Digital Photography: An Introduction (Windows)

Course Specifications

Course number: 078901
Course length: 1 day
Software: Digital_Photography

Course Description

Whether you're a novice at photography or fairly experienced with taking shots using film, this course will help you to take great shots with a digital camera and to share those images in print and electronically. You'll begin with an overview of the differences between film and digital, and will learn important criteria and resources for choosing a camera and accessories. Next, you'll learn to improve the photos you take, by controlling both the composition and subject matter, and by fine-tuning your camera's settings. You'll then transfer images to your computer, and use strategies and tools for managing the ever-growing collection you build over time. To improve the images you've taken, you'll apply straightforward techniques for cropping, removing red eye, and making brightness and contrast adjustments. The course then shows you ways of getting “traditional” prints as well as ones from your desktop printer, how to email photos easily, and how to quickly create a gallery of your photography on the Web.

Target Student: This course is designed for students interested in digital photography, who may or may not have experience with film photography, and who may or may not already own a digital camera.

Prerequisites: To ensure your success, we recommend you first take one of the following Element K courses or have equivalent knowledge:

• Windows 98: Introduction
• Windows 2000: Introduction
• Windows Millennium Edition: Introduction
• Windows XP: Introduction

Delivery Method: Instructor-led, group-paced, classroom-delivery learning model with structured hands-on activities.

Benefits: After completing this course, students will be able to make an informed purchase decision for a digital camera, use the camera effectively, manage digital photos on the computer, and share them via print and the Web.

What's Next: This is the only course in this series.

Hardware/Software Requirements

You will need:

• Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, or Microsoft Windows XP (Windows XP recommended)
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 (trial or full version)
• ACDSee (trial or full version)
• A digital camera (recommended for one lesson)

Performance-Based Objectives

• Choose the right digital camera and accessories to fit your needs and budget.
• Take professional-looking photos with good framing, subject matter, and lighting; choose appropriate resolution, compression, and file format settings on your camera for your needs; adjust camera settings to control exposure and image sharpness, and to ensure that you get a great shot in various scenarios.
• Transfer photos to your computer, and view and print pictures.
• Manage a large library of pictures and perform straightforward edits with ACDSee.
• Make more precise color and contrast adjustments with Adobe Photoshop Elements.
• Print layouts of photos, including contact sheets and standard sheet sizes; and order prints online.
• Share scaled-down versions of photos via the Web and email.

Course Content

Lesson 1: Buying Photography Hardware

Topic 1A: An Introduction to Digital Photography

Topic 1B: Choosing a Camera

Topic 1C: Choosing Digital Camera Accessories

Topic 1D: Researching Specific Camera Models

Lesson 2: Taking Pictures

Topic 2A: Choosing Camera Angles and Lighting

Topic 2B: Resolution, Compression, and File Format

Topic 2C: Why Override Automatic Settings?

Topic 2D: Controlling Exposure

Topic 2E: Controlling Image Sharpness

Topic 2F: White Balance

Topic 2G: Other Camera Features

Lesson 3: Managing Photos with Windows XP

Topic 3A: Transferring Images to Your Computer

Topic 3B: Windows XP Picture Tasks

Lesson 4: Managing Photos with Image Browser Software

Topic 4A: Managing an Image Library

Topic 4B: Performing Simple Exposure Adjustments

Lesson 5: Editing Images with a Separate Application

Topic 5A: Setting Up ACDSee to Launch an External Image Editor

Topic 5B: Eliminating Red Eye

Topic 5C: Adjust Image Contrast, Color, and Focus with Photoshop Elements

Topic 5D: Applying Effects and Filters

Lesson 6: Printing Photos

Topic 6A: Printing Photo Layouts

Topic 6B: Ordering Prints Online

Lesson 7: Sharing Photos Electronically

Topic 7A: Emailing Photos

Topic 7B: Creating a Web Photo Album

Topic 7C: Creating a Slide Show

Appendix A: Image Browser Software

Image Browser Software for Windows

Appendix B: Image Editor Software

Image Editor Software for Windows