PHOTOGRAPHY

The art of turning the clock

back

VENU G VEDULA
Gitam University Lecture Notes
February 2023
 PHOTOGRAPHY

Every photograph has a story that probes deep into your

memory lane and relive the moments even after ages.
 COURSE SYLLABUS
UNIT 1
Basics of Digital Photography
Definition and history of Photography
The birth of Camera and its evolution
Purpose of photography
Modernization of Photography and its use in Mass Media
Digital Photography
Difference between analogue and digital photography
Difference between still and video categories of photography

UNIT 2
Camera, Shutter speed, Aperture
Expression through photographic image
Types of cameras and focusing methods
Exposure controls, shutter speed and aperture, frozen picture, movement in picture
Color difference in relation to shutter speed
Types of lenses, depth of field, filters Varying ISO for depth, speed and light
Basics of color and digital photography
Digital storage

UNIT 3
Understanding of Light
Fundamentals of Light: Available light; Artificial light; hard and soft light.
Definition of subject detail and shape; Choosing the right color; Lighting
Different types of lighting, Natural lighting and Artificial Lighting; reflection of light.
Recommended equipment for outdoor lighting; Introduction to indoor lighting and
Photography

UNIT 4

Types of Photography & Photojournalism: News Photography, Sports Photography;

Nature photography, Portrait photography; Fashion photography and advertisement
photography
Basics of photojournalism and importance of context in photojournalism

UNIT 5

Editing: Photo editing software, Microsoft Office Picture Manager, CorelDraw, Adobe
Photoshop Elements, Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud); Correcting imperfect images:
Picture
orientation, Cropping, Levels; Altering brightness and contrast, Red eye.
 REFERENCE BOOKS
The Photography Book by Editors of Phaidon Press, 30 April 2000.

Dilwali, Ashok. All about Photography. National Book trust, New Delhi. 2010.

Sharma, O.P. Practical photography. HPB/FC 14 March 2003.

Freeman John Collins & Brown. The Photographer's Guide to Light. 2005.

I'Anson, Richard. Lonely Planet's Best Ever Photography Tips. by Lonely Planet.

Jackman, John. Lighting for Digital Video and Television 2010.

Millerson, Gerald. Video Camera Techniques (Media Manuals), Focal Press,

London.

Musberger, Robert B. Single-camera Video Production.

 BASIC PRINCIPLES & HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

DEFINITION
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by
recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means
of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film.
It is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing (e.g. Photolithography), and
business, as well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational
purposes, hobby, and mass communication.

Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected or emitted from objects into a real
image on the light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure with an
electronic image sensor, this produces an electrical charge at each pixel, which
is electronically processed and stored in a digital image file for subsequent display or
processing. The result with photographic emulsion is an invisible latent image, which is
later chemically developed into a visible image, either negative or positive, depending on
the purpose of the photographic material and the method of processing. A negative image
on film is traditionally used to photographically create a positive image on a paper base,
known as a print, either by using an enlarger or by contact printing.

ETYMOLOGY
The word "photography" was created from the Greek
roots φωτός (phōtós), genitive of φῶς (phōs), "light" and γραφή (graphé)
"representation by means of lines" or "drawing", together meaning
"drawing with light"

HISTORY

Light passing through a small hole produces an inverted image on First photograph taken by Joseph Nicéphore Ni é p c e i n
the opposite wall. In Latin, Camera Obscura meaning Dark Room. France i n 1 8 2 6 , o n a b i tumen coated aluminum plate

Early use by artists for true-life sketching by Leonardo

DaVinci, 15th c. The portable “tent” camera obscura Johannes Kepler (1604)
 BASIC PRINCIPLES & HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

First production camera: Daguerreotype Louis Daguerre

(1840s)

150 Years later…..Present Technology

Introducing the era of…

Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) Cameras
& State of Art Video Cameras
 PURPOSE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
"A picture is worth a thousand
words"
is an adage in multiple languages meaning that complex
and sometimes multiple ideas can be conveyed by a
single still image, which conveys its meaning or essence
more effectively than a mere verbal description.

The purpose of photography is to communicate and

document moments in time.

