What is Digital Photography?
Digital photography is the process of using electronic appliances to capture, create, edit and share digital images/photographs. It encompasses several different technologies to provide electronic or computer-based photography services.
It is mainly used as a means to create, publish or use digital photographs on computers and the Internet.
What 3rd level courses are available?
Universities and colleges in Ireland are offering courses in Digital Photography in the following subject areas:
- Digital Photography – An introduction to Digital Photography for beginners that includes outdoor workshops and basic photoshop skills.
- Digital Photography Intermediate – This hands-on Digital Photography Intermediate course will guide you through the fundamentals of photography and is designed to help you get the most out of your bridge or DSLR camera while developing your creativity.
- Digital Photography Training – A professional course designed to guide you through the basics of using a digital camera.
- Digital Photography: Diploma Training Course in Photography – Learn the essential skills necessary to improve the quality level of your picture taking, have great competency in all aspects of camera controls and technique including exposure, composition, lighting, digital editing and image presentation.
- Digital Photography: Creating and Sharing Better Images – This visually-focused, online course for the beginner or keen amateur will develop your technical, visual and creative skills in creating and sharing digital images.
- Photography Techniques: Digital & Film Cameras – This programme is suitable for individuals who are familiar with the basic operation of an SLR camera and compact cameras with SLR features.
Studying Digital Photography
There are many courses in Digital Photography that may take place over a few days, weeks or even 1 year to 4 years depending on the course and modules selected. There are also part-time courses and night courses available so you can be sure to fit in your studies no matter what your schedule is like.
Courses will cover theory work through lectures, assignments, tutorials and taught modules. Assessments will take place on a continuous basis with written examinations and practical assignments combined in order to achieve a qualification.
Relevant work experience is a good way of demonstrating a genuine interest in the field and is regarded favourably by employers. You’ll need a portfolio of your work to demonstrate your ability and style. You can develop this through work experience or volunteering, as well as getting involved in university projects, local competitions and other photography shows.
Work Experience will not only give you the opportunity to obtain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the industry, it will also give you a chance to do some essential networking with other industry professionals and gain valuable contacts for the future.
Career options
After completing a Digital Photography course you will be able to get started in a career that uses specific knowledge of photography and digital imaging.
Photographers create visual images for an exceptional range of creative, technical and documentary purposes. As a professional photographer, you’ll usually work to a brief set by the client or employer. Examples of content you could work on include wedding, family and baby, fashion, food, architecture, and landscape photography.
A large proportion of professional photographers are self-employed. You could also find work with a variety of employers, including creative businesses, publishers and photographic agencies, or in the education and public sectors. You’ll usually specialise in one area of photography, such as advertising, corporate, editorial, fashion, fine art or social photography.
It is also possible to use your creative skills in related areas such as marketing and digital marketing, advertising, web design, graphic design, publishing and curating, where opportunities exist with a range of businesses and consultancies. Teaching is another option for photography graduates.
Working hours will depend on whether you are self-employed, employed by a company with set business hours or if you are contracted to various businesses or companies. Hours can be long and unpredictable and may be led by demand. For example, wedding photography will be at its busiest in the peak wedding season and sports photography will require you to work weekends and evenings to cover fixtures and events.
Related jobs include:
- Photographer
- Press photographer
- Advertising art director
- Film/video editor
- Graphic designer
- Magazine features editor
- Medical illustrator
- Television camera operator
- Art therapist
- Digital marketer
- Media planner
- Multimedia specialist
- Museum/gallery curator
- Stylist
- VFX artist
- Visual merchandiser
- Web content manager
- Web designer
Further study
After completing a course in Digital Photography you may choose to pursue further study in a specialist field to increase your knowledge base and skill set. Postgraduate study can also be used as a means to change career focus or to gain professional qualifications required to practise in certain career areas such as Art and design, Digital imaging, Fine art, Graphics, Media studies and Photography.
FAQ
What is the difference between photography and digital photography?
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor which is also known as Digital Photography, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film which is more traditional Photography.
What is the importance of Digital Photography?
Digital cameras and digital imaging have become integral in virtually every industry imaginable.
In the medical profession, doctors utilise digital photography by documenting, cataloguing, and sharing photographs, allowing for better diagnoses. They also work with technology, such as tiny digital cameras in pill form, to see in real-time places in the body they never could see before.
Digital imaging has been a driving force in space exploration, with digital cameras being used aboard spacecraft to view and document findings. On the ground, galaxies and planets light-years away are photographable, thanks to new technology in the digital imaging field. Digital photography is used to capture and analyse data in thousands of other fields as well, from nature photographers documenting never-before-seen flora and fauna to revolutionaries snapping and sending photos that will spark change.
Where can I study Digital Photography?
Explore your options here
Did You Know?
- In 1828, Louis Daguerre took the first photo that captured a human being. His intention was to take a photo of the Boulevard du Temple in Paris. The man in his photo was standing in the street, getting his shoes polished. Since the exposure lasted for seven minutes, the man also got captured.
- In the winter of 1975, Steven Sasson, a young engineer working in the Applied Research Lab at Kodak, tested out a new device for the first time. Now known as the first true digital camera, it was cobbled together using leftover parts he found in the lab.
- Dilish Parekh, a photojournalist from Mumbai, has the largest camera collection. He owns 4,425 antique cameras.
- In 1861, Thomas Sutton suggested the process to create the world’s first colour image. The result of layering three separate images of red, green, and blue filters. These were then projected onto a photosensitive plate with the corresponding filters.
- In 1999, Andreas Gursky captured the world’s most expensive photo, Rhein II. In 2011, 12 years later, it sold for an incredible $4,338,500 at auction. It is still the most expensive photo. Peter Lik boasts of having sold a picture for over $7 Million, but there is no proof, as the buyer wanted to remain anonymous.
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