Digital Photography Guide - Sample

SECOND EDITION

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHYSUPERGUIDE

THE MACWORLD DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY SUPERGUIDE

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Table of ContentsHow to Buya DigitalCamera

6 What Type ofCamera Is Rightfor You? From compact modelsthat fit in your pocketto hefty SLRs that pack professional features, theres no shortageof options when it comes to buying a new digital camera. Wellexplain the differences and help you find your perfect match.

8 How Many Pixels Do You Need? When it comes to your cameras resolution, more pixels isntalways better. See what you gainand what you losewith allthose pixels.

10 Which Features Really Matter? Is it worth spending extra money for the latest camera tech-nology? Whether its image stabilization, face detection, or a Wi-Fi connection, see which features help you take better photosand which are just fluff.

Improve YourCamera Skills

18 UnderstandingYour CamerasControlsMost cameras offer to dothe difficult photographicwork for you; you simply have to press the shutter. But to getphotos that really stand out, you need to know howandwhento switch out of auto mode and take control of the reins.Learn how shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and white balance affectyour images and how to use them for artistic effect.

23 Taking Control of Your FlashWant to take great portraits? Wish your party photos didnt lookso gloomy? The secret to these challenges lies in understandingyour cameras flash modes.

25 Choosing to Shoot in RawAll digital SLRsand even some compact camerasoffer a Rawmode, which lets you work with the cameras raw image data.This gives you greater freedom when shooting and more optionswhen editing. But its not ideal for every situation. See the prosand cons of working in this format, and what software youll needto fine-tune your images.

28 Troubleshooting Difficult ShotsTired of blurry action shots? Wondering how to photograph fishat the local aquarium? Find the simple solutions to these com-mon photo challenges.

Scan Printsand Negatives

32 Selecting aScannerTo add film-era prints andslides to your iPhoto library,youll need a good scanner.Well show you how to find the right one for the taskor betteryet, how to hire someone to do the work for you.

34 Building Your WorkflowAlthough scanning photos isnt a quick process, it doesnt have tobecome a second job. Follow these steps to safely and efficientlydigitize, catalog, and annotate your photos.

Manage YourPhotoCollection

40 UploadingPhotosGet photos off of your digitalcamera and into iPhotoslibrary the smart way.

41 Working with EventsiPhotos Events pane organizes your photos around lifes bigand smallevents. Learn how to take control of this handy orga-nizational scheme to add order to an unwieldy photo library.

43 Adding Custom InformationNobody knows your photos like you do. So spend a little timeafter importing your shots to add valuable information like rat-ings and keywords to your images. Later you can use these anno-tations to organize your photos in useful ways.

46 Finding Photos FastSearching for a needle in a haystack? Unlock the hidden powersof iPhotos search tools.

Bring Out theBest in YourPhotos

50 Calibrate YourSystemBefore you edit a single pic-ture, make sure you cantrust what you see on screen by first calibrating your monitor.

52 Using iPhotos Editing ToolsiPhoto makes it easy to quickly diagnose and fix subtle problemssuch as bad color, dim highlights, and crooked images. Learn howto put the programs editing tools to work on your favorite shots.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

79 Create an Online GalleryTo quickly share your photos with far-flung friends and family,skip the paper entirely and post your photos online. Here arethree services that get the job done with ease.

80 13 Great Photo GiftsFrom coasters to stamps to edible delights, you can put yourphotos on just about anything. Here are a few of our favoriteoptions.

Protect YourPhotos

84 Develop aBackup PlanIf your house caught onfire or your hard drive sud-denly died, would your dig-ital photos survive? Wellshow you how to back upyour photo collection and preserve those digital memories.

87 Back Up Photos While on the RoadDont let a bad memory card ruin your entire vacation. Theresplenty you can do to protect your photos while away from yourcomputer.

57 When iPhoto Isnt EnoughFor truly troubled photos, you may need more help than iPhotocan offer. Luckily, iPhoto makes it easy to incorporate an externalimage editor into your routine.

