Home

User`s Manual

Contents

1. 151 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 159 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Installation 1 Starting Setup iii HE HR EG Meri id me e rd dere e 3 Completing the Installation Wizatd iecit ese a egeta e e en 4 Installation Folder Dialog Box neo il tee Gee araa a ade iii 4 Installation Options Dialog Box sanken nie 4 Special Cireumst nces utili ee rtr keine s eni tee der d t ea te vd tnus 5 Upgrading from a Different Digital Image Product 5 Reinstalling or Removing Digital Tm ge cocinan nac ita nee an 5 Chapter 2 Welcome to Digital Image Pro rssussnsssnssonssussnnssnnssnsnnnsnnssnnsnunsnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnssnenansnnssnnssnnsanne 7 What You ll Find in This Book eei 2 estie e oin e i p pot de ee erp aia 10 Other Helpful RESQUIC S M C nti esbess 10 Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures ssursosssussnssnnsonsnonsonsnnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnansnnssonssnnsann 11 Importing Pictures ami ada 13 Launching the Import Pictures Wizard automatically sse 13 Starting the Import Pictures Wizard manually esee 14 Opening Pictures for Editing nee te frt tede a a 14 Using the file browser nnn iaiea ea te ee eee er ense ae d P EE vene dte dvd dus 14 Opening pictures from other Cameras u n unassanuesunsennsisneneeennsninnn 1
2. Athird trip to the same location was the charm The interesting lighting was the element that had been missing in earlier shots 5 Reshoot Be your own critic As I reviewed my photos I would look at a picture and instantly know how I would shoot the image differently While I regularly go back to scenes to reshoot it s usually to get different lighting or to shoot from a different vantage point or perspective In reviewing my images I most often thought Pd like to change the composition or focus on more specific aspects of the scene or subject In my self review I realized that time experience and an Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 201 evolving personal style all factored into my evaluation of how I d reshoot the picture Keep going back If the subject was worth shooting the first time chances are good that it s worth shooting again with and from a new perspective from a different angle or vantage point and in different light But more important the more often you go back and reshoot the more you familiar you are with the subject and the better your images of it are 6 Get a second opinion Get input I m fortunate to have at the office a number of avid photographer friends who also have a great eye for photography We regularly share photos and exchange critiques Through this ongoing exchange I see images through their eyes and look at each image more objectively
3. controls must be accessed through menus on the LCD screen After you ve read the manual and you understand how and when to use your camera s features go out and take a variety of photos using the different settings Take some photos outdoors and indoors with the flash and without the flash with automatic settings and with manual settings As you shoot take notes to record the settings used for each shot Later look at your photos on your computer and take note of both the settings that worked well and the settings that produced poor results Missing a great photo because you get hung up on technical issues is frustrat ing Spend time getting to know your gear and prepare for great photo opportunities Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 135 2 Nail the Exposure In a finished photo exposure is something that you usually only notice when it is out of adjustment A perfect exposure is not something that jumps out at you from a photo but a problem exposure definitely stands out In an overexposed photo caused by too much light the shadow areas are light and the highlighted areas are almost entirely white In an underexposed photo too little light has been let into the camera creating a photo that lacks detail with filled in shadow areas and dull highlighted areas Special lighting situations can fool the built in light meter in your camera If you want to start with the camera
4. Selecting a Print Size The quality of photo prints is directly related to the number of pixels in the picture A high resolution picture contains a lot of detailed visual information and can be printed at larger sizes For example a picture whose dimensions are 2048 x 1536 pixels 3 1 megapixel would look good even when printed as large as 8 x 10 on most printers A low resolution picture has less detailed visual information and therefore can not be printed in larger sizes A picture with pixel dimensions of 1280 x 960 for example lacks the detail needed to fill an 8 x 10 print The result would be a grainy pixelated image But printing this picture at a smaller size such as 4 x 6 would give you a sharp detailed print Choosing Photo Paper If you want your images to look like traditional photographs choose paper that is clearly labeled as photo paper Photo paper comes in a range of thicknesses and textures Paper weight ranges from ordinary office document weight to fairly heavy watercolor paper If you choose a heavyweight paper check your printer s manual to make sure that your printer can handle it The quality ofthe image will be affected by the kind of paper stock you choose As a rule you ll see the widest range of colors and get the deepest blacks from paper that has been specially coated to accept inkjet inks The range of colors appears to be widest on the whitest papers Glossy surfaces also create th
5. eiit esee iia 43 Using the Adjust Levels Tool 2 eure ae ehe 45 Usmeo Smart Erase sitiado coat iria iiu EI PULL MUNI PIDE 49 Removing Spots and Blemishes ninia iii He Hei ER D e eraat 50 Removing Wrinkles earr een le a ast ries dto v t e E e ee 51 Adding BIasli soe dete domo deme Utente o na Ue teed e ido 52 Reducing Back Tie iting C 53 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo EGutin gs ii cccn ccccccsicccscnesecnssccsostveccssossesoscenssescedocascecussnasesnecvenevadnesstoesondescssvouresssr 55 Understanding Objects ioo ER Running 57 Working with Composites eon irre eee seele 57 Locked ObIGCt sux iere enn eiie ie afe e c LAC eges ted 58 Selecting Objects with the Object Tool iecit ann an 58 Multiple Selection Grouping and Flattening Objects sse 60 M ltiple Selection iia ter Ae oda tole soil doit 60 GIouping bjects e 61 Rlattening Objects erred tee e n t t den e e PE XE RERO EE X 62 Automatic Flattenimg a eene taut ne enr De eR HER 62 Flattening Objects D ring Saving nase ee aa an 62 Usme Selection ToolStrip aie til D EDI eS 63 The Marquee Tool aui iter is 64 The Freeh nd Meo 65 The Eds Rd ii dao iii 66 CAME TO 67 Editing and Copying Selected Areas riesia eorr e iaa oae eere 68 Copying Cutting and Pasting Selections u sense aka 68 Filters agiecert 69 mgr EET 71 Pai
6. ible detail in the final picture m To record small fine details put the camera on a copy stand sold at photo stores or on a tripod and be sure to switch to macro mode Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 216 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks If you don t set the white balance appropriately on a digital camera or use film or a filter ap propriate for the light the image may have an unnatural color tint This photo was taken under household light with the white balance set to shade Image editing To edit the images in an image editing program such as Microsoft Digital Image Pro begin by adjusting the overall tone and contrast If the image has an unwanted color tint you can correct it in any of several ways If you used a white backdrop setting the white point on the lightest area of the white background can sometimes correct the color instantly For example in Digital Image Pro choose Adjust Tint from the Touchup menu Click an area in the picture that should be white and then click the lightest or brightest white area in the image Then click Done Or you can use the Tint Auto Fix option in Digital Image Pro In this photo the white balance was set to incandescent to match the light Minor color adjust ments were made in Digital Image Pro Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 217 If your image editing program offers Level or Curves adjustment
7. rect letter when you type the path 5 Click OK The Installation Wizard begins Rw Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 4 Chapter 1 Installation Completing the Installation Wizard The Installation Wizard will show you a series of dialog boxes that provide setup status and some installation preference options For most users the default preferences will be appropriate Information about the different setup options is provided below Installation Folder Dialog Box The Installation Folder dialog box allows you to choose where the program will be installed on your computer To install the program to a folder other than the folder in the Installation folder box do one of the following m Type a different path in the Installation folder box m Click Change select a folder in the Change Installation Folder dialog box and then click OK Note that some files will be installed to the Program Files drive even if you choose to install the program to a different drive Installation Options Dialog Box The Installation Options dialog box allows you to choose between Typical installation and Full installation m Typical installation takes up less space on your hard drive and is recommended for most users With Typical installation you will have to insert the Digital Image CD in your CD ROM drive to use some of the projects and clip art while you are using the program m Full installation copies all of the Digital Image pr
8. 149 noise 125 235 236 numbered lists 31 number ofpixels 109 0 objects combining 60 consistently colored areas 67 displaying separately 57 Edge Finder 66 flattening 62 freehand tool 65 grouping 61 handles 58 Index 255 locked 58 marquee tool 64 moving 58 multiple selected 60 overview 57 preserving layers 62 selection tools 63 object tool 58 odd sized pictures mats for 86 one month calendars 90 one week calendars 90 online auction photos 212 online Help 32 online print and gift ordering 103 online tutorials 35 opaque objects scanning 145 opening pictures cameras 17 e mail 21 file browser 14 overview 13 scanners 20 troubleshooting 19 TWAIN support 17 Web pages 22 WIA support 17 opening Startup Window 25 Open from Camera button 25 optical zoom 113 ordering prints and gifts 103 outdoor photo sessions 190 195 210 225 outside edges photo 85 overcast conditions 233 234 235 overexposure 53 120 overriding automatic exposure setting 121 ozone 102 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 256 Index P painting artwork effect 69 painting pictures blending 74 distorting 75 freehand 71 gradient color sampling 73 rubber stamp effects 72 texture sampling 73 panoramic shots 233 panoramic photography 132 paperoptions 101 partial picture selections See selection tools parts of pictures See objects PCD files 16 PCT files 16 PCX files 16 PC Paintbrush files 16 permanent object links 62 perso
9. Anti aliasing is useful when creating composites Feathering a selection Like anti aliasing feathering a selection helps to smooth its edges But where anti aliasing only affects pixels directly on the selection border you can feather a border of up to 250 pixels around the edge of the selected area The Marquee Tool The marquee tool helps you select part of an object in the shape of a rect angle circle or other shape This tool 1s useful for cropping objects or pictures to a standard shape To make a selection with the marquee tool 1 2 10 11 12 Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace On the Stack click the object of which you want to make a partial selec tion On the toolbar click the marquee tool button 2 If the Marquee Tool options palette is not visible in the workspace click the Selection button on the toolbar To keep the edges of the selection smooth select the Anti aliased check box on the Marquee Tool options palette On the Marquee Tool options palette click a shape for the marquee selection To keep the marquee shape in a specific proportion click Shape propor tions on the Marquee Tool options palette and then enter a height and width On the Marquee Tool options palette choose whether you want to make a new selection add to the current selection or subtract from the current selection Drag the marquee pointer diagonally across the area y
10. Nonperishable snacks Masking tape or duct tape Identification passport driver s license as appropriate Watch Winter offers some spectacular opportunities for photography that you can enjoy even more when you are prepared for the weather While this seems to be a long list as I ve learned from experience it s better to know everything you can take and pare down the list based on the circumstances Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 212 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Tips for Online Auction Photos Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie Photos for online auctions may not win photo contests but they should be winners in the eyes of potential buyers By following a few simple tips you can make your photos stand out on cyberspace auction sites There is a hard to resist primal appeal to the idea of having a stranger pay real money for stuff that is stacked to the rafters in guest room closets attics or garages This appeal alone may explain the phenomenal growth of online auc tion sites in the past few years After all who hasn t whiled away a few hours browsing through other people s closet stuff on the cyberspace equivalent of the world s largest garage sale Whether you re buying or selling items you know that pictures of the items will maximize the appeal Never mind that since potential buyers can t examine Items providing a descriptive photo can make or break the sale Another reason to
11. To work with photos of that size you need a lot of memory on your computer as well as a high volume storage disk Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 113 Using Zoom Features A zoom lens lets you adjust the focal length of the lens making your subject appear closer to or farther from the camera Some cameras have built in adjustable zoom lenses others accommodate interchangeable zoom lenses of different focal lengths Digital cameras may offer optical zoom or digital zoom An optical zoom feature uses the same principle as a zoom lens on a film camera the lens itself moves to change the focal length In any ofthe zoom positions the resulting resolution is the same A digital zoom feature does not move the lens Instead the software inside the camera crops the photo to make the subject appear closer Because the pixels are removed from the area that s cropped out the overall resolution 1s lower Many cameras offer a combination of optical and digital zoom For best results use only optical zoom Then if necessary use Digital Image to crop the photo Both digital zoom and enhanced resolution features use interpolation to add pixels to the original photo a process that increases the overall size or resolution Interpolation assigns colors to the added pixels based on the colors of the surrounding pixels While these features technically do increase resolu tion they do not achiev
12. and light pixels You adjust the tonal range of the picture to get the sharpest detail throughout the image Most image editing programs offer automatic and or manual tonal level adjust ment tools Using the automatic option the program typically chooses the light est and darkest pixels and distributes the midtone pixels proportionally This is a generalized approach to tonal adjustment and it usually works best on images that have average tonal ranges However on overexposed or underexposed images automatic tonal correction can not only overdarken or overlighten pictures but it can also introduce unwanted color shifts or tints Color correction renders a truer color for both the water and the boy s clothing and cropping focuses the viewer s attention on the boy watching the fountain Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 243 First try the automatic tonal adjustment In Digital Image Pro click Levels Auto Fix or Contrast Auto Fix on the Touchup menu If the automatic adjust ment isn t what you want then adjust the tonal levels manually in the Adjust Levels task by adjusting the sliders for Shadows Midtones and Highlights Tip Try the automatic levels and color adjustments first because if the results are good they can save time in processing images If you don t like the results you can undo the changes and make the adjustments manually This original image was too dar
13. click Feather on the Edge Finder options pal ette enter the number of pixels that you want feathered around the edge and then click OK To select the opposite area click Invert on the Edge Finder options palette Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 67 The Magic Wand The Magic Wand lets you select parts of an object that are the same or similar colors The Magic Wand is useful for selecting a consistently colored area a blue sky for example without having to trace around it 1 2 10 11 Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace On the Stack click the object of which you want to make a partial selec tion Click the Magic Wand button on the toolbar Ifthe Magic Wand options palette is not showing click the Selection button on the toolbar To select only similarly colored pixels that are connected to each other select the Contiguous check box On the Magic Wand options palette enter a value in the Tolerance box The Tolerance is the range of colors that will be included in the selection On the Magic Wand options palette click whether you want to make a new selection add to the current selection or subtract from the current selection On the picture click the color you want to select If the selection has includes too much or too little of the area you want to select enter a different value in the Tolerance box and then make another se
14. files in TIFF format using a compression type called LZW which makes image files smaller without losing data 3 Scan at a High Resolution Any scanner can be used for quickly digitizing photos into small low resolu tion files These are fine for online display or other Internet use High resolu tion scanners can produce much larger image files a valuable feature for making or ordering oversized prints 4 Choose the TIFF Format Save any scanned image in TIFF format as opposed to JPEG format JPEG format compresses files to a small digital footprint but you lose information every time you edit and resave a file The TIFF format does not discard any information and also supports more color data If you have limited hard disk capacity you can transfer large TIFF files to a CD RW disc and then delete the files from your computer 5 Convert Large TIFF Files to JPEG If you ve scanned a high resolution picture in TIFF format the file may be too large to upload to the Web in a reasonable amount of time Open the file in Digital Image and save the file with slight compression The compressed copy may be small enough to upload quickly enough Or try changing resolution from 300 dpi to 150 dpi for example If the photos are viewed online and not printed a resolution of 72 dpi is adequate Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos 153
15. including this routine of throwing ice on the fish throughout the day 3 Wait a long time before you start shooting Understand why it s good to wait The idea of waiting to shoot is something I ve known but haven t practiced regularly as was clear in some of my photos Taking time to get to know the subject whether it is a location or a person almost always produces better photos than pointing and snapping a picture of the first subject that crosses the viewfinder Be patient To break my pattern of taking obvious shots I went to Pike Place Market in Seattle one morning Although I had the camera ready I forced myself to walk around and sit in various areas of the market and watch the activity I chatted with market vendors munched a bagel and drank coffee and watched some more By lunchtime I had a sense of the market activity and flow not to mention that to my delight the light had changed from dull gray to moderately sunny Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 199 met people who allowed me to shoot from vantage points that wouldn t have had access to otherwise Instead of randomly shooting as I learned the scene or subject waiting to shoot gave me a clear sense of where and what the best pictures were During the getting to know you time in Pike Place Market I made new acquaintances who were willing to let me shoot from vantage points that I wouldn t have had access t
16. lifespan rating Some six color printers use inks specially formulated for long life When printed on high quality heavy weight matte paper photos from these printers can last approximately 40 years before perceptible fading occurs Fade ratings are given as the amount of time before any color shift in the print can be seen by the naked eye The actual time it would take for the print to become unacceptably discolored would be several times that These ratings are based on indoor exhibition under glass in an atmosphere that is not chemically polluted Ozone is especially harmful to dye based printing inks Do not display these prints in rooms where oxygen tanks or electric air fresheners are used both produce high levels of ozone Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures 103 Ordering Prints and Gifts on MSN Photos Order prints of your photos online at MSN Photos and have the prints sent to you or your family and friends On MSN Photos you can also use your photos to create a variety of photo gifts To order prints and enlargements 1 On the File menu in Digital Image point to Print Professionally Online and then click Prints and Enlargements Choose to print either the current picture or all opened pictures in the Files palette To open additional photos for ordering prints and enlargements click Add or remove pictures and then follow the instructions on the screen Click Next
17. such as the My Pictures folder In Digital Image click Open on the File menu The File Browser dialog box opens Click the All Files tab On the All Files tab browse to the folder containing the photo and then click the folder 5 Select the photo and then click Open bb UN Ke Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 22 Chapter 3 Watch for copyrights Pictures you see on the Web may be copyrighted so be sure to read the site s legal information before you use an image Opening and Importing Pictures Opening a Picture from a Web Page When you surf the Internet you may come across photos and other images that you would like to use in your photo projects You might find photos of celebri ties vacation spots that you want to visit or graphics that would look good as part of one of your photo projects Unless the Web site uses image protection you can capture these images and use them for your own projects Web images are usually low resolution so they may not be suitable for printing But you could still use the images in a project to be viewed online To capture an image from a Web page you can drag it from the Web page to the Digital Image Files palette To open a photo from a Web page Make sure that both Digital Image and your Web browser either Micro soft Internet Explorer or MSN Explorer are open and running on your computer A button for each program appears in the taskbar at the edge
18. 133 Ten Tips for Great Pictures u a tede nn un 134 1 Know Your GOAL ae ES 134 2 Na the EXpOSUEE aiii nta encia e 135 3 Capture a Moment in the Story eiae iii 136 4 Look tor the Lighter er e re ere ten eed un ay ce eee ds 137 3 Follow the Re of Thifds ice o tod etai iere Dee Ia Ra edad 138 6 Find Unique Pefsp ctive cise sive in eee te Dee tette eot Pede una 139 Le Brake nenn ELT 140 8 Analyze and Shoot Again esses nennen nennen neret nn enne 141 9 Shoot Every Single Day iniciadas 141 10 Show Your Photos to Other People sico ias 142 Chapter 12 Successful Scanning seusserssnssonsnssnnssunsnnsnnssonsnnnsonsnnnsonsnnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnssansnnssnnssnnsann 143 Types of Scanner Henne iei i eoo re e e ER e ies 145 Flatbed Scanners ss ns eater retrouver dirmi ei ERU i DAVE 145 Film Scanners ma E TA loreto ol dtu ius ud NHIEU S eS LUE 146 Preparing Pictures for Scanning osea ice meedoen e ea 146 Setting Resolution and Bit Depth eremi te ee RE RE FEE REEF xe ea 147 Scanning Large Pictures uses eiii e ire e hihi 148 Five Tips for Buying the Right Scanner u nee ae ia 148 1 Get the Best Resolution You Can sse eene 148 2 Look for USB Connecti ns micas 148 3 Check the Dynamic Range endete re t etg aches ead ree E ced v n P E ede 149 4 SCamby the Batch alii laicas led 149 5 B Realistic About Scanning Spe
19. 24 x 36 poster 2500 2000 30 x 40 poster 2500 2000 36 x 48 poster 2500 2000 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 248 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks For use in e mail or on the Web The size you choose for images displayed on a computer screen is determined by the size settings and resolution of the monitors on which the image will be viewed unlike for images you are print ing It is important to make sure that the pixel dimensions of your image are no larger than absolutely necessary for comfortable viewing The only result of making a file any larger than necessary is slow download times or rejection by the receiving e mail server People can change the resolution of their monitors to just about any of the following resolutions regardless of the size of their monitors However for best readability of text monitors most likely are set at a given resolution based on the size of the monitor For example monitors in the 12 inch to 14 inch range generally display 640 pixels horizontally and 480 vertically 640 x 480 Fifteen inch to 17 inch monitors are generally set to 800 x 600 pixels Nineteen inch monitors generally display 1024 x 768 pixels Larger monitors can display different numbers of pixels such as 1280 x 1024 pixels If you have a Web site and you size an image as 640 x 480 pixels the image will fill the screen of a 13 inch monitor Likewise it will fill the screen of a 15 inch monitor that is set a
20. As the camera s meter reads the available light in your scene it averages the light in the bright middle and dark areas and then calculates the exposure necessary to bring the average level to a tone of medium brightness called middle gray Automatic exposure does not work well if your scene is dominated by large sections of very light or very dark colors A bright field of snow for example has so much bright light that the automatic exposure lowers the brightness until the snow looks gray To work around this shortcoming you can use exposure compensation Exposure Compensation Some cameras have an exposure compensation feature that lets you manually override the automatic exposure setting Exposure compensation lets you adjust the exposure with settings such as 2 1 and 2 A 1 setting for example tells the camera s automatic exposure system to make the middle tones brighter When taking a photo dominated by bright snow increasing the exposure with the 1 setting might correct the light level for the snow filled scene Your actual results will vary according to your camera and the brightness of the day d iU With bright snow in a scene setting your camera s exposure compensation setting to 1 or 2 might help you to get the right exposure Increasing your chances with bracketing If you re not sure what the best exposure setting is try bracketing Bracketing involves taking multiple photos of the sam
21. Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 185 Photo opportunities can pop up anytime and anywhere If you have your camera with you you can take advantage of scenes such as this Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 186 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Photo Challenge Tell a Story Take a Picture That s Worth a Thousand Words Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie The toughest challenge in photography is to tell a story in a single image In Beyond Pretty Pictures an article that we ran earlier this year profes sional photographer Paul Liebhardt describes what makes pictures truly great According to Liebhardt if a picture doesn t have meaning if it doesn t tell a story the image is just another pretty picture And to tell a story you must know the subject well For Liebhardt this means spending time with the people and places he photographs You have to give the viewer something that he sees that makes him understand it all he explains Even little things no matter where they are can set the picture off Liebhardt says Photographs are a powerful way to tell a story Last week I chatted with Leslie Fratkin a professional photographer based in New York City who echoed Liebhardt s sentiments Recently for Fratkin telling the story has meant helping those who know the subject best tell their story Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapt
22. Photography is after all subjective Despite these disclaimers knowing the commonly accepted evaluation criteria can give you a roadmap to getting better day to day photos and a guide for evaluating the final images Following is the evaluation list that I use when I review my images and evaluate images for the MSN Photo of the Week images In addition Pve included sample questions for each checkpoint that you can use or adapt for evaluating your photos By having a clear center of interest along with subordinate elements that complement the subject the viewer knows immediately what the photo is about Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 178 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Is there a clear center of interest In a strong photo the viewer can immediately identify the subject While this sounds like a no brainer a surprisingly high number of photos fail to clearly identify the main subject Instead a complex montage of elements compete for the viewer s attention In a strong photo the subject should dominate the image and form the viewer s first impression If the subject is strong the viewer s eyes may move to explore other areas of the image but the eyes are drawn inevitably back to the subject Great examples of this point are pictures of sunsets an ageless and popular photo subject While the colors and cloud formations of a sunset are dramatic they are seldom enough to create a compelling ima
23. Pictures Installing printer drivers When adding a new printer make sure that you install all the printer software and drivers Printing Single Pictures Digital Image has a simple process for printing single images When using the single picture printing task one copy of the picture will print on the page and the picture will be centered on the paper To print a single picture If you re installing an older printer you may 1 Make sure your printer is turned on and connected to your computer be able to find updated 2 Onthe File menu click Print printer drivers on the 3 Under Select a printer click a printer manufacturer s Web 4 To specify printer settings click Change printer settings site 5 Select the number of copies and then select a print size 6 Click an orientation and then click Print Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 100 Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures Printing Multiple Pictures Digital Image has a wide variety of templates that allow you to print multiple pictures on a page You can print multiple copies of the same picture or multiple pictures together at the same time Printing on a multi photo sheet saves paper and is a convenient way to create prints to give to family and friends To print multiple photos on the same page 1 2 oa UN BW 11 12 Make sure your printer is turned on and connected to your computer Open all the pictures that you want to print s
24. Speed In most cameras the shutter is the curtain in front of the film or image sensor that is retracted for a precise amount of time to let light into the camera Shutter speed can be adjusted to let light into the camera for a longer or shorter amount of time When determining the correct exposure for a photo both shutter speed and aperture must be considered in relation to each other An increase in shutter speed which lessens the time the film is exposed to light requires that you widen the aperture to let in more light Shutter speeds are measured in fractions of seconds In automatic mode many cameras will use a shutter speed of about 1 125 of a second For action photography a very fast shutter speed like 1 500 of a second can help to stop action and reduce blurring caused by movement of your subject A fast shutter speed like 1 250 of a second can help you freeze action Shutterless cameras Many digital cameras do not even have a true shutter Instead the image sensor is programmed to control the exposure time The effect of shutter speed control is the same as a physical shutter Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 124 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures On the other extreme you might set the shutter to stay open for four seconds or even more for low light night photography without a flash But shutter speeds slower than 1 30 of a second increase the likelihood that slight movements in your han
25. The light you use to photograph antiques and relics can help convey the sense of antiquity and enhance the atmosphere you re try ing to create You will likely have three lighting choices flash natural light or available outdoor sunlight or indoor tungsten or fluorescent light If you re shooting indoors and you decide to use a flash be sure to use a bounce flash Direct flash almost always creates a harsh effect along with deep shad ows Also if you re shooting indoors natural window light if it is available is the best option Try to shoot using side light the light falls on the subject from one side If you choose to use available indoor light be sure you use your tripod to ensure rock steady crisp sharpness In tungsten light the warm tint often helps create the atmosphere you want Outdoors consider using your flash to fill in shadow areas and add pop to what may be dull faded colors In almost every case you ll want to move in close to the subject to isolate it from the contemporary surroundings Try to frame the shots carefully to avoid cropping later Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 229 Whether you re photographing alley art or antiques veering off well traveled roads almost always provides nice rewards including honing your eye for unexpected photo opportunities and adding some unexpected and interesting photos to your collection Microsoft Digital Imag
26. Under Screen resolution move the slider to change the screen resolution adjusting the monitor s and then click OK viewable area 4 If prompted restart your computer When you adjust the screen resolution you may notice that the viewable area becomes de centered too narrow or too short To center or expand the view able area on the screen use the monitor controls These controls are usually located on the front of the monitor directly below the screen The controls can adjust the width and height of the screen directly or on many models the controls open a graphical control screen with menu commands Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos 155 Setting Monitor Color Quality The monitor color quality setting affects the number of colors in your photos When viewing photos it s optimal to have a high color quality setting such as 24 bit color which can display more than 16 million unique colors With a low color quality setting such as 256 colors a monitor cannot display all ofthe colors found in most photographs Such a monitor badly renders a photo containing a section of gradient color such as a sky that becomes brighter toward the horizon The color transition from dark to light appears uneven and jagged because the monitor cannot display the fine variations in color A monitor with a low quality color setting cannot show the complete range of colors found in most
27. When working with digital photos on your computer you rely on the monitor to accurately display a photo s colors brightness and contrast But just how accurate is your monitor Unless you have recently calibrated your monitor that is configured the monitor to display colors correctly in ambient light it may not be performing at its best Even though the monitor can display digital information it is ultimately an analog that is nondigital device and occasion ally needs adjustment If the monitor is not properly adjusted edits could actually make a photo look worse Imagine a monitor that is too dim When you view a perfectly corrected photo on that monitor the brightness level appears too low You could use Digital Image or other software to manually adjust the photo s brightness to a level that looks good to your eye But when you print that photo or send it to a friend to view on another computer the image appears too bright since your adjustments compensated for the inaccuracies of your monitor To avoid this problem adjust and calibrate your monitor so that it is accurate and optimized for photo view ing and printing Setting Screen Resolution Screen resolution is the setting that determines the level of detail displayed on your monitor A screen resolution of 800 by 600 pixels is usually the lowest resolution available on a monitor But you can adjust screen resolution to show a higher level of detail When using Digital Im
28. abide by it But the rule can be a great way to add balance and interest to your photos 6 Find a Unique Perspective You can challenge yourself to take original photos that convey unique perspec tives Rather than just pressing your shutter button as soon as you have the urge to capture a scene take some time to assess your shooting angle proximity to your subject and background elements You may transform your composition by taking one or more of the following simple steps m Get closer to your subject to show more detail and eliminate distractions in the background Include just a portion of your subject in the frame Take your original subject and place it in the background Find a new subject that adds context to the object in the background m Get lower to the ground and point the camera up toward your subject m Move to a higher location above your subject so you are pointing down when you take the photo For example if you are traveling your natural instinct might be to take straightforward photos of local monuments But with this approach you might wind up with the same lackluster photos taken by scores of other tourists before you And there would be a good chance that a nearby souvenir shop would sell superior professionally photographed prints and slides of the same monuments For that matter you could have just stayed home and ordered the professional photos from a catalog Use your imagination to compose some orig
29. an area to sample from But when the sampled area is applied to the new area the colors are blended in with the colors of the surrounding area The blending brush works very well for touching up skin For touching up skin the blending brush lets you cover up blemishes with colors and patterns from clear areas of skin Onthe Stack click the object you want to touch up 2 Onthe Touchup menu click Blending Brush 3 Click a brush size 4 On your picture click the spot from which you want to copy This spot called the start position is marked with a cross hair while you paint 5 Move the circular pointer to the position where you want to paint with the blending brush 6 Drag the circular pointer to paint As you paint keep an eye on the cross hair so that you don t copy unwanted areas 7 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 75 Distortion Brush Freeing up The distortion brush tool lets you smear bulge shrink or erase part of the pic memory ture When touching up a picture you can use the distortion brush to diminish or accentuate certain features in the picture The distortion brush requires a lot of computer memory especially if you drag it across a wide area To speed up the processing of the effect try closing other applications you have running on your computer The distortion brush can be used to make some funny or whimsical images T
30. analogous colors Related and analogous colors create harmony and are often used to lend a sense of atmosphere Colors can set or enhance the mood or atmosphere of an image and make objects appear to advance or recede in the image Colors such as red orange yellow red violet and yellow green are warm and inviting and they come forward visually Conversely violet blue and green are cool colors and they tend to recede visually Color intensity can also complement the subject For instance pastel colors suggest tranquility bright colors suggest activity while dark shadowy colors suggest a somber tone As you probably know light at different times of the day has different tempera tures or colors For example the early evening hours produce a much warmer color of light 3 000 to 4 500 degrees Kelvin than midday sun 5 500 to 7 000 degrees Kelvin and artificial light a 100 watt incandescent bulb is 2 900 degrees Kelvin creates even different color variations You can use the color variations of light creatively to enhance your images Tip To get saturated details in foliage or in a rich blue sky and to help reduce bright highlights when shooting into the light use a polarizing filter To balance the bluish color found when shooting in open shade try using a warm up filter such as an 82A or 82B If you re shooting with a digital camera you ll get the best color by setting the white balance to match the light in the scene Micro
31. and interest Other patterns I noticed included m Obvious floundering with mixed lighting scenes and scenes that com bined extreme lighting very dark and very light areas in the scene m Pushing the limit on hand holding the camera at slower shutter speeds and what s worse routinely trying to rescue marginally sharp images on the computer Dumb really dumb since I own an adequate though heavy and cumbersome tripod Managing to either botch in camera cropping sort of the same thing as not seeing the real picture or focus to one side or the other of where the focus should have been I hate it when that happens especially when it happens on a regular basis Solve the problem I did some research on how to solve problems such as mixed lighting and extreme lighting differences I made a list of my problem patterns on an index card and then I put the index card on top of my camera in my camera bag I hate having little pieces of paper floating around so I Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 197 knew this card would irritate me which would force me to handle it and read It before I began using the camera Now try to see things in ways that give the viewer a sense of the subject or experience 2 Compare your shots to those you wish you d taken Compare work with other photos The next afternoon I went through a stack of magazines books and brochures that I d been
