Digital is not a synonym for "short cut" or even "easy," and even though the laws of chemistry no longer apply, the laws of physics certainly do. Namely the behavior of light and optics.

As with film, you cannot take a bad picture and make it good, nor can you create shadow detail where none was captured during the exposure. Additionally, the initial cash outlay for equipment and supplies is greater than that for film photography.

In order to teach the fundamentals of photography, the student must have access to a digital camera with manual control of f-stops and shutter speeds, memory card(s) appropriate to the camera, and access to a computer for processing the images.

A digital classroom would ideally have a computer for the instructor with a large (20" minimum) monitor and an LCD projection system, a computer for each student (or at least one for every 2 students) and both scanners and printers networked to all the computers.

Color management hardware and software is a must in order to obtain consistent, accurate results. Additional software should include Adobe Photoshop and software allowing the instructor to "see" and control what each student is doing on their computer.

Critiques may be handled two ways. Student images may be projected from the instructor station, or prints may be made and then critiqued in the traditional manner. It is easier to view multiple images side by side when they are printed. However, printing is both expensive and time consuming. Projection allows the entire class to view each image at the same time, and provides for greater visual impact.

A common error is to think that teaching photography with digital cameras is fast and may lead the instructor to cover too much during the course of a term.

For a basic class we recommend that the following topics be assigned, combined with appropriate assignments:

1. Fundamentals of camera handling and controls.
2. I.S.O., shutter speed, f-stops, and their inter-relationship and effect on the image.
3. In camera image handling, i.e.; histograms, sharpening, etc.
4. Camera color control (white balance, gray card, Macbeth color checker)
5. Downloading of images to the computer.
6. Opening image files in Photoshop
7. Principles of resolution and image sizing.
8. Computer color management, including color space and profiles.
9. Overview of menus and tools in Photoshop.
10. Principles of image correction
11. Use of curves and histogram
12. Outlaw using brightness-contrast and/or color sliders