Brackets and Histograms	233	(2)
Exposing to Avoid Purple Fringing	235	(2)
Taking Control	237	(2)
Special Shooting	239	(38)
Macro Photography	240	(4)
Finding the Optimal Macro Focal Length	241	(1)
Macro Focusing	242	(1)
Poor Depth of Field	242	(2)
Black-and-White Photography	244	(7)
The Zone System	244	(3)
Infrared Photography	247	(4)
Shooting Panoramas	251	(9)
Preparing Your Camera	253	(3)
Panoramic Exposure	256	(1)
Shoot with Care	257	(3)
Shooting for the Web	260	(3)
Image Size and Quality	261	(2)
Consider the Legibility of the Image	263	(1)
Finally, a Use for That Digital Zoom!	263	(1)
Shooting for Video	263	(1)
Using Filters	264	(6)
Types of Filters	266	(3)
Lens Extensions	269	(1)
Shooting in Extreme Conditions	270	(5)
Dirt, Dust, and Sand and Digital Cameras	270	(1)
Water and Digital Cameras	270	(1)
The Camera That Came in from the Cold	271	(1)
Hot Weather and Digital Cameras	272	(3)
Halfway There	275	(2)
Preparing Your Images for Editing	277	(34)
Moving Pictures: How to Transfer and Organize Your Images	278	(3)
Make the Transfer	278	(1)
Organize Your Digital Media	279	(2)
Preparing Your Image Editor	281	(15)
A Little More Color Theory	281	(2)
Color Management Systems	283	(1)
Color Management Workflow	283	(2)
Configuring Your Color Management System	285	(10)
Soft Proofing in Photoshop 7	295	(1)
Preparing Your Image	296	(4)
New Image Resolutions	297	(1)
Resizing an Image	297	(3)
Tutorial: Understanding Resolution	300	(3)
Open the Image	300	(1)
Open the Image Size Dialog Box	300	(1)
Resize the Image without Resampling	301	(1)
Resize with Resampling	302	(1)
Tutorial: Cropping and Resizing an Image	303	(8)
Open the Image	303	(1)
Evaluate the Image	303	(1)
Perform the First Resizing	304	(1)
Crop the Image	305	(2)
Resize Again	307	(1)
Why You Should Resize First	308	(3)
Correcting Tone and Color	311	(38)
Histograms Revisited	312	(2)
Tutorial: Correcting an Image with Brightness and Contrast (Or Trying to, Anyway)	314	(3)
Open the Image	314	(1)
Adjust the Image's Brightness	314	(2)
Adjust the Contrast of the Image	316	(1)
Give Up	317	(1)
Levels	317	(1)
Tutorial: Using Levels Input Sliders	318	(5)
Open the Image	319	(1)
Adjust the Black Point	319	(2)
Adjust the White Point	321	(1)
Play with the Gamma Slider	322	(1)
Should You Worry about Data Loss?	323	(2)
Tutorial: Real-World Levels Adjustments	325	(6)
Open the Image	325	(1)
Set the Black Point	326	(1)
Set the White Point	327	(1)
Adjust the Gamma	327	(1)
Readjust the White Point	327	(3)
Save the Image	330	(1)
Curves	331	(3)
Tutorial: Correcting an Image with Curves	334	(4)
Open the Image	334	(1)
Set the Black Point	334	(1)
Set the White Point	335	(1)
Adjust the Gamma	336	(1)
Make Another Adjustment	337	(1)
Adjust the Sky	338	(1)
Levels and Curves and Color	338	(3)
Tutorial: Using Both Levels and Curves to Correct Color	341	(6)
Open the Image	341	(1)
Take a Closer Look	341	(3)
Make a Curves Adjustment	344	(1)
Make a Levels Adjustment	345	(2)
Don't Touch That Dial	347	(2)
Building Your Editing Arsenal	349	(30)
Brushes and Stamps	350	(4)
Brushes	350	(2)
Airbrushes	352	(1)
Rubber Stamp or Clone	352	(2)
Tutorial: Cloning Video Tutorial	354	(1)
Masks	354	(8)
Mask Tools	355	(1)
Selection Tools	356	(1)
Mask Painting	357	(1)
Color-Based Selection Tools	358	(1)
Special Mask Tools	358	(1)
Saving Masks	359	(2)
Sort of Masked	361	(1)
Tutorial: Creating Complex Masks	362	(7)