32. archival paper and inks 102 artifacts 111 artwork effect 69 aspectratio 132 auction site photos 212 AutoCAD files 16 automatic bit depth conversions 147 automatic camera modes action 129 burst 130 macro 128 overview 127 panoramic 132 portrait 131 automatic Digital Image setup 3 automatic document feeders ADFs 145 automatic dust and scratch removal 146 automatic exposure 120 135 automatic flash 116 automatic media detections 13 automatic object flattening 62 autumn photography 230 B backlighting 53 118 balancing colors 40 batch editing 79 batch scanning 149 battery life 115 210 bit depth 147 black and white changing to 71 blemishes removing 50 blending brush 74 blown highlights 205 blue values 157 blurry See focus sharpening BMP files 16 bold formatting 31 borders adding 85 bracketing 121 140 brightness correcting 39 45 dynamic range 149 monitor adjustments 157 brushes blending 74 clone 73 distortion 75 freehand 71 rubber stamp effects 72 buffers 130 bulleted lists 31 burst mode 130 buttons 25 32 251 C calendars 90 calibrating monitors 153 cameras action shots 129 automatic modes 127 battery life 115 burst modes 130 close up shots 128 compatibility 13 compression 111 digital 108 202 file formats 112 flash 116 manualsettings 119 opening pictures from 14 17 overview 107 panoramic 132 photography tips 134 195 218 portraits 131 removable media 114 resolution 109 self timers 1
33. but certainly not the only problem is that they capture people out of their element without context or a story There are no interesting details in the background to draw in the viewer and the subject often looks impatient or uncomfortable When you are the photographer you can strive to capture people events and places that tell a story In addition to having your subject look natural and not posed details in front of the subject or in the background can stimulate the imagination to re create the story of the photo This photo captures the destruction of an earthquake just hours after the event Since the photo was taken before the rubble was cleared away the photographer was able to capture the many details of the scene that tell the story With enough of these details and a strong relationship between your subject and the other elements the photo can suggest ideas that are not even in the frame You can take the old clich A picture is worth a thousand words and make it your goal to paint more than a thousand words with your photographs Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 137 4 Look for the Light Many of the best photographs are taken early in the morning late in the after noon and at twilight At these times the lighting is most dramatic Many photographs are shot in bright or moderately bright sunlight This type of light produces photos that closely match the way we r
34. calibrate your monitor is to print photos on your home printer and then adjust your monitor to match the prints This method works well if you print most of your photos from your home printer To do a simple monitor calibration 1 Make sure that there is no bright light or reflective glare on your monitor screen 2 Set your monitor s brightness and contrast controls at exactly the halfway point Do not reset these controls until specified in this procedure 3 Open a picture in Digital Image that s familiar to you preferably an image with skin tones and a large area of medium gray 4 Follow the instructions in your printer manual for printing a picture at the best quality If your printer allows choose RGB as the printing method 5 When the ink has thoroughly dried on the print place it next to the image on the monitor 6 Use the brightness contrast and RGB controls on your monitor to make the image on the monitor look as close to the print as possible Repeat this process each time you change printer settings printing inks paper manufacturer and surface or printing resolution since all of these variables can affect your printing output Also note the changes for each combination of variables The simple monitor calibration described above assumes that the printer is calibrated correctly This assumption is fine if you always view your pictures on the same monitor and print on the same printer But when you upload your pictur
35. cameras you can set the ISO equivalent setting using an electronic menu What are the tradeoffs of using a fast film or setting versus a slow film or setting The tradeoffs include reduced sharpness and detail less saturated color and increased grain Virtually all digicams have higher ISO settings too some set it automatically while others require you to set it In the case of digital cameras a high ISO equivalent setting provides greater sensitivity to light just as it does with film At ISO 400 and higher settings image quality degrades especially by the increased signal noise which appears in pictures as digital grain How to set the ISO The vast majority of newer film cameras automatically read the ISO code from the film cartridge so you don t have to set the film speed Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 165 On older cameras the ISO is set by rotating a dial on the camera s shoulder This dial generally offers the full range of common ISO numbers from 25 to at least 1600 On a digital camera the ISO equivalent is usually set using one of the camera s electronic menus or submenus Some models set the ISO automatically select ing a higher ISO equivalent in low light for faster shutter speeds High speed film such as the ISO 3200 film used for this photo tends to exhibit noticeable grain as shown here What is aperture a The button you press to take th
36. can paint over a blemish with an area of clear skin copied from another part of the face or body Similarly you can use the clone brush to cover up distractions in the background of your picture For example you could paint over power lines with a matching gradient of color sampled from a clear area of the sky The original picture on the left contained some trees in the lower right corner of the frame The clone brush was used to cover the trees with a sample from a clear area of the sky To use the clone brush On the Stack click the object you want to touch up On the Touchup menu click Clone Brush Click a brush size hh un Re On your picture click the spot from which you want to copy This spot called the start position is marked with a cross hair while you paint Move the circular pointer to the position you want to paint over CA 6 Drag the circular pointer to paint As you paint keep an eye on the cross hair so that you don t copy unwanted areas 7 Click Done Cloning from a different layer When using the clone brush your starting point must be in the same object as where you want to paint To clone from one object to another first group the objects 73 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 74 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing Blending Brush The blending brush works similarly to the clone brush but can give you a more subtle smoother effect Like the clone brush you select
37. collecting I found pictures like the kind of shots I most often take and then tore out the pictures or flagged them Then I got out my photo archive and matched up pictures by category For example I stacked my nature shots alongside professional nature shots my still life images next to professional still life images and so on Then I compared them side by side Try new approaches The goal of this exercise was to determine ways in which I can improve my approach to specific types of photographs Because I hate copying anyone s work whether it s a personal style or a standard technique I studied the differences between the shots I d collected and my shots looking for variations that would give my photos more creative punch without copying someone else s methods For each category of shots I made an initial list of impressions and ideas I waited a couple of days and then revised the list of ideas For me the waiting time is incubation the time it takes me to refine ideas I chose one of the categories and experimented with the approach I envisioned In some cases I realized quickly that I needed to do more research and experi mentation In other cases the approach just didn t work As of this writing I continue to test and revise the new approaches Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 198 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks By the time began shooting had a sense of the everyday activity of the market
38. if you can develop your photography skills to take higher quality Opening and Importing photos you can spend your time doing creative photo editing with Digital Pictures chapter Image rather than fixing mistakes that can be avoided Many cameras available today offer a high degree of automation just turn the camera on and press the shutter and the camera does the rest While this approach is quick and easy it isn t perfect in all situations As a photographer you can learn to fine tune the settings on your camera to gain greater control of the camera to get the best possible photo for each situation With the range of cameras available from basic point and shoot models to professional SLR single lens reflex cameras this chapter cannot cover specifics for all features available on all cameras But this chapter does provide a foundation of photography concepts that are vital to taking consistently good photographs The first section of this chapter contains information specific to digital cameras concepts such as resolution and compression that don t have direct counterparts in film photography Later sections cover universal photography concepts that apply to both film and digital cameras Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 108 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures About Digital Cameras If you re new to using digital cameras several camera features may seem foreign to you Some of these features such as d
39. inaccurate pixels Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 126 Correcting tint in Digital Image If your photo has a colored cast from a light source correct the problem with the Digital Image Adjust Tint tool Setting the white balance manually Some digital cameras offer manual white balance control This feature allows you to set the white balance by focusing on a pure white object such as a piece of paper and then locking down the white balance before you take the photo Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Setting the White Balance Most digital cameras are automatically programmed to calculate the proper white balance for each exposure To calculate the white balance the camera assumes the lightest spot in the picture 1s white and adjusts the other colors accordingly Under most circumstances this automatic function should prevent an off color cast in your photos However in some lighting conditions the camera fails to correctly set the white balance If you re shooting indoors for example incandescent lights give off a yellowish or reddish glow This color is not really visible to the naked eye but often shows up in indoor photos To counteract this problem most digital cameras have preprogrammed color balance settings that compensate for different kinds of light Typical settings include cloudy shade incandescent flash fluorescent and sunny These settings compensate for the different colors of li
40. include photos is that many auction sites will allow you to advertise your item on additional areas of the auction site such as the photo gallery You don t have to be a pro to take pictures of the items you want to sell In fact you don t even have to have a digital camera Just take pictures with your film camera and have the film scanned at a photo lab or scan them yourself With some smaller items you can place the items on a flatbed scanner to create the image While you don t have to be a pro to take the pictures it is a good idea to keep the following basic shooting tips in mind as you take the pictures Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 213 Basic tips for taking pictures that sell Auction photos do not have to be works of art But they do need to answer questions that a potential buyer might have such as what the item looks like in accurate detail reflect the color and condition of the item and show the fine points such as handcrafted details or the interior of the item Sounds relatively easy right It can be easy with a little preparation and a few tips Here are four basic guidelines to follow Use simple uncluttered backgrounds To show off the item you re selling create a makeshift studio next to a window or outdoors on a table stand or chair The area you choose should provide enough room for you to work com fortably Clear any items from the area that will no
41. list provides convenient access to some of the most common tasks as well as single click access to the Mini Lab project selector and the Startup Window All of the features found in the Common Tasks list as well as some additional features are also available in the menus Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 28 Chapter 4 Digital image Basics 10 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Workspace The gray area represents the workspace the area that the canvas sits within You can use the zoom controls to magnify or reduce the canvas so that it covers more or less ofthe workspace Selection Tools The selection tools allow you to work on a very specific area of an object The canvas The white area is called the canvas and it represents the printable area of the page When you open a photo the canvas is often not visible since it is covered entirely by the picture You can use the zoom controls to magnify or reduce the canvas so that it covers more or less of the workspace Zoom controls The zoom controls magnify or reduce your photo so that you can see it in more or less detail Stack The Stack displays a thumbnail of each object in your picture You can rearrange the order of the objects by dragging a thumbnail up or down within the Stack Files palette The Files palette displays a thumbnail of all of the currently open pictures You can switch your active picture by clicking a thumbnail in the Files pale
42. lossless format such as TIFF Then work on the copy never on the original image In addition try splitting images into sections to emphasize depth or repetition of shape or pattern or to simulate a panoramic perspective Relics and old stuff Cities and towns choose to keep old stuff in both predictable and unpredictable places For example old farm implements may be unceremoniously parked in parking lots or abandoned cars by the roadside Look for those places and think of them as opportunities to create photos reminiscent of bygone eras Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 228 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks A predictably great place to find relics is in antique shops Abandoned farms run down gasoline stations and historical sites are usually good choices But always ask permission before you photograph in any store or on anyone s private property Strong side lighting from a nearby window created the warm atmosphere that wanted for this image Once you find the location spend a few minutes walking around thinking about the time and place associated with the object who might have owned it and how the object was used what made it special or prized Then look for ways to translate your imaginings about the object into the image Antique stores often group objects from approximately the same period together Consider using nearby objects to convey a sense of time and context Shooting tips and notes
43. lots of reading or memorization Note I m not suggesting that technical details such as precise exposure aren t important I am suggesting that simple shooting techniques can make a big difference in photos for those who are time challenged So if you fall into the ultra harried category just pick one of the following suggestions and try it Or pick two or try them separately or together The ideas in this article are abbreviated for easy use If you find a topic you particularly enjoy be sure to explore more on the subject in photography books magazines and of course on MSN Photos 1 Look for the light When the subject of light is brought up people expect to hear again the advantages of shooting in the early morning hours or sunset and twilight hours Both of these times of day typically offer stunning light However you can use this rule of thumb at any time of the day because looking for the light means Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 219 seeing unique compositions that are created by the way light illuminates a scene and subject Practice noticing how light can play on objects Light often creates patterns such as in this photo where the eye is lead to a vanishing point by the light canopy artificial lights and the lighter areas on the floor To use this technique think of it as a guide It will almost always show you a vignette that is perfect to photograph O
44. many such errors are better corrected by hand Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 246 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks The cluttered background is distracting It draws the viewer s attention away from the subject One of the best tools for fixing flaws by hand is the cloning tool It allows you to paint one part of the picture into another part of the picture or paint from one picture to another For example you can paint over unwanted elements such as light poles or add elements such as trees or people To use cloning in Digital Image Pro on the Touchup menu click Clone brush Select the brush size you want and then click the starting area or the area you want to paint into another part of the picture Each time you want to begin using a different starting area make sure to click Set new start position Tip When you use a cloning tool take care to produce natural looking results Use short paint strokes and click a new starting position often When you repeat the same starting point multiple times within an image you are likely to create a very artificial looking pattern Other guidelines include matching the angle of light and the proportions for cloned and original objects In other words don t paint a shrub from a shad owed area into a bright area of the image and don t clone a foreground area into smaller background shrubbery Crop and size the image 6 Crop the image The upside of cropping is t
45. object layers 62 previewing scanned images 149 printers color management 101 drivers 99 options 102 quality settings 101 printing pictures alignment on page 99 cropping 43 lifespan ratings 102 maximum sizes 109 multiple images 100 paperoptions 101 quality settings 101 resolution 109 single image 99 size 101 prints ordering 103 product tours 34 program modes See automatic camera modes projects creating photo 89 proportional cropping 43 proportional resizing 58 PSD files 16 Q quality enhancements See editing pictures quality ranges printer 101 quarter fold cards 89 R RAM 147 RAW mode 204 reallife photography 193 rearranging objects 28 rechargeable batteries 115 rectangles 64 reducing photo size 111 red eye 41 117 red values 157 reinstalling Digital Image 5 removable media 114 removing blemishes 50 Digital Image 5 picture features 66 scanner dust and scratches 146 spots 50 wrinkles 51 reordering objects 57 repetitive patterns 208 resizing Digital Image workspace 153 picture cropping 43 picture features 58 picture size 29 resolution adjusting 153 cropping 43 digital cameras 207 e mail quality 21 98 monitor color settings 155 optimal 148 overview 109 147 picture resizing 29 printsize 101 recommendations 150 scanners 145 Web quality 98 RGB values 157 room lighting conditions 158 rotating picture features 58 rubber stamp effects 72 rule of thirds 43 138 S safety precautions photograp
46. photographs Increasing the color quality setting on your monitor can significantly improve the way photos look on your screen As with the screen resolution adjusting the color quality may be limited by your monitor type and the amount of VRAM installed on your computer Increasing screen resolution and increasing color quality both require VRAM so you may have to decrease screen resolution if you want to increase color quality Color quality in Windows XP If your computer is running Windows XP the default color quality setting is at least 16 bit color Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 156 Chapter 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos To change the color settings on Windows 98 Windows Me or How many colors Windows NT 4 0 or later do you need Some monitors allow you to adjust the color 1 Save any open projects and close all programs except Digital Image 2 On the Tools menu click Display Settings quality to 32 bit but 3 Click the Settings tab that level may be higher 4 Under Colors click a color quality and then click OK than you need Digital 5 If prompted restart your computer Image and most other image editing programs To change the color settings in Windows XP convert 32 bit images to 24 bit color But with 1 Save any open projects and close all programs except Digital Image more than 16 million 2 On the Tools menu click Display Settings colors the 24 bit 3 Click the Settings tab setti
47. quality didn t change Despite my spending enough money to support a small third world nation for a year the bottom line was that to get better pictures I had to get better at taking them It sounds simplistic but in the rush for new and better technology it s a point easily overlooked So I spent two weeks of vacation figuring out the thinking stuff and came up with a personal list of improvement techniques The list evolved over the two weeks so some of these techniques have been more fully explored than others Although this is my personal list I suspect you ll find one or more of these techniques useful in your photography Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 196 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Pushing the hand holding limit at slow shutter speeds is one of the patterns determined to resolve 1 Stop making the same stupid mistakes Identify the problem I spent a reflective afternoon sorting through image archives Patterns emerged Whether a result of time pressure or old habits I found that my lousy shots were all lousy in the same old tiresome ways Granted there is a lot to remember before pressing the shutter release button but I finally had to ask how many ways could I find to screw up what should have been a good photo For example one embarrassing pattern was my persistent snapshot tendency taking the obvious shot without exploring alternatives that could give the image more impact
48. recompressed and bits of the image will be discarded each time you save the file While you may not notice a degradation in the image on the screen the more you save a JPEG the more its resolution will decline Instead start by making a copy of the original image in a format such as TIFF TIFF files are significantly larger than JPEG because TIFF does not compress files and it does not discard bits of the picture For this reason TIFF is referred to as a lossless format Also keep your untouched original images in whatever format you took or scanned them in a separate folder That way you can always go back to the original if image correction doesn t go the way you want Note If you plan to use layers to make adjustments on your picture you ll prob ably want to save the image in the image editing program s native file format For example if you re using Digital Image Pro the file format is png Saving in the image editing program s format preserves the layers so you can go back to them and make adjustments Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 242 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks In this image the water has a greenish color cast and the visual impact is diminished by the wide angle view 2 Adjust the tonal range The tonal range of an image is the distribution from light to dark pixels within the image In an average exposure the tonal distribu tion will have a fairly even distribution of dark midtone
49. s automatic exposure use exposure compen sation to fine tune the exposure The following list describes some common lighting problems and the recommended exposure compensation for each m Fora side lit subject Increase exposure by one half of a stop m Fora backlit subject Increase the exposure by one stop Or step in close and meter directly on the subject step back and recompose and then shoot at the reading you took on the subject You can also switch to spot metering m Forasmall dark subject against a bright background or any subject in a very bright scene Use exposure compensation of 1 to 3 or increase exposure by one to two stops for example from f 8 to f 5 6 or f 4 5 m Forasmall light subject against a dark background Use exposure compensation of 1 or decrease exposure by one stop for example from f 8 to f 11 Planning for the imperfect Learning to nail the exposure takes a lot of experience and no one gets it right with every shot If you suspect the lighting might make it difficult to nail the exposure you can increase your chances of success by bracketing as explained in tip 7 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 136 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 3 Capture a Moment in the Story Consider driver s license and passport photos We think of these photos as uninteresting and unrepresentative of how people usually look Why are these photos dull One problem with these photos
50. s red eye reduction setting This feature fires preflash bursts that help reduce the dilation of the pupils before the exposure m If you have an off camera flash move it away from the camera lens Then even if your subjects pupils are dilated the light comes from a different angle and reduces or eliminates the red eye effect Fixing red eye with Digital Image If you end up with red eyes in your photos Digital Image makes it very easy to remedy this problem For more information see the section on removing red eye in this book s Basic Touchup chapter Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 118 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Fill Flash You can use the fill flash setting to fill in deep shadow areas caused by bright overhead sunlight or in a scene where the light is behind the subject In the left photo the strong backlighting creates a shadow that covers the subject s whole face For the photo on the right fill flash was used to counteract the backlighting and keep the shadows off the subject s face If your flash is using the automatic setting bright daylight can prevent it from firing Turn on the flash manually or if your camera has a fill flash setting turn it on If you see shadows on your subjects faces as you re composing the shot fill flash is a good idea An alternative to using the fill flash is moving to a different place where the light from the sun is diffuse and indirect which produc
51. setting Even if your camera doesn t permit you that much control or if you don t want to take the time to change the exposure settings another technique will give you results similar to bracketing To get a lighter exposure aim your camera at a darker portion of the subject and then press the shutter button partway down until you begin to feel a little resistance Next without releasing pressure on the shutter button reframe your photo to include what you want and then push the shutter button all the way down to take the photo Depending on your camera pressing the shutter button halfway down may lock in the exposure and the focus If this is the case you need to set the exposure on an object that is exactly the same distance away from the camera as the subject Otherwise your subject will not be in focus when you take the photo Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 8 Analyze and Shoot Again Photography takes practice And you will progress at a faster rate if some of your practice time is focused on developing specific skills One way to do that is to analyze your photos and then go shoot them again When you get a chance to look at your photos on a computer or as prints you can assess their quality of composition lighting exposure and white balance Upon close inspection you might realize that you placed your subject too close to the center ofthe frame or that incandescent light
52. the original version should be left alone When you want to edit a photo or add it to a project you should always make a copy ofthe original and work with the copy That way if you make some edit ing changes that you regret later you can always go back to the original make a new copy and start over To make a copy of a photo 1 Open the picture 2 On the File menu click Save As The Save As dialog box opens 3 Click the folder where you want to save the copy of the original 4 Inthe File name box enter a name for the copy 5 Click Save The Save As dialog box closes with the new copy of the picture open in the workspace 95 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 96 Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures Choosing a File Format Digital Image allows you to save photos in a number of image file formats You can determine the best format for saving your photos based on what you will use the photos for compatibility with other computers and file size To help you understand the difference between file formats here are some important characteristics of three common image formats Digital Image PNG Plus png saves the individual objects in your photo projects so you can edit them later PNG offers lossless compres sion but not all computers have the software to open PNG files m TIFF tif is a common format for cameras that produce lossless images TIFF does not support layers but is a good format for
53. will not be able to edit objects individually Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 63 Using Selection Tools New in this version of Digital Image are the selection tools which give you more control and more options for editing images Selection tools allow you to fix problems that exist in only part of the picture You can also use selection tools to create new objects that can be duplicated or pasted onto other pictures Selection tools help you to isolate any part of a larger picture which enables you to m Turn part of a picture into a separate object m Apply filters or other effects to a limited area of a picture m Duplicate part of an image within a picture m Combine parts from two or more pictures The selection tools are located on the toolbar next to the Selection options button There are five selection tools available and each one works well for a specific editing scenario Select the method that best fits your picture and your intended use In addition to the object tool mentioned above the other four selection tools are m Marquee tool m Freehand tool m Edge Finder m Magic Wand Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 64 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing Anti aliasing a selection Anti aliasing means that pixels on the edge of the selection can be partially selected This technique helps to smooth the transition between the selection and the surrounding area
54. 0 or even 1600 dpi However scanning large images at such a high resolution can make very large files which might be a concern if your computer lacks sufficient random access memory RAM or hard disk space For scanning everyday prints that you do not plan to enlarge or crop set your scanner to scan at a lower resolution Scanning at 300 dpi should give good results for images that you want to print For images that you want to send in e mail or post to the Web 72 dpi is adequate resolution Just remember that if you plan to crop or enlarge you will need more pixels to work with so you should increase your scanning resolution accordingly Many scanners allow you to adjust the bit depth sometimes called color depth Bit depth is the range of colors the scanner is able to capture per pixel Scanner bit depths range anywhere from 8 bit on older models to 48 bit on some newer models A high bit depth such as 24 bit ensures that the scanner captures the wide range of colors in your photos Setting the bit depth higher than 24 bit requires longer scanning time and may make image files larger than necessary Most image editing programs includ ing Digital Image cannot work with bit depth higher than 24 bit If you scan an image at the 32 bit setting and then open it in Digital Image the photo is converted to 24 bit automatically The 24 bit level supports 16 7 million distinct colors which is usually more than adequate Microsoft Digit
55. 30th of a second there is a good chance the slight movements in your hands will cause blurriness in your photo Even if you have very steady hands the slight movement of your finger pressing the shutter button can create movement Using the self timer will eliminate this problem By setting the camera on a firm surface and using the timer your hands don t have to be anywhere near the camera while the shutter is open Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 134 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Ten Tips for Great Pictures The following 10 tips offer suggestions for developing your photography approach technique composition and habits If you are an inexperienced photographer some of these tips might be new ideas for you If you re a photog raphy veteran these tips might be a good reminder of things you haven t heard in a while Either way we hope they inspire you to get out and shoot some great photos 1 Know Your Gear Having command of your equipment is an important aspect of enjoying and being successful with photography As you get to know your gear and gain confidence in a camera s capabilities the camera can become an extension of yourself When you have reached this level of competence you can concentrate more on the creative aspects of photography When you get a new camera first read through the manual With digital cam eras especially operating the controls may not be intuitive since many digital cameras
56. 33 winter photo sessions 210 zoom 113 candid shots 200 canvas 28 cards greeting 89 CDR files 16 CDs opening pictures from 14 recommendations 114 scanning images to 146 centering screen viewable area 154 circles 64 cleaning images 146 cleaning scanners 146 close up photography 128 closing Startup Window 26 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 252 Index cold temperature photo sessions 210 color complementary 231 contrasts 231 emphasizing as focal point 234 enhancing filters 235 including red in photos 236 polarizing filters 235 primary 231 shooting single color subjects 232 colored casts 40 126 colored pencil filter 69 colors See also painting pictures antique 71 applying color effects 71 black and white 71 blending 74 digital camera tips 203 gradient color sampling 73 Magic Wand 67 mats 86 monitor calibrations 157 monitor quality settings 155 photography tips 220 print lifespan ratings 102 red eye 41 scanning 147 text 31 tint adjustments 40 white balance 40 126 203 color depth 147 color management printer 101 combining objects 60 Common Tasks list 27 CompactFlash card 114 compatibility automatic detection 13 composites 57 composition 43 179 checklist 234 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual techniques 234 compressed air 146 compressing files 111 150 connecting scanners 20 contaminants glass plate 146 contrast ambient light 158 correcting 39 monitor adjustments 157 controls mon
57. 5 low contrast images 231 232 low quality printer settings 101 low resolution pictures 21 101 low resolution scanning 147 LZW compression 150 M Macintosh PICT files 16 macro shots 236 macro mode 128 Magic Wand 67 manual camera settings aperture 122 165 automatic exposure 120 exposure 120 exposure compensation 121 ISO setting 125 163 overview 119 shutter speeds 123 170 water glass analogy 120 white balance 126 manual Digital Image setup 3 manual Import Pictures Wizard starts 14 marquee tool 64 mats adding 86 maximum print sizes 109 media storage 13 114 memory cards or sticks 114 207 memory considerations 147 menus 27 32 meter reading 236 microdrives 114 Micrografx Designer files 16 middle gray 121 midtones 47 miniature storage cards 114 Mini Lab 79 MIX files 16 moir 208 monitors 24 bit vs 32 bit color 156 ambient light 158 brightness 157 calibrating 153 color quality settings 155 contrast 157 overview 153 preserving settings 158 resolution 153 RGB values 157 VRAM 156 More Files button 26 mosaic effect 69 motion photography 129 moving picture features 58 MSN Photos Web site 103 161 multimedia cards 114 multiple objects edited 61 objects flattened 62 objects selected 60 pages scanned 145 pictures edited 79 pictures printed 100 pictures taken in succession 130 picture versions 95 multiple exposure 236 N natural facial expressions 222 natural light 40 negatives scanning 145
58. 7 Troubleshooting tips for opening pictures from a camera 19 Opening from d Scanner om ei eite iret ea e P e eis epe 20 Opening a Photo Sent Through E mail u a he eer s 21 Opening a Picture from a Web Page nk id rr HR ERE Ra 22 Chapter 4 Digital Image Basics cussorssessosssnssnnssnnsnnsnnssonsnnnsonsnnnsnnsnnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnssansnnssnnssnnsnnn 23 Startup WindoW E R 25 Examining the Work Area cun edente e arena ie EPA ER ERE CERIS YR E EU 27 Image Formatting iii een he e eii E De nennen 29 Changing pIet reSIZe ener a lid id lea 29 Dpplyllp NS 30 Help Resources REED 32 Online CMP P 32 Usine the table of contents circ Asiana Galea di fens 33 Usinpithe index ans nei aaa lecken 33 Using the search asus ass lan o rere Y bs kleinen 34 Product OUT a ee A ee tin DH DU LR UE 34 Instructional Videos ii U ER Otis edi ERU MEE 35 Technical Support iii n 35 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup surserssossonssorssnssonsnnssnnsnunsnnsnnssonsnnnsonsnnnsnnsnnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnnnssnssanssnssnnssnnsann 37 Adjusting Brightness and Contrast u ied et Or e e HE RECIENTE 39 Adjusting Tint aset eine ratae ted detener dtr dedos 40 Eruns Bed Bye contara a anschauen eL E cU NOI HUP EIE 41 Straightening a Picture aaa cio 41 iur einlesen ein td 43 Using the rule OL thirds
59. Aperture is the main factor that affects depth of field In some situations you want to increase the depth of field For example in a scenic photo choose a narrow aperture a large f stop number such as f 16 or f 22 so that much of the foreground and background will seem sharp in the photo For other situations you ll want to decrease depth of field For example in a portrait where you want the background to be blurred choose a wider aperture or a smaller f stop number such as f 2 8 f 4 or f 5 6 The subject will be in sharp focus but the background will be soft and less distracting Tip Remember that large numbers enlarge and small numbers shrink In other words large f numbers such as f 22 enlarge the range of acceptably sharp focus Small f numbers such as f 4 shrink the range of acceptably sharp focus and help to blur the foreground and background When you choose a small aperture such as f 16 a longer shutter speed is required to ensure that enough light reaches the film or sensor for a correct exposure With slower shutter speeds however camera shake or subject motion can result in blurred pictures If the shutter speed 1s slow use a tripod or switch Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 169 to a faster film or ISO equivalency setting that allows for faster shutter speeds If you want to freeze a moving subject you ll need to use a high ISO film While apertu
60. FUIT as A rn u ae r agg a SS Lem SH gt o L Fr TEETE To get the effect of the water almost engulfing the girls used a telephoto lens and shot from a high vantage point Take the obvious shot if you must but don t put the camera away It s often only with time and patience that you discover different ways to see the subject or scene Walk around think about how to put the scene or subject in a more meaningful or interesting visual context for the viewer of the photo Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 223 Certainly your camera gear gives you a world of creative options for going beyond the obvious For example the subject matter of the photo of two young girls playing in the surf is easily a clich However because the compressed perspective makes it appear as if the water will engulf the girls the shot escapes the mundane category To get this effect I used a telephoto lens and shot from a high vantage point Tip Develop your own clich meter If you see a picture and think this looks just like then look again and ask yourself how you could express the scene from a new point of view 5 Do it with style If you slavishly follow all the rules and guidelines for making good pictures you will doubtless end up with lots of nice photos If however you want something that sets your photos apart from others th
61. Follow the instructions on the screen to order the prints and enlargements you want Click Done To order photo gifts 1 On the File menu in Digital Image point to Print Professionally Online and then click Photo Gifts Choose to print either the current picture or all opened pictures in the Files palette To open additional photos for ordering prints and enlargements click Add or remove pictures and then follow the instructions on the screen Click Next Order the photo gifts you want Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 11 Taking Great Pictures 11 Taking Great Pictures zu No matter how polished and creative you are as a photographer Digital Image is a valuable tool for helping you get the most out of your photos With Digital Opening photos Image features you can easily correct common photo problems such as red from your digital eye and overexposure And you can use features like filters and layers to create camera photos strikingly different from your originals For mmeona Although Digital Image is a powerful photo editing program it s important opening photos from to get the best photo you can at the time you take it Digital Image can do a your camera in Digital lot to correct minor problems with the originals but certain problems such as Image see the digital severely blurred or underexposed photos cannot easily be fixed with computer camera section in the software And
62. Ifthe midtones need adjustment do one of the following m To lighten the midtones drag the Midtones slider to the left m To darken the midtones drag the Midtones slider to the right 5 To make adjustments to a specific color channel click a channel in the Channel drop down list and then use the sliders to make adjustments to that channel 6 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 5 Basic Touchup 49 Using Smart Erase The Smart Erase tool helps you remove distractions from pictures Smart Erase can remove items such as telephone poles power lines or even strangers in the background In addition to removing the unwanted element Smart Erase fills in the area with colors and patterns from the surrounding areas In many cases Smart Erase makes it hard to tell that the distraction was ever there With the consistently patterned background in this picture Smart Erase was able to do a smooth job filling in the area over the distraction Since Smart Erase incorporates pixels from surrounding areas to fill in the area that has been removed the tool works best if the surrounding areas are consistently patterned To use Smart Erase 1 On the Touchup menu click Smart Erase 2 Trace around the area you want to fill releasing the pointer on the spot where you began tracing 3 Click Fill in 4 To fill in additional areas repeat steps 2 and 3 5 Click Done Using Smart Erase with the clone br
