Do you remember the first digital cameras you saw? Did you
even stop to contemplate the photography process and the changes
that would occur due to a new method? Probably not. Not until
the widespread use of digital cameras has the process of digital
photography been a topic of any interest. Now, we all are buying
digital cameras, and must learn the ABC’s of digital photography.
Unlike traditional photography, the advent of digital utilizes
“pixels” to control color content, clarity and the
quality of the picture. Each photo is composed of hundreds of
pixels. These pixels are small square pieces of color, that when
put together produce the image captured on the camera. Think
of pixels as pieces of a puzzle. Each piece of the puzzle contains
a small portion of the color and object, that when locked together
form the much bigger whole. Digital photography offers the professional
photographer a much broader scope of options than traditional
methods. Adjustments can be made to just a small portion of a
photo rather than having to change the entire background, subject
color, or other complete coloring of an object in the photograph.
Digital photography is not new, but it is new to the average
consumer. Professionals have been reaping the benefits of digital
photos for several years. It is only since the explosive growth
of computers, however, that digital photography has become a
realistic method of photography for just about everyone. Now,
John Q. Public can use his digital camera and upload his pictures
onto the computer. It is here that any real benefit of digital
photography, from a personal standpoint, ends. For most of the
pictures we take of our family and friends, we don’t need
professional quality photos. We just like the ease and convenience
of taking the picture, uploading and printing in a matter of
minutes. The use of digital photography today is for the most
part, a replacement of the old Polaroid of the 70s.
There is some irony here. Isn’t it just par for the natural
course of things? Something as beneficial and complex as digital
photography is simply the everyday answer to the Polaroid. The
real benefits of digital photography are lost on the general
public. Digital photography allows us to dissect a picture. Much
like investigators can dissect the pieces of a murder case, we
can investigate the pieces of a picture. Once again, the real
benefit is realized and appreciated only by the professional
photographer, not your next door neighbor.
The last piece of required equipment when making digital photos
would be the software necessary to view the pictures and make
adjustments to the pixels. Usually, this software will accompany
the digital camera when purchased, and quick install instructions
make it possible to complete the software upload in a matter
of minutes. User friendly “buttons” have eliminated
the need for most of us to even understand how to break apart
pixels to adjust color and contract, we simply move an arrow
up or down to make the adjustment.
Digital photography is helping to revolutionize the way we
view our pictures and the way we are able to capture the most
breathtaking images. But, what does that really matter, if all
you need is an up-to-date version of a Polaroid?
This article was posted on October 12, 2005