14th Week: Mari-mari Datang Makan!

What a day.. Please no fast food.. no more fries.. not fried chicken as well.. too much calories already.. no.. no..
Why? Because I don't want to become.. (see below)




Just a joke..
We really miss you, Dr. Zaidatun..

13th Week: A2 and A3 Presentation

12th Week: Be a blogger!

Come on, my dear friends..
Comment me la!
haha!
Smile, keep on smiling, my friends.

11th Week: Case Study 3

An explaination from http://www.andrewdaceyphotography.com/articles/dpi/

DPI and PPI Explained

There seems to be a great deal of confusion among many people regarding the use of some terms in digital imaging. One of the more common sources of confusion is the difference between DPI and PPI. The main problem with this is that DPI (dots per inch) is an old term that has been applied to everything relating to resolution and the size of a digital image. This is very confusing because different situations work with resolution in very different ways, and having a single term for all of them just makes things more confusing. More recently, the term PPI (pixels per inch) has appeared in common usage and is far more specific for what the term entails. DPI is still used in some documents and software when PPI is really what they mean, but this is changing. This article is an attempt to explain what the 2 terms mean and how they should be used.

PPI

Let’s start with PPI, it’s easy to understand. This is the number of pixels per inch in your image. This will affect the print size of your photo and will affect the quality of the output. The way that it will affect the quality of the output is that if there are too few pixels per inch, then the pixels will be very large and you will get a very pixelated image (jagged edges, you will actually see individual pixels, not good). You’ll hear various different numbers thrown around as to what an acceptable PPI for a print-out is. A lot of this will depend on the size of the print. This is because you look at large prints from a further distance than a small print, so you can get away with a lower PPI and still have the image look fine.

All that PPI does is affect the print size of the image. There are 2 ways that you can change the print size, by resampling or by not resampling. Not resampling is what you normally want to do, this will only change the size of the print. Using resampling will actually change the number of pixels (and thus the file size) in order to match the print size. So for instance, if you don’t resample, changing the PPI setting will increase or decrease the print size (it will increase if you drop the PPI, it will decrease if you increase the PPI). With resampling, if you change the PPI, you will loose pixels (if you set the PPI to a lower value) or you will have pixels created (if you increase the PPI). Creating pixels is a bad idea, they get generated by the computer and the results aren’t usually that good. Throwing away pixels is fine as long as you won’t need the bigger size later (that’s why it’s usually a good idea to save the original large file).

An Example

Suppose you have a 100 x 100 pixel image, it could be printed at many different sizes. If you set the image to print at 10 PPI, then you’d have a 10″ x 10″ image. If you set the image to print at 100 PPI, you’d have a 1″ x 1″ image. Note that adjusting this value doesn’t effect the number of pixels in the image at all, it just changes how big the print will be.

Take our 100 x 100 pixel image again. Suppose it’s set at 100 PPI (producing the same 1″ x 1″ printed image). With re-sampling off, when you adjust the PPI the dimensions adjust as well, this is how things worked in the example above. With re-sampling on, the dimensions won’t change. So, if you changed the PPI to 10 with re-sampling on, you would still keep a 1″ x 1″ image and the computer would throw out pixels to make the image stay that size. So in this case, you’d end up with a 10 x 10 pixel image in the end. If you went the other way, and changed the PPI to 300, then the computer would generate pixels to make a 300 x 300 pixel image that’s still 1″ x 1″ when printed.

Usually, the only reason you want to use re-sampling is for reducing the size of your image. For example, my scanner produces 3888 x 2592 images. These images are too big to use online (both for display and because of file size). By using re-sampling, I can adjust the size of the images to something more appropriate for online use.

DPI

Now let’s talk about DPI. DPI only refers to the printer. Every pixel output is made up of different coloured inks (usually 4-6 colours, although many printers use more now). Because of the small number of colours, the printer needs to be able to mix these inks to make up all the colours of the image. So each pixel of the image is created by a series of tiny dots (you could think of them as sub-pixels). Generally, the higher the DPI, the better the tonality of the image, colours should look better and blends between colours should be smoother. You’ll also use more ink and the print job will be slower. You might want to try setting your printer to a lower DPI to save ink and speed up the job, see if you notice any difference in quality. The lowest setting where you don’t see any loss in quality should be the best one to use.

So a 1200 dpi printer uses 1200 dots of ink in every inch to make up the colours. If you were printing a 300 PPI image, then every pixel would be made up of 16 smaller ink dots (1200 DPI x 1200 DPI / 300 PPI x 300 PPI). A lower DPI would have fewer ink dots making up each pixel, which would make the colour look worse. A higher DPI would have more ink dots for each pixel and should give more accurate colour (especially under close examination).

To know more, see http://www.digicamguides.com/print/ppi-print-size.html

10th Week: Image Manipulation (Hue)

See the different?
Coincidently, after I attended the class, I learned to hue an image from the class lesson.
Then in the weekend, I tried to design a poster for my church bowling tournament.
Here, this is the poster I designed.
Good or not?

9th Week: Image Manipulation

Picture 1:


Picture 2:


Picture 3:

Before this, I designed a poster for a treasure hunt event using photoshop technique.
A simple technique, just to share with you all.

Note:
Overlap the picture 1 & 2, create a new layer mask, then reveal all.
After that, choose gradient tool and drag on the layer, try till you satisfy the effect..

8th Week: Test 1

I am waiting Dr. Zaidatun to come.
The test begins..
I almost cannot finish the test in time.
So much to write, anyway I manage to complete it.
The Test: Not easy and it is not that hard actually.