A photo freezes a moment, which leads to a story of the

person, environment, animal, or landscape.

Studies show that taking pictures improves your visual

memory of an experience.

Besides memory, photography can be educational. You can

learn about history and document critical events.

There are so many reasons why photography is important.

The following ten reasons are the most important reasons:

1. Photos represent what’s important .

Photography is personal. Pictures of meaningful memories,
people, pets, and places fill your home and phone.
Every image adds up to create a story, which is the story of
your life. It captures your experiences, passions, joys, and
sadness.
Life has ups and downs, and your photos keep track of
everything.
When you look back, you can walk through the memories in
your mind. You can also share the pictures with others to
enjoy.
 PURPOSE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY

2. Photography teaches history through pictures.

Many history books use pictures to enhance the learning
experience.
While the words are helpful, photos add a visual dimension.
Images have a more significant impact and help you keep
information.
Without pictures, you couldn’t see how life was before the
present time.
It also allows you to compare different things and identify
changes. You can learn so much by looking at a photo.

3. Photography preserves special moments.

The preservation of moments is a big reason why
photography is important.
It could be a significant life moment, such as a wedding or
the birth of a child. It can also be small moments in daily life.
When you document memories through images, you can
cherish and preserve the moments.
You can look through the pictures anytime to remember the
sweet moments.
You can also pass down the photos to future generations.

4. Photography encourages self-expression

Self-expression is essential. It’s about expressing yourself
despite the expectations from others or society.
Photography is an excellent creative outlet to express
yourself.
While there are so-called rules, such as the rule of thirds, you
can break them.
Self-expression in photography could be through selfies or
photos of things you like.
Researcher Judith Glaser says, “Neuroscience is teaching us
that ‘self-expression’ might be one – if not the most
important ways for people to connect, navigate and grow
with each other.”
 PURPOSE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography allows you to express yourself without

boundaries.

5. Photography inspires you to live more

There are many things to enjoy in life, but time can slip away
without you being present.
One of the best reasons why photography is important is that
it inspires you to live more.
It can inspire you to travel, get new experiences, and be
aware of the little things in life.
You can have new experiences by yourself or with friends and
family.
It also makes you more present because you focus on
composition and exposure for the image.
Photography can drive you to live a fulfilling life and take
risks.

6. Photography helps you build connections

Photography can benefit your social life and help you make
meaningful connections.
It can introduce you to plenty of like-minded people. You can
make new friends, shoot photos together, and help others
grow.
As a photographer with clients, you get to meet many
different people.
The connections you make can go beyond the session. It can
help your business or personal needs.
Another way photography helps you make connections is
online.
Photos are essential for connecting with family that lives far
away or online dating.
 PURPOSE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
7. Photography is essential for science
Science uses photography to gather information, make
observations, and learn.
In all areas of science, photography is essential. Examples
include images of space from NASA, images of cells, and
research on nature.
Photos provide the keys to scientific discoveries and
advances.
Photos also make it easier for scientists to share research
with the public.

8. Businesses use photography for marketing

Businesses rely on photography to sell products and services.
A business uses photos for marketing and product photos.
A crucial reason why photography is important is that it helps
businesses make money.
The businesses provide jobs, and it helps the economy.

9. Photography doesn’t judge.

Photography is a hobby anyone can do. Your age, race, and
gender won’t limit you from enjoying the benefits of
photography.
Also, you don’t need an expensive camera, as a phone
camera works.
If you don’t have a camera or phone, then you can look at the
world like a photographer. You can practice with your
imagination until you get a camera.
You can take on photography at any stage of your life. It
encourages you to learn and think creatively.

