An Introduction to Digital Images
Key concepts in the production, editing, and use of digital images
Content & learning objectives
In this lesson, you’ll explore how images and photos (greyscale and colour) can be represented digitally, and discover a range of techniques to enhance images.
The man file types and their advantages and disadvantages will also be explained and you will gain an understanding of practical issues regarding file size, compression, and preparing images for printing and display.
You can access the lesson by clicking on the image (to the right) and if you successfully complete the activities and quiz, you can earn a digital badge.
Resources for learners, trainers, and developers
Are there badges available for this topic?
Yes. There is a basic knowledge badge, awarded to anyone who successfully completes the online lesson and quiz. There is scope to develop an advanced, practical skills badge for which applicants will be required to demonstrate their application of these ideas.
How can we run a workshop or classroom session on this topic?
This topic can be expanded into a practical session, using various tools for image editing and processing, with participants being asked to demonstrate specific skills via artefacts which they produce. It is ideal for group-based work and could be combined with other similar/related skills such as in photography, video production, and graphics..
Are there resources and materials available?
Yes. We have collated some useful links for you (opposite) but there is no shortage of information in the form of websites, videos, and books. Many courses are offered by institutions (and vendors) on aspects of image processing and editing. We will be providing further materials in future on related topics and combining this badge with others will lead to a planned ‘Creative Technologies’ Travelcard.
Can I download a copy of this interactive lesson?
Yes. We provide all the materials which we have developed (or adapted, subject to licence permissions) for use under a CC BY-NC 4.0 licence. A SCORM package for download will be available shortly.
Further information & useful links:
Wikipedia entry on image editing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_editing
A comprehensive comparison of the various image file formats : http://socialcompare.com/en/comparison/image-file-formats
US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team – Home & Business protection: https://www.us-cert.gov/home-and-business
Finding Creative Commons licensed images on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/
An explanation of HDR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wthhc1s0Pig