Objectives

Chapter 8 details the principles of a digital darkroom. Hardware and software options are presented, as are the comparative differences of various types of capture devices. Different scanners used for importing both print and film images are introduced as are storage devices for image files. The composition of digital images is discussed in terms of image quality and file size; file formats, resolution, and bit depth are explained. Discussions on histograms and color management are also included. The steps to establishing an efficient work flow are presented.

After reading this chapter you should be able to:

1. Understand the composition of a digital image and the factors that affect its quality and file size.
2. Understand how digital images are transferred to a computer for storage and manipulation.
3. Understand how to use scanners.
4. Work with histograms to create better images.
5. Understand color management.
6. Understand how to set up an efficient workflow.