63. Microsoft Digital Image User s Manual Microsoft Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Information in this document including URL and other Internet Web site references is subject to change without notice Unless otherwise noted the example companies organizations products domain names e mail addresses logos people places and events depicted herein are fictitious and no association with any real company organization product domain name e mail address logo person place or event is intended or should be inferred Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user Without limiting the rights under copyright no part of this document may be reproduced stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise or for any purpose without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation Microsoft may have patents patent applications trademarks copyrights or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents trademarks copyrights or other intellectual property 2000 2003 Microsoft Corporation All rights reserved Microsoft Picture It and Windows are either registered trademarks o
64. Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 249 8 Sharpen the image In many image editing programs sharpening increases the contrast of pixels around the edges of objects to increase the image definition or sharpness You must be very careful not to overdo sharpening Oversharpening produces a white or light colored halo along highly contrast ing edges resulting in a look that is harsh and unnatural Since tasks such as cloning objects into an image affect the edges in the final image sharpening is best done as a last step More important the original sharpness of an image is likely to diminish when the image is resized because the program has to guess at which pixels to add or delete So it s best to sharpen the image after all the retouching and scaling have been done An unsharpened image Sharpening improves the image Also the results of sharpening can vary between printed images and screen display Experiment with your image editing program to see what amount of sharpening works best for printed images and on screen images If you are going to print or output the same image to different destinations make sure the sharpened image is a copy ofthe original that has been scaled to the final output size Remember never sharpen the original image How a histogram can help If your scanner or digital camera offers the option of viewing an image s histogram a snapshot of the to
65. R GRAPHICS Andie Thrams Off Ramp TM Silk Spiral Designs G B Steve Lovi 2000 TWENTY FOUR CARROT INC Jennifer Blomgren Andrea Beloff Dorothy Strait Carmel Bartz The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners 0703 Part No X09 53507 Printed in the United States of America Contents at a Glance Chapter 1 Installation 222222 220222220000002000000220BB00nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nn 1 Chapter 2 Welcome to Digital Image Pro 7 Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures 11 Chapter 4 Digital Image Basics eese 23 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup eeeeeeeeeeeee eene 37 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing u2222002020000n0n0nnnnnnnnnn nn 55 Chapter 7 Batch Editing in Mini Lab ess 77 Chapter 8 Adding Edges Mats and Frames 83 Chapter 9 Creating Projects nere 87 Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures 93 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 105 Chapter 12 Successful Scanning eess 143 Chapter 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos
66. We discuss all aspects of our images such as different ways an image might be cropped for more impact or how a different aperture would better convey the message This instinctive shot became one of my favorites Decide whom to ask If you have friends who enjoy photography arrange a time when you can go through a stack of each other s photos and give honest feedback and ideas Or just ask around Anyone with an eye for design com position and style can give you valuable feedback Even untrained friends and family will see elements in your photos that you may not have noticed Almost all feedback provides valuable insight and 1deas Has this self evaluation made a difference for me It has even in the short term And I expect it will make a more noticeable change in the long term You may not want to spend vacation time like I did analyzing your photos but these ideas can be tried in an evening or a weekend Whatever time you have invest it in your photography I think you ll find that it s well worth the time Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 202 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Six Digital Photo Problems And How to Avoid Them Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie Learning the peculiarities of a digital camera such as setting the white balance correctly can save lots of computer time when you try to correct an image later You finally got a digital camera Gut level you know that photographic nir
67. a memory card but it doesn t guarantee that you ll be able to get the quality enlargements you may later want from the images How to avoid it My approach is to set my camera on the highest resolution and to review pictures frequently as I shoot deleting pictures that I m absolutely certain I don t want However if I ve bracketed a series of shots I make a mental note to not delete any of those images Also since the price for memory storage media is declining it makes sense to pick up an extra card or memory stick as the budget allows 5 Flash causes hot spots The flash onboard or external can be either your best friend or your worst enemy The latter is most often the case But because a digital camera offers you unlimited free testing there is no longer any reason to perpetuate this problem Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 208 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Besides obliterating details you might like to maintain in the picture built in flash units also cause hot spots as shown in the area in front of the puppy that are time consuming and frustrating to fix How to avoid it First find the manual that came with the camera and look up the flash range the manufacturer recommends Then test the flash range to get a personal feel for the recommended distances Instead of subjecting your child or pet to the flash test shots sit a household object like a pillow or a basket on a chair turn on the
68. a scanner with a range of at least 3 For the best results from slides consider a scanner with a D range of 3 4 or higher 4 Scan by the Batch If you re considering a dedicated film scanner check out models that allow you to load a batch of at least four slides or six negatives at one time Batch scan ning can save a lot of time 5 Be Realistic About Scanning Speed When reviewing the specs for various scanners remember this The quoted scanning speeds are always optimistic Expect much longer actual scan times Use the specs only for comparison purposes Five Tips for Successful Scanning 1 Keep Your Scanner and Originals Clean Dust or lint on the scanner glass or on a photo will be picked up by the scanner An antistatic brush does a good job fending off even tiny particles that you can t see 2 Preview and Correct the Scan Scanner driver software generally allows you to adjust color contrast high lights shadows and other factors Most scanner programs offer an automatic enhancing feature that may improve brightness contrast and color balance Preview your scan after using that control If it seems perfect you may be ready for the final scan However think about cropping in the preview to scan only the part of the picture that you need This helps keep the digital file size to a minimum Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 150 Chapter 12 Successful Scanning Lossless compression Digital Image can save
69. ack To Better Photos oto Tete eis iei Pr LR EAE EE EEES 218 Photo Ops inthe Most Unusual Places esee eet nei ann an 225 Fall Photos Sharpen Your Eye for Color and Composition ersesssessesssesnennneeneennennennnennnnnnnennenneenenn 230 Digital Image Editing LOM o oia aii ad Gare tees a tei dee RUE Da RAD esce ipe sie bis 238 CHAPTER 1 Installation 1 Installation Starting Setup To install Digital Image you must be running Windows 98 Windows Me Windows 2000 or Windows XP or later On Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems you must have administrative privileges For information regarding privileges please refer to the operating system Help On most computers Digital Image setup will begin automatically when you insert the Digital Image CD into your disk drive To begin automatic setup Turn off any antivirus software that you re using and close any programs that are running 2 Insert the Digital Image CD into your disk drive The Installation Wizard begins automatically If the above procedure does not start the setup process you can start it manually To begin setup manually 1 Turn off any antivirus software that you re using and close any programs that are running 2 Insert the Digital Image CD into your disk drive Click Start and then click Run If your CD ROM drive is listed as letter D type d setup exe If your CD ROM drive has a letter other than D replace D with the cor
70. age a higher screen resolution lets you see more of your photos in the workspace less of the screen is covered by elements like the Stack and the Files palette The best screen resolution for a computer system depends on the limitations of your monitor the amount of VRAM Video RAM you have installed and your personal preference You can experiment with different screen resolutions to find the one that works best for you Expanding your workspace If you have an older or small monitor the default setting may be 800 by 600 pixels Increasing the screen resolution increases the size of the Digital Image workspace Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 154 Chapter 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos To change the screen resolution on Windows 98 Windows Me or For more Windows NT 4 0 or later information For more information about changing 1 Save any open projects and close all programs except Digital Image 2 On the Tools menu click Display Settings 3 Click the Settings tab 4 display settings see your Windows Under Screen area move the slider to change the screen resolution and documentation then click OK 5 If prompted restart your computer Adjusting your To change the screen resolution on Windows XP monitor s controls 1 ject igi Rarer tovour monitors Save any open projects and close all programs except Digital Image documentation 2 On the Tools menu click Display Settings Far lieu GI 3
71. age appealing Then branch out and create a similar composition of your own Whether you re photographing mushrooms from the grocery store or a slice of life story just taking pictures continually and consistently pays huge dividends not the least of which is to help you define your style and voice as a photographer Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 195 Six Easy Ways to Improve Your Photography Fixing What New Gear Can t Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie Spending time figuring out what it takes to get better pictures can make a noticeable differ ence in the quality of your photography In photography there are two basic kinds of stuff thinking stuff the way you take your photographs planning composing and shooting and gear stuff cameras and accessories While either kind of stuff can improve your photography most people like to think that new gear will be the magic bullet that turns ho hum shots into blue ribbon winners You know the kind of rationale I m talking about Get the latest and highest megapixel camera or scanner and you ll get better pictures That reasoning may work for truly antiquated equipment but new gear won t fix how you take photographs I speak from experience I just bought new gear stuff and sure enough the image quality the resolution jumped to astounding heights and image file sizes but the kinds of images I got the
72. al Image Pro User s Manual 148 Adding RAM for faster scans If you repeatedly have trouble scanning larger images you might want to consider adding more RAM to your computer At least 128 MB of RAM is recommended Adding RAM can be fairly inexpensive Depending on the configuration of your system you may be able to increase performance by upgrading to 256 MB or even 512 MB of RAM Chapter 12 Successful Scanning Scanning Large Pictures Scanning a large picture at high resolution requires a lot of RAM or memory on your computer The larger a picture is the longer it takes to scan and the more memory your computer requires to open it If you are having trouble scanning a large picture try the following m Scan at a lower resolution If you don t plan to crop or enlarge the image 300 dpi should be sufficient m Scana smaller portion of the picture See your scanner s documentation for specifics on controlling the height and width of the scan m Close programs that you re not using to make more memory available for the scanning task Five Tips for Buying the Right Scanner When buying a scanner consider these factors to find a model that suits your needs 1 Get the Best Resolution You Can A flatbed scanner s optical resolution the number of pixels that a scanner sees includes two numbers such as 1200 x 2400 dpi The first number is the most meaningful and the most useful when comparison shopping T
73. al image You can remove these spots with Digital Image but eliminating the contaminants before scanning is much faster and more effective You should regularly clean a flatbed scanner s plate with an antistatic cloth which neutralizes static electricity that attracts tiny particles Dedicated film scanners are more complex and can be difficult to clean so follow the manufacturer s suggestions before you try cleaning the inside of a film scanner Make sure that your original image is also spotless You should clean prints slides and negatives with an antistatic brush which is specially treated to repel dust and dirt You can find antistatic products at a well stocked camera store or by searching the Web Antistatic accessories are far more effective at removing dust than other products are Cleaning with compressed air for example may remove all visible dust but leave behind small particles that might show up in the digital image Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 12 Successful Scanning 147 Setting Resolution and Bit Depth When scanning a photo or other artwork consider what you want to do with the image file As with taking photos with a digital camera you ll need to weigh the benefits of image quality versus file size Resolution usually expressed in dpi dots per inch with scanners is the main factor to consider For superior images that will make large exhibition quality prints consider scanning at 120
74. ames and Mats 3 Click a theme click a design and then click Open 4 Drag your photo from the Files palette into the frame or mat and then click Next 5 Move or resize the photo so that it fits within the frame and then click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 9 Creating Projects 9 Creating Projects A great way to present your pictures and share them with friends and family is to create photo projects Digital Image offers a range of designs that you can use to showcase your pictures Choose from greeting cards calendars business cards and more Creating Photo Cards Use your own photo to personalize a greeting card for a holiday a party invita tion or any other occasion To open a photo card design 1 Open a photo and check to see that it appears on the Files palette On the File menu click Create a Project On the All Types of Designs page click Cards Click Photo Frame Cards Click a theme click a design and then click Open Follow the instructions on the screen To edit the inside pages on the View menu click Front of Card Inside of Card or Back of Card d ON tn d oC WN Once your card project is open you can add your own text photos and clip art Since most printers cannot print to the edge of the page the purple margins on the edges of a card project represent the unprintable areas of the card Photo cards are either half fold cards which are larger card
75. and print Following are tips and a suggested process for correcting digital images Before you start editing pictures The first two best steps in image editing begin before you sit down at the computer From personal experience I know that the most important image editing steps are to m Learn your camera gear inside and out m Use your camera correctly when you take pictures Regardless of how much fun image editing is you don t want to spend time on the computer correcting something that could have been corrected during shooting Rather ensure that you use your image editing time to perfect and polish good pictures rather than salvaging images discolored because the white balance ISO or mode was incorrectly set Another important point is to know what you are correcting to or for In other words what does a well corrected picture look like The following list provides some of the basics for correcting photos Not every item in the list will apply to every picture and of course there will be exceptions such as high visual impact pictures in which many of the guidelines should be ignored but you can use it as a starting place for image editing Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 240 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks m Good contrast In black and white photos this usually means white whites and black blacks and a good tonal range of greys In a color photo that has no whites or blacks then th
76. aph Resolution is sometimes expressed as the total number of pixels such as 3 megapixels 3 million pixels or in pixel dimensions such as 320 x 240 which equals 76 800 total pixels Resolution is important primarily because it determines how much you can enlarge and print a photo Everything else being equal a 3 megapixel photo and a 320 pixel x 240 pixel photo look the same in a wallet size print But if you enlarge those two photos to 5 x 7 prints the quality of the 320 x 240 photo is very low you can see the individual pixels The 3 megapixel photo still looks sharp at the larger size since its pixels are too small to be seen Resolution is also important because it determines file size High resolution photos contain color information for many more pixels than low resolution photos so the files for high resolution photos can be significantly larger File size becomes an issue if you have limited storage on your camera or hard disk or if you need to send the photos through e mail The following chart gives an estimate of file size and maximum print size for various resolutions The chart lists file sizes for JPEG format which is a com mon but not the only format for photos Approx JPEG file size Dimensions Total pixels with slight compression Maximum print size 320 x 240 76 800 23 KB Wallet size 640 x 480 307 200 91 KB 4 x6 1280 x 960 1 228 800 363 KB A 1 2 megapixels 1600 x 1200 1 920 000 576 KB 8
77. as nature and emerging artists use the space for artistic endeavors Are you bored going to the same places taking the same monotonous pictures If you are then it s time to swerve off the beaten path and explore some unlikely places and events that offer photo opportunities Weekends are a great time to take detours because detours often take you out of the mainstream crowd crush and give you space to do some creative exploration and shooting If you plan to detour at random be sure to pack your camera bag with a full complement of gear Often the lighting and space you have to work in will be as unconventional as the location So at a minimum pack the speedlight a tripod or monopod and if you re shooting with a camera with interchangeable lenses a full focal range of lenses Alley art Beautiful things can happen in alleys Those narrow dark less traveled passageways provide a studio in which nature finds asylum from the incessant human need to clean up And left to her own devices nature often draws exqui site three dimensional vignettes on canvases woven by time Wherever nature works undisturbed there are bound to be photo opportunities Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 226 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks On an overcast day in a dim alley a flash added the extra light needed to make the faded colors pop in this shot But why risk life and camera gear to schlep down dark alleys to photograph natu
78. as the one shown here When you increase or decrease the shutter speed by one full setting it doubles or halves the exposure For example twice as much light reaches the film at 1 30 sec as at 1 60 sec To assure correct exposure you need to change the aperture f stop as you change to a longer or faster shutter speed If you shoot in program or automatic mode the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed Shutter speed affects your ability to get a sharp image in low light while hand holding the camera and to freeze motion or show it as blurred in a picture To freeze motion used a faster shutter speed in this case 1 100 sec Photo taken at f 4 5 zoom lens set to 112mm on a digital camera Hand holding limits As a guideline never hand hold a camera at a shutter speed slower than the inverse of the focal length of the lens For example if you re shooting at a 125mm setting on a zoom lens you want Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 172 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks a shutter speed of 1 125 sec or faster to ensure a sharp picture Another helpful rule is to never hand hold a camera at shutter speeds slower than 1 30th of a second m Freezing or blurring subject motion Shutter speed determines whether you can freeze a moving subject or allow it to be blurred in the picture For example you may want to freeze a basketball player in mid air but show the motion of water cascading over a wa
79. at the files will be smaller This allows you to store more photos on the camera s storage media but you must sacrifice some quality for quantity Make sure to check your camera s manual to find out what resolution you will get from the photo quality settings on your camera Beware of settings that offer enhanced or interpolated resolution These features add extra pixels not found in the original photo to produce a higher resolution photo which may reduce overall sharpness or quality Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 111 Compression You ve seen one way to reduce photo file size lower the resolution at which you shoot the photo You can also reduce file size by having the camera compress the photo file as it saves the file to the camera s memory Compression consoli dates similar information in the photo and discards some information With JPEG compression for example series of similarly colored pixels are grouped together and considered to be the same color In the code that makes up the file the color information for these grouped pixels only has to be listed once instead of hundreds or even thousands of times This shortcut can reduce file size considerably Taken to extremes a photo in highly compressed JPEG format might be 95 percent smaller than the same photo in an uncompressed format Although compression does reduce file size it also reduces photo quality Slight
80. aunching the Import Pictures Wizard automatically Windows Me and Windows XP can automatically detect compatible cameras and other photo media such as photo CDs This detection should occur when you m Connect a compatible camera to the computer and turn on the camera m Connect a compatible card reader to the computer and insert media m Insert a photo CD DVD or other storage media into a drive on the computer This automatic detection feature 1s only available on Windows Me and Win dows XP and with WIA and USB Mass Storage class devices To set Windows to launch the Import Pictures Wizard automatically 1 Connect your compatible camera or device to the computer and then turn on the camera or device or Insert the storage media into a drive on the computer 2 When Windows detects the picture files Windows will ask you what you want to do with the pictures Click Import pictures using Microsoft Digital Image Import Wizard Check Always do the selected action Click OK Click the device you want to use and then click OK ON Un A U Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 14 Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures Starting the Import Pictures Wizard manually If Windows does not automatically detect your device or other media you can start the Import Pictures Wizard manually To start the Import Pictures Wizard manually 1 On the File menu click Import Pictures 2 Click the device you want to use an
81. composition By definition colors are complementary ifthey form gray when combined in equal amounts On a color wheel complementary colors are opposite each other So the primary colors of light red blue and green have complementary colors cyan yellow and magenta respectively Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 232 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Using complementary colors with intent creates striking images Using the complementary colors together creates images with striking contrast or pop This shot pops because it uses the complementary red cyan colors The same shot against green foliage in the background would have much lower contrast and would become one of those nice put it in the back of the drawer shots On the other hand images with low color contrast use either a single color or colors in the same family in the composition Using low color or harmonizing contrast creatively and intentionally creates visually soothing tranquil images For example a macro shot in which the frame is filled with a single fall bloom ing plant or berry is a low contrast image as is a frame filled with billowy grayish white fall clouds or distant multihued blue mountain ranges For low contrast images to be effective it s important to have a strong focal point in the composition and to look for or create tonal differences that provide depth and definition For example if you re shooting a single color
82. contrast controls use the manual sliders in the adjust levels tool for more precise control This photo is a good candidate for using the adjust levels tool When you look at the histogram you can see that the graph falls off on each end of the range well before the Shadows and Highlights bars This means that there are neither any very dark pixels nor very light pixels in the photo By adjusting the levels you can broaden the tonal range to make the photo more dynamic This is accomplished by dragging the Shadows and Highlights sliders to the first vertical rises in the graph Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 5 Basic Touchup 47 ak These adjustments add greater contrast to the image by using a greater percent age of the 256 available tones The Midtones slider is also available to fine tune the brightness and contrast of the midtones You can make the midtones brighter by dragging the midtones slider to the right or make the midtones darker by dragging the midtones slider to the left Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 48 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup To adjust levels using the histogram Onthe Touchup menu click Adjust levels 2 Drag the Shadows slider to the right until the vertical shadows bar on the histogram meets the first vertical rise of the graph 3 Drag the Highlights slider to the left until the vertical highlights bar on the histogram meets the first vertical rise of the graph 4
83. d flattened PNG file 1 On the Tools menu click Options 2 Click PNG Plus options 3 Click No Larger Than and then enter values to limit the width and height 4 Click OK and then click OK Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 98 Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures Saving for E mail and the Web Avoid sending large photos in Unlike photos for printing photos for e mail and the Web work best ifthey are e mail relatively low resolution Low resolution photos such as one that is 440 x 330 pixels move faster through dial up modems and they are the right dimensions Sending high resolution SP for viewing on most computer monitors photos in e mail may cause problems for your To save a photo for e mail or the Web recipients For example a single 5 megabyte 1 On the File menu point to Save a Copy For and then click Save for MB high resolution E mail or Web image will take over 20 2 Doone ofthe following minutes to download on m Click a picture size a 28 8 Kbps modem m Set maximum dimensions Also some e mail 3 Click Save As programs limit the The Save As dialog box opens size of attachments and may for example block e mail with 4 Click the folder to which you want to save the photo 5 Inthe File name box type a file name and then click Save attachments larger than 1 MB Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures 99 Printing
84. d other out of the way locations use either your tripod or flash to ensure crisp sharpness If you re shooting film choose a high speed film In fact this is the perfect time to try out some of the new 1600 ISO films Consider either shoot Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 227 ing black and white film or switching to black and white mode on your digital camera Because the rusty gate provided enough context could use a tighter framing to isolate the most interesting elements of this scene Think like a photo editor who wants to tell a story in three or four succinct shots This means you ll want to look both for the detail and the overall context the scene provides Before you shoot ask what you want the photo to tell view ers If the telling aspect of the scene is the contrast of the overall location with the art or object shoot from a wider perspective that includes the surroundings in context Then look closely for arresting details that can complete the story for example a single broken door knob overgrown with vines a cat in the window or a stray discarded object that tells of former lives and activity Image editing suggestions Once you have your favorite images on the computer experiment with converting color images to black and white or sepia tone Some images just seem made for this type of treatment Always make a copy of the original picture first and save it in a
85. d asking about the meaning of people trees rivers places and my cat I ve gone back to the same place over and over and gotten better and better read more meaningful images with each successive trip Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 188 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Children often present the best opportunities to tell visual stories 3 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Every so often if you re persistent enough fate presents you with gimme picture stories This article features some of my gimme images To take advantage of the gimme shots you have to have a camera in your hands and you have to react quickly It is entirely possible to miss the shot if you re fumbling around getting ready to shoot Unlike pretty pictures pictures that capture the essence of a subject can have technical flaws and still be keepers Though you may wish you had every technicality nailed it s okay 1f the image is less than perfect because it has the strength to stand on its own merit In other words being off by an f stop doesn t diminish the story Shooting meaningful images is tough Once I committed to this shooting philosophy I found myself making deals with myself reminiscent of the deals I make with myself while I m on a diet or trying to stop smok ing I tell myself that nature s beauty tells its own story and so it s okay just to shoot a pretty stream And I still ph
86. d then click OK Opening Pictures for Editing With Digital Image you can open pictures for editing from a variety of sources including your computer storage media and most cameras and scanners Using the file browser You can use the file browser to locate your photos and open them for editing The file browser can be used to open photos from m The hard drive on a computer m A digital camera that is a USB Mass Storage Class device A USB Mass Storage Class device works as a virtual drive letting you browse and open photos from the device as you would from a hard disk or floppy disk m A digital photo card reader m A photo CD or DVD m A floppy disk Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures This picture identifies the main features of the file browser 1 10 9 10 All Files tab Click the All Files tab to view the folder structure on your computer Click a folder to display its contents and subfolders The folder structure includes internal and external drives on your computer including disk drives card readers and USB Mass Storage Class digital cameras MSN Groups tab Click the MSN Groups tab to open pictures that you have stored on MSN Groups Look in box Displays the name of the current folder selected on the All Files tab View menu Use this menu to change the way the image files are displayed Thumbnail size slider Move the slider to change the si
87. d while you take the shot will cause a blurred photo To avoid camera shake mount your camera on a tripod or other firm surface for slow shutter speeds To accommodate the low light of this twilight scene the camera was mounted on a tripod and set to a slow shutter speed Some cameras offer a shutter priority mode that sets the aperture automatically after you set the shutter speed This can be useful if you re in a situation where shutter speed is more important than aperture like when you re shooting a subject in motion Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 125 ISO Setting or Equivalent When shooting on film you have the opportunity to select different types of film for specific uses Films are available in different speeds that are more sensitive or less sensitive to light The film speed is measured by ISO number A high speed film such as ISO 800 is ideal for low light situations or action photography since the film requires less light to properly expose the photo Slow speed films such as ISO 100 or ISO 200 are good for photographing in bright daylight since they require a lot of light If you plan on using the same roll of film for shooting in multiple settings and light levels ISO 400 film is a good compromise and does relatively well in most situations Faster films generally produce grainier photos than lower speed films Some of the newer varieties of professional grade hig
88. dge Finder 66 editing pictures See also objects special effects blending 74 brightness 39 contrast 39 cropping 43 distorting 75 erasing 49 gradient colors 73 histograms 45 image editing programs 216 MiniLab 79 opening 13 red eye 41 selection tools 63 text 31 textures 73 tint 40 touchup tools 39 workspace area 27 153 Edit Multiple Pictures button 25 emboss filter 69 EMF files 16 enhanced resolution feature 113 enlargements ordering 103 enlarging picture features 75 EPS files 16 erasing picture features 49 evaluating photo quality 177 EV setting 140 expanding screen viewable area 154 exposure bracketing 235 meter readings 236 multiple 236 exposures 52 120 135 172 180 exposure compensation 121 135 140 eye redness 41 117 F f stops 122 165 168 172 facial expressions 222 facial touch ups 51 73 131 fade resistant paper 102 fade ratings 102 Files palette 28 file browser 14 25 file compression 111 file formats supported 16 96 112 file size 109 file transfers importing 13 fill flash 118 234 films brands 235 choosing 235 ISO 235 negatives 235 film cameras action shots 129 aperture 122 165 automatic exposure 120 automatic modes 127 burst mode 130 close ups 128 exposure 120 exposure compensation 121 ISO setting 125 163 overview 119 panoramic 132 photography tips 134 Index 253 portraits 131 self timers 133 shutter speeds 123 170 white balance 126 film protection i
89. e When you create a 12 month calendar you can add different photos to each of the 12 month pages To complete a 12 month calendar 1 2 3 4 Complete the instructions above to create a 12 month calendar Open the photos you want so that they appear in the Files palette Use the multi page palette to switch between pages in the project Drag photos from the Files palette into each of the 12 month pages Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 10 Saving and Printing Pictures 10 Saving and Printing Pictures Saving Pictures If you re like most people you can t stand to throw photos away even ifthey re imperfect You probably have a large box or two filled with envelopes of old negatives and photographic prints Keeping track of all of your old prints and negatives can be a formidable task Fortunately digital photography makes saving storing and organizing photos much easier However there are some important things you should know about saving your photos to make sure they ll be in good condition whenever you want to enjoy them Saving Multiple Versions Once you ve downloaded a photo to your computer and erased it from your camera your computer s hard disk contains the only copy of that photo This original version should be treated like a film negative You don t want to do anything to it that will alter the original content Except rotation to correct orientation or renaming the file
90. e cropped so each panoramic shot takes up less space on your storage media Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 133 Using the Self Timer Creating a Many digital cameras even inexpensive ones come with a self timer feature makeshift tripod Some self timers open the shutter after a preset amount of time such as 10 seconds others allow you to adjust the length of time before the shutter fires Either way this fairly simple feature is great for getting yourself into a photo and for taking long exposure shots If you re outdoors try proppingthe camera on a rock or car roof Then fine tune the Getting Yourself into a Photo NU the camera on a jacket To get yourself into a photo plan where you want to position yourself for the or other object that you shot Then set up the camera by putting it on a tripod a table or any other flat can shape to adjust the stable surface With your camera in position focus the camera on your subject a camera angle which should be close to the position where you will stand for the photo If your camera has autofocus press the shutter halfway down to focus press the self timer button and then press the shutter all the way down Then you ve got about 10 seconds to get yourself in position for the shot Taking Long Exposure Shots Another great use of the self timer is for exposures with a relatively slow shut ter speed For speeds slower than 1
91. e illusion of deeper blacks However 1f you re going to display your prints glossy surfaces can cheapen the look of the work and surface glare can make the images more difficult to view Turning on color management Check your printer s manual to see if it offers color management Color management can help your printer to produce colors that match the ones on your monitor If your printer offers color management click Change picture settings while performing the Print task Your printer s dialog box will open and you can adjust the settings for color management Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 102 Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures Paper formulations also contribute greatly to resisting fading and color shifting If you re using fade resistant or archival inks look for coated acid free papers that are also advertised as fade resistant or archival Creating Long lasting Prints How long can you expect a print to last With some inkjet prints you can only expect a fade free lifespan of two months to two years All of the major printer manufacturers are beginning to advertise greater image stability for the output of certain printer ink combinations but few of these manufacturers claim that prints will last more than about four years When buying supplies for your printer check which types of ink and paper are recommended by the manufacturer of your printer and find out about the ink s
92. e Pro User s Manual 230 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Fall Photos Sharpen Your Eye for Color and Composition Limiting the number of colors and keeping the composition simple can help make fall photos more vibrant As fall inevitably creeps across the summer landscape it brings color changes vibrant enough to motivate even the most languid photo buffs into recording at least a few frames of nature s brilliant displays Yeah right you may say yawning that s what we need yet more sweeping landscape shots of red yellow and orange trees Granted anyone who s been through more than a few autumns knows that given the stunning show nature provides colorful postcard like landscape shots are a gimme If you re thinking been there done that then it s time to think about fall as an opportunity to develop your eye for color and composi tion If you want fall images that resonate beyond the predictable fall landscape shots then you ll have to get creative and use fall color in less predictable ways Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 231 Look for details within the scene Color contrast To go beyond the obvious ho hum tree changed color shot learn to use color contrast to its maximum potential You can choose to use high or low color contrast but use both with intent High color contrast is achieved by using complementary colors in a
93. e camera or an electronic menu Although I shot with a narrow aperture f 11 the telephoto lens zoom lens set to 200mm on a digital camera reduced the depth of field in this photo Learning the jargon Switching to a wider aperture is also referred to as opening up Switching to a narrow aperture is referred to as stopping down How to change the aperture On fully controllable cameras you can change the aperture using the f stop ring or a dial on the camera body that allows you to select an f stop Very few compact cameras have a control that allows you to select an f stop The camera automatically selects an aperture based on the available light and the mode such as a portrait or landscape program A few of the high end compact cameras allow you to set the f stop Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 167 On cameras with interchangeable lenses you set the f stop using an aperture ring With fully controllable and manual cameras you can choose among a range of apertures You first select an f stop aperture and then you set the correct shutter speed to get a good exposure The camera s light meter provides a signal in the viewfinder that indicates when you have set the correct shutter speed In automatic modes a shiftable program or aperture priority semi automatic mode you select the f stop aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed to get the correct e
94. e exposure 236 image cleaning tips 146 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual image sensors 110 125 172 importing pictures 13 incandescent lights 40 index online Help 33 ink drying time 157 ink options 102 Installation Wizard 4 installing Digital Image 3 Instructional Videos 35 Internet opening pictures from 22 interpolation 113 invitations personalized 89 irregular shapes 65 isolating picture parts See selection tools ISO setting 125 163 italic formatting 31 J JPEG files 16 62 96 109 150 K Kodak Photo CD files 16 L landscapes 235 236 larger print sizes 101 large picture scanning 148 layers See objects LCDs 141 lenses cold weather and 210 lifespan ratings print 102 light side lighting 232 lighting adjust levels tool 45 ambient 158 aperture 122 165 automatic exposure 120 backlighting 53 blown highlights 205 bracketing 121 140 colors 40 dark area adjustments 52 evaluating 182 exposure compensation 121 film speed 125 163 flash 116 207 incandescent 40 overview 120 photography tips 218 problems 39 red eye 41 117 room conditions 158 shutter speed 123 170 tips 137 172 205 white balance 40 126 203 light pixels 45 53 linking objects 60 locating pictures file browser 14 overview 13 TWAIN support 17 WIA support 17 locations selecting photography 190 locked objects 58 long exposure shots 133 lossless compression 111 low color quality settings 15
