History of Digital

Digital photos actually started with videotapes. If you look at the film of a VHS tape, you cannot see individual images. Now look at a reel of film: each frame of the film can be seen. The VHS tape has to be decoded from a digital signal before images can be seen. The difference between digital and film photography is very similar. Digital photography got its start because of the space race. Governments realized that satellites launched into space could take photos from the air of enemy territory. However, film would not work because it would have to be physically brought back to earth for development. Therefore, digital means were created for taking pictures, which could then be beamed back to earth as a digital signal.

The other major development that paved the way for digital cameras was the scanner. Scanners detected different shades and intensities of light in a picture and convert it into a digital signal, much like cameras do today.

Intro to Digital Photography

Look around at the average American street and you see photos. Billboards, movie posters, ads: all are meant to catch the eye and fuel a want for the item being advertised. However, recent advances in technology, especially in digital photography, have made it possible for anyone to create eye-catching images. The simplicity of creating amazing images via digital means has fueled America's obsession with the visual.

This is the place to discover all of the options and techniques that will harness the power of digital photography. From taking the picture to editing and printing, everything here is meant to help the amateur photographer make professional quality photos.