58 4 Fun iPhoto Add-ons Whether you want to create comic books or stunning panora-mas, these inexpensive programs let you do more with theimages in your iPhoto library.

Print YourPhotos

60 Buying aPhoto PrinterWith an ink-jet photoprinter, you can turn yourMac into a home printingstudio. Well help you findthe right one.

64 Solving Common Printing ProblemsMissing colors? Streaky lines? Use these troubleshooting tips toavoid the most common problems when putting ink to paper.

67 Printing on Fabric, Canvas, and MoreWhether youre looking for interesting textures, richer colors, orbudget-minded media, theres a world of alternative papers toexperiment with.

69 Using an Online Printing ServiceIf you dont want to print photos yourself, plenty of online photoservices will be happy to take the job off your hands.

Fun PhotoProjects

72 Design Books,Calendars, andCards in iPhotoYou dont even have toleave iPhoto to createbeautifully designed photoprojects. Our tips and tricks will help you sail through the processand unlock hidden features.

75 Turn Photos into PostersFor photos that really impress, think big. Thanks to online print-ers and high-resolution cameras, its easier than you think to getposter-sized prints from your digital photos.

77 Build a Better Slide ShowPut your favorite images into motion with iPhotos slide-showtools. When youre done, you can burn your multimedia creationto a professional-quality DVD for others to enjoy.

Digital Photography Superguide

Editor Kelly Turner

President and CEO Mike KisseberthVP, Editorial Director Jason Snell

Managing Editor Jennifer WernerCopy Editors Peggy Nauts

Gail Nelson-Bonebrake

Art Director Rob SchultzDesigners Lori Flynn,

Carli MorgensteinProduction Director Steve Spingola

Prepress Manager Tamara Gargus

Macworld is a publication of Mac Publishing, L.L.C., and International Data Group, Inc. Macworldis an independent journal not affiliated with Apple Computer, Inc. Copyright 2006, MacPublishing, L.L.C. All rights reserved. Macworld, the Macworld logo, Macworld Lab, the mouse-ratingslogo, MacCentral.com, PriceGrabber, and Mac Developer Journal are registered trademarks ofInternational Data Group, Inc., and used under license by Mac Publishing, L.L.C. Apple, theApple logo, Mac, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Printed in theUnited States of America.

How to Buy a Digital CameraGet the Features You Need and a Model Youll Love

hether youre buying your first digitalcamera or are looking to upgrade to anewer, lighter, or more capable model,

theres never been a better time to go shopping. Butwith so many choices, how do you find the right camerafor you? You might be tempted to base your buyingdecision on looks alone. But beneath those sleek exteriors are features that determine whether you havea camera you love or one that collects dust on a shelf.

In this chapter, well show you what to look forwhen comparing cameras, and explain which featuresare truly essentialand which are just hype.


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W TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S6 What Type of Camera Is Right for You?

8 How Many Pixels Do YouNeed?

10 Which Features ReallyMatter?

Improve Your Camera SkillsHowtoTakeAdvantageof YourCameras Controls toGetBetter Photos

hanks to the advanced technology inmost digital cameras, you dont need toknow anything about photography to

get decent shots. You just point and shoot. But ifyou want to go beyond decentto get trulybeautiful and unique shotsyoull need tounderstand how your camera sees the world.That means delving into its menus and settingsto make some smart choices about light, expo-sure, and focus.


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T TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S18 Understanding YourCameras Controls

23 Taking Control of Your Flash

25 Choosing to Shoot in Raw

28 Troubleshooting Difficult Shots

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ject at an angle, creating harsh shadows. If you have only one light,

make sure its coming from in front of your subjectideally from

your cameras flash.

REFLECT YOUR LIGHT Side lighting is worrisome mainly

when its the only light source. But when combined with a second,

softer light source from the opposite side of the subject, side

lighting actually becomes more flattering.

