Introduction to Digital Photography - Softcover

Ciaglia, Joseph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0130321362 ISBN 13: 9780130321367

Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2001

Synopsis

Shows how digital photography relates to traditional photography, how it can improve traditional picture-making, and how it diverges from traditional photography to open up new avenues for creative growth. Softcover.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This is truly a useful basic textbook about digital imaging that presents principles and essentials of the medium for photographers. Focusing on the most broadly useful aspects of Photoshop, author Joe Ciaglia demonstrates, with numerous illustrations, how the most important tools work together to make the software a powerful whole.

The choice of topics places a strong emphasis on the photographic qualities of imaging software. Topics in digital imaging are related to similar topics in the traditional basic photography curriculum.

Clarity of presentation is the organizing principle of this book. Features includes:

• Complex operations such as scanning, creating composite images, and resampling images are presented as easy-to-follow, illustrated step by step procedures.
• An easy-to-use format in which each technique, process, skill or family of software tools is covered on facing pages.
• Numerous color illustrations enhance the teaching power of the book. The illustrations were created or chosen to motivate the learner to want to learn the techniques discussed in the text.
• Projects are given that are suitable for individuals or whole classes.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

This book is written for students who have had at least one semester of traditional black-and-white photography. It links what students have learned about traditional photography with the basics of digital photography.

This book results from an exploration into the needs of teachers and beginning students in this new field. The author realized that nearly all the successful books about digital imaging fall into two camps. Some texts are aimed at experienced photographers. Others are encyclopedic software manuals about Adobe Photoshop that give excellent descriptions of every proverbial "tree," but no overview of the "forest." Neither kind of book provides what beginning students need. Beginners need a logical starting place and guidance about what is essential and what is less important.

A truly useful basic textbook about digital imaging would be one that takes the revolutionary step of not being encyclopedic; it would be one that presents principles and essentials. Consequently, this book focuses on the most broadly useful aspects of Photoshop, and demonstrates, with numerous illustrations, how the most important tools work together to make the software a powerful whole. An example of essential tools working together is the use of masks on adjustment layers. (See pages 79, 84, and 87).

The choice of topics places a strong emphasis on the photographic qualities of imaging software. The makers of Photoshop have added excellent vector graphics capabilities and expanded page/web layout and word processing features to their software. Professional users demand these features, but a school curriculum that is photographic at its core needs a basic textbook that stays focused on the photographic fundamentals.

Clarity of presentation is the uppermost value in the organization of this book. We wanted to organize the presentation to be both logical and interesting.

• An easy-to-use format is employed in which facing pages present a single idea, process, or family of software tools.
• Boldfaced topic sentences organize the topics on every page.
• Numerous color illustrations enhance the teaching power of the book. The illustrations were created or chosen to motivate the learner to want to learn the techniques discussed in the text.
• Whenever possible, topics in digital imaging are related to similar topics in the traditional basic photography curriculum.
• Complex operations such as scanning, creating composite images, and resampling images are presented as illustrated step-by-step procedures. The logical, easy-to-follow sequences of each procedure are clearly explained.
• Projects are given that are suitable for individuals or whole classes.

Without the help and experience of many others, an author cannot complete a book like this. Barbara London proposed and championed the project, and her knowledge of every aspect of creating a textbook helped the author in ways beyond measure. Sheena Cameron gave levelheaded perspective and warm support when it was most needed. Craig Collins helped with ideas about how to explain the ins and outs of Photoshop. Peggy Jones' years of experience with teaching several digital subjects provided a context for thinking about how students experience Photoshop. Bonnie Kamin helped when many additional illustrations were needed. M.K. Simqu helped with more insights about how people learn Photoshop. Fellow photography author Jim Stone helped with structuring the project in its difficult early stages. The many photography teachers who spoke with me about their experiences and the dozens more who contributed essays about teaching digital-.imaging to the book Magic Wand all helped in innumerable ways.

Producing a book requires professionalism. Editors and production chiefs from HarperCollins and later, Prentice Hall were extremely helpful to the author: Kimberly Chastain, Priscilla McGeehon, Harriet Tellem, and Bud Therien.

The classroom is the best test of ideas about teaching. This book is dedicated to my Digital Imagery I and II students at the University of New Mexico, Taos.

About this edition

• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0130321362
• ISBN 13: 9780130321367
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112