Getting to Know Your Digital Camera

Getting to Know Your Di= gital Camera

Pre-Class Preparation

Welcome to= either the basic digital camera class or the advanced camera class. I want to give= you an idea of what to expect in the class, some specific things I would like f= or you to do before coming to the first class meeting, and what you should bri= ng with you to class.

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Even thoug= h the class size is purposely being held smaller than normal, there will be a wide variety of cameras among you. There is a fair amount of standardization, but each camera model has its own peculiarities. In class, I will have only a s= hort time to give you individual help. Think of me as your facilitator and guide= to help you learn how to u= se your camera more effectively. To the extent possible you will be teamed with other students who have similar cameras, so that you can help each other. To make this work, you will need to come to class prepared having done the homework assignments as well as you can.

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During cla= ss, we will work through structured exercises that will help you get more familiar with your camera and be able to use many of its advanced capabilities. You = will be taking pictures and completing a check sheet that will help you get to k= now your camera’s capabilities and how to more quickly set a particular m= ode in the future. We will upload your images to the computer, so that we can disc= uss the results. We will be using the program Photoshop Elements 6 to do this.<= o:p>

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So that we= can hit the ground running on the first day of class, here is what you need to do p= rior to the first class.

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As soon as you have registered f= or the class, email me your camera’s manufacturer and model number. My email address is donstouder@ca= .rr.com.
Make sure your camera has fully charged batteries or brand new batteries if you are not using rechargeables. By the way, I recommend that you use rechargeable batteries.
Know how to turn on your camera,= how to put it in its picture taking mode, and how to put it into its playback/viewing mode.
Know how to access your camera&#= 8217;s menu. The more you are famili= ar with how your camera’s menu system works – even if you don’t understand the options – the more you will get out of the class.
Set your camera’s date and= time if at all possible. This is normally covered on the first couple of pa= ges in your manual.
Familiarize yourself with your m= anual, in a general way. If you = really understood your manual, you probably would not be taking this course.<= o:p>

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Please bri= ng the following with you to the first class. You may be asked to bring additional items to subsequent classes.

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Your camera with new or fully ch= arged batteries. You may want to br= ing a spare set also.
A blank memory card for your cam= era. If possible, please do not bring a memory card full of personal photos.
Your camera’s manual and q= uick start guide, if your camera came with one.
The cable that connects your cam= era to a computer through its USB port. If you are not sure which cable that = is, bring all of the cables that came with your camera.<= /li>
It is not required= , but I recommend that you bring a memory card reader that is compatible with the memory card used by your camera. This will make it much easier for= you to upload your images. If you do not know what that is, don’t wo= rry. We will talk about it on the first day of class.

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Well, ther= e you have it, what we will be doing, what you need to do ahead of time, and what= to bring to class. Please email me if you have any questions.

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See you in= class!

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Don Stoude= r

donstouder@ca.rr.com

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