The easiestand least-expensiveway to accomplish this

balancing act is to position a reflector opposite the main light. If

you dont mind spending a few bucks, you can pick up a collapsible

22-inch Photoflex LiteDisc online for around $27. If youre not in

the spending mood, then white cardboard or foam core works

just as well. For a more portable option, pick up a foldable sun-

shade from your local auto supply store. Youll need a second pair

of hands for this technique. If youre going solo, you may want to

consider investing in a LiteDisc Holder (around $50) or building

your own rig (see DIY Reflector).

Say youre shooting a portrait indoors with window lighting

from the right. You would position the reflector on the left so the

light is bouncing right into the subjects face (see Bounce the

Light). The nice thing about reflectors is that they provide a soft

fill light without your having to invest in a second flash and deal

with lighting ratios, dead batteries, and other flash-related annoy-

ances. With a reflector, you just get it positioned and shoot away.

The results are usually quite flattering.

USE TWO LIGHT SOURCES For the greatest amount of

control over your indoor portraits, use two different light

sources. This will let you customize the lighting to best flatter

your subject.

If your camera has a hot-shoe for an external flash, you can

quickly set up professional portrait lighting just about anywhere,

with the help of wireless flashes. Both Canon and Nikon offer

great wireless flash systems.

Insert the transmitter into the cameras hot-shoe and position

the two flashes anywhere youd like. When you press the shutter

button, the transmitter causes the flashes to fire until just the

right amount of light has exposed the subject, and then it turns

them off.

How you arrange the flashes will depend on your subject

many times, having the same amount of light on both sides can

cause a persons face to look too full. A little graduation is good,

and it can be slimming. To create this effect, place your main

flash at a slight angle about five feet from your subject.

Then use the second flash as a fill light by placing it far-

ther away on the other sideperhaps eight feet.

On the other hand, if the subject has a very narrow

face, you might want to position the flashes at equal

distances and angles to broaden his or her features.

IMPROVE YOUR CAMERA SKILLS

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DIY REFLECTORDont have a photography assistant to hold your reflec-

tor? Create your own with just a few basic supplies.

For this project, youll need a piece of foam core or

sturdy white cardboard cut to 18 inches by 18 inches

and a few A-clamps, available at any local hardware

store. You can find light stands online for around $30. If

you dont feel like investing even that much, then hit

the swap meets, garage sales, and classifieds.

To assemble your reflector rig, extend the legs on

the light stand, then pull up the midsection of the cen-

ter pole to about six feet. Attach one A-clamp towards

the top of the pole to serve as your crosspiece. Then

attach the cardboard or foam reflector to the cross-

piece with the second A-clamp.

Position the reflector so its bouncing light

on to the models face. If you need to change

the vertical angle of your

reflector, add a third A-clamp

to the pole near the bottom of

the reflector. Swivel the clamp

toward the reflector to push

the bottom of the board far-

ther away from the stand as

needed. Set your camera bag

on one of the legs of the light

stand to keep the setup from

blowing over.

Bounce the Light

Here, the main light

is coming from the

right. A reflector

positioned on the

left bounces light

onto the subjects

face for a more

pleasing portrait.

Scan Prints and NegativesHow to Digitize, Organize, and Enhance Old Photos

any of us used a film camera before making theswitch to digital, leaving us with stacks of old printsand negatives stashed around the house. By scanning

old photos and film into your Mac, youll be able to stop the agingprocess and preserve irreplaceable photos. And once your pho-tos are digitized, you can take advantage of all the benefits digitalphotography affordssearching your collection with a fewclicks of the mouse button, and using your favorites to createcalendars, books, slide shows, family histories, and more.

Although scanning old photos isnt a quick process, it doesnthave to become a second job. With the right tools and an effi-cient workflow, you can safely scan, catalog, and annotate yourold photos, negatives, and slides in your spare time.


