Getting the best out of your digital camera

Any digital camera has an array of functions and uses that enable the handler to take excellent pictures. However, many of the functions are not fully understood and the pictures are not of the best possible quality. Understanding these features enable the user to have complete control over their machine, and therefore get the best possible images.

Firstly the quality of the image that can be produced relies upon the resolution of the digital camera. This is made up of mega pixels. The number of mega pixels determines the level of detail in the picture. The pixels are the tiny dots of colour that make up image. These look fine on the computer or screen. However, once transferred to the computer and enlarged, images containing a lower number of pixels show these dots and so the image is flawed. Therefore, for good quality images the best digital camera to choose is one that has a high number of mega pixels.

The quality of the digital camera lens will also affect your picture quality. The lens should have a zoom feature, which enables you to zoom both in and out to create the perfect composition for your image. Each device will differ, but the concept is the same. The lens should be labeled with two zoom numbers; the smallest states the shortest possible zoom distance and the biggest number shows the longest possible distance. Consider the type of photographs that you are going to take when choosing your digital camera. If the pictures will mainly be indoors, then a lower number is required to be able to zoom out in enclosed areas.

The average digital camera will have an inbuilt auto focus function which will serve most amateur photographer`s needs. However, for more effects or for advanced photography, select a camera that has a manual focus option also. The auto focus can be turned off in some devices, which is an exceptional feature as the photographer can choose which option is best for the photograph being taken.

Another consideration is the shutter delay on the digital camera. The shutter delay affects the quality of focus and composition. The delay means that the picture is actually taken some time after the button is pressed on the camera. This means that the subject of the composition may have moved, clouds may shadow the expected lighting effects, or that your hand may shake and so the image is distorted and blurred. A good way to combat this is to only half press the button when you are composing the picture. This activates the auto focus and prepares the device for the shot. When the button is pressed, the photograph will be taken much more quickly, and will help combat any distortions.

Memory space is important if you want to take good photographs with your digital camera. Not only does this enable lots of storage, it also gives you the opportunity to take several photographs, in search of that one perfect shot.

Any digital camera will have inbuilt storage but this is minimal, averaging around 16 megabytes in total. The memory space can be added to with the use of a memory card or stick. The type chosen will depend upon what is compatible with your camera. Any memory card or stick is good, and they go up to 2GB in size. It is important that the type chosen is compatible with your home computer so that the images can be transferred and stored, giving you access to more photographic opportunities.

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Memory cards - understanding the various formats

Now that you have finally upgraded from a traditional 35mm camera to a new digital camera, you will come to realize that the digital camera no longer needs the traditional film to store images, but instead uses a modern digital storage medium called the memory card to save all the precious pictures.

To put it in simplest terms, a memory card is an electronic data storage device. It is also referred to as a flash memory card. Apart from digital cameras, you will find the memory card in use in many types of electronic equipment such as the handheld and laptop computers, cell phones, music players and video game consoles.

Generally, you will find the memory cards in solid state, but sometimes they are also available in a non-solid state, though these types of memory cards do not use flash memory. These are based on cutting age technologies and used mostly by the gamers and the technical professionals and are often referred to as "mem-cards" by these techies.

There are different types and qualities of memory cards using various types of flash memory format. Many of the leading electronic companies in the world offer a wide range of models packed with many state of the art features, including high re-recordability, power-free storage, compact size and many more.

It was during the early 1990's that memory cards were introduced to the market for the first time, and it soon revolutionized the whole concept of data storage in the PCs, cell phones and other industrial applications. The late 1990's and early 2000 witnessed the competition amongst electronic giants heat up as they battled to introduce more and more sophisticated and compact memory card formats to the market, such as xD Picture Card and Memory Stick, thus meeting the growing need for smaller and smaller memory cards for compact electronics such as PDAs, cell phones and digital cameras etc.

The result is that today the market is flooded with a new generation of memory cards in a variety of formats ranging from SmartMedia and CompactFlash to the more sophisticated Memory Stick variants and xDs. In recent years the more popular memory card for digital cameras is the SD/MMC but with stiff competition coming from the Memory Stick formats such as xD and CompactFlash.

Memory cards are manufactured by many of the world's leading electronic companies and you can get the device in the electronic and computer section of virtually any computer or electronics store. The cards come with different speed limit and varying memory sizes, and these differences account for the wide fluctuation in their price range.

Musical instrument digital interface - the midi trinity

Officially, MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, and it was invented in 1982. These days, it refers to three components:

1. A physical connector – between electronic instruments and between electronic instruments and a MIDI controller, usually a keyboard. The connector takes the form of MIDI IN and MIDI OUT jacks form which MIDI cables can bet plugged into any electronic instruments (and you’d be surprised at how much music hardware out there today is MIDI-capable – almost every detachable keyboard is!)

2. A message format – this message format is the heart of MIDI. This format is made up not of the sounds themselves, but simply the commands that are issued by the MIDI keyboard to the electronic instruments telling them how to play a given song (“play the violin” “turn down the volume to XX”, “adjust the pitch to YY”, etc.)

With the above two components, a musician was able to control a string of musical instruments from a single keyboard, giving him a “one-man band” effect.