10. Photography can be your career

Your photography passion and skills can become your career.
One of the many benefits of photography includes the ability
to make money. While it has its ups and downs, like all
businesses, it’s a good and fulfilling option.
The best part is that you can choose between portraits,
weddings, landscapes, journalism, crime scene, and sports, to
name a few, Photography allows you to express yourself
without boundaries.
MODERNIZATION OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
Modern Photography: The History
Modern photography started in the 1900s and lasted until
the 1960s, but the influence of its proponents remains to this
day.
This period began with a gradual departure from the
principles and limitations that traditional art imposed on
photography, such as the taking of photos that resembled
painting subjects and the use of soft, almost painterly focus.
While these photos were produced through manipulation of
the photographs themselves, this new movement started
exploring the photographic results of direct manipulation of
the camera, using it as a tool to capture lines, shapes, light
and shadow, textures, and subjects as they appeared in front
of the lens.
Due to this shift in how cameras were being used, modern
photography also explored new areas not covered by
traditional photography such as social documentation.
Straight Photography, an offshoot of Modern photography
focused on capturing truthful records of life as seen by the
photographer.
Early modern photographers took to street photography
while still keeping true to aesthetic principles that ruled other
forms of art like patterns and form, framing, and
juxtaposition of subjects in their surroundings to create a
statement.
Straight photography laid the foundations for other
innovations in photography such as photojournalism,
documentary photography, street photography, and snapshot
photography.
Modern photography also gave birth to movements like
Constructivism. It was promoted by photographers who
believed that modern photography should help construct and
not merely document the real world.
These photographs were noted for their precision and
geometric simplicity which were the result fo a focus on
photography as a technical exercise and the photographer as
a technician.
 PHOTOGRAPHY IN
JOURNALISM
Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news
story. It usually only refers to still images, but can also refer to
video used in broadcast journalism.

Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches

of photography (such as documentary photography, social
documentary photography, war photography, street
photography and celebrity photography) by having a rigid
ethical framework which demands an honest but impartial
approach that tells a story in strictly journalistic terms.

Photojournalists contribute to the news media, and help

communities connect with one other. They must be well-
informed and knowledgeable, and are able to deliver news in
a creative manner that is both informative and entertaining.

Similar to a writer, a photojournalist is a reporter, but they

must often make decisions instantly and carry photographic
equipment, often while exposed to significant obstacles,
among them immediate physical danger, bad weather, large
crowds, and limited physical access to their subjects.
 INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Introduction to Digital Photography
Lesson Aim
To understand the scope and nature of digital photography.
Conventional and digital photography are in many ways very
similar, but in just as many ways, quite different. Both have
their advantages and disadvantages, however digital has
become popular not only with professionals but also
amateurs. There are less people practicing in traditional
photography as well as less access to its expensive products
and services.
Conventional film photography, using chemically photo-
sensitive film is a well-known and highly developed
technology. We know how to use it, how to get the best out
of it, and how its life span can be optimized because it has
been used and developed over a long period of time.
Digital photography is a relatively new and continuously
improving technology, which records images in the form of
digital (i.e. 2 digit or binary) codes. In simple terms digital
codes are similar to Morse code. One number or digit is
indicated by a pulse of electricity, a second digit is indicated
by no electrical pulse. By combining these pulses and lack of
pulses into codes, we can, for example, create
representations for letters of the alphabet allowing us to
write language or text on a computer. When we combine
these electrical "pulses" and "no pulses" (or ‘ones’ and
‘zeros’) in more complex combinations, we can create more
complex representations. These can include the color, and
degree of darkness or brightness in a single spot on a picture.
When huge quantities of such dots are combined together,
into a grid or array, we can then create a digital picture. (This
is basically how digital photography works!) Each dot is
referred to as a pixel (PICTURE ELEMENT) and is represented
by ‘bits’ of data – thus the digital image array is often referred
to as a ‘bitmap’.
 INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
By zooming in on a digital image we can see it is made up of
tiny squares, the pixels. Try this if you have a digital image on
the computer. If an image size is 400 x 200 this means the
image has 400 pixels across the width and 200 pixels in the
height, and totaling to 80,000 pixels. Each pixel is made up of
one color.

Digital photography is always improving and its imagery has

now overtaken traditional silver halide based photography.
With the speed that digital technology has enhanced it is a
reality that one day traditional photography will be totally
redundant, although there may remain the few traditional
based photographers. Todays digital cameras now make it
possible to create high resolution images with the added
attention to detail.