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M TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S32 Selecting a Scanner 34 Building Your Workflow

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Bring Out the Best in Your PhotosSimple Editing Tricks That Give Photos Professional Polish

lmost all images can benefit from some tweakingwhether its done with a simple sharpening filter orfull-fledged color correction. These minor nips and

tucks can mean the difference between just another hum-drum vacation photo and a frame-worthy work of art.

If youre not sure where to start, begin with your monitor,making sure you can trust the colors you see. Then wellshow you how to take on some of the most common imageproblems using iPhotos built-in editing tools. Youll be sur-prised by how easy it is to turn a bland photo into somethingyou can be proud of.


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A TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S50 Calibrate Your System52 Using iPhotos Editing

Tools57 When iPhoto Isnt

Enough58 4 Fun iPhoto Add-ons


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ith your monitor calibrated, its now time to take

your best pictures and make them better. iPhoto

offers many of the tools youd find in a dedicated

image editor such as Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

The programs Adjust palette lets you quickly diagnose and fix

subtle image problems such a bad color, dim highlights, and

crooked imagesall without ever leaving iPhoto.

Setting Up Your WorkspaceBy default, when you select a photo and click on the Edit icon,iPhoto opens the image in the programs main window. But ifyoud like to get a larger view of your editsor simply dont wantto be distracted by other programsyou can choose to edit infull-screen mode instead (see Your Choice).

BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOUR PHOTOS

Using iPhotos Editing Tools

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Your Choice Depending on how youve set your iPhoto prefer-

ences, you can edit photos in the main iPhoto window a, in full-

screen mode b, or in a new window. In full-screen mode, you can

choose to see thumbnails at the top, sideor not at all.

a

b

To set this preference, select iPhoto: Preferences, and click onthe General button. Open the Edit Photo pull-down menu andselect Full Screen. You can also select Separate Window to haveiPhoto open the image and editing controls in a new window.

When you edit in full-screen mode, iPhoto places your imageon a black background with a full set of editing tools located below(if you dont see them, drag your cursor to the bottom of thescreen to make them appear, or select View: Show Toolbar to keepthem on-screen at all times). If you want to edit a different photowhile in this mode, move your cursor to the top of the screen toreveal a thumbnail slider. To keep thumbnails visible at all times,select View: Thumbnails: Always Show. You can also use this menuto relocate the thumbnails to the left or right side of the screen orto show multiple rows of thumbnails. To exit full-screen mode,click on the X icon in the editing toolbar or press the escape key.

By the way, if you have iPhoto set to edit photos in the mainwindow, you can switch to full-screen mode at any time from theiPhoto window by clicking on the double-arrow icon at the lowerright corner of iPhotos window.

Putting the Tools to WorkRegardless of which mode you choose to edit in, iPhoto gives you

one-click access to a number of convenient tools for improving

your photos. So just what do all of these controls do? Heres a

quick guide for using iPhotos editing tools to solve some of the

most common picture dilemmas.

CLUTTERED BACKGROUNDSIf your photos main subject is too small or appears over-

whelmed by background details, the Crop tool can help

you refocus the viewers attention.

When you click on Crop, iPhoto places a white border around

your image. Any part of your image outside this border will be

removed when you crop. You can enlarge or reduce the cropping

area by clicking on and dragging any corner. To crop to a specific

dimensionfor example, to create a 4-by-6-inch printturn on

the Constrain option and select the size from the pull-down

menu. Now when you drag a corner of the cropping rectangle,

iPhoto will restrict the shape to the appropriate dimensions.

Select Custom to enter exact pixel dimensions.

As you adjust the cropping area, youll notice that iPhoto dis-

plays a grid, dividing the crop area into thirds. You can often

improve the composition of a photo by placing its main subject

along one of the inner lines of this grid. This composition technique

is called the rule of thirds (see Cropping by the Rules).

Once youve set the cropping area, click on Apply, and iPhoto

will trim the excess.

