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Magic Rule #1

Get closer. No matter how close you think you are to your subject, you’re not close enough.

Magic Rule #2

Use fill flash for professional looking portraits -- even when you're shooting in bright sunlight.

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Blue Line
Digital Photo Main
Digital Cameras
Photoshop History
Derrick Story, Facilitator

Digital Photo Class

Fool-Proof Digital Photography
for the Web 
Contact Story Photography for next presentation of this class.
Despite advances in imaging technology, people still find the production of technically competent, engaging photos to be a challenge. Web publishing compounds this problem by introducing a whole new set of technical considerations.

Learn how to overcome these obstacles using a few handy imaging techniques that include:

  • The two "magic" rules that will immediately improve your pictures.
  • How to compress your pictures so they load quickly yet still look sharp.
  • Why now ís the time to buy a digital camera.
  • How to master basic Photoshop techniques in just 15 minutes.
Digital Camera Solutions

Recommended Book

Digital Camera Solutions 
Gregory Georges, Author
364 pages -- $29.95

For information and ordering, visit the publisher's web site, or read all about it in the Feb. 1999 WebReview article .

Course Outline for Digital Photo Class

PART 1 -- HOW TO SHOOT PICTURES FOR THE WEB

So you really "see the photograph" before you take it. You're not sure? You can learn the basics in just a few minutes.

Is it time to switch to a digital camera? It's true, digital cameras are better for the Web. Learn why you should start using one now.

PART 2 -- PROCESSING YOUR DIGITAL IMAGES

  • Get a media card reader for your computer, or better yet, get your hands on a laptop with a PC card bay. Learn why you don’t have the time to fool around with cables.
  • If you don’t already own Photoshop, buy the LE version. It’s only $99, yet you still get all the important features found in the Pro version.
  • Set you Gamma. Make sure your monitor is calibrated correctly. We'll show you how.
  • Choose the right dpi. Should my pictures be set at 72 or 300 dpi?
  • Adjust and correct your image with Photoshop. Follow these steps in this order: Crop, Levels Adj., Color Balance, Hue/Saturation, and Unsharp Mask. The method you use for these adjustments is critical. Learn how to set each one properly.
  • How big should I make it? Too often people make their pictures too big for the resolution in which they were recorded. So what is the optimal size? I’ll show you that bigger isn’t always better.
  • Compress your image. How do I compress my picture so that it loads quickly but still looks good? Should it be a JPEG, GIF, or PNG? Learn how to choose the proper format, plus a few inside tricks.

PART 3 -- PUBLISHING YOUR PICTURE

  • Upload your pictures to the server. What directory should I put the pictures in? Should they be in their own folder, or mixed in with the HTML files?
  • Determining the position of the image on the page. Should the photo be on the right or the left side of the text? What other considerations are there? We’ll give you a few clues.
  • Write your own code. You don’t need to waste money on an HTML editor to create the code for positioning your photo (spend it on Photoshop instead!). Here’s how to write your own code from scratch in Notepad or SimpleText.
  • Write a comprehensive caption. All photos should have intelligent captions. The captions should help the photos tell the entire story. Here’s how to write interesting captions and create the HTML code to make them look good.
  • Quality check your work. Receive a short checklist to quality check your work.

PART 4 -- ADVANCED TECHNIQUES

  • How to make a thumbnail web page to serve as a proof sheet for editing.
  • How to make an online slideshow with music.
  • How to batch-process images so your computer does the work, not you.
  • How to create the perfect outdoor portrait with a "point & shoot" camera.

As you can see digital photography is full of new things to learn. But the process can be unbelievably fun. If you have the opportunity, sign up for a digital photography class. And if that isn't feasible, grab a camera and start shooting -- we'll continue to publish useful information to help you take great pictures.