Similar to a writer, a photojournalist is a reporter, but they

must often make decisions instantly and carry photographic
equipment, often while exposed to significant obstacles,
among them immediate physical danger, bad weather, large
crowds, and limited physical access to their subjects.

A digital code stays a code until it is interpreted into an

analogue artefact by the use of hardware and software.
Consequently digital can be copied directly to digital and
reading the code is largely unaffected and this opens the way
for simple, cheap archiving of digital imagery. Digital storage
systems can even be arranged so that if data is lost through
damage or equipment failure, the missing code can be
reconstructed by analysis and comparison of the remaining
pieces of data. In essence this means that the digital image
you create today can be preserved with no loss or
deterioration into the foreseeable future by simply copying
the file to new media. With the exception of some very
simple and relatively cheap cameras, many of the early
problems of digital have been eliminated or have become
largely irrelevant

.
INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY

For example, all but the most basic digital cameras in a

mobile phone now have image sensors capable of giving high
enough resolution for good quality A4-size prints; or in other
words, to meet the 'holiday snap' expectations of most non-
professionals. When you take a digital photo the image is
captured by a sensor which is actually an analogue device.
The actual digitizing process and writing of the image data to
memory take time.
This means that some digital cameras cannot shoot a rapid
sequence of photos - you have to wait 5 or more seconds
between shots. For most people this presents no more of a
problem than waiting for the flash unit to recycle on a
conventional camera if you were, for example, shooting in
dim light.
However for the professional, where 'motor-drive' shots are
an expectation of their shooting hardware, high end digital
cameras now employ fast memory buffers and new sensors
to allow sequences of five or more images to be fired-off at a
time. Increases in the speed with which an image can be
scanned from the sensor and processed have also helped
eliminate this problem. These facilities come at a price and
digital cameras are still more expensive than their
conventional counterparts. As time progresses, this price gap
is diminishing.
Significantly, digital cameras are based on conventional
cameras for their exposure systems. Depending on the
degree of sophistication, modern digital cameras provide the
same, if not more, image controls as any standard film
camera. The film speed, shutter and aperture systems of ‘old
style’ cameras are an integral part of all but the simplest
point-and-shoot digital hardware.
The range of digital cameras now covers a similar scope to
film, if not more. We now have, as well as DSLR cameras,
digital medium and digital large format cameras which can
shoot exceptional quality and attention to detail. These, of
course, can be very expensive!
INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Digital cameras store images on memory cards which vary
depending on camera type. The most common way to store
images from a digital camera is to 'download' them from the
camera’s memory card onto a computer hard drive. This then
allows the camera memory card to be re-used over and over
again.

Digital photography is computer friendly and inexpensive,

once you have the equipment. You can take any number of
photos, place them onto a computer, and manipulate the
images to use them in different ways, change effects and
even send the image via the internet quickly to any part of
the world and store them on clouds. Mobile phones and
other portable devices now can post images online within
seconds and the sharing of images has led to an extreme
growth in photography and social media. Other editing
services have also developed for mobile devices, like
Instagram, all mimicking similar feature to software that can
manipulate images on your home computer but focused on
the growing online market.

THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION

In recent times, the most important technological
breakthroughs in electronics have been part of one larger
breakthrough. CD’s, DVD’s, Digital Televisions are all built
around the same basic process of converting conventional
analogue information (represented by a fluctuating wave)
into digital information (represented by 1s and 0s, or bits).
The digital camera is one of the most notable instances of
this shift because it is by far different from its predecessor.
Conventional cameras depend entirely on chemical and
mechanical processes. All digital cameras have a built-in
computer and all of them record images entirely in digital
form.
Here are just some advantages and disadvantages of working
with digital cameras.
INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVANTAGES

Gain quality control over your pictures. Conventional photos

have no input into an image after it leaves the camera. With a
digital photo, image-editing software can be used to restore
your pictures, if necessary.

 View the photos as you are shooting.

 Once equipment is purchased, it is relatively inexpensive.

 Store all photos easily onto a hard drive, cloud or

removable device.

 Can be as high quality as film, if using the correct

equipment.

 Unlike film, digital images are not susceptible to scratches

or damage.