Print Your PhotosGetYour Favorite Photosoff theMac and into a Frame

s image libraries begin to overflow with digital snap-shots, more and more people are trying their hands atprinting photos at home. If youre one of them, youll

be happy to know that modern ink-jet printers make theprocess of getting prints easier than ever. In some cases, youmay not even need to turn on your computer for the job.

If youre looking to turn your Mac into a home printingstudio, well show you how to get the job done without break-ing a sweat. Well also show you how to solve annoying printerproblems like blurred ink, strange colors, and ugly lines. And ifyou dont quite feel up to doing the job yourself, well show youhow to take advantage of online printing servicesand recom-mend some of our favorites.


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A TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S60 Buying a Photo Printer64 Solving Common

Printing Problems67 Printing on Fabric,

Canvas, and More69 Using an Online

Printing Service

rints are great, but lets be honesttheresonly so many ways to display a four-by-six-inch photo. And ultimately, most of these end

up being stashed in a drawer or forgotten on thefridge. When youre ready to think outside the frame,take advantage of the creative tools built into iPhotoor available online. Whether its a book, calendar, mas-sive work of art, comforting nightlight, or multimediaextravaganza, youve never had more ways to turnyour digital masterpieces into one-of-a-kind keep-sakes. After all, shouldnt you have as much fun sharingyour photos as you had taking them?


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P TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S72 Design Books, Calendars,and Cards in iPhoto

75 Turn Photos into Posters77 Build a Better Slide Show79 Create an Online Gallery 80 13 Great Photo Gifts

Fun Photo ProjectsTurn Your Favorite Photos into Books, Movies, Gifts, and More

Nobody spends more time with Apples computers and

software than the writers and editors at Macworld, the

worlds foremost Mac authority in print and on the Web.

Every year Macworldpublishes huge amounts of photo-

related adviceincluding tips for shooting, managing, edit-

ing, and printing digital photos. Now this wealth of informa-

tion is available all in one place, updated for iPhoto 08 and

organized in an easy-to-follow guide.

The Digital Photography Superguide is bursting with the

latest insight and advice for every aspect of digital photog-

raphy on the Mac. If youre shopping for a new camera,

youll find useful advice about picking the right one for your

needs. Once you have a camera, this book will help you take

better pictures with shooting tips and tricks from profes-

sional photographers.

As your photo collection grows, use this book to stay

organized and to help bring out the best in your photos

with iPhoto 08, Apples excellent photo manager and edi-

tor. Weve also got tips to help you print your own pictures,

scan old negatives and slides, get the best results from an

online photo service, and have fun with your photos with

unusual photo projects, Web galleries, and more. Youll also

learn the best ways to back up your photos so you dont

ever lose precious memories.

If you love using your Mac and your digital camera, this is

the book for you.

9813417809789

ISBN 978-0-9789813-4-1

52495 >

Macworld Digital Photography SuperguideForewordTable of ContentsHow to Buy a Digital CameraWhat Type of Camera Is Right for You?How Many Pixels Do You Need?Which Features Really Matter?

Improve Your Camera SkillsUnderstanding Your Camera's ControlsTaking Control of Your FlashChoosing to Shoot in RawTroubleshooting Difficult Shots

Scan Prints and NegativesSelecting a ScannerBuilding Your Workflow

Manage Your Photo CollectionUploading PhotosWorking with EventsAdding Custom InformationFinding Photos Fast

Bring Out the Best in Your PhotosCalibrate Your SystemUsing iPhoto's Editing ToolsWhen iPhoto Isn't Enough4 Fun iPhoto Add-ons

Print Your PhotosBuying a Photo PrinterSolving Common Printing ProblemsPrinting on Fabric, Canvas, and MoreUsing an Online Printing Service

Fun Photo ProjectsDesign Books, Calendars, and Cards in iPhotoTurn Photos into PostersBuild a Better Slide ShowCreate an Online Gallery13 Great Photo Gifts

Protect Your PhotosDevelop a Backup PlanBack Up Photos While on the Road

Documents

Digital Photography Guide - Sample