Open the Image	362	(1)
Create a Mask	363	(1)
Load the Mask	363	(1)
Fade the Background	364	(1)
Assess the Change	364	(2)
Create a Gradated Mask	366	(1)
Try the New Mask	366	(1)
Create Yet Another Mask	367	(1)
Fade the Background	368	(1)
Layers	369	(7)
Some Layer Basics	370	(4)
Adjustment Layers	374	(1)
Layer Masks	375	(1)
Other Editing Tools	376	(2)
Hue/Saturation	377	(1)
Selective Color	377	(1)
Unique Tools	378	(1)
The Right Tool for the Job	378	(1)
Essential Imaging Tactics	379	(48)
Workflow	380	(2)
Initial Cleanup	382	(6)
Removing Noise	382	(1)
Identifying Noise	382	(6)
Tutorial: Selective Blurring Video Tutorial	388	(6)
Removing Dust and Blotches	393	(1)
Tutorial: Cloning Video Tutorial	394	(1)
Correcting Barrel and Pincushion Distortion	395	(1)
Tutorial: Correcting Barrel Distortion	395	(4)
Open the Image	395	(1)
Create Guide Lines	395	(1)
Expand Your Canvas	396	(1)
Correct the Image	396	(2)
Try Again	398	(1)
Crop	398	(1)
Color and Tone Adjustment	399	(1)
Tutorial: Color Correction	400	(5)
Open the Image	401	(1)
Remove the Blue Cast	401	(2)
Desaturate the Background	403	(1)
Adjust the Levels of the Background	403	(1)
Adjust the White Point and Black Point	403	(2)
Tutorial: Color Correction Video Tutorial	405	(3)
Removing Red-Eye	407	(1)
Removing Color Fringing	407	(1)
Tutorial: Desaturating a Chromatic Aberration	408	(7)
Select the First Fringe	409	(1)
Create a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer	409	(1)
Target the Offending Colors	410	(1)
Desaturate the Fringe	410	(1)
Target More Colors	411	(1)
Check the Results	411	(1)
Adjusting Tonal Range with Layers	412	(1)
Correcting White Balance	412	(2)
Correcting Vignetting	414	(1)
Saturation Adjustment	415	(2)
Increasing Contrast and Saturation with Layer Stacking	416	(1)
Decreasing Contrast and Saturation with Layer Stacking	417	(1)
Editing	417	(1)
Scaling	418	(3)
Scaling Down	419	(1)
Scaling Up	419	(2)
Sharpening	421	(4)
How Sharpening Works	421	(4)
Not All Sharpness Is Created Equal	425	(1)
More Tools to Come	426	(1)
Special Effects	427	(26)
Simulating Depth of Field	428	(1)
Tutorial: Shortening Depth of Field in an Image	428	(12)
Open the Image	429	(1)
Prepare a Gradient	429	(1)
Apply the Gradient to Your Mask	430	(2)
Apply the Blur	432	(1)
Alter Your Mask	432	(1)
Apply Your Final Blur	433	(7)
Converting Color Images to Grayscale	440	(3)
Conversion Methods	440	(3)
Creating ``Hand-Tinted'' Images	443	(3)
Adding Texture, Grain, and ``Film'' Look	446	(2)
Adding Grain	447	(1)
Tutorial: Adding Grain to an Image	448	(2)
Create a Layer of Noise	448	(1)
Change the Blending Mode	449	(1)
Lower the Noise Opacity	449	(1)
Compositing	450	(1)
Preparing to Print	451	(2)
Output	453	(24)
Choosing a Printer	454	(7)
Laser Printers	454	(2)
Dye-Sublimation Printers	456	(1)
Inkjet Printers	457	(2)
Media Selection	459	(1)
Ink Choice	460	(1)
Printing	461	(9)
Choosing a Resolution	461	(1)
Choosing a Resolution for a Laser Printer	462	(2)
Choosing a Resolution for an Inkjet Printer	464	(1)
Using Your Color Management System When You Print	465	(1)
Correcting Your Image for Print	466	(4)
Tutorial: Targeting an Image	470	(4)
Open the Image	470	(1)
Talk to Your Printer	470	(1)
Target the Image	471	(1)
Evaluate the Image	472	(1)
Web-Based Printing	473	(1)
Web Output	474	(2)
Conclusion	476	(1)
Appendix A Suggested Reading	477	(2)
Appendix B About the CD-ROM	479	(4)
Glossary	483	(16)
Index	499