 Send an image to friends, family members, and clients

almost instantaneously by attaching it to an e-mail message
or social network.

 Explore your artistic side. Using image editing program you

can apply special effects.

DISADVANTAGES

 Lower priced cameras deliver lower resolution images.

More expensive cameras deliver quality.

 Once you press the shutter button on a digital camera, the

camera requires a few seconds to store the image to its
memory, although this is rectified in more professional
cameras.
INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Analogue versus Digital – What’s the Difference
Analogue systems record information about the world by
creating an analogue of the reality we perceive normally
through our senses. For example, when we take a silver
image photograph we create a pattern of latent chemical
changes in the emulsion layer of the film which through
development can be made visible.

The camera negative, in the case of a black and white image,

resembles the original to the extent that we can hold up the
image to the original scene and, although the tones are
reversed and the colors turned to shades of grey, we can see
obvious similarities between the two - so much so that we
usually can recognize the negative as a representation in two
dimensions of that original scene. The recorded scene is
similar to, but not the same as, the original.

So what about digital? The key word with digital, the word
behind all aspects of computing, is "code". Did you ever as a
child make up sentences by transposing letters to a pattern?
You couldn’t understand the sentence until you had the code
key - the secret to how it was encrypted. The important thing
about this is that, unlike an analogue system, the information
bears no logical resemblance to what you are seeing and
hearing on your computer monitor. Without the necessary
hardware and software we cannot interpret digital
information as anything but 'noise' or, if it could be printed
out in its raw form, page after page of coded figures.

Computers work with binary code, a system of ones and

zeros or 'on' and 'offs'. Every piece of information that the
computer represents as text, graphics or even video is still
made up of a code consisting of ones and zeros which are
given meaning and value by the computer software.
 INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Analogue versus Digital – What’s the Difference
Computers attain their complexity of operation by being
incredibly fast at processing these 'on' and 'off' signals and
being able to decode them to a logical meaning. The simplest
element of the code is a 'bit' which can have the value 1 or 0.
If we have two bits the range of values we can represent goes
up from two to four as we can have the two bits combined as
00, 10, 01 or 11. Three bits gives us 2 X 2 X 2 possibilities, and
so on. The smallest block of data normally dealt with by a
computer is a 'byte' (BINARY TABLE) which, at 8 bits, is
enough to represent a character in text or to give us 256
color possibilities ("codes" if you prefer) in a digital image.
Digital imaging is literally painting by numbers!

Pixels, Bits and color Depth

Digital images, as we have already discovered, are made up
of a large number of picture elements called "pixels".
Pixels are assigned color and brightness values by the process
and encoding of the raw information from the camera’s
image sensor.
Most cameras (and most monitors with newer computers)
operate at the level of 24 bit color. This means the image can
contain 16,777,215 different color shadings as opposed to
the 256 possible with 8 bit color or the 65,536 possibilities
with 16 bit color.
Recent advances in high end cameras have taken us to the
level of 36 bit color and therefore into literally billions of
color shadings. As a rule, the higher the color depth (also
referred to as the bit depth), the better the image’s color
quality, and, in fact, the more detail that will actually be
visible in the final image, as increasing the number of color
shades available increases the subtlety and accuracy with
which any detail can be represented.
 INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Analogue versus Digital – What’s the Difference

