PDF FAQ Beginners Guide

Big Mike · Mar 16, 2006

How about a section on metering?

I guess it may be covered in other sections like 'exposure' or '18% grey'...but knowing how the meter works and how to "outsmart it" kind of falls into basic concepts.

Subtopics could include the different meter settings on modern cameras. Matrix, Centre weighted, Centre and Spot.

Rob · Mar 16, 2006

Yep, metering is under exposure. I was going to cover all those things, so yes!

Rob

'Daniel' · Mar 16, 2006

Is it to have a digital-post production section?

Rob · Mar 16, 2006

Daniel said:
Is it to have a digital-post production section?

Yes, and a dark room one. Oh god, what have we started!!

Rob

'Daniel' · Mar 16, 2006

I can help with screenshot, photoshop stuff. I'm profficient and will be able to handle anything that would go in a beginners guide I'd say.

Rob · Mar 16, 2006

Daniel said:
I can help with screenshot, photoshop stuff. I'm profficient and will be able to handle anything that would go in a beginners guide I'd say.

That's great.

Erm, the basics...

Levels
Contrast and Brightness adjustment
Dodging and burning
Converting to B&W using say gradient map rather than desat
USM and its applications
Resizing for the web
Resizing / sampling for printing
General workflow advice

erm... anything really that you can do which is good.

oh and, how to not oversharpen an image and make it look pants. :mrgreen:

I think we're going to try and keep things lighthearted, so maybe try and work in some dos and don'ts rather than just a bland computer manual thing... Examples of results are handy too!

Rob

craig · Mar 16, 2006

Great idea. Huge under taking. If we all help it could be managable. I could try my hand at a bunch of those shots. I have experience in page layout and converting files to PDF (Mac only). Also I have access to an FTP site.

Iron Flatline · Mar 16, 2006

I'll help where I can. I'm a good writer/editor, and have plenty of white rolls of paper for background if something specific needs to get shot. I will look at the shot list and submit what I can.

I think in the digital secton of post-production we should also address RAW vs. JPEG - I can contribute this part.

darich · Mar 17, 2006

Hey folks
To save anyone duplicating work i've submitted 3 shots to Rob covering bracketing ie one shot exposed ok with 1 over and 1 under.

Rob · Mar 17, 2006

Iron Flatline said:
I think in the digital secton of post-production we should also address RAW vs. JPEG - I can contribute this part.

Yes. I've got just about enough computer experience to explain file types (erm at least I should!!!) However, RAW isn't something I have experience with, so definitely a hot topic for addressing. It would be especially good if you could explain the points about having to use plug ins or special software to look at RAW and how to get it off the camera. Also it would be good to give newbies the information to make in informed choice about what they shoot in.

Many thanks, I'll look forward to everyone's answers.

Rob

magicmonkey · Mar 17, 2006

Rob said:
Yes. I've got just about enough computer experience to explain file types (erm at least I should!!!) However, RAW isn't something I have experience with, so definitely a hot topic for addressing. It would be especially good if you could explain the points about having to use plug ins or special software to look at RAW and how to get it off the camera. Also it would be good to give newbies the information to make in informed choice about what they shoot in.

Many thanks, I'll look forward to everyone's answers.

Rob

I'm something of a techincal geek so I'll write a beginners guide to RAW vs. JPEG today for you...

I'll pop something about .PSD and .TIF in there as well so maybe cover the whole section depending on how good it is.

Rob · Mar 17, 2006

Awesome stuff. Please everyone PM me when you've done something or post it here, as I will turn the request for it green so nobody is wasting their time by doing the same job twice.

Rob

Amnesia · Mar 17, 2006

Brilliant Rob!
Good on you - for helping out all the Newbies like me

Be SURE to put a donation function on it somewhere - Have you thought of turning it into an eBook?

Rob · Mar 17, 2006

There are many options and we are leaving financial matters and distribution undecided at this stage.

We are striving for the best possible quality for the document, so there may be an opportunity to benefit TPF from having some kind of small fee or donation involved. This hasn't been discussed formally yet - we'll see how it turns out before we worry about how to make it available. It is certainly intended to be accessible, attainable and realistic for everyone to get a copy.

Due to the amount of interest this has attracted, I need to restate something very very clearly:

If you submit work for this project, you relinquish all copyright, rights and permissions for usage, to TPF/the authors (HvR & Rob). We will endeavour to protect the content of this document and we will also fully attribute all content used, but you must please consider this as a permanent donation.

Therefore you may not use images which have appeared elsewhere in publication of any kind, particularly where there may be issues with rights. The images/text MUST be your own work and not copied, sourced from the internet, plaigiarised etc. We cannot afford a legal disaster through use of a previously restricted image!! I am sure you all understand this.

We will be looking into the further legalities of copyright and keeping everyone updated, but none of us want any illusions about this: If you submit something, that's a personal donation to TPF and this project. There is no intention here to any profit through people's good will, this is simply a project to benefit new (and old!) photographers and the forum at large.

Sorry for the heavy words, but none of us want any misunderstandings. If anyone has any concern whatsoever, please PM either myself or HvR and ask for clarification. We all want to be happy campers!

Rob