Digital Photography Tutorials

Want to be able to take pictures like this?

(click image for larger view)

Visit Sean McHugh's website to learn how!

Photography is going through an exciting and often controversial transition period as many traditional film photographers are beginning to explore the new capabilities made possible with digital cameras. Traditional aspects such as the fundamental techniques and lens equipment have remained the same, however others are markedly different. Photographers using digital equipment now have previously unattainable control over noise levels, dynamic range and color accuracy. This is an exciting time to get involved with digital photography.

Imaging and software change routinely, so these digital photography tutorials aim to emphasize key concepts over specific step by step procedures. Tips are also designed to be general enough that nearly any common editing software can be used, unless otherwise stated.

Here's a list of topics he covers:

Fundamentals:

• A Background on Color Perception
• Understanding Digital Pixels: PPI, Dithering and Print Size
• Understanding Bit Depth
• Understanding Image Types
• Understanding Digital Sensors
• Understanding Camera Metering & Exposure
• Understanding Image Noise, Part 1: Concept and Types
• Understanding Image Noise, Part 2: Examples and Characteristics
• Understanding Sharpness
• Understanding Depth of Field
• Understanding Histograms, Part 1: Tones and Contrast
• Understanding Histograms, Part 2: Luminance and Color
• Color Management, Part 1: Concept and Overview
• Color Management, Part 2: Color Spaces
• Color Management, Part 3: Color Space Conversion
• Color Management, Part 4: In Practice
• Understanding White Balance
• Understanding RAW Files: Why Should I Use RAW?
• Understanding Gamma Correction
• Understanding Camera Lenses, Part 1: Focal Length & Aperture
• Understanding Camera Lenses, Part 2

Putting It All Together:

• Using "Levels" in Photoshop
• Using "Curves" in Photoshop
• Sharpening Using an "Unsharp Mask"
• Using Local Contrast Enhancement
• Averaging Images to Reduce Noise
• Understanding Posterization
• Working Space Comparison: sRGB vs. Adobe RGB 1998
• A Flexible Depth of Field Calculator
• Understanding the Hyperfocal Distance
• Lens Flare: What It Is and How to Reduce It
• Converting a Color Photo Into Black & White
• Understanding Digital Image Interpolation
• A Closer Look at Resizing an Image for the Web & Email
• Optimizing Digital Photo Enlargement
• Understanding Dynamic Range

Advanced Topics

• Understanding Diffraction: Pixel Size, Aperture and Airy Disks
• Intro and Common Obstacles in Night Photography
• Digital Camera Sensor Sizes: How Do These Influence Photography?
• Using the High Dynamic Range (HDR) Feature in Photoshop CS2
• Interpreting MTF Lens Curves (Modulation Transfer Function)
• Photo Stitching Digital Panoramas, Part 1: Overview & Capture (NEW)
• Photo Stitching Digital Panoramas, Part 2: Image Projections (NEW)
• - Photo Stitching Digital Panoramas, Part 3
• - Plus many more as time permits...

Check out Sean's website! I'm sure you'll be impressed and just might learn a thing or two!