Pixels and Resolution

The resolution of a digital image is governed by the
capabilities of the camera sensor used to capture it and by
the way it is printed. The absolute resolution of an image
depends on the number of pixels in the image sensor of the
camera. Webcams and older digital cameras frequently have
no better resolution than 640 by 480 pixels (640 wide X 480
high), or that of a PAL video image. Get close to your TV and
you’ll see that unless the image is kept small, this is not up to
“photo quality”. (Photo quality essentially means an image
that has equal or better resolution than you would expect
from an image on a 35 millimeter camera using medium
speed – 200 ISO – film). Image sensors on digital cameras are
quoted as having a maximum pixel resolution of, for example,
1.4 megapixels (or 1,400,000 pixels).
In terms of actual resolution in the final print, a 1.4 megapixel
camera should produce a print size up to postcard. Lower end
cameras should be capable of at least this resolution. High
end professional cameras of similar size and operation to a 35
mm SLR can use sensors as large as 24 megapixels and more,
which are capable of good image quality. Newer, and higher
end models can now have 51.4 megapixels. The simple fact is,
that the quantity of megapixels available in cameras varies
greatly. A large quantity of megapixels is not the only
determinant of image quality. The type of lens used should
also be carefully considered.
color and Black and White
All color images can be converted to black and white before
printing, and so the issue of whether to shoot one or the
other is irrelevant in digital photography.
INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
The Two color Systems
Almost all color images are made up in one of two
ways, RGB or CMYK. In the early years of color
photographic processes such as the Lumiere auto
chrome utilized a process called additive color. Additive
color uses the three primaries, red, green and blue to
make up the image. If red, green and blue lights are
projected onto a white object, where all three overlap
white light will be created. color television systems
utilize additive color to produce color images.
At the same time as it was realized that red, green and
blue could be used to create full color images it was
also realized that a complementary set of colors, called
the subtractive primaries, existed. These colors, cyan
(blue-green), magenta and yellow when overlapped
together effectively block white light and create black.
Digital cameras, scanners and computer monitors
utilize red, green and blue (RGB) color to produce their
images. color printers utilize subtractive primaries to
create color on a page. This is logical as RGB colors
work to reproduce color when they can be made
luminous together to create color combinations for our
eyes, out of what is essentially a black space. CMYK
(the K stands for black, which is added to enhance the
image as cyan, magenta and yellow tend to create a
somewhat muddy black in actual printing) is the logical
choice for printing where the background is usually
white. This means that your screen image undergoes a
re-encoding to allow the printer to make sense of the
RGB image for CMYK printing. In reality this is a minor
problem and, in high end digital imaging, calibration
programs to make sure screen color matches printed
color have been developed to ensure total color
accuracy.
INRODUCTION TO DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
APPLICATIONS FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Graphics
Home computers have programs and screens that
allow for image presentation in quality. Computer
graphics, incorporating digital photography, can be
used for creating business presentations, signs,
newsletters, graphics for television and a host of other
applications. You can also incorporate photos, logos
and diagrams into word processor documents. With a
computer, scanner, inkjet or laser printer, and some
talent, you can replace the need for hiring a printing
agency.
Photo Application Software
Software such as Photoshop can be used to apply post
editing to photographs. The limits are endless with
digital photo editing, from simple adjustments to
exposures to cutting on section of a photograph and
placing on another.
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Computer programs and systems have been developed
which can be used in designing, planning, adjusting
and outputting models and images for a range of fields
such as engineering, manufacturing, architecture,
interior design and science. Some products or concepts
which are designed or planned using CAD applications
are tools, cars, planes, residential and tourist
developments, molecules and drugs, electronic circuits
and hundreds of other things.
The process usually involves the direct input of
information (lines, symbols, figures, etc.) using
keyboard, mouse, light pen or graphics/digitizing
tablet.
 IMAGE FILE FORMATS
Understanding Digital Photo File Formats
You’ve taken your pictures, now where do they actually go? The
images reside on the memory card in you camera, but the more
important question is “How many photos can I store on the
card or on my computer’s hard drive?” The answer to that
comes down to one basic thing – image quality. Essentially the
various image file formats that are available to you differ in how
much actual photographic information (this includes metadata)
you wish to “store” within in each image file, and how much is
thrown away. That’s the basic nature of compression – the
elimination of potentially extraneous information, and the
three main image file formats are JPEG, TIFF, and RAW.
File Compression
File compression can be achieved in basically two ways: lossless
and lossy. A lossless compression algorithm does not discard
any information from the file. Moreover, it looks for efficient
ways to represent an image without compromising on its
original quality. On the other hand, a lossy compression
algorithm reduces the file size by compromising to a certain
extent on the image quality.
JPEG
JPEG (which stands for Joint Photographic Expert Group) is the
most popular form of storing digital images. When you shoot
using JPEG you get more photos on your memory card, and it’s
faster (in terms of saving the image to the camera and in photo
manipulation later). However, JPEG is perhaps the worst of the
three, because the compression algorithm used to save the
image disregards far too much image information that cannot
be reconstructed during decompression. JPEG usually achieves
a 10:1 to 20:1 compression with little perceptible loss of image
quality. You can adjust the amount of compression, so you can
control the image quality and the file size. JPEG compression
discards so much information that it is much more difficult to
effectively post process your image (i.e. correcting color,
sharpness and increasing the size of the image).
 IMAGE FILE FORMATS
In addition, the re-edited and saved image loses still more
quality (think of it as Xeroxing a photocopy). Each subsequent
re-edit and save of a JPEG further reduces the quality. JPEGs are
perfectly fine for most uses of digital photography (hence their
overwhelming popularity), as they are smaller files and make
distributing the snapshots of your trip to Hawaii or a wild night
at the club that much easier.
TIFF
TIFF (which stands for Tagged Image File Format) is considered
the standard photographic file format, because it is a highly
flexible format that uses a lossless compression algorithm, so
there’s no image degradation during compression. This ability
to store image information in a lossless format makes a TIFF file
very useful for archiving images. Unlike a JPEG, a TIFF file may
be edited and re-saved without losing any image quality. In
addition, when using a third party image processor like Adobe’s
Photoshop, you retain access to the individual layers of an
edited and saved image, so you can revisit them in the future.
There are two types of TIFF configurations – 16-bit and 8-bit;
16-bit provides you with more information to manipulate the
final image in the digital darkroom (i.e. color saturation
changes, color balance changes, brightness & contrast changes,
etc.), and 8-bit (best for archiving and printing), which retains
all the “work” you’ve done on the photo (the layers), but saves
to a relatively smaller size. In general, TIFF files can be quite
large… easily ranging up to 48MB per image. But this added file
size allows for very large blow-ups with no digital artifacts in
the print. The one downside of TIFF is that the majority of
cameras do not shoot in a dedicated TIFF file format.