95. e exposure always remains the same or equivalent These equivalent exposures give you control over the depth of field in your photo and freeze or blur motion For example choose a wide aperture and a fast shutter speed combination and the picture will have a shallow depth of field and motion will be frozen This is often an ideal setting for sports shots With a small aperture and a slow shutter speed combination depth of field is increased but any subject motion will be shown as blurred in the image You can use this combination for creative effect or for pictures of subjects that are not moving For sharp pictures at long shutter speeds mount the camera on a tripod Depending on your camera you can choose from among different exposure modes ranging from fully automatic to aperture and shutter speed priority modes Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 174 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks For this photo chose to use f 5 6 with a zoom lens set to 80mm which allowed me a shutter speed of 1 500 sec Putting it all together When you combine film speed aperture shutter speed and the amount of light in a scene you have the essential elements of an exposure On a bright sunny day you can select from many different f stops and still get fast shutter speeds to prevent image blur There is little need to switch to a fast film for fast shutter speeds at small apertures A high ISO film is necessary only if you re usi
96. e goal is to have strong vibrant color in the darkest colors and bright vibrant color in the lightest colors m Vibrant and or realistic colors with no excessive color casts caused by improper settings for white balance or not using a color correction filter on film m Detail in both the shadows and highlights or in the area either highlight or shadow that is most important to the image overall m Natural skin tones if people are in the picture Cropping that enhances the composition m Anappropriate sharpening level This picture has many of the elements you look for when editing images a good tonal range vivid colors white whites black blacks and detail in the shadow areas The image correction process For those new to image editing the process of image correction generally follows a sequence of adjustments that build upon each other Following this sequence often makes subsequent steps easier to complete and it will help avoid time consuming mistakes that result in artificial looking pictures A simple example is sharpening In image editing software sharpening doesn t magically fix blurry focus Instead it makes existing focus appear sharper by increasing the contrast of adjacent pixels typically where there are significant color changes such as the edges Sharpening sounds like a good starting point for image editing right Not so As it happens if you sharpen an image first and then make other adjustments such a
97. e has blown out highlights retake it metering on the lightest area in the scene If your camera doesn t have this functionality make it a habit to meter on the lightest area of your primary subject for example a place where the light is striking a surface directly Then take the picture at the meter reading you get for that area Then take at least two more shots decreasing the exposure in each one There will always be scenes in which the lighting differences are too great for both the light and dark areas of the image to be accurately exposed In those types of scenes try to change your shooting position to lessen or eliminate the amount of very light area or very dark area included in the frame For example if you re shooting a landscape scene that has a bright sky and a darker foreground tilt the camera up to have more sky in the frame or down to include more foreground depending on which area is your primary subject Then meter for the area that is your primary subject Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 207 Although this picture was taken on a sunny day avoided blowing out the highlights by meter ing for the lightest areas 4 Size does matter If you have a limited supply of memory cards and who doesn t you may choose to shoot at the medium or low resolution setting on the camera and use high compression This tactic certainly allows you to get more shots on
98. e picture b The size of the lens opening that determines the amount of light that strikes the film or image sensor c A technical term that has always confused me even when it s been explained to me so I just ignore it Correct answer B The lens aperture or opening determines the amount of light that strikes the film or digital image sensor to make the image Either you or the camera s automatic system can control the size of the lens aperture or opening by setting an f stop Changing the f stop increases or decreases the size of the lens opening Aperture is shown as f stop numbers such as f 2 8 f 4 f 5 6 f 8 and so on The smaller f numbers such as f 2 8 set the lens to a large opening that allows more light to enter the camera A large opening is often referred to as wide aperture Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 166 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks A small opening is referred to as a narrow or small aperture and is indi cated with large f numbers such as f 16 As you would expect a small aperture allows less light to enter the camera To get a good exposure with a small aperture the amount of time the shutter stays open to let light into the camera must be increased Most cameras automatically adjust the shutter speed when they are set in program or semi automatic mode If you re shooting in manual mode or with a manual camera you set a longer shutter speed using a dial on th
99. e scene Start by using the automatic exposure and then use exposure compensation to take additional frames with increased and decreased exposure levels With a series of photos taken at different settings there is a ood chance that one has the exposure just right Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 122 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Program modes If your camera offers program modes for specific photos like portraits or action shots read your camera s manual to find out the aperture settings used for those modes Aperture The aperture is the opening through which light passes to reach the film or in digital cameras the image sensor Aperture is measured by f number where a specific setting is called an f stop With f stops a low number such as f 4 represents a wider opening that lets in more light A small aperture such as f 16 lets in significantly less light Some cameras have a fixed aperture that can t be adjusted If you re adjusting the aperture yourself a setting of f 8 is a good place to start since it gives you a fairly wide zone of sharpness If your camera allows you to adjust the aperture use the settings to regulate the depth of field in your photo Depth of field refers to the zone in your photo that is in acceptably sharp focus A wide aperture gives you a shallow depth of field while a small aperture allows a very deep zone maybe even everything in the photo to be in foc
100. e subject in focus with a point and shoot camera it is not always the most interesting way to present the subject Most advanced photographers follow the rule of thirds when composing the space inside a picture frame The rule of thirds divides the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically and places the point of interest on one of the four spots where these dividing lines intersect The rule of thirds is used throughout the graphic design world because it helps to create balance between the subject and the background To apply the rule of thirds divide your scene into three sections horizontally and vertically Place the focal point of your photo on one of the intersections of the dividing lines Following the rule of thirds the bicycle in this photo lies right on the of the points where the dividing lines intersect The top of the dock also roughly follows the horizontal line that runs one third down from the top of the frame Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 139 If you have a person or animal in your photo you can place the subject s face on one of the four points looking toward the center of the scene If the horizon is in a photo it should run about one third from the top or one third from the bottom depending on whether the terrain or the sky is the center of focus The rule of thirds is not an absolute law and there have been many great photographs taken that don t
101. e the object proportionally hold the cursor over one of the corner object handles until the resize handle a appears and then drag the resize handle To stretch the object hold the cursor over the top bottom or side object handles until the resize handle appears and then drag the resize handle To rotate the object drag the rotate handle that is attached to the top of the selection box Selecting an object allows you to edit it without affecting other objects on the canvas You can select an object by clicking it either on the canvas or on the Stack If you want to select a small object or one that is hidden behind other objects it is often easiest to select it on the Stack Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 60 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing Multiple Selection Grouping and Flattening Objects Digital Image allows you to create composites that contain many objects While objects are separate you can edit each one individually However sometimes you may want to edit two or more objects at the same time There are three methods to join objects so that you can edit them together From least perma nent to most permanent the three methods for combining objects are multiple selection grouping and flattening Multiple Selection Multiple selection links objects temporarily For example if you wanted to move three objects the same amount to the left you could select the objects and then drag them together
102. e the same photo quality as a photo that has not been interpolated If your camera has digital zoom or enhanced resolution test it and make sure you like the results before you use it for important photographs For true zoom capability and highest image quality use optical zoom Expand your perspective Zoom lenses are great for capturing objects you can t get close to such as a ship sailing in water far from the shore Use a zoom lens to get close up candid shots of people without seeming intrusive or conspicuous Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 114 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Memory Cards Disks and Sticks After the image sensor captures a photo in your digital camera the digital information is stored on removable media such as a CompactFlash or Smart Media card a memory stick a floppy disk a CD a microdrive a miniature storage card or a secure multimedia card Floppy disks and CDs have the advantage of being inexpensive and easy to find even if you re traveling abroad Floppy disks however have very limited storage capacity Memory cards are small durable and reusable And storage technology has been steadily improving so you can now find cards that store as much as 1 gigabyte GB Memory cards can be reused over and over which over time makes them less expensive than film Buying additional storage media like these CompactFlash cards allows you to take many more photos i
103. e when you advance the film Film can be streaked or fogged in these cases To avoid static electricity be sure to shoot in single frame mode If your camera offers the option of switching from automatic to Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 211 manual film advance switch to manual mode and then advance the film slowly m Rely on a zoom lens In cold conditions you want to avoid handling icy cold lenses In extremely cold weather a metal lens case can stick to your fingers and a plastic lens case could potentially break Instead mount a zoom lens with the most versatile range to avoid changing lenses m Transition the camera between temperature changes As Peter Burian recommends in The Joy of Winter Photography when you first go out doors allow your gear to cool down Once you re in the field Burian cau tions against taking cold photo equipment into a warm or humid vehicle or building for short periods If you do so condensation will form on the exterior of the camera and this moisture will freeze when you return outdoors he says When you must take cold photo equipment indoors keep it inside a camera bag with the zippers closed tight he adds In addition to these tips be sure to follow general safety precautions and that includes having the following Fully charged cell phone spare battery and car charger cord Compass Flashlight Bottled water Map Notepad and pens Blankets in the car Small tool set
104. eat photos If you enjoy the articles here check Tips amp Tricks regularly for the most recent articles news about the latest gear and photo tips for current seasons and holidays Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 162 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks How Photo Savvy Are You Online Mini Course on Photography Basics Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie Knowing the basics of photography is the key to getting the kind of photos you want For a quick review of the basics take this quiz and test your photographic mettle Photo taken at 1 8 1 100 sec zoom lens set to 35mm on a digital camera When was the last time you found yourself in over your head during a discussion about photography For most casual and occasional snapshooters the answer may be every time the subject of photography comes up Most people don t want to think about the technical details of making pictures until they begin tossing more images into the trash than they paste into the brag book This is when many people realize that they need know at least the basics of cameras and photography to get consistently good pictures Or you may have had an introduction to photographic concepts at some point along the way but the fine points have faded over time Whichever camp you fall into now s a good time to see how photo savvy you are Just take the following quiz by matching the term to the correct definition Don t worry i
105. ect is out of your flash s range your subject may come out too dark in the photo In this situation you can use the Digital Image add flash feature to lighten the dark parts of your photo improving the exposure by imitating the light of a camera flash The add flash feature works by lightening the darkest pixels in your picture and also slightly increasing the contrast When the picture on the left was taken the boats were out of the flash s range so the whole foreground ended up in dark shadow The add flash tool was used in the picture on the right to lighten the foreground and bring out the detail To add flash to a photo 1 On the Touchup menu click Adjust Lighting 2 Under Add Flash drag the slider to the right to add as much flash as you want 3 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 5 Basic Touchup 53 Reducing Backlighting Fixing severe In some photos the subject may be properly exposed but parts ofthe back lighting problems ground may be overexposed where some areas are blown out meaning the tonal range of the photo is not wide enough to show the differences in the top range of lightly colored pixels The reduce backlighting feature darkens the lightest pixels minimizing the blown out look If the lighting problems in your photos are too severe to be repaired by using the adjust lighting features use the selection tools to select the darkest area of the p
106. ections images can be much more effective if you choose a single color as the focal point Of course this approach requires more time and study amid the multitude of colors If the single color is not immediately obvious walk around the area for a while to study the colors and shapes Soon you ll be able to identify the most striking and interesting aspects of the scene that you can then use as the primary compositional element in the image Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 234 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks As you study a scene progressively focus on the smaller details Look for what I call designs within the design These smaller designs or arrangements are microcosms of the overall scene and they can provide endless shooting opportunities As you walk around remember that when you emphasize color as a focal point the overall composition should be simple Find an area or subject where you can eliminate competing and distracting elements from the composition by zooming in and consequently compressing perspective reducing depth of field by choosing a wider aperture a smaller f number or changing your shooting position The repetition of red in this photo helps unify the composition After you have a good sense of the composition you want experiment with different angles focal lengths and positions until you find the framing and perspective that is most effective Then as you settle on a final compos
107. ed mataran ken an aa a en 149 Five Tips for Successful Scanning ce dm einen si recie ie innen 149 1 Keep Your Scanner and Originals Clean cecinere eigene 149 2 Preview and Correct the Sc n sis re een 149 3 Sc nsat a High Resolution joie oet e toilette e de d eterna 150 4 Choose the TIFF Format ete dietas e ate ad oi e tage date edes 150 5 Convert Larse TIFF Files to JPEG ot t t cre hd UA en 150 Chapter 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos su sorssursonssossonssnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnsnansonssonssnnsanns 151 Setting Screen Resolution io dee testes db eere di ida 153 Setting Monitor Color Quality iieri en eret o eaS ann idad 155 Calibrating for Brightness Contrast and RGB Values uuensensesseeneensenneennnnnennnnnennennnnnen nennen 157 Controlling Ambient Light tactica schen 158 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks sesssessnsssonsnnssnssonsnunsonsnonsonsnnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnssnssnnsnnssonsnnnsann 159 How Photo Savvy Are You inician 162 What Makes a Photo Cro0d reet ye ERR EUR HERE PAIR HERES Rex pee Peering 177 PhotoEhallenge Tella Story metre a dotate lee dd ia 186 Weekend Photo Ideas nennen ea lecken 190 Six Easy Ways to Improve Your Photography erene nennen EE 195 Six Digital Photo Problems ae ae Eike 202 Winter Camera Care Tips etn nina 210 Tips for Online Auction Photos uera ostii d an 212 The Fast Tr
108. ed to edit objects individually you can flatten objects into a single object This allows you to work on the objects together and reduce the number of objects in your composite Also many editing tasks cannot be performed on a multiple selec tion But if you flatten the objects together they become a single object so you will be able to edit them together To flatten multiple objects Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace 2 Pressing CTRL click each thumbnail on the Stack 3 Onthe Edit menu click Flatten Selected Objects Automatic Flattening When working with objects that are multiple selected or grouped some editing tasks such as using advanced selection tools will automatically flatten the selected objects into a single object Digital Image will give you a warning message whenever two or more objects will need to be flattened to perform an editing function When you see a warning message about flattening you can click Cancel to prevent the objects from being flattened Flattening Objects During Saving When you save a composite picture in the PNG Plus file format each object is preserved separately When you open the file again you can edit each individual object However most file formats for images do not support multiple objects So if you save a picture in the JPEG format for example all the objects will be flattened into a single object Even if you open such a JPEG file in Digital Image you
109. emember seeing the scene That is part of the reason we respond to them with a positive sense of familiarity However colors photographed in the cooler light at twilight or in overcast conditions or in the warmer light of sunrise and sunset offer a new perspective on familiar colors and subjects and provide a more creative backdrop for pho tographs Overcast and after the rain conditions in particular produce richer more saturated colors For example red leaves photographed against a twilight backdrop instead of in daylight create a moody interpretation that suggests a sense of mystery or drama u m In the dim light of a rainy day the red leaves in this photo look especially vivid For interior photographs look for strong sources of natural light as from a win dow or a skylight The glow of light coming from one direction can illuminate your subject dramatically Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 138 Recomposing a photo with Digital Image After a photo has been transferred to your computer use the crop tool in Digital Image to change the composition By clipping away the edges of the photo you can reposition your subject to comply with the rule of thirds Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 5 Follow the Rule of Thirds When composing a photograph many beginning photographers always center their subject directly in the middle of the frame While this technique may be the easiest way to get th
110. en find and fine tune your personal style Like your voice your photographic style will make your images immediately recognizable by those familiar with your work For anyone unfamiliar with your work your personal style will distinguish your images from those of other photographers While style admittedly is difficult to explain it is perhaps the one characteristic that ultimately pays the biggest dividends Developing a personal style is one of those things that is easier to write about than it is to create Style can be what you specialize in your characteristic approach to any subject an element that you include in virtually every image a guideline you consistently and successfully break a personal point of view humor juxtapositions a penchant for extreme simplicity a passion for a subject or a stylized darkroom treatment Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 224 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Each suggestion in this article could easily merit its own article However if you have limited time any of these ideas should provide a jump start to make noticeable and positive changes in your photographs Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 225 Photo Ops in the Most Unusual Places Alleys and Other Worthwhile Detours Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie Hidden from the incessant human need to clean up alleys provide surprising photo opportun ties
111. er 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 187 This shot is symbolic of the Seattle earthquake aftermath Fratkin felt so strongly about the stories told in the images taken by Sarajevo photographers during the Bosnian war that she committed the last five years to getting their stories told in images She created the book and exhibition in which the images taken by nine Sarajevo photographers tell the story of war from their intensely personal perspective The hardest part This challenge shooting the story in a single shot isn t easy By comparison it makes perfecting the technical aspects of an image look like child s play But I ve spent the past few months trying it anyway And I continue to try This photo challenge has the potential for changing the way you shoot every image whether it s pictures of your children of your family of nature or of still life scenes If you re like me you ll think a lot about what telling the story means Remember that the key is to convey the meaning to viewers to help them understand what you understand about the subject Lessons along the way Here are some of the things Pve learned about using my camera to tell a story 1 Most often what you see in front of you is a pretty picture but it isn t the story 2 Tounderstand the story whether it s small large humorous or profound you have to contemplate research watch and talk but mostly listen I ve spent time thinking reading an
112. es a softer more flatter ing portrait light Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 119 Using Your Camera s Manual Settings In today s camera marketplace the lines between manual and automatic cam eras have become blurred It used to be that manual cameras were 35mm SLR single lens reflex cameras with manual controls for focusing aperture shutter speed and film speed On the other end of the spectrum were fully automatic cameras with very limited controls possibly only a shutter button For serious camera users the manual SLR cameras were usually the best option since they offered so much control The creative process was not left to the automatic settings of a camera Automatic point and shoot cameras were good for novice photographers who didn t want to worry about setting the cam era controls Many automatic cameras could produce adequate or even excellent photos without requiring knowledge of advanced photography concepts While you can still find fully automatic and fully manual cameras many of today s cameras offer different modes for different degrees of automatic and manual control For example some SLR film cameras let you switch to an auto matic mode where the camera determines everything from focusing to setting the aperture Many compact digital cameras are designed to be used primarily in automatic mode but also allow you to switch to program and manual modes to control ex
113. es to a Web site for printing or if you send your pictures to be viewed or printed on other computers you may find that the colors are not as accurate Adjusting the video adapter Some video adapters allow you to make adjustments to brightness contrast and RGB values through the video adapter dialog box Let your ink dry before calibrating Some printer inks change color slightly during the drying process which can take as much as eight hours If this is the case with your printer let the print dry overnight before using it to calibrate your monitor Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 158 Preserving your settings If you share your computer with other people you might want cover your monitor s controls with tape to keep them in place after you ve calibrated the monitor Tape might help the settings from being unintentionally changed Just don t make it impossible to change them when you need to Decreasing light for best results If you re working in a room with bright ambient light the photo on your monitor seems to be less vivid and have less contrast especially on flat panel monitors or laptop computers Chapter 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos For greater color accuracy you may want to invest in specialized calibration instruments and software Available in camera shops and on the Web calibra tion tools help you get precise calibration for your monitor so you can genera
114. ew your photos Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 116 Upgrading your flash If your camera supports an external flash consider buying one especially if you take a lot of indoor photos of people An external flash will give you much more control and often better results The range of your flash Check your camera s manual to find out the recommended range for your flash Most on camera flashes are designed to illuminate a subject that is 10 to 15 feet from the camera If the flash is too close your subject may look too bright or washed out in the photo If you re too far away the flash doesn t provide enough light Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Using the Flash Learning to use the flash is one of the easiest ways to get better photos both indoors and outdoors Especially when you re photographing people overpow ering light from the flash can ruin the shot often in ways that are difficult to correct with photo editing software Most inexpensive and moderately priced cameras come equipped with a built in flash The flash may be programmed to go off automatically when the camera senses that the flash is needed But relying on the camera s judgment will not always give you the best results Built in flashes can create harsh shadows overexposed areas and unnatural looking light Read your camera s manual to learn what the recommended flash range is and to find out how to adjust different flash se
115. f the cooler bluish illumination of the foreground increases the contrast to the warm colors of the sky Carry foul weather gear If you decide to shoot in changeable fall weather be sure to carry foul weather protection for you and your camera Be creative Try multiple exposure images turn the camera at an uncon ventional angle use a fast film or crank up the ISO on a digital camera and shoot in low light to create images with coarse grain or noise Then try adding a soft focus or warm up filter The most important tip Okay maybe I should have said this first but it works just as well here Before you go out to shoot think about what autumn means to you Knowing what you think how you feel is as important as the camera and gear you use and how much you know about photography Why What you think translates directly Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 237 into what and how you take pictures And ultimately what you think is what will be the key that sets this series of fall photographs apart from yet more sweeping landscape shots of red yellow and orange trees Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 238 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Digital Image Editing 101 Careful correction can make the difference between an image being a throwaway or a keeper Taking the picture is half of the fun of photography The other half of the fun is in the di
116. f you don t already know the fine points of exposure The answers give you the basic information and at the end of the quiz you ll learn how all Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 163 of the elements combine to create good exposures and how you can use them creatively What is ISO a An abbreviation for Industry Standard Optics that determine the resolution of your camera s lens b Iam clueless Should I care c It indicates how sensitive the film is to light Correct answer C ISO and ISO equivalent settings on digital cameras are numbers that indicate the film s or digital image sensor s sensitivity to light In other words the amount of light required to make an accurate exposure The higher the ISO number the more sensitive the film or sensor is to light or the less light will be needed to make a picture The ISO is encoded on film canisters Most cameras automatically read the code and auto matically set the ISO for you The ISO sequence runs as 20 25 32 40 50 64 80 100 125 160 200 250 320 400 and so on up to 6400 although not all of these numbers are currently in use An easy way to think about ISO is to know that ISO 200 film or the equivalent digital setting is twice as sensitive to light as the ISO 100 setting If you use ISO 200 the film or image sensor requires half as much light to make an exposure as ISO 100 film Photographers refer to film o
117. few of the characteristic problems associated with digital cameras and tips on how to avoid them Getting to know the peculiarities of your digital camera is the key to getting the best digital images 1 Bizarre colors happen Too green too yellow or too blue images most often mean that you didn t set the white balance before you took the picture What you may still be asking is a white balance setting The white balance setting tells the camera the type specifically the color temperature of the light you re shooting in In turn the camera looks at the setting you chose and adjusts colors so that white objects appear white in the final image White balance settings are the digital equivalent of choosing daylight versus tungsten film or using color compensa tion filters For example if you take a picture under fluorescent lights and you neglect to set the white balance to fluorescent the picture will have an unattractive green cast If you take a picture under common household tungsten or other incandescent light the picture will have an equally unattractive yellow cast Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 204 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks In this picture the white balance was set to tungsten and the color balance in the image is accurate Photo taken with an Olympus Camedia D 230 How to avoid it Many cameras have white balance settings that cover the spectrum of different color temperat
118. flash and then take test shots standing at different distances from the subject If images are too light note how close you were to the subject and step back If the images have dark outer edges or flash fall off step in closer to the sub ject Also look for obvious hot spots and determine whether you need to dial down the flash unit s power if your camera offers this option or use a diffuser either homemade or commercial on the flash unit 6 Eerie patterns emerge Moir pronounced mwah RAY is a pattern of wavy or rippled lines created when repetitive elements intersect You can see this effect by looking through two wire screens and then rotating one slightly You also can sometimes see a moire in newspaper photographs when the printer s halftone screen intersects at an angle that creates an eerie pattern The image sensors in most digital cameras are composed of a grid of light sen sitive cells When you photograph repetitive patterns bars stripes plaids and so on an interference pattern or moir can result In addition most autofocus systems do not perform well with repetitive subjects What to do The most important step is to be aware that this can happen when you take pictures of subjects that include repetitive patterns You can vary the focal length zoom in and out and vary the angle from which you re shooting If you still get moire in the image try using the blur tool in your image editing Micros
119. folder list locate and open the folder or location that contains the pictures Thumbnails of pictures in that folder appear in the right pane Select the picture you want to open To select multiple pictures press CTRL as you click the thumbnails Click Open Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures 17 Opening pictures from other cameras If your camera does not show up as a drive in the file browser it is probably designed to work using TWAIN or WIA support For many cameras Digital Image works with TWAIN and WIA and your camera s software so that you can open photos directly into Digital Image To open photos from a camera that uses WIA support 1 Make sure that you have installed all the drivers and software that came with your camera Connect your digital camera to your computer and then turn on the camera On the File menu point to Get Picture From and then click Digital Camera Under Select a camera or drive click a camera To launch the Mini Lab after opening the pictures click Yes under After downloading your pictures do you want to edit them in Mini Lab Click Automatic Download Click Download The pictures stored on the camera are appear in the workspace Click Download all pictures or To download an individual picture drag the picture from the workspace to the Files palette Click Done Using your camera s software Some digital camera
120. for 86 picture cropping 43 picture features 58 picture resizing 29 prints 101 109 storage media 114 text 31 skewing picture features 75 skin touch ups 51 73 131 slides scanning 145 149 SLR single lens reflex cameras 119 smaller print sizes 101 small aperture 122 165 SmartMedia card 114 Smart Erase tool 49 smearing picture features 75 snapshots scanning 145 soft edge effect 85 special effects See also objects colors 71 filters 69 freehand 71 stamps 72 speeds scanner 149 splotchy color 111 spots removing 50 Stack 28 57 stained glass filter 69 stamps painting with 72 Startup Window 25 static electricity 146 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual still life photography 192 storage media 13 114 story telling with photography 182 186 stretching picture features 58 subjects selecting photography 190 sunlight 118 233 sunsets 236 T table of contents 33 tabs 32 technical support 35 temperature changes cameras and 210 temporary object links 60 text adding to pictures 30 texture sampling 73 TGA files 16 thumbnails Files palette 28 objects 57 rearranging order 28 TIF files 16 96 time monitor calibrations 157 print lifespan ratings 102 shutterlags 129 tint adjustments 40 tonal range 45 toolbar 27 31 touching up pictures See editing pictures touchup tools 39 transferring files importing 13 transparency adapters 145 tripod substitutes 133 tutorials 35 TWAIN 17 twilight 233 two dimensional
121. g let you set your preferences for each picture Mini Lab does not automatically save your batch edits To save your pictures you can select photos and click Save If you click Done to leave Mini Lab without saving the edits will not be saved Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 8 Adding Edees Mats and Frames 8 Adding Edges Mats and Frames When you ve finished editing a photo you can add polishing touches by sur rounding it with an edge a border a mat or a frame Edge Effects Edge effects alter the outside edge of a photo For portrait photos try the soft edge effect To draw attention to photos that you post on a Web site try apply ing one of the highlighted edges The photo on the left has highlighted edges applied which work great for photos on the Web and in e mail The photo on the right has been enhanced with soft edges To add an edge effect Onthe Stack click the layer to which you want to add the edge effect 2 On the Effects menu point to Edges and then click an edge effect or border 3 Ifavailable click a specific edge or border 4 Follow the instructions on the screen to customize the size or color of the edge or border 5 Click Done Shrinking a picture to show the edge effect Some edge effects appear only behind and outside the picture So if your picture reaches the edge of the canvas you might not be able to see the edge effect when you pri
122. ge Beyond a quick though perhaps appreciative first glance most sunset photos are quickly forgotten And in large numbers they quickly become ho hummers However when the photographer adds an element that gives the sunset context and interest you have a sunset photo with impact and one that is far more likely to capture and retain the viewer s interest The sunset photo here includes the activity of people enjoying the last moments of the day against the backdrop of the dramatic late day color To evaluate your own photos for a strong center of interest try asking yourself these questions Or show the picture to a friend and ask your friend to honestly answer the questions m When you look at the photo what is the first thing you see If you re evaluating your own image is what you see first the subject you had in mind for the photograph What holds your eye the longest Do other elements in the image compete with the subject for attention Do technical aspects such as light and the direction of light depth of field focus and so on add to or detract from the subject Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 179 The activity of people on the piers adds interest beyond the colors of the sunset Is the image composed well In a strong photo there should be a sense of overall organization While entire books are written on composition at the most basic level composition i
123. ght correcting both the brightness and contrast levels 39 Making a copy to touch up Never edit an original photo Always make a copy and edit only the copy If you aren t satisfied with the results you can always start again by making another copy from the original Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 40 Setting the white balance ona digital camera Many digital cameras allow you to set the white balance for specific types of light Such as sunlight incandescent and flash Using this feature can help reduce tint problems in your photos Zooming in to find white If there are no significant areas of white in your photo use the zoom controls to magnify the picture on the screen When you zoom in you may be able to use a very small area of white such as the whites of a person s eyes Chapter 5 Basic Touchup Adjusting Tint When you take photographs the source of the light can create a colored cast in the photo We tend to think of light being white but nearly every light source has its own unique color For example natural sunlight has more blue in it while incandescent tungsten lights including most household light bulbs give off a reddish or yellowish cast When taking a photo you can compensate for these different colors of light by setting the white balance with a digital camera or using special filters on a film camera But 1f you still end up with a cast in your photos
124. ght likely to be present in those conditions and should produce photos that require little or no color correction Read your camera s manual to find out about specific white balance settings it offers With film cameras there is no way the camera itself can compensate for dif ferent lighting conditions But there are two ways you can compensate for the colored light m Use film designed for specific lighting situations Tungsten balanced films for example help to neutralize the color of tungsten or halogen illumination m Use a filter on your camera lens For example if you re using daylight balanced film but want to shoot indoors you can use a blue colored filter to absorb the overriding yellows and reds of the indoor incandescent lights Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 127 Using Automatic Modes on Your Camera Many of the automatic cameras sold today even some of the less expensive models have preprogrammed modes that are designed for special situations Sometimes called program modes these modes automatically adjust your cam era to special settings designed specifically for things like macro photography action shots portraits panoramic mode or picture series If you re a beginning photographer who is not always confident enough to adjust your camera s manual settings use the automatic modes to help you take better photos If your camera does not allow you to adjust setti
125. gital darkroom getting that great finished image that you can t wait to show off to everyone who s willing to look at it Yeah right you say but I m not Ansel Adams and I know nothing about editing pictures While digital image editing often mirrors traditional wet darkroom picture processing you don t have to have traditional darkroom experience to perform everything from minor fixes to minor miracles in a short time with digital images And in many cases you can save pictures you would have otherwise thrown away Notice that I said many not all cases Regardless of the small miracles you can perform there will be some images that no amount of computer editing will fix Image editing software is good but alas far from perfect For example if the detail is blown out of highlight areas no amount of editing will put detail into the area You can use a cloning tool to paint in detail from a similar area but the process is tricky tedious and the results can look artificial Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 239 Tone and color adjustments made this image a standout for color and contrast But if you follow good darkroom process and practices my bet is that you ll get more keepers than you thought possible And what s more you can polish those exceptional images into a portfolio of personal best pictures that you ll be proud to share
