Discover Digital Photography

Well, I signed up for my first photography class. It starts January 21st. It's an online class, but has a lot of virtual classroom, discussion boards, and tests/quizzes, so I think I will stay motivated. The reviews for the class were great!!! Everyone loves the instructor. I was worried that it was going to be too "introductory" for me, but according to former students, even those who knew a little about photography learned a great deal. If I like this one, I'll be taking one in March that teaches all about lighting and how to take the best pictures. It's called "Secrets of Better Photography". I think I eventually want to take a class where you learn to develop your own film, but I want to learn more about my SLR first.

Here is the curriculum:

Week One
Wednesday - Lesson 01
In our first lesson, you'll learn what digital photography is and how photography evolved to this exciting new level. We'll go over some of the jargon and terms used in the industry, explore some of the equipment digital photographers use, and highlight the areas where things have changed.

Friday - Lesson 02
In today's lesson, you'll have an opportunity to really get to know your camera or the camera of your dreams. Students find this lesson to be one of the most helpful as they learn about the different features available on digital cameras, find out what to look for both inside and outside the camera itself, and explore the different levels of equipment available.

Week Two
Wednesday - Lesson 03
When it's time to make a decision and buy the camera that's right for you, you'll want to know how to make your best choice. In this lesson, we'll discuss more of the attributes and features of digital photography as you prepare to meet the camera salesman armed with solid knowledge of what's important to you.

Friday - Lesson 04
Digital storage is a big issue, so in this lesson we'll look at ways to address this aspect of digital photography. When it comes to digital images, you'll need storage space not only on your camera, but also on your computer. Today, I'll give you lots of recommendations and guidelines for getting the most out of your storage space, as well as how to set up back up procedures.

Week Three
Wednesday - Lesson 05
The ability to edit your digital images is one of the most compelling features of digital photography. In today's lesson, we'll take a look at several of the software programs available to you and some of the many features you'll find in digital editing programs.

Friday - Lesson 06
Using digital imagery online is another big part of digital photography. In this lesson, you'll discover ways you can easily use digital images with e-mail and on Web sites. We'll also discuss sizing images and using cell phone cameras, Web cams, and other online resources.

Week Four
Wednesday - Lesson 07
Printing digital images is a different process from simply dropping off a roll of film. In this lesson, we'll explore the many options for printing at home and the extensive network of retail printers available for digital work. You'll also learn about the different types of printers available, and how you can obtain archival prints.

Friday - Lesson 08
Film photography hasn't gone away completely, but digital photography is making a strong stand at replacing it. In this lesson, we'll focus on ways camera manufacturers have blended the best features of each format to give photographers great new ways to do traditional techniques. This area is changing rapidly, and students often find it quite interesting to see how quickly digital photography has caught up with film standards.

Week Five
Wednesday - Lesson 09
Scanning printed images is an important option for digital photography. In today's lesson, we'll look at restoring old and damaged photos, using scanners to bring slides, negatives, and prints into a digital format, and even how to capture an image of a 3-D object with a scanner.

Friday - Lesson 10
Travel photography is always a favorite subject for photographers. Digital photography presents some different challenges and opportunities, so in this lesson, we'll look at how professionals in the field handle the challenges, as well as techniques and opportunities you can use when you travel.

Week Six
Wednesday - Lesson 11
Digital photography has emerged in many different work places. In this lesson, we'll take a look at how not only photographers use digital photography for their businesses, but also how other types of businesses have incorporated it as well.

Friday - Lesson 12
In our final lesson together, we'll look at how to compose your pictures with digital options in mind. There's a lot more to being a digital photographer than just owning a digital camera, and today you'll see some great examples of difficult situations that you can remedy with digital solutions.