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An Introduction to Digital Photo Imaging

The evolving art and science of photography is redefining the roles and responsibilities of photographers, graphic artists, designers and prepress professionalism and generating new possibilities for creative expression. Agfa'sDigital Color Prepress series of publications covers many aspects of PostScript color production, and include a number of chapters on reproducing photographic images in print. This publication examines the emerging field of digital photo imaging--what it is, how to get started, and where it's taking the photographic industry.

What is digital photo imaging? It may be characterized in one way as a migration from silver-based to silicon-based imaging. But beyond that, the term has different meanings for different people.

To photographers, it means supplementing or replacing chemical-based printmaking darkrooms with "electronic darkrooms," whereby personal computers configured with a scanner (or a filmless digital camera) and image processing software can be used to capture, retouch, manipulate and eventually output images. The result can be something quite original--at times unattainable through conventional means. Digital photo imaging enables photographers to generate new products from their images, combining and building on their skills with exciting new digital technologies.

To graphic artists, digital photo imaging means the opportunity to create conceptual illustrations that are more photorealistic. To designers, it offers improved access to an endless supply of images, greater creative possibilities, and reduced production costs. To prepress experts, it means working with photorealistic reproductions at least a generation closer to the original. But it may mean the most to the reading and viewing public--those who are exposed to higher quality and more timely reproductions. New styles of photography (and occasional deceptions) are now possible, as well as unique art forms.

Anyone considering adopting this technology faces challenges--planning equipment purchases, educating users, defining new production techniques, controlling operating costs and producing more timely and creative images and publications.

Although a guide of this size could never be an exhaustive description of image-capturing technology and techniques, we have aimed to provide the reader with sufficient general information to obtain the best possible image quality from a wide range of equipment. Used in combination with our other Digital Color Prepress guides, which deal mainly with the requirements for successful prepress and printing, a comprehensive knowledge of the complete process from original to print will be gained. This booklet will help you to better understand the changing terrain in this new graphic arts frontier. You may purchase this and other publications using our convenient online order form.

Table of Contents

2. The New World of Digital Imaging
6. The Changing Photographic Process
8. The Electronic Darkroom
10. Analyzing a Photographic Original
11. Analyzing a Digital Image
12. Image Capture: Cameras
14. Image Capture: Scanners
16. Digital Printmaking and Image Manipulation
18. Output and Output Devices
20. Resolution
21. Digital File Formats
22. Copyright and Ethics
24. Compression
25. Glossary & Index



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