126. h speed films produce a finer grain structure which is less noticeable Since digital cameras use an image sensor instead of film there is no way to actually change the film speed However many digital cameras provide the digital equivalent of an ISO Sometimes called the sensitivity setting this feature allows you in effect to change the ISO setting For example if you are shooting in a low light situation you can switch from ISO 100 to ISO 400 With most digital cameras setting the digital equivalent of the ISO setting to a faster speed can introduce noise to the photo Similar to the graininess from high ISO film noise is random pixels in the photo that are slightly off color or too bright Cameras vary widely so it is worthwhile to experiment with your digital camera s ISO settings and examine the results In low light situations consider turning off the flash and setting the camera to a faster ISO setting This may produce some noise in the photo But that result might be preferable to what you d get by taking the photo at slower ISO setting with the harsh lighting of the on camera flash ASA versus ISO If you have an older camera the film speed dial might be labeled ASA instead of ISO These film speed ratings are the same and the ratings are interchangeable Avoid sharpening a photo with noise Do not use the sharpen feature in Digital Image on digital photos with noticeable noise sharpening accentuates the
127. hat you can discard portions of the image that you don t want or that do not contribute to the image You can also center attention on the subject The downside of cropping is that it reduces the overall size and therefore the resolution of the image thus limiting how much you can enlarge the image for printing For this reason it is always best to do as much cropping as possible in the camera as you take the picture Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 247 cropped the image and cloned out the background distractions For example if you crop out a third of an overall image the resulting image may not have a high enough resolution to print larger than 5 x 7 To order an 8 x 10 enlargement from MSN Photos the image must be at least 1536 x 1024 pixels And it follows that to get a poster size enlargement it s a good idea to avoid cropping the original image at all 7 Size the image for printing e mail and the Web Assuming that by now you have a flawless version of a picture you can make copies of the final image and size each copy for the medium in which you want to print or display it The following table provides the minimum image dimensions needed for each print size available from MSN Photos Print size inches Min width pixels Min height pixels 4x6 800 600 5x7 1050 750 8x10 1536 1024 11x14 1750 1375 16 x 20 poster 2500 2000 18 x 24 poster 2500 2000
128. have no built in subjects I ve learned to look very closely at the things I ve found to photograph even mushrooms Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 192 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks However if mushrooms don t appeal to you then one of the best ways to solve the dilemma of what to shoot is to give yourself an assignment For example shoot everyday objects and people from the perspective of a child Do some research for the assignment and find out how tall a three year old child is and then shoot from that height and that mental and emotional viewpoint With every assignment work on techniques such as perspective depth of field and macro photography Experiment with different shutter speeds and focal lengths Here are some more ideas for finding interesting and inspiring photography subjects People and things Public parks are ideal for photographing people and their playthings For example parks are a great place to get shots of details on a bicycle sports equipment in a heap on the basketball court sidelines the silhouette of a child playing on the slide or a boat floating lazily on the lake In the park and in public always ask permission before you photograph people and children and even pets The park is a great place to find photo subjects Use your time in the park to work on techniques such as low light shooting panning action shots and cutaway shots This is also a good place to use a
129. he first number indicates the number of lines the scanner can see vertically which is the highest resolution the scanner can achieve before interpolating generating extra pixels The higher the resolution the scanner can achieve before it interpolates the better the resulting scan 2 Look for USB Connections New scanners offer USB Universal Serial Bus connectivity which makes them easier to connect to computers When compared to the older serial port connection USB data transfer is significantly faster which is especially impor tant for the large files created by high resolution scanning If your computer does not have a USB port consider adding one Some newer scanners also sup port FireWire IEEE 1394 connectivity which is faster than USB but requires a FireWire card on your computer Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 12 Successful Scanning 149 3 Check the Dynamic Range Dynamic range or D range refers to a scale of brightness values from pure white to black Dynamic range is indicated with a number from 0 to 4 with a larger number indicating a wider range A scanner with a wide dynamic range m Captures more detail in bright areas of an image m Differentiates between various shades of black m Creates less digital noise pixels with inaccurate color information in shadow areas If you want a scanner for digitizing prints a D range of 2 3 1s adequate But if you plan to scan negatives you need
130. he guidelines 6 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 5 Basic Touchup 45 Using the Adjust Levels Tool Lighting problems in some photos need more precise adjustment than can be achieved with the Levels auto fix or manual brightness and contrast controls To achieve greater control you can use the adjust levels tool which includes a histogram The histogram is a visual representation of the photo s tonal range or the distribution of the pixels across the 256 degrees of brightness In the histogram pictured below the horizontal axis represents the range from the darkest pixels shadows on the left to the lightest pixels highlights on the right For each point in the range along the horizontal axis the height of the graph represents the percentage of pixels at that degree of brightness The example below shows the histogram of a photo that has a concentration of pixels between the shadows and the midtones with very few pixels at the lighter end of the range An image with a histogram like this would look very dark and have poor contrast lh For most photos it s best to have a fairly even distribution across the tonal range so there is contrast between the light and dark areas The following histogram example has the tones much more evenly distributed Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 46 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup If you are not satisfied with the results ofthe manual brightness and
131. help you evaluate whether focus and exposure settings are appropriate for an image include m Is the sharpest point in the image on the center of interest of the subject of the photo m Does the depth of field enhance the subject mood or look of the image or does it distract from it Does the focal length or zoom setting enhance the subject and message Does the image have good overall contrast for the type image the photog rapher intended m Does the color appear natural and or does it help set the mood of the image m Ifthe image is in color would it be stronger in black and white or vice versa The sharpest focus should be on the most important aspect of the subject For pictures of people the sharpest focus point should be on the subject s eyes Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 182 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Does the photo tell a story Most often the difference between a photo you remember and one that you quickly forget depends on whether the photo tells a story As a viewer I want to see the story and this is one of the most important evaluation points I look for in other photographer s images It is also the element that I always try to include in my images In strong photos the story is revealed at first glance and it is self contained In the best images the story evokes an emotional response from the viewer I believe it s that emotional response that ultimately makes the
132. hich you want to search and then click List Topics 3 In the Select Topic to display list select the topic you want to view and then click Display Product Tour The Digital Image Tour uses pictures and text to demonstrate popular features and new features of the program To take the product tour 1 On the Help menu click Take A Tour The Tour opens displaying icons to represent different categories of features 2 Click an icon A feature list appears on the left side of the window 3 Click a feature Graphics and text appear that explain the feature 4 Repeat steps 2 4 to learn about more features 5 To close the Tour click Close Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 4 Digital Image Basics 35 Instructional Videos Instructional Videos use animation and narration to show you how to use a variety of image editing features on your photos To watch an Instructional Video 1 On the Help menu click Instructional Videos The Help window opens to a topic about Instructional Videos 2 Click a video title link The Video player opens and the Video begins The Instructional Videos are accompanied by complete online tutorials that let you walk through the tasks at your own pace To open the online tutorial click the Written Tutorial button on the Video player Technical Support The type of Technical Support resources available vary based on where you live and how you obtained your Digital I
133. hoto Then try adjusting the lighting just to the selected area The picture on the left lacks detail in the bright areas of the clouds diminishing the beauty of the sky In the picture on the right the reduce backlighting tool was applied which darkens the lighter pixels To reduce backlighting in a photo Onthe Touchup menu click Adjust Lighting 2 Under Reduce Backlighting drag the slider to the right to reduce as much backlighting as you want 3 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 6 Advanced Photo Editing 6 Advanced Photo Editing 57 After you have done general touch ups to your pictures you may want to use advanced editing tools for more precise editing or to apply special effects The selection tools and multiple object composites give you the power to edit very specific areas of your pictures You ll also be able to transform your pictures with filters color and edge effects and specialized editing brushes Understanding Objects For many advanced photo editing tasks you ll need to understand the concept of objects An object is a part of a picture that can be edited individually For example when you add text to a picture the text is a separate object from the background image When you edit the text say making the font color red the background picture remains unchanged because it 1s a separate object Working with Composites A picture that contains multiple
134. htest white in the picture when you set the white point For general purposes remember that the opposite of red is cyan green blue the opposite of green is magenta bright pink and the opposite of blue is yellow Typically very small adjustments can make a big difference Watch the picture to see how the adjustment is affecting the entire image as you work Depending on the image editing program that you use there can be one or many ways to adjust color balance For example Digital Image Pro uses the Hue and Saturation and Brightness and Contrast tasks on the Touchup menu to change the overall color balance Although vivid colors are good you can Although it may be difficult to see go too far For example this image is at this size adjusting the color balance unnaturally blue creates more realistic color casts for both the sky and the water Tip The hue saturation and brightness options are especially useful in restor ing faded colors in old family photographs you ve scanned If your image editing program allows you to make color adjustments by indi vidual channel you can fine tune color corrections by channel a method many Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 245 professionals swear by Or if your program offers an automatic color balance option you can try that Keep in mind though that the automatic adjustment changes all colors in the image not just the ones you
135. hutter lag will not be highlighted on the camera s packaging but you can figure it out through your own experience First focus your camera on a spot that the runner will cross in about 10 seconds When the runner is only four seconds away from your target spot press the shutter button The exposure should occur just as the runner comes into your field of focus Another way to shoot a moving subject is to pan your camera with the action While a stop action photo freezes everything in the photo panning your camera keeps your moving subject in focus but blurs the background For this effect you do not want to use the action mode because you do not want a fast shutter speed To accomplish this effect follow your moving subject in the viewfinder or LCD screen as it moves but pan the camera so that your subject remains in the same position in the frame Your result won t show the subject in Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 130 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Showing the whole series online Digital Image offers Flipbook animations as a creative way to present a series of photos in sequence as clear a focus as stop action but the blurred background helps to pronounce the speed and movement of your subject Since the camera panned with the subject the girl is in fairly sharp focus and the background is blurred This helps convey movement Burst Mode Burst mode is a feature that allows you to take a series of
136. hy 210 sampling picture features blending brush 74 clone brush 73 saving pictures 95 scanners automatic enhancing 149 batching 149 bit depth 147 cleaning 146 dynamic range 149 film 146 flatbed 145 large pictures 148 multi page scanning 145 opening pictures from 20 optimizing performance 149 overview 145 preparing pictures for 146 previewing image 149 purchasing 148 resolution 147 148 speed 149 TIFF format 150 types 145 USB 148 Index 257 Scan a Picture button 25 scratch removal 146 screen settings ambient light 158 brightness 157 color adjustments 157 color settings 155 contrast 157 overview 153 preserving settings 158 resolution 153 RGB values 157 viewable area adjustments 154 VRAM 156 searching online Help 34 selection tools described 28 Edge Finder 66 freehand 65 Magic Wand 67 marquee 64 object 58 overview 63 self timer features 133 sending prints or gifts 103 sensitivity camera setting 125 163 sepia tones 71 series photo 130 setting white balance 235 shadows 45 118 232 sharpening pictures 69 sharp prints 101 Show button 27 Show on startup checkbox 26 shrinking picture features 75 shrinking picture to show edge 85 shutterlag 129 shutter priority mode 124 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 258 Index shutter speeds 123 170 side lighting 232 single picture printing 99 size Digital Image workspace 153 e mails 98 file compression 111 flattened PNG files 97 odd sized pictures mats
137. ig Georgia Rettmer and Kimberly Rinehart Great Arrow Graphics Jay P Morgan Jeanine M Frazier EthnoGraphics Jesus amp Margaret Flores EthnoGraphics Jim Z Zhang EthnoGraphics Joann Pecoraro EthnoGraphics Joseph Polevoi EthnoGraphics Karen Gutowsky Kay Erickson EthnoGraphics Keith Henry Brown EthnoGraphics Kersti Wells Kiki Oberstenfeld de Suarez KOKO New York Kristin Elliott Kristin Nelson Tinker EthnoGraphics Larry LaBonte Laura Schuman Leeann Lidz EthnoGraphics Linda G Fisher EthnoGraphics linneadesign com Lisa R Foster EthnoGraphics Liz Kahlenberg Bordow Lorie L Clark EthnoGraphics Madison Park Greetings MARA MI Marian Heath Greeting Cards Maril Delly EthnoGraphics Marisela Godoy EthnoGraphics Mark Downey EthnoGraphics ME GRAPHICS Northern Exposure NRN Designs Corporation Painted Hearts amp Friends Palm Press Inc Paula Doherty 2001 Advocate Art Penny Laine Papers Pinx A Card Co Inc Rebecca Pavlenko Red Farm Studio Roobee Sally Martin do Gastelum EthnoGraphics Sandi Carpenter EthnoGraphics Sara Schneidman Snafu Designs Socially Yours Steve Haskamp Steve Katz Suzanne Tornquist EthnoGraphics Xiaoxing Yu EthnoGraphics Bottman Design Inc Chris Roberts Antieau Bottman Design Inc Paris Bottman Fan Mail Greeting Card Co Dona Rozanski LARKSPU
138. igital zoom and compression did not exist with film cameras because the technology did not exist But it s important to understand what these features do and when it s appropriate to use them or in some cases not use them Photo Quality A digital photograph is composed of tiny colored squares called pixels short for picture elements Like a mosaic the pixels blend together to form a picture Each digital photo consists of a set number of pixels ranging from a few thousand to millions When a digital camera takes a photo it creates a digital file that specifies the number of pixels and the precise color of each pixel Pixels are not a set size so they can shrink or enlarge if photo size changes When a photo is enlarged too much the individual pixels become visible mak ing a poor quality photo The original photo on the left was saved at high resolution and you can see sharp detail The photo on the right has been saved at such low resolution that you can see the individual pixels The number of pixels that make up a photo is the photo s resolution Resolution and compression are key factors in determining the quality of a digital photo The following sections explain resolution and compression Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 109 Resolution Resolution is one ofthe main determinants of photo quality since itisa measure of the total number of pixels that make up a photogr
139. image memorable Try asking these questions as you evaluate images to decide ifthe image tells a story Ata minimum does the photo make a statement that you can articulate m Does the photo elicit an emotion In other words can you relate to the subject or the situation m What could be changed in the image to give it a stronger story or mes sage Photos that tell a story are always strongest even if they fail to meet some of the other criteria Does the lighting enhance the subject and message Like the composition lighting is a subject that is worthy of book length discussions Whether in shooting or evaluating photos light should be used to its maximum potential to reveal what s important in the image and to set the overall tone of the photo In masterful hands lighting 1s used selectively to focus attention on specific areas of the subject while simultaneously de emphasizing less important areas Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 183 to guide leading the eye through the composition and to establish the overall mood and tone of the image by taking advantage of the different temperatures colors of light Light is another design tool that can be used to enhance the overall mood and intent of the image and subject For example when taking a portrait of a man a strong unfiltered white side light may be appropriate because it emphasizes the man s rugged and angu
140. inal creative photos that you won t find anywhere else Capture some of the local color by photographing a lively food vendor stationed near the monument and the monument can be the back drop in your frame Or use the self timer to capture you and your companion sampling the local fare that you ve bought from the food vendor in front of the monument Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 140 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 7 Bracket The term bracket means to create exposures that are both lighter and darker than the camera or light meter indicates The idea is to second guess the purely mechanical exposure meter so that you get the right exposure If you re taking photos of a sunset a scenic vista or a plant you have the time to bracket With these subjects you re also likely to have a wider range of tones to record than your camera can handle especially if your subject is brightly lit So how do you bracket with an automatic camera Most digital cameras and many automatic cameras have an exposure compensation feature sometimes called the EV setting If you set the exposure compensation for 1 the shot is one stop underexposed darker than normal If you set the camera for 1 the shot is one stop overexposed lighter than normal So you can bracket by tak ing three photos one each at the 1 0 and 1 settings Some cameras offer an automatic feature which takes a range of photos each with a different exposure
141. intosh PICT pct m Micrografx Designer drw m PC Paintbrush pcx m Picture It Digital Image php mix px PNG png TIFF tif Targa tga Windows Bitmap bmp m Windows Metafile wmf File Formats There are many file formats designed for photos or other digital images Digital Image can work with JPEG TIFF and many other file formats If your camera allows you to choose file formats for your photos you can decide which format to use based on your particular criteria photo quality file size or compatibility with other programs The JPEG format is the most common format for photos JPEG files are versa tile since they can accommodate over 16 million colors can be compressed and can be viewed in any Web browser To reduce file size the JPEG format always uses compression although the degree of compression varies by camera Experiment with the compression settings on your camera to find a low compression setting that produces good or excellent results Because JPEG uses some compression every time a file is saved many photo purists prefer formats like TIFF over JPEG The TIFF format provides an extremely accurate recording of digital image data Some cameras can use a lossless compression method with TIFF But even with some compression TIFF files are generally larger than JPEG files for pho tos with the same resolution For example a single uncompressed 5 megapixel TIFF image is larger than 10 MB
142. irectly to the Tips amp Tricks section of the MSN Photos Web site m Register Online links you to the registration page of the Microsoft Web site Recent Files See thumbnails of the last four pictures that you have edited Click on one of the thumbnails to open that file More Files Click More Files to open the file browser where you can open photos from your hard drive a network drive a digital photo card reader a CD or DVD or a floppy disk Close Click to close the Startup Window and go to the main work area Chapter 4 Digital Image Basics 27 Examining the Work Area Most of the photo editing tasks you perform in Digital Image will be in the main work area When you open Digital Image and close the Startup Window you see the main work area The picture below identifies the key elements of the Digital Image work area WwW Menus Menus provide access to all of the Digital Image features The Help menu gives you access to the Help window the Instructional Videos and the Digital Image Tour Toolbar The toolbar contains shortcut buttons for single click access to some of the most common commands To see the name of a toolbar button hover the mouse pointer over the button Workspace Toolbar This toolbar contains buttons for the Tasks list Stack and Files palette You can create more room in the workspace by hiding any of these tools Common Tasks list The Common Tasks list is an easy way to locate features This
143. ition observe how the primary color is distributed or repeated throughout the entire frame Try to find an angle and framing that allows color repetition to become the unifying element in the composition Also remember to try vertical formats Because cameras are easier to hold in a horizontal position it s easy to overlook the possibilities offered by a vertical composition Last composition checklist Before you take the picture look at everything within the frame again Then ask yourself a series of questions m What more can you do to emphasize the textures lines and form of the subject For example if the day is overcast can you use a fill flash or an off camera side flash to enhance the texture and create depth Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 235 m Is the frame filled Or is there dead space that will be distracting or competing elements that add nothing to the image m Does what you see in the viewfinder communicate the message you want to share with viewers This series of questions should provide enough of a pause to keep you clear of the predictable fall photo rut A fill flash provided critical highlights in this shot Additional shooting and technical tips In addition to color and composition standard shooting tips apply Following are a few to keep in mind m Pick the right film Choose a film that is known for reproducing rich and saturated colo
144. itor 157 converting bit depth 147 copying original versions 95 copying pictures See scanners copying picture features blending brush 74 clone brush 73 Edge Finder 66 copyrights 22 CorelDraw files 16 Create a Project button 26 creativity evaluating 183 cropping pictures 43 64 currently open pictures 28 cutting picture features 66 D D range 149 dark pixels 45 52 daylight 118 default color quality setting 155 depth of field 122 168 maximizing 236 reducing 234 detecting compatibile media 13 device compatibility 13 Diffuse Glow filter 131 digital cameras action shots 129 automatic modes 127 battery life 115 blown highlights 205 burst mode 130 close ups 128 colors 203 compression 111 file formats 112 flash 116 207 focus 204 manualsettings 119 opening pictures from 14 17 overview 108 panoramic 132 photography tips 134 202 portraits 131 removable media 114 repetitive patterns 208 resolution 109 207 self timers 133 sensitivity setting 125 163 zoom 113 Digital Image file formats supported 16 96 112 installing 3 Digital Image Tour 34 digital photo card readers 14 digital zoom 113 digitizing prints See scanners discolored prints 102 displaying See viewing display adapters 157 distortion brush 75 dpi dots per inch 147 drawing artwork effect 69 drivers 99 DRW files 16 dust 50 146 DVDs opening pictures from 14 DXF files 16 dynamic range 149 E e mailed pictures 21 98 147 edge effects 85 E
145. ject Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace On the Stack click the object you want to copy part of On the toolbar click a selection tool and then select part of the object On the Edit menu click Copy The selection is copied to the clipboard 5 If you want to paste the selection onto a different picture open that picture so that it is on the canvas On the Edit menu click Paste The selection becomes a new object on the Stack bh UND a Note If you paste the selection onto the same picture that you copied it from the new object will be in the same position and may not look like a separate object But the new object will be visible on the Stack and you can use the object tool to move resize or rotate the new object Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 69 Filters The term filter originates from the colored glass covers placed over a camera lens The first filters in digital imaging sought to mimic the results of these physical camera filters providing a slight shift in color or increasing the intensity of colors But the filters in Digital Image can create many other effects from sharpening an image to making the picture look like a painting or a mosaic Three different filters were used on the original picture upper left The colored pencil filter upper right the watercolor filter lower left and the film grain filter lower right More filte
146. ject such as the remoteness of this cabin in the woods Childhood memories Recall the activities and symbols that were special to you during childhood and try re creating those memories photographically For example if you had a tree swing find a local tree swing and then photograph it in a way that evokes the emotions you recall feeling when you were a child Or go back to a familiar place from childhood and photograph it from your childhood perspective The hardest thing about making these images is infusing them with the emotion and meaning you want to express Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 194 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Choose a single subject and photograph it repeatedly to help develop your technique and personal style A word Pick a word and photograph it For example what does lonely look like photographically How would you photograph happiness sadness beauty energy imagination creativity hope or productivity Use the palette of light to help express the word the golden quality of sunset the rich pastels of sunrise and the harsh flat light of midday can all help characterize the word you re illustrating One just like that Find a picture from a book magazine or Web site that you wish you d taken and then try to re create the image This is another good way to learn about technique Try to duplicate the light the tone or the perspec tive whatever it is that makes the im
147. k overall Adjusting the tonal range brings out the details and makes a more acceptable image Another good starting point for tonal adjustment is to set the white point Setting the white point maps the lightest pixels in the image to white Some image editing programs allow you to set both white and black points Setting the black point maps the darkest pixels to black When you set a white and or black point the program adjusts the intermediate levels proportionally In Digital Image Pro you set the white point by clicking Adjust Tint on the Touchup menu Then click a place in the photo that is white If there is no white in the picture try the Tint auto fix button or adjust the Color and Amount sliders 3 Adjust color balance In most image editing programs making a single adjustment to a color in the image will affect all of the colors in the image With a color wheel you can predict how a color adjustment will affect the other color in the picture Also you can increase the amount of a color by decreasing the amount of the opposite color on the color wheel and vice versa For example to decrease a reddish cast in a picture try increasing the amount of green To make the sky more blue decrease yellow its opposite color Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 244 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Setting the white point was the starting point for making tonal corrections to this image Be sure to click the lig
148. lar features On the other hand a soft warm color dif fused light is more appropriate for a portrait of a woman because it mirrors the delicate features of these subjects And of course there are few photographers who fail to take advantage of the superb colors of light during sunrises and sunsets When evaluating the lighting merits of a photo ask Is the intensity and color of light appropriate for the subject Is the light too harsh too contrasty or is it too soft and too flat m Are all important aspects of the subject well lit or could the lighting be improved by using a flash fill flash reflector or auxiliary light Does the light help convey the overall message of the photo In a color photo is the color balanced or corrected for the light tempera ture in other words the overall color should be natural looking And if it isn t does the color cast contribute to the photo The right angle and quality of light can transform everyday scenes and objects into photo opportunities Is the approach creative In broad terms I define creative as an image that goes beyond predictable techniques and treatments In more specific terms the best creative images show subjects through the photographers eyes and perspective In other words the photographer reveals the subject in extraordinary ways ways that the viewer otherwise would not have seen Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 184 Chapter 14 The Best
149. lection To feather the selection click Feather on the Magic Wand options palette enter the number of pixels that you want feathered around the edge and then click OK To select the opposite area click Invert on the Magic Wand options palette Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 68 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing Editing and Copying Selected Areas Using the advanced selection tools helps you to isolate a very specific area of a picture for editing or copying For example if a picture has generally good lighting levels but a person s face in the picture is in dark shadows you can make a selection of just the face and then adjust the brightness and contrast only in the selected area And with anti aliasing and feathering the selection your edits to the selected area can look natural since the edited area will blend smoothly with the surrounding pixels Copying Cutting and Pasting Selections Advanced selection tools also allow you to cut out or copy part of an object to create a new object These techniques allow you to trim a hole in a picture or create a new object that can be pasted in the same picture or in a different picture To cut a hole in an object 1 Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace 2 On the Stack click the object you want to cut a hole in 3 On the toolbar click a selection tool and then select part of the object 4 On the Edit menu click Cut To copy and paste part of an ob
150. long lens or to switch to telephoto mode so that you can remain unobtrusive to the activity going on in the park Still life Virtually anything you have around the house is fair game for a great still life photograph from cut crystal to old brooms to nuts and bolts Try pho tographing a wine glass a sandwich fruits and vegetables a piano keyboard musical instruments game tables and a meal on a platter Portray life on a miniature scale by photographing old dolls and toys Arrange the subjects as an artistic composition and then experiment with using window light a flash a flashlight or household lamps You ll find that every subject presents different shooting challenges such as lighting composition and texture Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 193 Reallife Tell a story There is no more powerful use for a camera than for telling a story Photojournalists travel thousands of miles to tell stories of international import But you don t have to go that far to tell the story of your life or the life of someone close to you For example one reader recently had a photo epiphany she decided to use her camera to tell the story of her aging mother Stories of life are close by and they are powerful compelling subjects for photographers of all skill levels Controlling depth of field and using selective focus can produce interesting images that convey information about the sub
151. m scanners convert film negatives or 35mm slides into digital files Flatbed Scanners For general purpose scanning a flatbed scanner gives you the most flexibility You can scan virtually any two dimensional object photographic prints text documents kids crayon drawings even leaves or feathers If you have a flatbed scanner you can buy a transparency adapter an accessory that allows you to scan slides negatives and transparencies with your flatbed scanner Flatbed scanners with transparency adapters scan at lower resolutions than dedicated film scanners However flatbed scanners are usually adequate for occasional scanning of snapshots or amateur photos If you plan to scan only prints and other flat artwork a 1200 dpi dots per inch flatbed scanner should meet your needs More information about scanner resolution and dpi is available in the section later in this chapter titled Setting Resolution and Bit Depth 145 Scanning with Digital Image For information on using your scanner with Digital Image see the scanner section in the Opening and Importing Pictures chapter Quick multi page scanning If you plan on scanning multi page documents look for a scanner with an automatic document feeder ADF which can save you a lot of time on bigger scanning jobs Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 146 Automatic dust and scratch removal Some high end film scanners include automatic dust and
152. mage product To view Technical Support information 1 On the Help menu click About Microsoft Digital Image 9 2 Click Tech Support Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 5 Basic Touchup 5 Basic Touchup Almost all photos can be improved with basic touchup tools Digital Image touchup tools can be used to correct common photo problems such as red eye crooked pictures lighting problems or similar distractions that can ruin a photo In many cases Digital Image helps you eliminate basic problems with just a few clicks Adjusting Brightness and Contrast When you take a photo with an automatic camera the camera s automatic exposure feature measures the available light and determines how much light is required to take the photo Sometimes the exposure meter s measurement is slightly too low or too high creating problems with brightness and contrast in the photo Digital Image provides tools to fix the levels of brightness and contrast To correct brightness and contrast 1 On the Touchup menu click Brightness and Contrast 2 Click Levels auto fix 3 If you are not satisfied with the result of the levels auto fix click Contrast auto fix 4 If you are not satisfied with the results fine tune the settings with the Brightness and Contrast sliders 5 Click Done The picture on the left is both too dark and too low contrast The Levels auto fix tool was ap plied to the version on the ri
153. moved 5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 as necessary 6 Click Done Straightening a Picture If you took a photograph while unintentionally holding the camera at an angle the horizon or other straight lines will appear tilted This tilt can be a distrac tion in the picture but is easily fixed with the Straighten Picture tool The Straighten Picture tool rotates the picture to make the horizon level To make the horizon level the Straighten Picture tool rotates the picture on the canvas When rotated part of the picture overlaps the edge ofthe canvas and these areas would be removed during printing The rotation also creates empty areas at the corners of the canvas Fortunately these problems are solved by the Auto Crop feature which is part of the Straighten Picture tool After you straighten the picture Auto Crop trims the edges of the picture so that it becomes aligned with the canvas Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 42 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup To straighten a picture with Auto Crop 1 CA On the Format menu point to Straighten Picture and then click Canvas Identify a line in the picture that should be straight such as the horizon and then click one end of the line Click the other end of the line The picture is automatically straightened Make sure the Auto Crop check box is selected The area of the picture that will be cropped 1s shown in lightened color around the edges Click Done Micr
154. n a single session Storage media size dictates how many photos you can store The media that is included with some cameras can only hold a few high resolution photos This type of low capacity card can be impractical for situations such as traveling To give yourself more flexibility you may want to purchase additional removable storage media Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 115 Battery Life eui The best Compared to film cameras many digital cameras use batteries at a surprising rechargeable rate The LCD preview screen and the flash on the camera both put a heavy batteries drain on the batteries And unlike some manual film cameras digital cameras cannot function without batteries or an AC power adapter Lithium ion batteries 1 hooti h 1 hich last 1 and nickel metal To ensure longer shooting you can buy rechargeable batteries which last longer hydride NiMH than disposable alkaline batteries Keep your spares charged so they ll be ready Daten f 4 atteries both when you need them If you are running low on power and don t have a spare B work very well with battery conserve remaining power by trying the following y cameras providing m Turn off your LCD screen and compose through the viewfinder excellent power and m Turn off your flash so that it doesn t fire automatically Turn the flash on convenience only when you really need it m Waituntil you re home to previ
155. n cold weather 210 film scanners 146 film speeds 125 163 filter enhanced pictures 69 filtering lighting colors 40 filters enhancing 235 polarizing 235 236 finding pictures See locating pictures Fix Red Eye tool 41 flash 41 52 116 207 FlashPix files 16 flatbed scanners cleaning 146 opening pictures from 20 overview 145 flattened PNG files 97 flattening objects 62 flat opaque objects scanning 145 Flipbook animations 130 floppy disks 14 114 focus sharpening 180 204 fold styles card 89 fonts 31 formats supported 16 96 112 formatting text 31 foul weather protection 236 FPX files 16 frames adding 86 freehand brush 71 freehand tool 65 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 254 Index G GIF files 16 glossy paper 101 gradient color sampling 73 graininess 125 graphical control screens 157 gray area workspace 28 gray card 236 green values 157 greeting cards 89 grouping objects 61 H half fold cards 89 hand created artwork effect 69 hard drive opening pictures from 14 Help links 26 Help resources 32 Hide button 27 high color quality settings 155 high contrast images 231 high quality printer settings 101 highlighted edges 85 highlights 45 high resolution pictures 101 high resolution scanning 147 histograms 45 holiday cards 89 Home Publishing files 16 hot spots 207 ideas discovering photography 190 image editing programs 216 images high contrast 231 low contrast 231 232 multipl
156. nail on the Stack 2 Click Lock or Unlock Selecting Objects with the Object Tool The object tool amp allows you to select one or more whole objects at a time With the object tool you can move resize and rotate selected objects by drag ging the object on the canvas or using the resize handles Each time you start Digital Image the object tool will be selected by default You will be able to accomplish many different editing tasks by using the object tool as your only selection tool Unlike the other selection tools the object tool does not have an options palette To select an object with the object tool Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace 2 Click the object tool k button on the toolbar 3 On the Stack click the object When an object is selected with the object tool and not locked to the canvas object handles are displayed around the perimeter of the selection Object handles are yellow circles that you can drag to resize and rotate the object Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 59 To move resize or rotate an object with the object tool ha Select the object with the object tool as described above If the selected thumbnail has the lock icon displayed right click the thumbnail and then click Unlock To move the selection hold the cursor over the object until the move handle sie appears and then drag the object on the canvas To resiz