3. A storage format – in other words, MIDI files. This latecomer of the MIDI trinity was what really did the trick because it allowed musicians to record their creations and tweak them on many different parameters until they got it sounding just they way they wanted it. Without this, MIDI songs could not be played back, because since MIDI commands include only the instructions to the instrument on how to play the song and not the actual music itself, they cannot be recorded in audio format. Now MIDI files can be recorded, emailed, or even downloaded from the Internet.

A MIDI studio can now be produced in two ways – via hardware or software. The hardware version involves connecting a keyboard (using MIDI cables) to the MIDI jack of an electronic instrument and then stringing together up to 16 of these instruments in a “daisy chain” by way of their MIDI IN and MIDI OUT jacks. The software version keeps the MIDI keyboard (or other MIDI controller such as a MIDI guitar, etc.), while the instruments appear in virtual form on a computer screen (various software programs such as Reason, Logic, and Cubase can do this).

What exactly is ergonomics

Have you ever heard the term "ergonomics" and wondered what it meant exactly? You probably didn't want to expose your ignorance, so were afraid to ask. Ergonomics is the use of information from scientific sources in order to design environments, systems and objects for the use of human beings whether for work or for play. This definition was adopted in 2007 by the International Ergonomics Association or the IEA.

One of the most common use of ergonomics, is for companies to learn to design work areas, and tasks that will maximize efficiency as well as the quality of work of their employees. The concept of ergonomics is not just for businesses, it concerns anything and everything that has to do with people. Well designed health and safety measures, areas involving sports and leisure activities, as well as work systems embody the main principles of ergonomics.

This field is also known as biotechnology. The main goal of this science is to reduce the operators' discomfort and fatigue in order to make the best use of efficiency and productivity. Other names that ergonomics is known by are human factors engineering, and human engineering.

Ergonomists study the capabilities of human beings in relation to the demands of their work. The information that Ergonomists supply often greatly contributes to the evaluation and design of products, jobs, environments, systems operations and tasks to make them more compatible with the requirements, limitations and abilities of people.

The Three Ergonomic Domains

The International Ergonomics Association divides the science of ergonomics into three separate domains. The first is physical ergonomics. This deals with the responses of the human body to physiological as well as physical stress.

The second domain of ergonomics deals with the cognitive aspect. This is also known as engineering psychology. This aspect concerns itself with the mental processes like motor control, perception, cognition, and attention. It also studies the storage of memory and the retrieval of those memories as they can affect the interaction of the elements of a particular system and the human that is applying it. Important topics that are studied are training, mental workload, computer to human interactions, vigilance, human error, skilled performance and decision making.

The third domain of ergonomics is the organizational aspect. This is also known as macroergonomics. Organizational ergonomics is concerned with optimizing sociotechnical systems. This includes the processes, policies and their organizational structures. Topics under this domain can include ethics, shift work, telework, scheduling, teamwork, safety culture, job satisfaction, supervision skills and the theory of motivation.

The principle of ergonomics is not a new one. It has been used since the fifth century BC. The term ergonomics is taken from two Greek words; the Greek word ergon, which means work, and the word nomos, which means natural laws. This science is more complex than the average person realizes and comes into play in everyone's daily life. Most people don't realize the desk or chair they are working at is a product of the science of ergonomics

When food and photography meet

Photographing food is probably one of the most challenging kinds of photography out there. It is considered difficult by most professional food photographers because there is a time constraint in the whole photo shoot.

And since the marketability of the food itself depends primarily on how it is seen in print, food photographers should be well trained and skilled in order to come up with satisfying results.

TIPS IN TASTEFUL FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Know your camera well. It is a must that you familiarize yourself with all its features and functions especially the basic operations like focus/auto focus, exposure compensation, white balance, image resolution and size, and flash modes operation. Know when to use these features in order to highlight the best angles of your subject.

2. Familiarize yourself with other equipment. Knowing the proper use of a tripod or stabilizer will help you focus on your subject better and will also avoid camera shake that usually causes blurring.

3. Fill the gap and the distance. If space and time permit, get close to your subject as close as possible. It is recommended that you fill the entire frame of with your subject to create a satisfying image. Distance will give a full view of the food’s texture and ingredients.

4.Carefully calculated focus and depth-of-field (DOF). The use of depth-of-field never fails to create wonders in food photo shoots. With careful adjustment of focus and depth of field, you can bring to life any dish that is your subject. (TIP: Use wider or more open for a shallow DOF and a smaller or more closed one for a deeper shots.)

5. Identify the standout ingredient. Before taking any shot, assess the scene closely and look for something that can grab people’s attention right away. You can use this main feature of the food as the subject of your subject.

6. It’s all in the lighting. Like in any photography styles, lighting or available light can make or unmake any photograph. Since food is the major subject in food photography, it is better that the setting is bright and the lights are soft so as to make the food more appetizing. In digital cameras, turning on the White Balance feature of the equipment can solve dark settings in an instant.

7. Pay attention to your set-up. It is a must to take the time off to setup your food photo shoot. If there are distracting elements in the background, remove them. If you think there’s something missing in the set up, then think of something else that would fill the empty space or gap. Prepare the garnish, the props, and other materials you might need for the shoot.