GST 216 Photography Class

Study Notes

Photography is the science, art, and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation.
It involves recording light using a light-sensitive material (such as photographic film) or electronically using an image sensor.

A lens is used to focus light onto a light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure.
An electronic image sensor produces an electrical charge at each pixel, which is processed and stored in a digital image file.
In film photography, a latent image is created, which is later developed into a visible image.
Digital imaging uses an electronic image sensor to record images as electronic data, allowing for image post-processing.

19th century: Studio cameras used plates.
1900: Box cameras, one of the first mass-produced pocket cameras using film.
1922: Compact Kodak folding camera.
1932: Leica-II, one of the first 135 film cameras.
1949: Contax S, the first pentaprism SLR.
1975: Polaroid Colorpack 80 instant camera.
2000: Digital camera, Canon Ixus class.
2000: Nikon D1, the first digital SLR used in journalism and sports photography.
2010: Smartphone with built-in camera spreads private images globally.

Scientists use photography to record and study movements.
Artists use photography to explore avenues beyond photo-mechanical representation of reality.
Military, police, and security forces use photography for surveillance, recognition, and data storage.
Amateurs use photography to preserve memories, capture special moments, tell stories, send messages, and for entertainment.
High-speed photography visualizes events too fast for the human eye.

Photographers control the camera and lens to expose light recording material to form a latent image or RAW file.
Digital cameras use electronic image sensors based on CCD or CMOS technology.
The resulting digital image is stored electronically, but can be reproduced on paper or film.
The camera is a dark room or chamber from which all light is excluded except the light that forms the image.