Digital Imaging
Made Easy
There
was a time--back in the pre-Internet days, of course--when sending photographic
images from one computer to another wasn't merely difficult; it was impossible.
Even so short a period as ten years ago, capturing images from the Internet,
saving them to a file, pulling them out of storage, and attaching them to an
e-document was tedious and imprecise work.
Today, things are different. Capturing images
from the Internet is as easy as could be. In fact, creating images for Internet
distribution is now a piece of cake. You do need the right equipment, of
course, or access to a service with the right equipment-both the proper
hardware and software--to send your images hurdling through cyberspace. But
once you have acquired that and learn a few tricks of the trade, you'll wonder
why you never did it before.
Creating
your own images
This is the fun part. If you already own a digital camera (or a camera of any
type, for that matter), you're practically home free. Check it out. With a
digital camera, you can point and shoot and see the results within seconds on
the camera's self-contained LCD screen. There you will see, in living color,
the shot you just took. If you like what you see, turn off the camera and head
for the computer. If not, just take the shot again ... and again ... and again,
until you're satisfied that you have the best image possible.
If you don't own a digital camera, relax. You
can still go digital. Just use your conventional camera to take the shots you
want to send out over the Internet. Then, take the exposed film to your local
photo dealer for processing. Instruct him to process the film into conventional
prints, as well as to convert the images to digital images, stored on either a
3.5-inch disk or a CD.
Downloading
images from a disk
Once your disk or CD comes back from processing, slip it into your computer's
drive. The media contains its own basic photo viewing and manipulation software
that allows you to download the images into a holding file for computer
manipulation and, eventually, permanent storage. Basic software (let's call it
generic, or Brand-X) usually allows you to rotate an image left or right,
reverse the image (called a "mirror" image, ideal for transferring an
image onto fabric and other surfaces), and perform minor color corrections. It
may also allow you to sharpen or blur the image (depending upon your mood and
the quality of the original image), to crop the image, and to increase or
decrease its size.
While generic software has creative limitations,
it is generally suited well enough for sending decent quality digital snapshots
to loved ones or for sending digital images of cars, houses, etc., to
prospective buyers.
For additional photo manipulation or enhancement
possibilities, you will need to invest in a digital imaging software package
that offers greater manipulation and correction options. Adobe, Corel, and
other manufacturers make very reliable, comprehensive image-enhancing products
suited to either home (that is, creative) or business use. Some of this
software contains creative projects and various things to do with your images,
such as image-viewing enhancements (like adding a digital picture frame to your
images), blanks to use to create picture postcards or calendars, and templates
for creating picture stationery, banners, posters, place cards, etc.
Downloading
images from a scanner
If you have a pre-existing print or slide that you would like to digitalize for
distribution via the Internet, you can do that, as well. Simply take the print,
slide, or negative to your nearest photo dealer and ask to have it scanned onto
a disk or CD. It will cost you a few dollars per scan, but that is a small
price to pay to meet your burgeoning electronic-imaging needs.
Of course, if you have a flatbed scanner, you
can do the work yourself and pocket the savings. Just position a conventional
print on the bed of the scanner, hit the "scan" button, and wait for
the message screen to pop up on your computer's monitor. Tell the computer
where you would like the scanned image to be stored--a good collect-all for
your images is a file folder you create and entitle "My Photos," or
something to that effect. After the image has been scanned and downloaded onto
your computer, simply call it up onto your monitor and utilize your
image-enhancing software to resize it, correct color, add special effects, etc.
Downloading
images from a digital camera
The easiest and least costly way (after your initial investment) of downloading
an image into your computer is to use a digital camera. The camera comes with
its own image-enhancing software, usually quite a bit more flexible and
comprehensive than generic software. It also comes with a standard RS-232C
serial cable for connecting the camera to your computer's 9-pin COM 1 or COM 2
serial port. The instruction booklet that accompanies the camera will guide you
step-by-step through the downloading process, which is relatively simple and
takes only a few seconds per image. Once downloaded, you can call up the images
on your monitor and manipulate them to your heart's content, just as with any
downloaded images.
Sending
digital images by e-mail
When you are ready to share your images with someone over the Internet, it's as
simple as sending an e-mail. Just click on your e-mail host server, click on
"new mail" or "compose message," and write whatever message
you wish. Before sending it, click on the "attach" symbol. That will
bring up a dialogue box, listing all of your computer files. Find the file
marked "My Photos" (or whichever file to which you saved your digital
images), double click on the particular image or images you want to attach to
your e-mail, and then hit "ok."
Before sending the e-mail with digital image
attachment, double click on the symbol in the e-mail "attachment" box
to bring the digital image up for review. Make sure it's the one you want to
send and the way you want to send it. (Remember, there's no "unsending"
a digital image once it's on its way.) If the image is too large or too small,
go back to your image-enhancing software, call up the image, and make whatever
size adjustments are necessary. Don't forget to save the image in its new size.
Repeat the process above to attach the newly sized image or images to your
outgoing e-mail.
Then just click on "send," sit back,
and wait, confident in the fact that your images are flying successfully
through cyberspace.
It used to be that
digital imaging was not for the faint of heart. Today, everyone is doing it!
by D. J. Herda
From: www.photography.com