7th Week: Picture Composition Session

This week we take picture at the UTM lake.
I will upload the picture by this weekend, so you have to be patient ya!
However, I will upload my digital album first.

6th Week: Studio Photo Session

This week we have the opportunity to try on studio shooting session.
It is interesting and awesome!
I mean I don't have any experiences about this but I am more interested to see my course mates getting more and more interested in photography.

Term Break: Self-Discovery

I do some reading on lenses.
For references, Find the Best Digital SLR Lens, http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/best-digital-slr-lens.html

Taken by: Macro Lens

Taken by: Fish Eye Lens 8mm

Taken by: Wide Angle Lens 18mm

Taken by: Standard Lens 55mm

Taken by: Telephoto Lens 500mm


Photography & Composition

Composition: Framing

Composition: Simplicity

Composition: Rule of Thirds

Composition: Lines

Composition: Patterns

Composition: Balance

Look what I found on the net:

Link 1:
http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition.html

Link 2:
http://www.photographymad.com/tips/view/10-top-photography-composition-rules

Link 3:
http://www.colorpilot.com/comp_rules.html

Link 4:
http://www.secondpicture.com/photography_composition.html

See if you all find it interesting and informative! Happy Chinese New Year ya..

4th Week: Practical Session 2

The 4th Week is much more interesting, we are asked to produce certain kind of pictures.
Below are the pictures I capture:

Pic 1: Slow shutter speed 1/30


Pic 2: Fast shutter speed 1/125


Pic 3: Large aperture f/3.5


Pic 4: Small aperture f/22


Please do comment.

3rd Week: Practical Session 1

The 3rd Week is our first practical session.
It is also the first time I handle a true Nikon DSLR (the fact is I am more used to Canon DSLR and Nikon P90).
These are some of the pictures I take:







You are free to give any comment.

2nd Week: Aperture & Case Study 1

The 2nd week of the lesson comes with the big word called APERTURE.
I still remember this is the most basic knowledge of handling a professional SLR camera in the old days.
Aperture comes with another word called SHUTTER SPEED.
I like to put these big words as: EXPOSURE = APERTURE + SHUTTER SPEED
The foundation of photography is the technique of how the EXPOSURE been done.
In those old days, the control of aperture and shutter speed are vital to produce a good picture. But nowadays, there are many additional factors need to be taken into accounts.
Anyway, we are in the digital era, the film is replaced by the sensor. The image is processed digitally immediately and saved into the memory card. It is no longer like a small mechanical camera on your hands, it preferably called an Digital Image Recording Device.
In other word, there are other settings in DSLR we need to learn, if we set it right, I am sure it won't be a problem for us to capture a great picture.
The Case Study, I try to solve it like a situation I often ponder on.
Here, I list out the features and the specifications we need to pay attention to before we decide to buy a camera of your needs:

Topic		Compact DC	Digital SLR
Quality:	Image	Depends on the number of pixels.	Partially rely on the number of pixel, it also rely on the user’s handling too.
	Color	The properties (image and color) of the picture are flat as the pictures are taken in automatic mode.	The properties (image and color) of the picture are rich and concrete. You will surprise what your DSLR can do for you.
	Sensor / Image Processor	Optimum sensitivity of light and lower image processing speed.	High end, high sensitivity of light and image processing speed is high.
	Noise	Optimum noise reduction feature.	Improvise with high end noise reduction feature.
Technical:	Shutter Speed	Automatic and adjusted by the camera itself.	Automatic and can be adjusted manually.
	Aperture	Automatic and adjusted by the camera itself.	Automatic and can be adjusted manually.
	ISO	Adjustable, but the range is narrow.	Adjustable, wider range.
	Image Quality	Adjustable, vary from Low, Normal to Fine.	Adjustable, vary from Low, Normal to Fine.
	Flash	Built-in. Automatically firing if set to AUTO, but not powerful for low light condition. The direction of the firing is fixed.	The firing direction of Built-in flash is fixed but external plug-in flash unit is flexible with TTL (Through The Lens) technology. It is good to have one.
	Lens	Unchangeable.	Changeable.
	Zoom	Optical zoom does help in producing fine image but digital zoom doesn’t help much.	Optical zoom is flexible and capable produces fine image but digital zoom doesn’t help much.
	Image Stabilizer	To avoid blur image, just set to digital image stabilizer mode.	This feature lies upon the type of lens you use, not its camera body. Nikon called itself VF lens. Canon called it IS lens.
	Focusing	Focusing speed is low. It is a disaster under extreme low lightning condition.	Focusing speed is high due to the use of ultrasonic motor embedded in the lens. Good for action.
	Continuous Shooting	Due to slow focusing speed, it is almost impossible to Compact DC.	12 frames per second is possible.
Price:		RM299 – RM3999	RM1600 and above.

For further reading, please go to this link:
http://elearn1.utm.my/10112/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=62337

So, I suggest Siti to buy a DSLR.

1st Week: Introduction

The first week of the lesson comes with a briefing and some expectations.
I am quite excited as photography is always been my all-time hobby.
I like to take good pictures, browsing through books, and practically hands-on experiences from the manual era into the digital era.
I see myself have no problems on the basic and technical part of the knowledge.
However, please don't get me wrong..
I am still keen on learning how to take great pictures professionally.
I am just so excited trying others camera model.
Frankly speaking, I am a Canon fan, but since you all are Nikon fan, I am ok with others brand.
Lets have fun!




This is my 1st camera!