Digital Photography, Discover

A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such, we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work, including the final exam.

Lesson 1
In our first lesson, you'll learn what digital photography is and how photography evolved to this exciting new level. We'll go over some of the jargon and terms used in the industry, explore some of the equipment digital photographers use, and highlight the areas where things have changed.

Lesson 2
In today's lesson, you'll have an opportunity to really get to know your camera or the camera of your dreams. Students find this lesson to be one of the most helpful as they learn about the different features available on digital cameras, find out what to look for both inside and outside the camera itself, and explore the different levels of equipment available.

Lesson 3
When it's time to make a decision and buy the camera that's right for you, you'll want to know how to make your best choice. In this lesson, we'll discuss more of the attributes and features of digital photography as you prepare to meet the camera salesman armed with solid knowledge of what's important to you.

Lesson 4
Digital storage is a big issue, so in this lesson we'll look at ways to address this aspect of digital photography. When it comes to digital images, you'll need storage space not only on your camera, but also on your computer. Today, I'll give you lots of recommendations and guidelines for getting the most out of your storage space, as well as how to set up back up procedures.

Lesson 5
The ability to edit your digital images is one of the most compelling features of digital photography. In today's lesson, we'll take a look at several of the software programs available to you and some of the many features you'll find in digital editing programs.

Lesson 6
Using digital imagery online is another big part of digital photography. In this lesson, you'll discover ways you can easily use digital images with e-mail and on Web sites. We'll also discuss sizing images and using cell phone cameras, Web cams, and other online resources.

Lesson 7
Printing digital images is a different process from simply dropping off a roll of film. In this lesson, we'll explore the many options for printing at home and the extensive network of retail printers available for digital work. You'll also learn about the different types of printers available, and how you can obtain archival prints.

Lesson 8
Film photography hasn't gone away completely, but digital photography is making a strong stand at replacing it. In this lesson, we'll focus on ways camera manufacturers have blended the best features of each format to give photographers great new ways to do traditional techniques. This area is changing rapidly, and students often find it quite interesting to see how quickly digital photography has caught up with film standards.

Lesson 9
Scanning printed images is an important option for digital photography. In today's lesson, we'll look at restoring old and damaged photos, using scanners to bring slides, negatives, and prints into a digital format, and even how to capture an image of a 3-D object with a scanner.

Lesson 10
Travel photography is always a favorite subject for photographers. Digital photography presents some different challenges and opportunities, so in this lesson, we'll look at how professionals in the field handle the challenges, as well as techniques and opportunities you can use when you travel.

Lesson 11
Digital photography has emerged in many different work places. In this lesson, we'll take a look at how not only photographers use digital photography for their businesses, but also how other types of businesses have incorporated it as well.

Lesson 12
In our final lesson together, we'll look at how to compose your pictures with digital options in mind. There's a lot more to being a digital photographer than just owning a digital camera, and today you'll see some great examples of difficult situations that you can remedy with digital solutions.