RAW
RAW is basically just that – the raw, unprocessed, naked image.
Think of it as the digital negative, because it performs the same
function as negatives do in film photography. Just like with film
negatives, RAW files need to be “processed” into a viewable
format (usually TIFF or JPEG). Also, RAW files – like film
negatives – have a wide dynamic range. So what’s the point of
shooting RAW? You shoot RAW if you expect to do a good
amount post processing work in your digital darkroom. Let’s say
you shot indoors under tungsten lights, but you forgot to
change the camera’s white balance from daylight.
 IMAGE FILE FORMATS
In addition, the re-edited and saved image loses still more
quality (think of it as Xeroxing a photocopy). Each subsequent
re-edit and save of a JPEG further reduces the quality. JPEGs are
perfectly fine for most uses of digital photography (hence their
overwhelming popularity), as they are smaller files and make
distributing the snapshots of your trip to Hawaii or a wild night
at the club that much easier.
If you save the image as a JPEG, you’ll be junking most of the
color information and you’ll end up with that red/yellow image
(that we’ve all cringed at). With a JPEG you can’t get that lost
information back, manipulating the image would be difficult,
and you still might not get a pleasing image. However, as a RAW
file, all the color data is still available, and you can recover the
image; correct the white balance and… voila, a much more
appealing photograph

Conclusion

So you’re asking yourself: Which format? That’s a decision that

you make based upon your photographic wants and needs. It’s
more than just considering file size; it’s anticipating how much
post processing work that you might have to do get the best
image possible. One major drawback to RAW is that there’s no
standardization, so each camera manufacturer has their “style”
of RAW.

Professionals mainly shoot in RAW because they need to be

able to make as many unrestricted changes as the client wants
for the final image, and you may want that too. You need to be
computer savvy to get the most out of RAW.

In addition, the unprocessed nature of RAW files allows you to

keep options open for the future with your images as new
photo imaging software comes out and your ability to edit
images changes . While JPEG is one of the most widely used file
formats allowing you to save an image as a small file and high
quality, TIFF and RAW formats are larger in size but maintain
exceptionally good picture quality, which is preferred by most
of the professional photographers.