157. nal range of an image you can tell from the histogram whether the image has enough detail in a given area to make com puter corrections The y or vertical axis of the histogram shows the number of pixels assigned to any given brightness value The histogram shows shadow darkest pixels on the left midtones in the middle and highlight lightest pixels on the right The x horizontal axis shows the distribution of pixels from dark to light throughout the image From Personal Experience To make the most of your time in the digital darkroom here is my personal advice m Ina series of similar pictures choose the picture with the best exposure and work on it Others in the series can be ignored or worked on as you have time m Keep the original image open beside the image you re working on so you can track your progress and the changes you make as you work m Have a well corrected picture open or near the computer and refer to it as you work It s easy to look at a picture so long that you lose a reference point for the color correction you want to achieve m Save your work often m Back up your pictures on CD or other removable secure media Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 250 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks A high key or light image will have the highest level of pixels on the right A low key or dark image will concentrate pixels toward the left An average key image
158. nalized cards 89 photo See photo quality pictures photographic prints scanning 145 photography basics 162 195 218 photography subjects and locations 190 photo card readers 14 photo paper options 101 photo projects 89 photo quality aperture 122 165 automatic camera modes 127 automatic exposure 120 compression 111 evaluation checklist 177 exposure 120 135 172 exposure compensation 121 135 file formats 112 film speed 125 163 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual flash 116 lighting 172 long exposures 133 manual camera settings 119 minimizing noise 235 overview 107 red eye 41 117 resolution 109 self timers 133 shadows 118 shutter speeds 123 170 storage media 114 story telling 182 186 tips 134 161 water glass analogy 120 white balance 126 zoom 113 PHP files 16 pictures See also photo quality color effects 71 filter enhanced 69 formats supported 16 96 112 importing 13 opening 13 ordering prints and gifts 103 resizing 29 scanning 145 text 30 pixels cropping 43 histograms 45 interpolation 113 noise 125 overview 108 picture resizing 29 printsizes 101 resolution 109 147 scanning 146 playback mode 206 PNG files 16 PNG Plus files 62 96 portrait photography 85 131 positioning camera and subjects 134 precise editing See also objects special effects blending 74 distorting 75 gradient color sampling 73 texture sampling 73 preserving monitor settings 158 preserving object groups 61 preserving
159. nce you see the vignette watch how the light paints the scene revealing some detail here and concealing other details elsewhere Then notice how the shape and direction of light direct the eye and use this in your composition to move the viewer s eye through the photo Of course the color or temperature of light will also define the colors of the scene Move around to see how the light separates and outlines the subject against the background Watching how light plays on parts of a scene is a good habit that can often result in a worthwhile photo Tip If you re shooting with a digital camera take the meter reading on the highlights in the scene and shoot using that exposure If you re shooting with film take a meter reading on a shadow area and take the picture using that exposure Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 220 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks In this photo looked for light in an otherwise shaded scene At the last minute saw the thin shaft of light falling across the musician s straw hat The direction of the light conveniently provided a subtle path leading to the musician s face 2 Look for color If you want to make a visual impact look for bold color and make it the primary element of your photo Further use color with intent in your photos All you need is a little background in color basics The three primary colors are red yellow and blue These are saturated domi nant colors
160. nformation displayed with many digital images to see how changing the aperture affects the final image Then move on to experiment with different shutter speeds If you have a digital camera it s the greatest single tool you can have to learn photography quickly and inexpensively Regardless of what type camera you have the more pictures you take the more you learn and the more you learn the better your pictures will be Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 176 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Using a wide angle lens helped increase depth of field in this photo Photo taken at f 6 3 1 80 sec zoom lens set to 35mm on a digital camera Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 177 What Makes a Photo Good A Short Checklist for Evaluating Photo Quality Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie What makes one or two photos rise to the top in a stack of 20 30 or even 100 photos The answer despite what beginning photographers may imagine is not a secret known only to seasoned photographers and photo editors Nor is there a single element that makes a photo good Rather there is a not so secret checklist of criteria commonly used to evaluate images Having said this I hasten to add that evaluation checklists vary by person and like other judging criteria there are always exceptions to the rules Further more the lines separating the criteria very often blur
161. ng a telephoto lens and need very fast shutter speeds Choose an aperture that helps convey the story you want to tell In this case didn t want the background to blur completely because it provided context for the photo Photo taken at 1 250 sec f 6 3 zoom lens set to 175mm on a digital camera Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 175 As it begins to get dark your choice of f stop will be very limited with slow films such as ISO 100 or ISO 200 You ll need to use wide apertures f stops such as f 4 to get a fast shutter speed Otherwise your images will show some blur from camera shake or subject movement Switch to a fast ISO 800 film however and your options increase Now you can select smaller apertures f stops such as f 8 or f 11 for greater depth of field The fast film allows you to shoot at fast shutter speeds to reduce the risk of blurred images While many people prefer to shoot in a semi automatic mode I typically use manual mode This picture was taken at 1 400 sec at f 5 6 using a zoom lens set to 17mm on a Nikon D1X digital camera While the basic elements of exposure and using them together may seem like a lot to digest you may find it easier to choose one aspect say aperture and experiment by changing the f stop to achieve different effects Your camera will tell you what shutter speed to set or it will set it for you Keep a log or look at the shooting i
162. ng is adequate for 4 Under Color quality click a color quality and then click OK most circumstances 5 If prompted restart your computer If you try to adjust your display properties to a color quality setting that requires more VRAM than is available the screen resolution may automatically be decreased to allocate VRAM for the increased color quality Experiment with adjusting color quality and screen resolution to find settings that work for you If you cannot adjust both the resolution and color quality settings to adequate levels you may want to have more VRAM installed on your computer by a computer technician Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 13 Optimizing Your Monitor for Photos 157 Calibrating for Brightness Contrast and RGB Values When you adjust screen resolution and color quality you are telling your computer s video adapter sometimes called a video card or display adapter how to send the signals to the monitor But to adjust brightness contrast and RGB red green and blue values you make the adjustments on the monitor Itself using the monitor s controls These controls are usually located on the front of the monitor directly below the screen The monitor s controls can make adjustments directly or on many models the controls open a graphical control screen with menu commands If you get stuck check your monitor s manual for instructions on making these adjustments The simplest way to
163. ngs manually the automatic modes may be the most likely way for you to take successful photos in these situations The following sections describe the most common automatic modes available on many digital and film cameras Since the type and implementation of auto matic modes vary for each camera read your camera s manual for availability and usage instructions Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 128 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Macro Mode Most cameras in automatic mode have trouble focusing on objects that are less than 12 inches 30 centimeters away So when you re shooting close up photography like capturing a special piece from your coin collection you need to set your camera to macro mode Macro mode adjusts the focal length to accommodate the unusually short distance to the subject Macro mode usually reduces aperture which widens the depth of field and increases the chances that the whole subject is in focus The camera s macro mode was used to capture the fine detail of the jewelry When using macro mode make sure to turn off the flash since the flash does not provide proper illumination at such close range Tripods are a good way to keep the camera steady for a close up shot If you don t have a tripod set the camera on a firm surface focus the photo and then activate the shutter with the self timer This way your hand does not have to touch the camera and accidentally introduce any movement t
164. nside your coat as you move from one location to another Wear gloves Besides keeping your fingers warm gloves will prevent your fingers from sticking to the camera lens or tripod monopod legs in very cold temperatures You can layer gloves with a thin glove or glove liner as the inner layer with heavier mitts over the liners I sometimes wear fingerless leather workout gloves as an inner glove in moderately cold conditions Also consider checking sporting goods stores for gloves that feature fold back fingertips Buy or make a weather proof cover for your camera Winter weather conditions can range from fog rain and sleet to blowing snow whether it s wet or dry snow Various companies including Domke make weath erproof covers for cameras They are large enough to accommodate the large SLRs and lenses and they have an opening for the lens with a pull tie to secure the cover If you don t want to invest in a ready made cover you can fashion one from a heavy guage plastic freezer bag To secure the bag or bags around the camera and lens you can use Velcro straps sold at many grocery stores or rubber bands Between shooting sessions protect and warm your camera by putting it inside your coat or gear bag If you have a lens hood use it in blowing sleet or snow to help protect the lens Protecting film In low humidity conditions around 45 percent relative humidity static electricity can build up on the camera s pressure plate and discharg
165. nt Effects iode eicere aee ne Ode a n it 71 Clone DTU dis ica 73 A A PER TEITERSSR EUR UNPLERTSFTEST FREI A E a e E aae S 74 Distortion Brushes 75 Chapter 7 Batch Editing m Mini Lal sscc ccesscccssccesesnsscssonssveccsvecsetessenssencssonsscconsonscssnsvosvesseuedseueoosesassesuesesse 17 Chapter 8 Adding Edges Mats and Frames eee eee eese eese eene ette sten seinen setas sense tasses stone enun 83 Edge Eug c Ri 85 MES sao ditis AO 86 Chapter 9 Creating Proje Cts me G M 87 Creating Photo Citando een E ae nam cele 89 Creatine Caldas a id iia 90 Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures sessorsosssussonssnssonsonssnssnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnunsnnsnnnsnnsnnnsnnssnnsonnsonssnnsanne 93 Savine Em 95 Saving Multiple Versions u ws EHE HERR ETE EHR EY EHE RC EUR EREMO MERE daci n 95 Choosing a File fo wer A 96 Setting PNG Plus OpUons ein a dba 97 Saving for E mail and the Web eerie eee iia 98 O eC c ee EU I tesi TREE EYED Eee Aes 99 Printing Sm le Pictures ecrire tec HER cr repo E ae eare Dated e te nacio Feten 99 Printing Multiple Pictures E 100 Selecting Print Quality cider i t e eee ta e unsere 101 Selecting a Print Size eene aue std pn e de en ui 101 Choosing Photo Pape
166. nt distractions to get your subject s mind away from the camera Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 132 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Panoramic Mode For landscapes large groups of people and other long horizontal shots a camera s panoramic mode helps you compose the photo without too much sky or ground in the photo Panoramic shots have a different aspect ratio than standard shots meaning the width of the frame is proportionally much greater than in a photo with a standard aspect ratio Some panoramic cameras take photos with an aspect ratio of 4 11 four units tall by 11 units wide compared to the aspect ratio of 3 4 for standard shots on most digital cameras As with the shape of a movie theater screen versus a television screen the wider frame gives you some new creative territory when composing your photo Switching your camera to panoramic mode gives you new compositional possibilities True panoramic cameras use a wide angle lens to let you capture more width ofthe scene by staying in the same position Many cameras including digital cameras and APS cameras offer a panoramic mode without a wide angle lens Instead the panoramic effect is achieved by simply cropping off the top and bottom of the frame This type of panoramic shot does give you a wider aspect ratio but not a wider angle On some digital cameras using the panoramic mode means that each photo has fewer pixels since the top and bottom ar
167. nt it or save it to the Web To make sure you can see an edge you ve added make sure the object is not locked to the canvas and then the press the CTRL key while you drag in one of the photo s corner resize handles This will shrink the photo proportionally on the canvas so that the border lies within the printable area Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 86 Chapter 8 Adding Edges Mats and Frames Choosing the Mats and Frames right mat If you plan to put a photo in a traditional photo frame you can add a Digital Image mat to your photo before you print it Mats create an elegant effect and When choosing a E can also help to fit an oddly proportioned print to a standard size frame mat consider the colors in your photo If you don t plan to mount a photo in a traditional frame but would like to and the colors of your print and display it use a Digital Image frame instead You can choose from a frame A mat should variety of frame themes to complement the subject of your photo You can even not overpower the add both a mat and a frame to the same photo subject of the photo Try selecting a soft colored mat that matches one of the photo s secondary colors Digital Image has a wide variety of mats and frames to finish your favorite photos To add a mat or a frame 1 Select the picture or object to which you want to add a mat or frame 2 On the Effects menu point to Edges and then click Fr
168. o otherwise Furthermore I found that while I took the same number of pictures I concentrated on fewer locations and got better results I PR m Training myself to shoot quickly is still work in progress but instinct produced this shot of girls playing in the surf Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 200 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 4 Shoot instinctively and quickly Point and shoot now Although this seems to contradict my previous guideline I think of it as the complementary flip side of waiting to shoot In any scene there are shots that I see in an instant from the corner of my eye or over my shoulder as I walk away There are also those just right shots that demand no hesitation shooting Shoot quickly Quick instinctive shots are bread and butter images for news and sports photographers but instinctive shooting doesn t come naturally to me To capture the spontaneous moments I realized that I had to teach myself to literally point and shoot doing the best I could with settings and composition without missing the shot The results of my first instinctive shots were a mixed bag Certainly the images needed more work on the computer than my other images To get good quick shots I have to know the camera controls inside and out backward and forward While I m still not good with quick shots I am practicing at home with a puppy who offers endless instinctive shooting opportunities
169. o that they are on the Files palette On the File menu click Print Under You can also click Print multiple pictures or special paper Under Select a printer click a printer To specify printer settings click Change printer settings Select a category of page layout and then click an orientation Click a layout in the right pane and then click Next Drag pictures from the Files palette onto the layout Click an option for fitting the selected picture to the area and then click Next Preview the page layout and then enter the number of copies you want to print Click Print Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures 101 Selecting Print Quality Most desktop printers are capable of printing in a range of qualities from a low quality draft mode to a high quality setting that requires more time and uses more ink Printer settings for quality and color vary but you may be able to specify your paper type ink type dots per inch required and color manage ment preferences Some printers have simplified printing options such as Good Better and Best Make sure to read your printer s manual to find out how to take advantage of these different settings To select print quality for your printer On the File menu click Print 2 Click Change printer settings Your printer s dialog box opens 3 Adjust your printer s quality settings and then click OK
170. o the shot Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 129 Action Mode If you re photographing subjects such as athletes moving cars or even fast aon ee moving children a camera s action mode helps keep your subject in focus The most significant characteristic of action mode is the faster shutter speed Some digital cameras of at least 1 500 of a second which helps to freeze the action of your moving have a much shorter subject The action mode in most cameras also uses a wider aperture setting to shutter lag than offset the fast shutter speed and multipattern light metering which compen others You may want sates for overly bright and overly dark areas to consider this factor when buying your next camera Action mode uses a fast shutter speed to freeze the action of a fast moving subject Digital cameras create a unique challenge for shooting action photography the time lag between when you press the shutter button and the actual exposure With film cameras pressing the shutter button causes the shutter to open virtu ally simultaneously But with digital cameras you might have to wait as long as four seconds before the photo is taken When shooting moving objects four seconds can seem like an eternity One way to compensate for the shutter lag is to anticipate your shot Imagine you are photographing a runner with a camera that has a four second shutter lag The four second s
171. o use the distortion brush Onthe Stack click the object you want to touch up 2 Onthe Effects menu click Distortion Brush 3 Click an effect and then click a brush size 4 Doone ofthe following m Click on the picture to distort inside the circular brush area m Drag on the picture to distort a wider area 5 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 7 Batch Editing in Mini Lab 4 Batch Editing in Mini Lab If you take photos regularly it can become time consuming to perform basic editing to all of your pictures after you download them from your camera Mini Lab contains tools that can help you save time with routine editing that needs to be done to many or all of the photos in a batch If you have a high capacity storage medium in your camera you may have dozens or more photos to download at once to your hard disk Some of these photos may be excellent keepers that you will want to spend some time editing carefully later on But many of the photos only need a few quick edits changes such as rotation and removal of red eye Opening each photo individually performing basic edits and then saving each one could take a lot of time Mini Lab lets you perform these routine editing tasks to many photos at once Mini Lab lets you select multiple photos to perform the following tasks Levels auto fix Contrast auto fix Tint auto fix Rotate Crop Brightness and contrast Fix red eye Sa
172. objects is called a composite The Stack helps you work with composites by displaying each object separately Using the Stack you can easily select any object Make sure the Stack is showing in the workspace when you are working with composites To show the Stack 1 On the View menu click Stack On the Stack you ll see a thumbnail representation of each object in the composite The top thumbnail represents the object that is the top layer in the composite The bottom thumbnail represents the background object in the composite Thus the object that is lowest in the Stack may be at least partially obscured in the composite by the objects on top of it You can change the order of the objects in the composite by dragging thumb nails up and down the Stack For example dragging an object s thumbnail from the lowest position on the Stack to the top position will bring it to the foreground of the composite Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 58 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing Locked Objects When you open any single object picture such as a picture you took with your digital camera the picture will by default be locked to its position on the canvas When an object is locked to the canvas the lock icon is shown next to that object s thumbnail on the Stack This lock icon indicates that you will not be able to drag the object around on the canvas To lock or unlock an object 1 Right click the object s thumb
173. of Tips amp Tricks Creative techniques and subjects can range from bringing abstract ideas into a visual form taking a concrete idea and making it abstract relating or associat ing unrelated concepts into a visual space or in short taking a fresh look at and lending the photographer s unique thinking and vision about any subject When evaluating the creativity of a photo ask yourself Does the photo disclose more about the subject or show it in unexpected ways m Does the photo relate visual elements in unusual and intriguing ways m Is the photo interesting and fresh or is it just too weird for words A creative approach reveals the subject in uncommon ways Depending on the day and depending on the photo I may add other criteria to my evaluation checklist but I seldom delete one of these basic six points In the real world I also know that if 10 people look at the same photo approximately five may give it good marks and five may give it low marks Photography is of course as subjective as individual taste But when everyone has had their say the bottom line is that you now have evaluation criteria so that you can evaluate your own work If an image is your best so far enjoy the image and your achievement Then go back in a month or two and evaluate the image against the six basic criteria again If it still passes the test frame it and hang it on the wall and then go out and shoot a better picture Microsoft
174. of your screen 2 On the Digital Image File menu click New 3 Select a canvas size and then click Done A blank canvas opens in the workspace 4 On the taskbar click the button for your Web browser program 5 In your Web browser locate the Web page that contains the picture you want 6 Right click the picture and then click Copy 7 On the taskbar click the button for Digital Image 8 On the Digital Image menu click Paste The new picture appears on the canvas Once the photo is opened in Digital Image you can edit it as you would any other photo and save it to your computer Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER A Digital Image Basics 4 Digital Image Basics x This chapter covers some of the fundamental aspects of Digital Image that you ll need to get started You ll find information on the Startup Window the work area basic image manipulation applying text and Help resources Startup Window The Startup Window is a quick launching point to photos Mini Lab projects recently opened files and Help By default the Startup Window opens every time you start Digital Image After closing the Startup Window you can open it at any time from the main work area by clicking the Startup Window button in the Common Tasks list This diagram points out the main features of the Startup Window kn iman fine Kom n Canin Fu ani Prius EJ Vae a Tr E bnhan nal der jean Open Click the Open but
175. oft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 209 program to lessen the moire Or try a descreening filter if your image editing program has one While these tips may not instantly transport you to digital photography nirvana chances are good that you ll be closer than you were before Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 210 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Winter Camera Care Tips Text by Charlotte K Lowrie For anyone who braves the frigid temperatures of winter to photograph some of Nature s spectacular winter scenes it pays to ensure that you have adequate protection for both you and your camera Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a winter photo session Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual The care and feeding of batteries Cold weather can shorten the life of batteries anywhere from a barely noticeable reduction in power to a sharply shorter life Lithium batteries and the rechargeable Ni MH cells last longest in cold temperatures Be sure to carry spare batteries and keep them warm by stowing them in a warm inside coat pocket If you opt to carry a chemical warmer be aware that the warmers can reach temperatures as high as 150 degrees Fahrenheit far too high a tempera ture for virtually all film and camera gear Dress in layers with a roomy warm weather proof coat as the outer layer A roomy coat is a bonus because it allows you to tuck the camera i
176. ojects and clip art to your hard drive so you will not have to reinsert a Digital Image CD while you are using the program Look under Description for the disk space required for this option Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 1 Installation 5 Special Circumstances Other Digital Image Products The family of Digital Image products includes programs with the following brands Upgrading from a Different Digital Image Product If you already have a Digital Image product installed on your machine any of several scenarios may occur when you try to install another Digital Image product m Previous versions If you have a Digital Image product previous to y m Digital version 9 already installed installing a version 9 product will make Eel mege both programs available on your computer m Greetings m Upgrade from another version 9 product You can install a Digital m Greetings Workshop Image version 9 product that has more features than a version 9 prod m Home Publishing uct already installed The version of Digital Image with fewer features f m Picture It will be uninstalled automatically before the new installation begins Your pictures and projects will not be deleted m Picture It Express m Blocked downgrade If you have a Digital Image version 9 product m Picture It Photo installed you will not be able to automatically install a version 9 m Picture It Publishing product with fewer featu
177. ok at each others work and give feedback This kind of mutually beneficial arrangement also helps you to develop your critical eye While it s important to show your photos to others remember that you are the ultimate judge of your own work Photography is an art and as an artist you should establish your own voice and style You don t have to listen to every piece of advice and you may produce your best work by taking chances and following your own instincts That said photographs are made to be seen As you improve your photography skills showing off your photos can be the best part Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 12 Successful Scanning 12 Successful Scanning A scanner is a useful tool for your digital photography projects A scanner generates a digital image from whatever you scan a document a photo a leaf and so on enabling you to manipulate the image on your computer Even if you take all of your photos in digital format scanners allow you to digitize things such as old photos pages from books negatives and slides Once scanned the digital images are rich raw material that can be edited incorpo rated into composites printed or posted on the Web Types of Scanners If you re thinking about buying a scanner consider the two primary types that are available for working with photographs Flatbed scanners convert photographic prints or other flat opaque objects into digital files Fil
178. on the canvas Then as soon as you select a different object to work on the multiple selected objects are no longer connected E These three objects are a multiple selection so they can be edited as a set and then separated later Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 61 To multiple select objects 1 Make sure that the Stack is showing 2 Pressing CTRL click each thumbnail on the Stack The objects become multiple selected 3 To cancel the multiple selection click any single object in the Stack Grouping Objects Grouping objects allows you to edit multiple objects and then maintain the grouped relationship while you do other tasks The grouping relationship is even preserved when you close a picture file saved in PNG Plus format Grouped objects can later be ungrouped and edited individually e e El These three objects have been grouped as indicated by the group icon at the bottom of the selection box Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 62 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing To group objects Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace 2 Pressing CTRL click each thumbnail on the Stack The objects become multiple selected 3 Onthe Edit menu click Group 4 To cancel the group click the group on the Stack and then on the Edit menu click Ungroup Flattening Objects Flattening objects is a permanent action If you will no longer ne
179. ons on your purchase of Microsoft Digital Image Pro This program provides a unique combination of robust photo editing tools and professional quality photo projects While easy to use Digital Image Pro offers powerful imaging technology that puts you in control of editing and enhancing your photos Digital Image Pro provides advanced editing features such as selection tools Smart Erase and the blending brush to help you get professional editing results quickly and easily When you ve finished editing your photos it s a simple pro cess to create prints or share photos through e mail or the Web You can even use your photos in one of the professionally designed templates for letterhead business cards Web photo albums and more Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 10 Chapter 2 Welcome to Digital Image Pro What You ll Find in This Book The Digital Image Pro User s Manual introduces you to some important features in Digital Image Pro how to get images into the program edit images add effects and borders create projects and print This book also provides an overview of some of the most important concepts of digital imaging You ll find practical information about using digital cameras and scanners and optimizing your monitor to work with photos The final section of this book offers a selection of articles from MSN Photos Tips amp Tricks where you ll find plenty of sound advice from professional photographers Other Hel
180. osoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 5 Basic Touchup 43 Cropping Cropping is an easy way to improve the composition of a photograph For example if your picture has distracting background elements along the top bottom or side you can crop away these parts of the background to focus the attention on the subject When you crop a photo you are removing pixels and therefore lowering the effective resolution although the dots per inch will stay the same If you crop a significant portion of the original you re limiting the extent to which you will be able to enlarge the picture for printing This 1s why it s better to compose the picture as best you can when you take it rather than relying on heavy cropping later Cropping a picture allows you to eliminate distractions and improve the composition Cropping your picture to a specific proportion lets you control exactly where the picture will be cut Otherwise if your picture is not the same proportion as the print size some of the picture may be trimmed during printing to fit into the printable area of the page Using the rule of thirds When composing a photograph many beginning photographers consistently center their subject directly in the middle of the frame While this technique may be the easiest way to get the subject in focus with a point and shoot camera it is not always the most interesting way to present the subject Most advanced photographers follow the
181. otograph beauty but I know that if I studied the stream if I followed it to its source there would be a story and there would be a very different picture There should be rules for shooting stories I didn t know the rules so I made up my own For example I consider it cheating to set up shots by using unnatural props In other words if adding an object to a scene helps tell the story the object is only okay if it is part of the subject s natural context But it s not okay to carry props like stuffed animals in the car and add them to a scene such as a park bench Instead of shooting right away I look around get to know the place understand what s happening and look more closely at what I m seeing I take as many pictures as always but most of them are taken later rather than sooner Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 189 Waiting to find the story to understand the story is certain to frustrate anyone who is inherently impatient or anxious to get images in the canister or on the memory card quickly Your turn If you have trouble getting started start with your own story Take pictures that tell about you what you do what matters to you or what you want to be or do Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 190 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Weekend Photo Ideas What Else Is There to Photograph Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie Having trouble finding photo subjects Try bor
182. ou want to select To adjust the selection shape click Adjust marquee on the Marquee Tool options palette resize or rotate the marquee shape and then click Done To feather the selection click Feather on the Marquee Tool options palette enter the number of pixels that you want feathered around the edge and then click OK To select the opposite area click Invert on the Marquee Tool options palette Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 65 The Freehand Tool The freehand tool t helps you select part of an object by drawing an irregu lar shape 1 Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace 2 On the Stack click the object of which you want to make a partial selec tion 3 Click the freehand tool button on the toolbar 4 If the Freehand Tool options palette is not showing click the Selection button on the toolbar 5 To keep the edges of the selection smooth select the Anti aliased check box on the Freehand Tool options palette 6 On the Freehand Tool options palette click whether you want to make a new selection add to the current selection or subtract from the current selection 7 On the picture drag the pointer and then click the starting point to complete the selection 8 To feather the selection click Feather on the Freehand Tool options palette enter the number of pixels that you want feathered around the edge and then click OK 9 To select the oppo
183. ow range of view and they compress perspective as shown in this photo Photo taken at 1 160 sec f 14 300mm prime lens on a digital camera What is shutter speed a How fast a camera takes a picture b How long the light is allowed to enter the camera c How fast light travels from the lens to the shutter Correct answer B Shutter speed controls how long the curtain in the camera stays open to let light from the lens strike the film or the digital image sensor The longer the shutter stays open the more light reaches the film at the aperture you set Shutter speeds are shown in fractions of a full second Common shutter speeds from slow to fast are Bulb the shutter stays open until you close it by releas ing the shutter release button 1 second 1 2 1 4 1 8 1 15 1 30 1 60 1 125 1 500 1 1000 and so on How to set the shutter speed On fully controllable and manual cameras you can set the shutter speed using a dial on the camera or by selecting it from an electronic menu With single use and compact cameras the camera automati cally selects the shutter speed based on the available light and the mode you ve chosen If your camera offers several program modes for example sports program mode it will select the fastest shutter speed to freeze subject motion Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 171 On manual cameras the shutter speed is set using a dial such
184. p lens attaches to the adapter ring The most important point in getting crisp focus is to check the camera s in focus indicator Just because you pressed the shutter release half way down doesn t mean the picture is in focus Look for the in focus indication in the viewfinder before shooting Show color accurately If you re selling bone china you don t want a strange green or blue color tint in the photo To avoid unwanted color tints be sure you set the white balance on a digital camera to match the type of light If you re shooting with film buy film that is balanced for the light you re shooting in or use the appropriate color correction filter While you can make color correc tions on the computer later it saves editing time if you shoot using the correct settings film or filter Additional tips Here are a few other tips you may find helpful m If you are using a digital camera check your pictures on the computer before you dismantle your studio This saves time if any photo needs to be retaken m If you re using a digital camera always meter for the lightest highlight area in the scene This means you should point the camera to the lightest area press the shutter release button halfway down and then note the exposure settings the f stop and shutter speed Then use that exposure setting to take the final picture Except in instances when you use a flash this technique helps avoid highlight areas that appear white with no vis
185. paint brush you can choose from several painting tools Paint brush Airbrush Pencil Eraser Highlighter Chalk Use these tools to add new colors to a picture To use the freehand paint brush 1 On the Effects menu point to Paint Brush and then click Freehand 2 Click a painting tool and then click a color 3 Click a brush size and then paint by dragging on the picture 4 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 72 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing You can paint with stamps to enliven your pictures with a rubber stamp effect Choose from a variety of stamp designs or make your own Paint with a single stamp design or use multiple stamps on the same picture v gt You can choose from a wide variety of stamps to customize any picture To paint with stamps 1 On the Effects menu point to Paint Brush and then click Stamps 2 Click a stamping style and then click a stamp 3 Click a stamp size and then apply the stamp by clicking on the picture 4 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing Clone Brush The clone brush is a sophisticated editing tool that allows you to paint with a sample from another part of the image Unlike the airbrush tool that paints in a solid color the clone brush allows you to paint gradations of color or varied textures The clone brush works very well when touching up a face or an area of skin For example you
186. pe shots as well as other shots include one or more elements that provide a sense of depth scale or distance This may be as simple as including a rock in the foreground or a pine cone next to a seasonal cluster of berries Maximize depth of field To maximize depth of field especially in landscape photographs choose the smallest aperture larger f number possible and focus one third of the way into the scene Make red work for you Red is a visually dominant color If you include red in a photograph use it with intention to enhance the composition and draw the viewer s eye Ifred is used unintentionally it will of course draw the viewer s eye from the focal point Know the message Know why you re taking a picture If you can verbal ize what s compelling about the scene chances are much better that you can communicate that message to the viewer Carry a card for quick backgrounds Carry a gray card or any neutral color card in your camera bag that you can use as a backdrop for macro shots Meter with polarizing filters If you use a polarizing filter to enhance color be sure to take a meter reading from a midtone within the scene such as green foliage or grass Then use that meter reading as the expo sure for the shot This can help avoid possible overexposure due to the polarizer Add foreground elements When you take photographs in the warm light of sunrise or sunset try including shadowy foreground elements The contrast o
187. pful Resources This User s Manual is not an exhaustive resource for everything you can do in Digital Image Pro For step by step instructions about all of the program s features and projects check out the online Help system available from the Startup Window or the Help menu Or for a demonstration of some of Digital Image Pro s key features watch one of the Instructional Videos Digital photography is exciting and fun and Digital Image Pro makes it easy to get professional results We re confident that Digital Image Pro will be an enjoyable part of your digital imaging experience Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 3 Opening and Importing Pictures 13 3 Opening and Importing Pictures Digital Image makes it easy to import and open your pictures quickly To trans fer pictures from your camera or storage media to your computer use the new Import Pictures Wizard This wizard is designed to streamline the file transfer process allowing you to name the picture files and destination folder To open pictures for editing use the file browser The file browser displays thumbnails of all your pictures so you can quickly choose the ones you want Importing Pictures The Import Pictures Wizard is a convenient way to transfer pictures and video clips from your digital camera or other storage location to your computer The Import Pictures Wizard helps you rename the files so that they have recogniz able file names L
