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