188. photos in quick suc cession Most cameras burst modes allow you to take 10 to 15 photos in 5 to 15 seconds Even on digital cameras with slow shutter lags the burst mode still allows you to take many frames in a short time span The burst feature uses a buffer to temporarily hold the information from the image sensor After the set of 10 to 15 frames is stored in the buffer the camera processes each frame separately and sends them to the removable storage media If your camera has a burst mode feature you can use it to overcome the slow ness of the shutter lag When photographing a child for example it can be hard to get the child to pay attention for the few seconds that it takes to shoot the photo But with burst mode you might be able to shoot 10 frames within 10 seconds During that 10 seconds you can encourage the child to talk look at the camera and make different movements and expressions It s doubtful that all 10 exposures will turn out to be great photos but you re much more likely to get at least one good shot than if you d just taken a single frame Another great use of the burst mode feature is to take a photo series of an action sequence Create a series of photos of a golf swing a child riding a bike or a pet moving across the yard Then you can assemble the whole series in a slide show or mount the photos together in a frame Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 131 Por
189. posure settings like shutter speed and aperture With digital cameras the adjustments that you make are often digital approxi mations of the equivalent function in film cameras as with shutter speed or ISO But the photographic result is the same The following sections provide an overview of the most important manual camera settings and concepts Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 120 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Exposure Exposure describes the amount of light that comes into your camera when you take a photo Setting the camera to the correct exposure is crucial to getting the proper tones and colors in your photos Overexposure occurs when too much light has reached the image sensor or film in a film camera which decreases detail and causes the photo to look washed out Underexposure occurs when insufficient light has been let into the camera and the photo looks dim and murky Exposure is controlled by three factors the aperture the shutter speed and the ISO rating Aperture is the size of the opening that lets light into the camera Shutter speed is how long light is allowed into the camera ISO rating the film speed in a film camera is the sensor or film s sensitivity to light The water glass analogy When taking a photograph your goal is to achieve a perfect exposure To create the right exposure you need to understand the relationship between the three exposure factors aperture shutter speed and ISO ra
190. r nen een dealer 101 Creating Long lasting Prints uiid eto esie rte aei Ped Ce EPOR EE BAI Finde EE REEL dp 102 Ordering Prints and Gifts on MSN Photos sis iseseisana i 103 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures nter eeu eene nera eror eoe eua san eue sin ue ME a nae ee Haven pa een ausu 105 About Digital Camera 2 8er erret iba 108 Photo Quality a M 108 Resolution neon ep hee eO tos 109 Compression s onn TER nti ai cis 111 File Formats aii nia 112 Using Zoom Features ET ba 113 Memory Cards Disks and Sticks nennen nnne nnne 114 Battery Life NO 115 Usine the Blasi ges ettet eb Dh re th ate ted odi rn ete rn aded denos 116 Automatic Flash 5 eaae e ntu RU uin uai tb NE eiie RE 116 Red Eye Reduction ET pic 117 ROO 118 Using Your Camera s Manual Settings nennen sen abia da in 119 EXPOSUTE 120 Exposure Compensation capta 121 APA 122 Shutter Speed sia tata ld 123 ISO Setting or Equivalente lt laca ia 125 Setting the White Balance mamis ii nn aa 126 Using Automatic Modes on Your Camera skede esea eo nennen nennen nennen nennen 127 Macro Mode cia 128 Action Modena 129 B rst Mode uote dotate e intet See eiectus 130 Portrait Mode 555 eorr deret AAA daa tede 131 Panoramic Mode nun EE 132 Usrmp the Sel DHBGE AA O 133 Getting Yourself into a Ph d u a a a a 133 Taking Long Exposure Shots exe tte n e d ee E ORE EH NE
191. r other wrinkles on the face The remove wrinkle tool works by covering lines with the color of the surrounding pixels The remove wrinkle tool can be used to remove curved as well as straight wrinkles For curved wrinkles break the wrinkle into sections and correct just one section at a time This might give you better results than using a wider circle The remove wrinkle tool was used on the picture on the right eliminating wrinkles around the eyes to make a more flattering portrait To remove wrinkles Onthe Touchup menu point to Other Photo Repair and then click Remove Wrinkles 2 Click a circle that corresponds to the size of the wrinkle you want to remove 3 Click the picture at one end of the wrinkle and then click at the other end of the wrinkle The wrinkle disappears 4 Repeat step 3 to remove other wrinkles in the photo 5 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 52 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup Fine tuning the lighting If you need to make further adjustments after adding flash you can use the brightness and contrast or adjust levels tools Adding Flash In some lighting conditions such as when the sun is low in the sky behind your subject your subject will be very dark compared to the light in the background Ideally you could use your camera s flash for this situation illuminating your subject as you take the photo But if you forget to turn on your flash or if your subj
192. r settings as being slow under ISO 200 fast ISO 400 to 800 and very fast over ISO 800 Films in the ISO 50 to 100 range are very slow or they are the least sensitive to light Hence they require a long exposure or a slow shutter speed to produce a well exposed image For example on a gray overcast day using ISO 50 film you may need to use a 1 8 sec shutter speed to photograph a landscape at f 16 Examples of very fast film include those with an ISO of 1600 and 3200 Because these films and settings are very sensitive to light they require shorter exposure times or a faster shutter speed On the same overcast day you could Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 164 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks switch to ISO 1600 film and take the same landscape picture at f 16 with a shutter speed of 1 250th sec Trivia The ISO numeric rating scale was established by the International Organization for Standardization which combined the older DIN ASA ANSI systems for international use When yov re shooting with a fast film you or the camera can select fast shutter speeds that reduce the risk of a blurred image caused by subject motion This also allows you to make sharp pictures in low light situations while hand hold ing the camera During the short exposure time blur from movement does not have time to register in the image On manual cameras you set the ISO using a ring or dial on the camera On digital
193. r trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and or other countries This product contains images from PhotoDisc Getty Images Inc Tony Chor Tim Hedlund Charlotte Lowrie David Parlin Tom Simmons and Faith Szafranski This software is based in part on the work of the independent JPEG Group GIF decompression code copyright 1990 David Koblas Portions of graphic filter software used with the permission of Eastman Kodak Company Copyright 1996 Eastman Kodak Company ImageStream Graphics amp Presentation Filters Copyright O 1991 1996 ImageMark Software Labs Inc All Rights Reserved Graphic filters licensed from Access Softek Inc Copyright O 1996 Access Softek Inc This product contains Macromedia Flash Player software by Macromedia Inc Copyright 1996 2002 Macromedia Inc All rights reserved Macromedia Flash and the Flash Player logo are trademarks of Macromedia Inc Portions of this product were created using LEADTOOLS Copyright O 1991 2000 LEAD Technologies Inc 2000 Gina B Designs Inc Adjoa J Burrowes EthnoGraphics Alice Briggs Illustration Allport Editions Amberley Greeting Card Company Antoinette Simmons Hodges EthnoGraphics Athena Hampton EthnoGraphics Betty Biggs EthnoGraphics Bonnie Zuponcic Carla Golembe EthnoGraphics Cathy L Schubert EthnoGraphics Colors By Design Emma Raley Fish amp Webster Fravessi Greetings Inc Gary Cra
194. re Why not go to a park or nature preserve The difference between photographing in alleys and say a meadow or woodland is the unique juxtapo sition of man and nature In alleys nature works on abandoned structures and objects to create photo opportunities that are far less predictable than you d get taking photographs in an arboretum or park More often than not however nature does not work alone in alleys For aspiring artists alley walls provide expansive and affordable canvases And predictably alleys have that underground appeal that nourishes the iconoclast s creative expression It s a sort of 21st century twist on Michelangelo s Sistine Chapel that today s impassioned artists spend quiet tireless predawn hours transform ing dingy brick walls into memorable and photogenic compositions And 1f you re fortunate enough to find an alley where nature artists and impassioned idealists have been very busy expressing themselves consider your detour to be a real find Location tips and notes Depending on the city you may more readily find this type of photo opportunity at highway underpasses or along the walls of failing areas within large downtown cities Exercise caution and good judgment when entering alleys and other potentially unsafe locations If you choose to photograph the location stay alert to activity around you and always have your cell phone handy Shooting tips and notes Because the lighting is often poor in alleys an
195. re is the most important factor that affects the range of acceptably sharp focus in a picture other factors also affect depth of field including m Camera to subject distance At any aperture f stop the further you are from a subject the greater the depth of field will be If you take a scenic photo of a distant mountain the foreground midground and background may all be in acceptably sharp focus If you take a head and shoulders portrait however only your subject will be in very sharp focus m Focallength of the lens In simple terms focal length determines how much of a scene the lens sees From the same shooting position a wide angle lens sees more of the scene than a telephoto lens In addition a wide angle lens produces an extensive depth of field provided you are not extremely close to the subject In more technical terms a wide angle lens or zoom setting has a 110 degree angle of view while a telephoto lens may have only a 23 12 or even 4 degree narrow view of the scene Because a long or telephoto lens or zoom setting any lens or zoom setting over 50mm magnifies the subject the depth of field is shallow so that only the subject is in very sharp focus To blur the background in this photo opened up to f 2 8 Photo taken at 1 100 sec zoom lens set to 200mm on a digital camera Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 170 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Telephoto lenses have a narr
196. res To install the version with fewer features you must first uninstall the version with more features Reinstalling or Removing Digital Image If you are having problems running Digital Image reinstalling the program may help it to run better on your computer You should not attempt to remove Digital Image by deleting the program files from your hard disk Instead use the Digital Image Installation Wizard to properly uninstall the program Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 6 Chapter 1 Installation To remove or reinstall Digital Image from Windows XP 1 2 3 4 Log on to the computer as an administrator From the Windows Start menu click Control Panel Click Add or Remove Programs From the list of installed programs click the version of Digital Image you want to remove or reinstall Click Change Remove The Installation Wizard opens Follow the instructions on the screen To remove or reinstall Digital Image from Windows 98 Windows 2000 or Windows Me 1 From the Windows Start menu point to Settings and then click Control Panel 2 Click Add Remove Programs 3 From the list of installed programs click the version of Digital Image you want to remove or reinstall Click Add Remove The Installation Wizard opens Follow the instructions on the screen Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 2 Welcome to Digital Image Pro 2 Welcome to Digital Image Pro Congratulati
197. rowed floral arrangements from my manager and begged coworkers to bring in their kids This is an example of photo subjects recruited at the grocery store In fact on rainy days I sometimes go to buy groceries but forget to pick up what s on the shopping list because I become engrossed in finding prize fruits and vegetables to photograph I carefully select each piece rejecting specimens with bruises or deformities and walk away with three prize mushrooms half a dozen peppers and a handful of well chosen chilies The checkout people have stopped looking quizzically at the odd assortment of groceries and long ago I stopped feeling compelled to explain But I ve recently learned that those of us at the office who have no on location photo subjects are not alone There are other subject less readers with cameras in hand wondering What else is there to shoot Beyond the obvious and easy to shoot subjects like relatives friends and local tourist attractions what do you shoot In the best of all worlds you would hope that whatever it might be would also be interesting and inspiring Give yourself an assignment The approach I described earlier of going to the grocery store is admittedly a bit random But randomness aside my grocery store hardware store and garage sale approaches have forced me to see things more carefully than ever before I have spent hours photographing grocery store mushrooms Because I
198. rowing flower arrangements from your manager as sometimes do or try some of the ideas in this article When it comes to photos there s a pecking order in our group at the office Those with children especially young children are at the top of the photo peck ing order Why you might ask The answer is that this group is the enviable enclave with live in photography subjects Next in the hierarchy are people with pets preferably docile pets trained or caged pets or pets with interesting personalities or habits in other words pets that give you half a chance to get a few good shots On the third rung in the hierarchy are people involved in interesting sports With some sports volleyball and baseball for instance it s hard to partici pate and take pictures simultaneously but the result can be exciting images The downside especially with slower paced sports such as golf is that pictures can be dull and predictably repetitive But any sport is better than having no photo subjects at all The rest of us in the group sink ignominiously to the bottom of the heap We re the ones who often drift aimlessly through the hallways in search of something interesting to shoot Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 191 The search for subjects Finding photography subjects is a big challenge In repeated attempts to cope with this challenge I have sent myself flowers to photograph bor
199. rs If you prefer to shoot transparencies many pho tographers swear by Fujichrome Velvia for its sharpness and vivid color rendition Kodak Ektachrome E 100S is also a favorite When shooting with transparency film exposure latitude is tight so be sure to bracket your exposures If you shoot negative film many recommend Kodak Royal Gold and Kodak s VC rated negative films rated at ISO 50 or 100 m Make adjustments for digital Choose a slow low ISO value to mini mize noise the appearance of grain and to ensure sharpness and color saturation Also always set the white balance to match the conditions For example if you re shooting in shade or overcast light set the white balance accordingly m Take advantage of filters To eliminate reflections from water and glass saturate colors and cut through haze use a polarizing filter For land scapes with a bright sky and much darker terrain use a graduated density filter to bring the sky exposure closer to the exposure of the terrain Try an enhancing filter to increase the intensity of reds and yellows in a scene Enhancing filters unlike polarizing filters cause an overall warm color shift throughout the scene Try an 81A 81B or 81C warming filter Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 236 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks to enhance warm fall colors and to counteract the blue tint of overcast or shaded lighting conditions Provide depth scale and distance For landsca
200. rs more control On the Effects menu if you point to Filters and then click All Filters you will see the complete selection of filters available You can also change advanced options and control settings such as filter transparency and pressure Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 70 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing To apply a filter Using plug in filters in eckiion t oval Filters create a whole new look for your pictures Many filters make the image 20 standard filters in look less like a photograph and more like a drawing painting mosaic or other Digital image you can hand created artwork Filter enhanced pictures can become an attractive focal alEO VEe EMO SOR point of projects such as greeting cards and calendars compatible plug in filters available from many third party companies at retail stores and on the Web 1 On the Effects menu point to Filters and then click a filter Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing 71 Color Effects You can give a color picture a new look by applying a color effect Turn a favorite color picture into an instant classic by changing it to black and white Or apply the antique effect which ages your picture by giving it a sepia tone To turn a color picture to black and white or antique 1 On the Effects menu click one of the following m Antique m Black and White Paint Effects With the freehand
201. rule of thirds when composing the space inside a picture frame The rule of thirds is used throughout the graphic design world because it helps to create balance between the subject and the background When you compose a picture according to the rule of thirds you Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 44 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup mentally divide the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically imagine a tic tac toe grid and place the point of interest on one of the four spots where the lines intersect If the photo includes a person or animal you can place the face on one of the four points looking toward the center of the scene If the photo includes the horizon it should run about one third from the top or one third from the bot tom depending on whether the terrain or the sky is the center of focus The cropped picture is a more interesting composition because it follows the rule of thirds To crop a photo using the rule of thirds Onthe Format menu point to Crop and then click Canvas 2 Under Select a proportion click a proportion 3 Select the Show guidelines for the rule of thirds check box 4 Click a starting point on your photo and then drag the outline to the opposite corner of the area to be cropped The guidelines show the cropped area divided into thirds vertically and horizontally 5 Move and resize the cropped area so a focal point in the picture is positioned at one of the intersections of t
202. s especially older models may not function as a virtual drive or be TWAIN or WIA compliant For these cameras use the software provided by the camera to download the photos to a folder your computer Then open them with the file browser Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 18 Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures To open photos from a camera that uses TWAIN support 1 ha A Make sure that you have installed all the drivers and software that came with your camera Connect your digital camera to your computer and then turn on the camera On the File menu point to Get Picture From and then click Digital Camera Under Select a camera or drive click a camera Click Automatic Download 6 Click Download The pictures stored on the camera appear in the workspace Click Download all pictures or To download an individual picture drag the picture from the workspace to the Files palette Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures 19 Troubleshooting tips for opening pictures from a camera m Your camera must be connected and turned on before you start the digital camera task or it will not appear in the list of cameras and drives m If you ve connected your digital camera to your computer but can t see your pictures make sure the connections are secure the camera is turned on and the batteries are charged The camera might not star
203. s burning darkening an area or dodging lightening an area the subse quent editing can create unnatural looking edges and pronounced halo effects around objects in the picture Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 241 Following a sequence or workflow in the digital darkroom not only helps you avoid time consuming mistakes but also ensures that you work with a copy of the image in as high a resolution as you can for as long as you can before making the final edits such as cropping or resizing for printing Image correction process 1 Save and correct a copy of the original Adjust the tonal range Adjust the color balance Dodge and burn Correct flaws such as dust scratches and red eyes Crop the image ZX O Uu Bu rn Size the image for printing e mail and the Web 8 Sharpen the image 1 Save and correct a copy of the original Before editing an image always save a copy of the original file in a lossless file format such as Tagged Image File Format TIFF or tif and work on the copy Although you may have taken the image in JPEG format do not edit and continue to save the image in JPEG format JPEG files are small because they are compressed to save space on the memory card and on your computer s hard drive However during compression some of the image data is discarded If you re working on a JPEG image and you periodically save it as a JPEG as you work the image will be
204. s caused an orange glow On your next shoot go out and take this same photo again and make adjust ments for the problems you encountered before When you look at the results of your second round of photos you may find that you got excellent results or you may find that one of your adjustments disrupted something else in the photo Or maybe the different lighting conditions of the different day made it more difficult to nail the exposure To continue the exercise shoot the same subject or scene on a regular basis You must always compensate for the differences in lighting each day but you can try new approaches to the composition Learning to shoot the same subject under different conditions or with a different approach gives you valuable experience and ideas when you encounter new situations 9 Shoot Every Single Day To become a talented and confident photographer make photography part of your daily routine Fortunately digital cameras have made it much more conve nient and inexpensive to shoot lots and lots of photos Once you ve purchased your digital camera you can take as many photos as you want The only cost is for batteries and storage for your photos The more you practice the more confident you ll become in your skills and in your equipment You ll also develop the habit of keeping your camera close by and having it ready for photo opportunities Train yourself to look for these opportunities and take advantage of them
205. s per inch to 150 pixels per inch When you resize a picture it is generally not a good idea to try to increase or decrease the pixel dimensions since this reduces image quality In most cases it s not necessary to adjust the image size since that can be handled automati cally during printing For high quality prints it s generally good to keep the picture s resolution at least 300 pixels per inch But depending on you printer model and the image quality you desire you may be satisfied with prints at only 150 pixels per inch For Web use 72 pixels per inch is usually considered sufficient Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 30 Chapter 4 Digital image Basics To resize a picture Onthe Format menu click Resize Image 2 Click one of the following to lock the setting m mage size m Pixel dimensions m Resolution 3 Enter amounts for the settings you want to change 4 Click Done Applying Text You can add text to any picture and easily change the text font font color font size alignment and emphasis You start by adding a text box and then you edit the text in the box A text box is its own layer on the Stack To add text Onthe Text menu click Insert Text A text box appears 2 Type your text As you add text the text box will automatically expand vertically to fit all of your text 3 To change the width of the text box select the text box and drag one of the side resize handles 4 To move the tex
206. s printed on both sides of the paper or quarter fold cards which are smaller cards printed on only one side of the paper A favorite golfing photo was used to create this half fold card 89 Working with a multi page project When working with a project that has more than one page such as a greeting card the multi page palette appears on the bottom of the screen This palette lets you switch between pages in the project Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 90 Chapter 9 Creating Projects To change the fold style of a card Onthe Format menu click Change Card Fold Creating Calendars Calendars are a great way to showcase your favorite photos Calendar projects are available in the following formats A one week calendar A one year calendar ma Me ee Cu o m a am a r am A one month calendar Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 9 Creating Projects 91 ded The first three months of a 12 month calendar To create a calendar project Du bu Ne 8 On the File menu click Create a Project Click Calendars Click a calendar type Click a theme click a design and then click Open Set the start date for the calendar and then click Next Follow the instructions on the screen to add a photo to your calendar and then click Next Move or resize your photo on the calendar Use the corner resize handles to resize the photo proportionally Click Don
207. s the process of establishing a sense of order for the elements within an image The lines in this image not only create organization but also lead the eye through the image Note Composition rules or guidelines are a helpful starting point but they are useful only as long as they enhance the overall image As a quick review here are a few basic composition pointers m Fillthe frame Filling the frame helps establish the center of interest and simultaneously it helps exclude competing background details You can fill the frame by moving closer to the subject or by using a longer focal length or zooming in Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 180 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks m Organize elements In composition the rule of thirds is often used to organize elements in a composition This rule is derived from the Golden Section or Golden Rectangle that divides a space such as a photographic frame into equal segments to create pleasing proportions In simple terms if you apply the rule of thirds in photography you simply imagine a tick tac toe pattern on the viewfinder Then when you place the subject of the photo at one of the intersection points the result is a pleasing sense of order Control the background A non distracting background is a compo sitional tool to help bring attention to the subject of the photo You can control the background by moving your position or moving the subject to avoid backgro
208. saving important photos although the files are relatively large m JPEG jpg is the most common format for images since the files can be opened on practically any computer JPEG does not support layers Too much JPEG compression can reduce image quality but JPEG is a format that makes relatively small files that work well for most purposes especially for e mail and the Web To save a photo in a specific file format 1 On the File menu click Save As The Save As dialog box opens 2 Inthe Save as type box click a file type 3 Click Save Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 10 Saving and Printing Pictures 97 Setting PNG Plus Options Only Digital Image and Picture It can read individual objects saved in PNG Plus files However a PNG Plus file contains a flattened PNG version of the picture that can be read by many other programs including Internet Explorer By default Digital Image saves the flattened version of the picture at the same size as the original multi object picture But while this flattened version of the picture allows the file to be opened by other programs it does increase overall file size If you don t need to have a full size flattened version of the picture embedded in each PNG Plus file you can choose to have the flattened version of picture be saved at a smaller size Limiting the dimensions of the embedded file can decrease the overall file size To limit the size of the embedde
209. scanning 145 U underexposure 120 ungrouping objects 61 unlocking objects 58 unprintable card areas 89 upgrading Digital Image 5 USB connectivity 148 USB Mass Storage Class devices 14 V vertical formats 234 video adapters 157 Video player 35 viewable area screen 154 viewfinder 235 virtual drives 14 VRAM Video RAM 155 Ww water glass analogy 120 weatherproofing camera gear 210 Web pages opening pictures from 22 Web quality resolutions 98 147 Web site photography articles 161 weight ranges paper 101 white area canvas 28 white balance 40 126 203 235 WIA 17 wide aperture 122 165 Windows Bitmap files 16 Windows Metafile files 16 winter photo sessions 210 wizards Import Pictures 13 Installation 4 workspace area 27 153 wrinkles removing 51 Z zoom 113 211 zoom lens 234
210. scratch removal software This option can save a great deal of time later eliminating the need to fix most defects Chapter 12 Successful Scanning Film Scanners If you need to scan negatives or slides on a regular basis a film scanner is the best option for the sharpest high resolution results Film scanners generally have higher resolutions than flatbed scanners producing images at 2 000 or more dpi Since slides and negatives are so much smaller than photographic prints it s crucial to be able to scan at a high resolution especially if you plan to make larger size prints from the scans If you scan a slide at low resolution you ll have relatively few pixels to work with limiting you to making small prints of the scans If you don t have a scanner that accepts film you can pay a photo lab to scan your best negatives or slides onto a CD ROM Negatives and slides can be scanned to various sizes from 128 x 192 pixels to 2048 x 3072 pixels The lat ter is adequate for making a good 8 x 10 print Paying for scanning services can be expensive so if you have a lot of slides or negatives you ll save money by buying a suitable scanner Preparing Pictures for Scanning The single biggest problem with scanning is poor scans caused by contami nants such as lint dust and other specks on your photos or flatbed scanner s glass plate Some of these particles are barely visible before the scan but become noticeable spots in the digit
211. se the details you want to show and can create distracting reflections as the light from the flash bounces back to the lens If possible use natural or household lights to light the object Ensure tack sharp focus The advantages of sharp focus are obvious yet many auction photos are blurry enough that it s hard to tell what the item really looks like To get tack sharp photos the most important thing to know is the focusing range of your camera Be sure to read the manual before you begin shooting to learn the focusing range and then stay within the camera s focusing range when you take the photos If the range doesn t allow you to get close enough switch to the close up mode on the camera and then move in as close as the focusing range allows To ensure crisp focus stay within the focusing range of your camera Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 215 Remember that the photos will be displayed on a low resolution computer monitor That means you crop the image to make it larger using your image editing program and the loss of resolution won t be noticeable Note Many companies offer accessory lenses for digital cameras If you often sell items especially small items such as stamps or coins on auction sites you may want to invest in a close up accessory lens The lenses typically require an inexpensive adapter ring that fits onto the camera s built in lens and then the close u
212. site area click Invert on the Freehand Tool options palette Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 66 Chapter 6 Advanced Photo Editing The Edge Finder The Edge Finder helps you select part of an object by tracing along well defined edges This tool is useful for cutting out or copying people or detailed items in a picture N Re UJ CA a N Make sure that the Stack appears in the workspace On the Stack click the object of which you want to make a partial selec tion Click the Edge Finder button on the toolbar Ifthe Edge Finder options palette is not showing click the Selection button on the toolbar To keep the edges of the selection smooth select the Anti aliased check box on the Edge Finder options palette On the Edge Finder options palette click whether you want to make a new selection add to the current selection or subtract from the current selection On the Edge Finder options palette enter a value in the Width box The Width is the number of pixels away from the pointer that the Edge Finder will try to detect an edge On the picture click points along the edge of the item you want to select As you trace make sure that the edge stays within the zone of the Edge Finder To close the selection area click the starting point To modify the selection click Adjust edges drag any point in the selec tion marked by a square and then click Done To feather the selection
213. soft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 222 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 3 Just don t say cheese Ifthere is a universal photo convention it must be having photo subjects say cheese to get them to smile for a picture While smiling is a good thing to have subjects do for say a family portrait almost all adults and children past the age of crawling have perfected a cheesy camera smile that satisfies the photographer but that lists far to right of genuine If you photograph people try not to ask them to smile Instead photograph them with natural expressions Emphasizing natural of course means that you ll need to spend some time putting them at ease first Tip Natural expressions are fleeting If you re not prepared to shoot and you say wait don t move your subject may become self conscious trying to hold an expression or pose Instead just shoot whether you re ready or not and keep shooting as you make the necessary camera adjustments It s much easier to delete a bad digital picture or throw away a film print than it is to recapture spontaneity and keep the subject engaged 4 Avoid clich s Clich means a trite or overused expression or idea and in this case a been there seen that photo This means you have to ditch the I want to take a picture just like that mentality and break new visual ground both in the way you look at scenes and in the way you use your photo gear
214. st light can be tricky A few models still have the bothersome problem of shutter lag the interval between the time you focus and press the shutter release button and the time Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 205 the exposure is complete In that interval the subject can move or you can inadvertently move the camera thinking the exposure is complete either of which results in fuzzy out of focus images In some otherwise hopeless images you can of course claim the result was intentional along the lines of flexing of your creative muscles How to avoid it Some of the newer digital cameras have image stabilization features to help overcome this problem If your camera has this feature be sure to use it If your camera doesn t have image stabilization features look for ways to steady the camera For example take pictures using the viewfinder instead of the LCD Placing the camera up to your eye and having your arms close to your body helps stabilize the camera You can also use a lightweight monopod or tripod or you can sit the camera on a solid surface to take pictures Remember that what looks sharp in the LCD may not be sharp when you see it at full size on the computer screen Many cameras allow you to zoom the image in the LCD Get in the habit of using the LCD zoom to confirm whether the focus is sharp Taking the time to zoom in the LCD image is impractical while
215. stem at any time by pressing F1 on the keyboard r y Online Help Digital Image online Help is the most comprehensive of the Help resources It provides step by step instructions overviews troubleshooting topics technical support and the What s wrong with this picture diagnostic tool Help includes several ways to find information including a table of contents a keyword index and a full text search This diagram identifies the main features of the Help window ro imb deu larem beber ae Romo Per Ta rs sim Cha pi lara nr shimal 1 ame BN H HHL RI oU IE A PE A AA A el Poe DE sama add D prd V Cu fen sara punision ip bia pripa oe apa A bm ELI Th Gl rad co Whois eles ied le mure Po a mi beside bee Ye Cleri udo maie Fe kreas ta pam ee negoti PA mor rr a alar Peur a nnno Eo ae oni Be Ho map oon i seers din Bc aibi TL Tanja Hg male Pen inda pr 6 7 8 9 1 The Show Hide button Click this button to expand or collapse the left pane of the Help window 2 The Back button Click this button to go back to the last Help topic 3 The Options menu This menu has options to print a topic or to set options such as Internet Options where you can change the font size in the Help window 4 The content pane Displays the current Help topic 5 The close button closes the Help window Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 4 Digital Image Basics 33 6 The Contents tab displays
216. subject create or emphasize tonal differences by using side lighting and by playing up shadows Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 233 Color and light Many typical fall photographs are shot in bright or moderately bright sunlight This type of light produces images that closely match the way we remember seeing the scene That is part ofthe reason we respond to them with a positive sense of familiarity However fall colors photographed in the cooler range of light at twilight or in overcast conditions or in the warmer light of sunrise and sunset offer anew perspective on familiar colors and subjects and provide a more creative back drop for photographs Overcast and post rain conditions in particular produce richer more saturated colors For example the same red leaves photographed against a twilight backdrop create a more moody interpretation that suggests a sense of mystery or drama E Fading afternoon light provides just enough frontal lighting for the leaves Color and composition Looking at the spectacular array of fall colors it s often difficult to isolate elements for a composition And that s where some fall pictures fail As a textbook rule using more than two bright colors in a composition creates visual confusion Okay so no one tipped off Mother Nature to this rule While grand panoramic shots of colorful scenes may seem obligatory for fall photo coll
217. t 640 x 480 however the pixels and therefore the image will appear to be larger on the 15 inch monitor than on the 13 inch monitor But if the 15 inch monitor is set at 1024 x 768 pixels the pixels that make up the image and therefore the image itself will appear smaller Today Web designers generally plan for a screen size of 800 x 600 pixels as the most common denominator which works for most monitors To size an image for online display make a copy of the finished image and then change the size of the copied image to fit the screen Set a size that will display the image without crowding out the browser controls or the rest of the Web page elements For example to size a picture to fit one fourth of the total screen area of a 13 inch monitor set to 640 x 480 pixels set the size at 320 pixels wide Also remember that older computer monitors have a resolution of only 72 dots per inch dpi while newer monitors have a resolution of 96 dpi So again a high resolution image does not necessarily mean a higher viewing quality on computer monitors To size images for e mail messages the same principles apply but remember that some e mail services set a maximum limit on the size of embedded or attached files The larger the picture the larger the file size As a general guideline you can size images between 325 and 400 pixels wide at medium to low compression to have an acceptably sharp image and size within an e mail message
218. t be included in the photo Then use a cloth a roll of inexpensive craft paper or poster board for the base and backdrop From experience I ve learned that if you photograph items outdoors try to set up the table and backgrounds in an area where there is little or no wind Then tape the paper to the edge of the table to avoid having gusts of wind turn over small items you re photographing A clean uncluttered background is easy to set up in a makeshift studio When you create the background choose colors that will show off the items you re photographing For example if you re photographing a crystal wine glass choose a background other than white Use even diffuse lighting The goal of lighting in this case is to provide soft even light on the subject Consider setting up your photography area next to a window for small items or outside on an overcast day or in the shade If the area you re working in has natural light coming from one direction the oppo Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 214 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks site side of the item may be dark and lack detail You can bring a small lamp in to fill in the darker area An on camera flash can overexpose the subject obliterating details that a potential buyer would want to see You may be wondering why I haven t mentioned using the on camera flash In most cases an on camera flash creates harsh shadows around the subject may overexpo
219. t box select it hover the mouse pointer over the edge of the text box until the move handle appears and then drag the move handle Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 4 Digital Image Basics Once you ve added the text you can select the text to edit it You can also select the text and use the toolbar buttons to change formatting When text is selected the following tools are available on the toolbar for formatting The font menu lets you choose between 140 different fonts The font size menu lets you choose font sizes from 8 to 620 points The font color button amp lets you choose from a standard palette of colors or choose a custom color The Bold button adds bold formatting to the text The Italic button adds italic formatting to the text The Underline button Y underlines the text The Alignment button E has menu choices for Left Right Center and Justify The Bullets and Numbers button 5 lets you apply or cancel formatting for bulleted or numbered lists 31 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 32 Chapter 4 Digital image Basics Accessing Help Help Resources from the keyboard There are multiple ways that you can learn more about using Digital Image In addition to this User s Manual there is the online Help system the product Tour and Instructional Videos The following sections describe the types of information available You can access the online Help sy
220. t download ing unless its batteries are fully charged Some cameras are equipped with an A C adapter that you can use instead of batteries m If your camera does not appear in the list of cameras and drives or if you receive an error message when you click Download start your camera software from the operating system Start menu m For more information about downloading photos using the software included with your camera consult your camera s manual Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 20 About TWAIN and WIA TWAIN is interface software that allows communication between a camera and your computer Many digital cameras come with a TWAIN driver WIA is a newer interface that works similarly to TWAIN but often provides more control over the device WIA is compatible with TWAIN but is only available on some computer operating systems Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures Opening from a scanner Digital Image supports two types of scanner formats TWAIN and WIA If your scanner doesn t use a TWAIN or WIA interface you need to use the software designed specifically for the make and model of your scanner Many scanner manufacturers provide free updates to their drivers on the Web Before you attempt to scan a picture make sure your scanner is connected properly The first time you connect your scanner the Identify Scanner Type dialog box will open asking you to identify the type of scanner To connect yo
221. te pictures that look equally good on other systems Controlling Ambient Light After you ve gone through the trouble of calibrating your monitor you can also regulate the lighting in the room where you use your computer Without a consistent lighting system the same picture on the same monitor looks different in different lighting conditions Sunlight fluorescent light and incandescent light all affect how your eyes perceive the light coming from the monitor To get the most consistent results ensure that you have the same amount and type of ambient light in the room when you calibrate your monitor and use Digital Image to adjust your pictures for brightness contrast and color Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual CHAPTER 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks is When you re looking to jump start your photography visit the Tips amp Tricks section of the MSN Photos Web site Tips amp Tricks features articles interviews industry news and tips about photography as well as plenty of dynamic inspir ing photographs In this section of the User s Manual we ve selected some of the best articles currently running on Tips amp Tricks You can find these articles on the Web site photos msn com along with full color versions of the accompanying photos The online versions of the articles also contain helpful links to related articles manufacturers Web sites and other sites featuring gr
222. terfall As a very general rule of thumb to stop motion set the shutter speed to 1 125th of a second or faster To show motion as a blur try 1 4 sec or slower and be sure to mount the camera on a tripod Equivalent exposures Film or digital image sensors require a certain amount of light to make a good exposure As we ve seen two factors determine the amount of light that makes the exposure the size of the lens opening aperture or f stop and the shutter speed Set a wide aperture and you can use a fast shutter speed Enough light will reach the film or image sensor to expose the image But switch to a small aperture f stop and you must use a slower shutter speed to get a good exposure Many combinations of aperture f stop and shutter speed produce exactly the same exposure in other words the same amount of light will expose the image For example an exposure setting of f 22 at 1 4th second is equivalent to f 16 at 1 8th second f 11 at 1 15 f 8 at 1 30th of a second and so on That s because you are decreasing the amount of exposure time as you change to a larger aperture Although this photo was taken at midday the shaded area allowed me to reduce the shutter speed enough to show the motion of the water as a blur Photo taken at 1 30 sec f 5 zoom lens set to 200mm on a digital camera Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 173 If you use a fully manual camera or opera
223. that make a big visual statement And quite obviously a brilliant blue sky makes a great backdrop for pictures Secondary colors are green orange and violet Tertiary colors fall between the primary and secondary colors For example yellow orange falls between yellow and orange blue violet falls between blue and violet and so on To create eye stopping photos use complementary colors Complementary col ors are opposite each other in the color wheel such as red green blue orange and yellow violet When you place complementary colors next to each other they make each other appear brighter And because these colors are equal in value combining complementary colors creates strong color contrast Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 221 Bright dominant colors in this case red and blue not only create visual appeal they also cre ate their own composition Given that color has strong appeal you might think that a photo with many strong colors would create a more powerful photograph That s not usually the case however A photograph with many strong colors can be distracting draw ing the viewer s eye from one color to the next Instead compose the photo so that one color dominates and then use the dominant color to help organize the photo and focus attention Related colors are next to each other on the color wheel and a series of three or four adjacent colors is called
224. the Help table of contents 7 The Index tab lets you find keywords in the index list 8 The Search tab finds topics that contain words that you enter 9 The Favorites tab lets you save topics for quick access later To access online Help 1 On the Help menu click Microsoft Digital Image Pro 9 Help Using the table of contents You can use the table of contents to locate information by subject The table of contents is a useful way to see all ofthe features available in each category of features To use the table of contents 1 In the left pane of the Help window click the Contents tab 2 To expand a book in the contents click the plus sign next to it 3 To display a topic in the contents list click the topic title Using the index You can use the index when you are looking for information about a specific term or keyword To use the index 1 In the left pane of the Help window click the Index tab 2 Inthe Type in the keyword to find box type the word you want to find 3 In the results list select the word you want to find and then click Display Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 34 Chapter 4 Digital image Basics Using the search You can use the search function to find all the topics in Help that contain a word or combination of words To use the search m In the left pane ofthe Help window click the Search tab 2 Inthe Type in the keyword to find box type the word for w
225. the combination of focal length lens or zoom setting aperture shutter speed and ISO should also enhance the intent of the photo For example in a scene of an old building did the photographer use exposure controls to emphasize the age of the structure and perhaps the starkness of the Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 181 surroundings To create this sense a photographer can choose a moderately wide angle lens or zoom setting use black and white mode choose a higher ISO or use a high ISO black and white film set a narrow aperture larger f stop number and choose a fast shutter speed depending of course on the light This combination would produce sharp detail visible grain or digital noise to enhance the sense of antiquity and increased depth of field to empha size the sense of loneliness On the other hand if the image is a portrait of a person I would look for quite different exposure settings for example a low ISO a wide aperture small f stop number and depending on the light a slower shutter speed In this case the portrait would have little or no grain or digital noise and the narrow depth of field would blur the background to emphasize the subject Of course a photographer might choose the opposite setting to achieve an entirely different look The question is whether the exposure settings were planned to enhance the image design Questions that can
226. ting Achieving perfect exposure can be compared to filling a glass completely without spilling any of the water For a perfect exposure the glass should become completely full with no water spilling over In this analogy the tap symbolizes the aperture the wider the tap is open the faster the glass fills up The time that the tap is open represents the shutter speed leaving it open longer lets more water into the glass To fill the glass to exactly the right level the rate of flow must be set according to the time the tap is open The third factor ISO rating can be equated to the size of the water glass A smaller glass representing a faster ISO rating fills up more quickly than a larger glass representing a slow ISO Understanding automatic exposure As a photographer you will come across a wide range of lighting conditions and each condition requires that you adjust your camera to different exposure settings For example shooting a photo on a beach on a sunny day calls for different exposure settings than shooting on the same beach on a cloudy day For many conditions the camera s automatic exposure setting gives you good or even excellent results But for some situations the automatic exposure does not perform as well Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 121 Automatic exposure assumes that the scene you are photographing has a few bright spots many midtones and a few dark areas
227. ting mode you must change the shut ter speed each time you change the aperture f stop Or you must change the aperture each time you change the shutter speed The light meter indicator in the viewfinder will remind you to adjust the set tings appropriately In an automatic mode the camera will take care of that step for you All in camera light meters read the amount of light reflected from the subject They use this information to calculate the necessary exposure depending on the ISO aperture size and the shutter speed If you change the aperture the cam era recalculates the amount of time needed for the exposure Change the shutter speed and the camera s meter determines what aperture f stop is required for a correct exposure In a manual operating mode you set both factors using guidance from the light meter You can try different apertures and shutter speed combinations to create different effects in your pictures Tip Many people prefer to shoot in a semi automatic mode such as aperture priority mode This mode gives them creative control over depth of field and eliminates the need to constantly make manual adjustments to the shutter speed In this mode you set the aperture f stop for the depth of field that you want and the camera automatically sets the appropriate shutter speed Note that in shutter priority mode you set the shutter speed and the camera automatically set the appropriate aperture f stop In either mode th
228. to moderate compression might not noticeably reduce photo quality but high compression produces visible areas of splotchy color called artifacts Even with slight compression artifacts become more pronounced each time the photo is saved and compression is applied The left photo has been saved with lossless compression so all of the image quality is retained The photo on the right was saved with heavy JPEG compression which is not lossless and the compression significantly reduced the image quality For important photos that you want to make into prints it s good practice to use little or no compression Or if your camera offers it you can take your photos in a format such as TIFF that offers lossless compression Lossless compression reduces file size but retains all of the photo quality once the photo Is restored File size and photo quality Lowering resolution and increasing compression both reduce file size and photo quality Bearing this in mind you can use file size as a rough way to judge photo quality Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 112 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures File formats compatible with Digital Image Digital Image can open photo files in any of the following formats m Adobe Photoshop psd m AutoCAD dxf m CorelDraw cdr Enhanced Metafile emf EPS eps FlashPix fpx GIF gif Home Publishing php JPEG jpg m Kodak Photo CD ped m Mac
229. ton to open the file browser where you can open photos from your hard drive a network drive a digital photo card reader a CD or DVD or a floppy disk 2 Open from Camera Click this button to launch the digital camera task so you can open photos from a digital camera using Digital Image or your camera s software 3 Scan a Picture Click this button to launch the Scan Picture task where you can scan a picture directly into Digital Image 4 Edit Multiple Pictures Click this button to open the Mini Lab The Mini Lab helps you perform routine editing task such as rotating levels auto fix cropping and saving on multiple pictures at the same time Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 26 Chapter 4 Digital image Basics 5 a N oo o 10 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Create a Project Click this button to pick a project design You ll find a variety of projects such as calendars greeting cards and album pages designed to work with your photos Projects are organized by type and by theme Show on startup Check this box to have the Startup Window open every time you start Digital Image Help links Click these links to go directly to resources that can help you get the most out of Digital Image and digital imaging m Take a Tour launches the product Tour m Instructional Videos displays links to the different videos available Help opens the online Help window Online Photo Tips links you d
230. tools and a brightness and contrast tool use the automatic or manual adjustments to tweak the brightness and contrast of the image Then use the cloning tool to delete small imperfections such as dust or use the cloning tool to eliminate unwanted or distracting objects from the image If you clone large sections be sure to resample or set a new starting position frequently as you work Frequent resampling gives the cloned area a more realistic look Next use the crop tool in your image editing program to crop the image You can crop to eliminate empty space or distracting objects in the image You may want to leave a little space around the object as a visual frame Before you begin the final step in the process be sure you check the guidelines of the auction site Many auction sites set a SOKB file size limit to ensure quick page viewing for visitors Depending on the image editing program you re using you can resize the image so the image file meets the file size require ments of the auction site or you can use the option to save the image for the Web The latter option takes the guesswork out of the sizing process because it shows you as you work what the final file size will be for each of the size options If you re using Microsoft Digital Image Pro just choose Save Special from the File menu then choose Save as a Web ready Picture Under Click a picture size choose an option that results in a file size shown below the dropdo
231. trait Mode For portraits and candid shots using your camera s portrait mode is a convenient way to get good results Portrait mode is set to use a relatively wide aperture creating a shallow depth of field With only your subject in focus objects in the background are less distracting and your subject dominates the frame With a shallow depth of field it s crucial that you get your subject in sharp focus If your depth of field is so short that you can t focus on every part of your subject at the same time focus on the subject s eyes and let hands and feet be less in focus For this portrait the Diffuse Glow filter was applied in Digital Image to soften the focus For successful portraits remember to fill the frame and use a slightly telephoto lens such as a 105mm or a slight zoom setting Keep the background very simple unless you are using objects in the background as context for your sub ject If shooting indoors an off camera flash or other light source works best Reduces wrinkles and blemishes The Diffuse Glow filter available in Digital Image works well when applied to portrait photographs The filter simulates the effect of using a soft diffusion filter on your camera softening the photo and minimizing wrinkles or blemishes Relaxing your subject An important aspect of portrait photography is to get your subject relaxed and comfortable for the pose Try using conversation or other pleasa
232. tte You can also add a picture to the one you re working on by dragging the thumbnail from the Files palette to the canvas Chapter 4 Digital Image Basics 29 Image Formatting When you have a picture open on the canvas there are a number of ways to re size it Changing picture size When you open an image onto the canvas the image is automatically sized so that it fills the workspace As a result a high resolution image such as 1600 x 1200 pixels will look as large as a low resolution image that s only 640 x 480 pixels For this reason viewing a picture on the canvas is not a reliable way of judging an image s resolution Whenever you resize an image consider these three factors m Image size which is the size of the printed image m Pixel dimensions which is how many colored dots pixels make up the picture m Resolution which is the density of the pixels in the picture The pixel dimensions are the product of the image size multiplied by the resolution For example if you have a picture that is 4 x 6 and its resolution is 300 pixels per inch its pixel dimensions would be 1200 x 1800 Given this relationship if you change one of the three settings one of the other settings will also have to change to keep the mathematical relationship equal So if you enlarged the picture in the previous example from 4 x 6 to 8 x 12 and you kept the pixel dimensions the same then the resolution would decrease from 300 pixel
233. ttings Three of the most common flash settings are outlined in the following sections Automatic Flash Contrary to what you might think you may be better off without your flash in many situations If you think the scene is too dark to take without a flash try increasing the ambient light by turning on lamps and opening the drapes On most digital cameras you can increase the ISO equivalent setting in effect making the image sensor more sensitive to the available light which allows you to shoot in low light without a flash Many newer cameras offer low light shooting modes and night flash settings that improve the quality of low light photos If your camera offers these options use them Otherwise always stay within the recommended range of the flash Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 117 Red Eye Reduction Flash One of the most common problems with flash photos of people and pets is red eye This problem is caused by a flash located very close to the camera lens The light from the flash reflects off the blood vessels in the subject s retina causing the pupils to look red This problem occurs frequently in low light situations when pupils are likely to be dilated There are several things you can do to help avoid red eyes in your photos m Increase the ambient light in the room Turning on lights and opening up the drapes reduces the size of your subjects pupils m Use your camera
234. und distractions and by using a wider aperture smaller f stop to blur the background It s a good practice to review the entire scene and when possible eliminate or rearrange as many distracting background elements m Keepitsimple The fewer the elements in a photo the stronger the statement the image makes Simplicity also helps prevent the viewer s eye from being distracted To evaluate the composition of your images try asking these questions m Isthere a sense of order and balance in the image that helps lead the eye through the composition Are elements included that do not contribute to the subject of the image m Are elements excluded that if included would have enhanced the subject of the image m Do the depth of field focal length lens or zoom setting lighting angle and perspective enhance the composition m Doesthe crop enhance the composition Is the focus crisp and is the exposure appropriate With the exception of photos that either intentionally show motion or are taken as soft focus images such as a portrait tack sharp focus is one of the first things that everyone notices first about an image Going a step further the center of focus should be on the center of interest of the subject In other words if the picture is of a person the focus should be on the person s eyes The sharp est point of the picture should pinpoint what the photographer sees as the most important aspect of the image The exposure
235. ur scanner 1 Install the software that came with your scanner 2 Turn off your scanner and computer 3 Attach the connector cable from your scanner to your computer 4 Turn on your scanner and computer Once the scanner is connected and recognized by your computer you re ready to scan To scan a photo with a flatbed TWAIN or WIA scanner Connect your scanner to your computer and then turn on the scanner On the File menu point to Get Picture From and then click Scanner Under Select a scanner select a scanner Place your picture on the scanner Select Automatic Scan Du bh UND To automatically correct brightness and contrast during the scanning process select the Correct brightness and contrast check box Click Scan Click Done own Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures 21 Opening a Photo Sent Through E mail Many friends and family members enjoy sending photos through e mail When you receive photos through e mail you can save them to your computer and then work on them with Digital Image Many photos sent through e mail are low resolution photos which are not suit able for large prints But low resolution photos may be fine for online viewing or printing at small sizes To open a photo sent through e mail Use your e mail program to save the photo to a folder on your computer Save the photo to a folder that will be easy for you to locate later
236. ures If you don t already know learn how to set the white balance on your camera Usually the white balance setting is displayed on the LCD as part of the current exposure information You can change it using the camera menus for example under the recording menu or camera settings Once you know how to set the white balance the trick is to remember to set it to match the light before you take a picture Alternatively you can set the white balance to automatic and let the camera calculate the temperature for you Set to automatic the camera will get it right sometimes and sometimes not Some cameras also offer manual white balance settings To manually set the white balance you point the camera at a white object that fills the entire frame and then press a button The camera adjusts the color balance for the specific scene This is the most accurate method and the one to use when you need the assurance that colors will be accurately reproduced in the final image Note If your camera offers RAW mode and you shoot in RAW mode white balance settings may or may not be recorded However white balance along with other exposure settings can be set or adjusted after the fact using the manufacturer s postcapture software 2 Focus is fuzzy Digital cameras perhaps even more than conventional cameras can produce images with less than tack sharp focus Because many digital cameras are very lightweight holding them steady in even the be
237. us Imagine pointing your camera down a set of railroad tracks which go all the way to the horizon With a wide aperture like f 2 8 if you focus on a railroad tie a short distance away only a few of the other ties are in sharp focus With a narrow aperture like f 22 many more of the ties are in focus even those quite a distance from your main focal point A wide aperture will give you a short depth of field as illustrated in the photo on the left where only the eagle is in focus The photo on the right was taken with a small aperture so almost everything is in focus Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 123 For portrait photography a wide aperture helps to limit the focus Your subject s face is clear and sharp but objects in the background are blurred But if you re shooting a vacation photo of someone posing in front of amonument a narrow aperture may be in order With the narrow aperture both the person and the monument can be in focus in the same photo Of course adjusting the aperture also affects how much light is let into the camera But if a specific depth of field is important for your shot you can switch to manual mode set the aperture and then set the shutter speed to get the correct exposure level Some cameras also offer an aperture priority mode that automatically selects the correct shutter speed to produce the correct exposure for the aperture you select Shutter
238. use the adjust tint task to correct the balance of colors to make the lighting look more natural In this task you locate a point that should be white and then Digital Image balances all of the colors in the picture based on the white point you set If you have already used the Levels auto fix tool the tint problems in the picture may already be corrected Use the adjust tint task to make additional adjust ments to the tint To adjust tint 1 On the Touchup menu click Adjust Tint The mouse pointer becomes an eyedropper 2 With the eyedropper click an area in the picture that should be white Digital Image automatically corrects the colors 3 If you are not satisfied with the results use the sliders for fine tuning Set the Color slider to the color of the cast in the photo and then use the Amount slider to lower the amount of that color in the photo 4 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 5 Basic Touchup 41 Fixing Red Eye Using your flash in low light situations can give your subjects red unnatural looking eyes The Fix Red Eye tool darkens the red spots in the eyes to reduce or eliminate the redness To fix red eye 1 On the Touchup menu click Fix Red Eye 2 Use the pan and zoom controls to magnify your picture and focus on the red eyes in the photo 3 Click the red part ofthe eyes You can click up to two eyes at once 4 Click Red eye auto fix The redness in the eyes is re
239. ush If you don t get perfect results right away with Smart Erase you can use the clone brush to clean up the background to make it look more natural Learn more about the clone brush in the Advanced Photo Editing chapter Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 50 Chapter 5 Basic Touchup Removing Spots and Blemishes Whether you take portrait photographs or just informal snapshots you usually want to present your subjects in a flattering light Many photos of people can be enhanced by removing spots or blemishes from the original photo In the remove spots or blemishes task you click the spot or blemish and the color from the surrounding pixels is used to paint over the discolored area This task is also useful for removing isolated specs of dust from a scanned photo or removing any other spots that detract from the photo With a few clicks of the Remove Spots or Blemishes tool the blemishes disappear from the picture To remove a spot or blemish 1 On the Touchup menu click Remove Spots or Blemishes 2 Zoom in on a spot or blemish 3 To remove the spot or blemish click it 4 Click Done Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 5 Basic Touchup 51 Removing Wrinkles Removing curved As with removing spots and blemishes removing wrinkles is a good way wrinkles to enhance photos that contain close ups of people You can make skin look smoother by removing crow s feet around the eyes o
240. vana is now within your grasp Now you have the power You can see and correct lousy shots on the spot You can correct the flaws in your digital darkroom You smirk thinking that you ll never again pay for 36 weirdly tinted glossy prints from the local lab Never again will you slink out the door convinced that you are the world s only perpetual walking photographic failure But as images begin rolling off the camera and onto your computer s hard disk the reality fairy appears and nirvana s glow begins to fade Regardless of how you shoot some images have stark white highlight areas On other images the focus lists somewhere to the right of crisp And on others it s clear that you have single handedly invented previously unknown categories of bizarre color tints You become deeply depressed Okay maybe not deeply depressed but at least way frustrated But get a grip The message the reality fairy is trying to get across is that digital cameras like their film counterparts present a unique a set of challenges And nirvana is after all elusive at best Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks 203 The truth is that with a digital camera you do have more power over your images both when you take them and when you correct them But unless you want to spend long hours at the computer correcting problems it s prudent to modify some of your shooting techniques for digital images Here are a
241. ve as to save copies of the originals change file format and rename files m Print Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 80 Chapter 7 Batch Editing in Mini Lab Mini Lab displays all of your open photos and includes a list of editing options that you can perform on multiple photos This diagram identifies the main features of Mini Lab 123 4 uy CA a Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual The Open more files button opens the file browser to let you find more pictures to edit The editing options list shows all of the tasks available for batch editing File options let you save or print multiple photos The Workspace in Mini Lab contains thumbnails of all of your opened pictures The Done button closes Mini Lab keeping the photos open and maintain ing the changes you have made To save photos before leaving Mini Lab select the thumbnails and click Save before you click Done The Cancel button closes Mini Lab undoing any unsaved changes Chapter 7 Batch Editing in Mini Lab 81 To open Mini Lab from Digital Image 1 On the Touchup menu click Batch Edit in Mini Lab After you open Mini Lab select the photos you want to edit and then click one or more editing tasks Some of the batch editing tasks Levels auto fix contrast auto fix tint auto fix rotate clockwise and rotate counterclockwise will be performed to all of the selected photos at once The other editing tasks such as croppin
242. want to change In other words you may get more change than you wanted if you use the automatic option 4 Dodge and burn In traditional or wet darkrooms standard image finish ing includes darkening specific small areas of the image by increasing exposure burning in or lightening other small areas by reducing exposure dodging Burning in areas often reveals more detail or de emphasizes less important or distracting areas Conversely dodging can reveal details in overly dark shadow areas In Digital Image Pro on the Touchup menu click Other Photo Repair and then click Dodge and Burn Brush Try using the Soft edge option and increase the Brightness level to lighten dodge deep shadows Use the same method but with an increased Contrast level to darken burn in the lightest areas In this image used dodging and burning to minimize distracting reflections that appeared in the man s sunglasses Regardless of which tools you use it s a good idea to start with a low intensity setting and to choose a brush size that is smaller than the object you re working on Also know that you can always click Reset in Digital Image Pro to imme diately undo any changes you make 5 Correct flaws Scratches dust and lens flare are only a few of the many flaws you can fix in an electronic darkroom Some of the most affordable image editing programs automatically correct many of these errors However if yov re willing to take the time
243. when they come to you Some of the world s most memorable photos were taken by amateur photographers who happened to be in the right place at the right time So to be ready to take that once in a lifetime shot know how to use your gear have your equipment handy and be on the lookout for great photo material Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual A quick check with the LCD One of the benefits of digital photography is that you can get a look at your photos on the LCD preview screen right after you ve taken the shot This feature is great for a quick analysis of the photo s composition exposure and color tone Just be aware that since the preview screen is so small it often does not reveal problems with focus 141 142 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures 10 Show Your Photos to Other People Even when you are making great progress with your photography skills it s easy to overlook the shortcomings in your own work To continue improving your abilities show your photos to other people Getting others opinions is an invaluable learning experience Good photos should be visually exciting to people eliciting a Wow this is great response If you find that people are not very excited by your photos ask them what they think is missing and what you could do to make them better You ll be surprised what some people like and do not like about your photos Find other photographers in your community You can lo
244. will have the highest values toward the middle of the histogram As you shoot check the histogram to ensure that you have a large area of detail and good distribution across the range to make corrections later If your picture does not have a good tonal range you ll generally want to edit the image to distribute the tones as evenly as appropriate for the type of image you re working with Final advice With this process you should be well on your way to getting sparkling images that you ll be proud to share and print Keep in mind that you can overdo adjustments so that the final image looks unnatural When making adjustments try to remember the original scene and then match your image to the colors and tonal range you remember The first pictures you correct will be the most time consuming but as you get the hang of it you ll find you spend less time at the computer and more time shooting Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual Index 12 month calendars 90 24 bit vs 32 bit color 156 A action photography 129 adding flash features 52 pictures to canvas 28 text to pictures 30 additional photography resources 161 adjust levels tool 45 Adobe Photoshop files 16 aging pictures with color effects 71 aligning text 31 ambient light 158 analyzing photos 234 antique effects 71 antistatic products 146 aperture 122 165 168 172 affecting depth of field 234 maximizing depth of field 236 reducing 234 aperture priority mode 123
245. wn box that falls within the auction site s guidelines If you are not using Digital Image Pro look for the Image Size or Resize command Storing auction photos A picture especially for an online auction is certainly worth a thousand words If you re selling a closet full of items online you may quickly find that you have hundreds of photos to store and track For a list of sites that offer hosting services go to the auction site and search for a Help topic on submitting auction photos If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of overstuffed closets attics or garages consider how easy it 1s to sell the items on the auction sites With a little luck and some good pictures you can be only days away from clutter free closets and a few extra dollars Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 218 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks The Fast Track To Better Photos Text and photos by Charlotte K Lowrie No time to study the fine points of photography One or more of a few fast track ideas can net noticeable results in your photos In this example strong color can make a big visual impact If you re one of the millions of overscheduled overwrought people who loves photography but barely has time to read your mail much less time to read tomes of technical information on the fine points of photography take heart You can make an appreciable improvement in your photos with one or more simple techniques that don t require
246. x 10 1 9 megapixels 2 048 x 1 536 3 145 728 970 MB 11 x 14 and larger 3 1 megapixels Compression which is explained in the following section varies by camera so you may find different file size results Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 110 Chapter 11 Taking Great Pictures Megapixel rating One of the main factors in the price of a digital camera is its megapixel rating The megapixel rating indicates the maximum number of pixels in millions that are captured by the camera s image sensor Instead of film a digital camera uses an image sensor usually a CCD charge coupled device or CMOS complementary metal oxide semiconductor chip to capture the visual information when you take a photo The image sen sor on a simple low resolution camera might capture just over 76 000 pixels The image sensor on a high quality digital camera might capture more than 6 megapixels As you can imagine the 6 megapixel camera can produce very large high quality photos with very large files The 76 000 pixel camera can capture a relatively small number of pixels so photo quality would be fair to poor even at small print sizes On many cameras you can set the resolution at which the image sensor captures the photo As a rule of thumb always shoot at the highest resolution possible you ll get higher resolution photos that you can print in larger sizes However in some cases you may want to lower the resolution so th
247. xposure Which aperture or f stop should you choose Your choice depends on two factors First you want to select an aperture that gives you the right shutter speed For example if you want to avoid blur from camera shake or subject motion you need to choose a wide aperture smaller f stop numbers so that you get the faster shutter speeds Likewise if you re using a telephoto long lens and hand holding the camera you need a very fast shutter speed for sharp pictures Second by intentionally selecting a wide or a narrow aperture f stop you can control the depth of field in your pictures For more on that topic go on to the next question Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 168 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks Choosing a narrow aperture in this case f 10 and using a wide angle lens zoom lens set to 17mm on a digital camera created sharpness throughout the image What is depth of field a A term that indicates how much of a scene will be in reasonably sharp focus b The size of the area is that s included within the scene c The focal length of the lens that you re using Correct answer A Depth of field is the zone of acceptably sharp focus in front of and behind a subject For example a picture in which the background is a soft blur has little depth of field In another picture both foreground and background elements appear to be in focus this indicates more extensive depth of field
248. you re shooting a rapid sequence of shots for example a child blowing out candles on a birthday cake For a quick sequence of shots try using the burst or best of the series option if your camera offers it In addition keep in mind that virtually all autofocus systems have difficulty focusing on certain subjects These include smooth and continuous tone subjects finely patterned objects subjects with objects in front of them such as animals in a cage and subjects that have little contrast with the background 3 Don t blow the details White areas in the 1mage that have no detail are called blown highlights While this problem isn t confined to the digital camera arena it is more prevalent with Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 206 Chapter 14 The Best of Tips amp Tricks digital images than with film Blown out highlights are most common in flash pictures where the photographer was too close to the subject But highlight blowout can happen with almost any well lit subject And just as with film images if the camera does not record detail in an area highlight or shadow no amount of image editing in this case burning in can put in detail that was never recorded Highlight blowout is evident on the upper area of the train in this picture How to avoid it Some cameras offer a playback mode that highlights blown out areas as flashing areas If your camera has this feature use it If you see that the imag
249. ze of the thumb nails File name box Displays the file name of a selected thumbnail Files of type menu Use this menu to change the types of image files to be displayed Thumbnails Small versions of your photos stored in the current folder OK Opens the selected thumbnails Cancel Closes the file browser without opening any photos 15 Microsoft Digital Image Pro User s Manual 16 Chapter 3 Opening and Importing Pictures File formats compatible with Digital Image Digital Image can open photo files in any of the following formats m Adobe Photoshop psd m AutoCAD dxf m CorelDraw cdr Enhanced Metafile emf EPS eps FlashPix fpx GIF gif Home Publishing php JPEG jpg m Kodak Photo CD ped m Macintosh PICT pct m Micrografx Designer drw m PC Paintbrush pcx m Picture It Digital Image png php mix fpx PNG png TIFF tif Targa tga Windows Bitmap bmp m Windows Metafile wmf 1 UJ To open pictures with the file browser If opening pictures from a USB Mass Storage Class camera read your camera s documentation and make sure that you have installed the camera s software and drivers properly Make sure your camera is turned on and connected to your computer On the File menu click Open Click the All Files tab In the Look in list click the drive folder or network location that contains the picture you want to open In the

Download Pdf Manuals

Related Search

Related Contents

ACScout-NETBB User`s Manual  Fujitsu LIFEBOOK T5010    Video Script Template  Samsung SGH-F480I Bruksanvisning  BDVM-8360UBT  Hannspree ST29-12U1 User's Manual  Avaya IP Phones User's Manual  MANUALE DI MONTAGGIO  Samsung Celular E1260 manual do usuário(TIM)  

Copyright © All rights reserved. Failed to retrieve file