Students on the Amateur Photographer Diploma in Photography course may submit images for assessment taken using a digital camera. There is no restriction covering for which modules digital photography is suitable, but students should read the rest of this document with care and familiarise themselves with the course requirements for digitally captured images.
The right camera
Students should be aware that not every digital camera is suitable for use on this course, just as not every film camera is capable of delivering the degree of quality and control that students of photography will need.
Ideally a student submitting course work taken with a digital camera will have a SLR model that uses at least four million pixels and an interchangeable lens system. In general terms SLR cameras offer the creative control over the image capture process that will be required for students to successfully achieve all that will be asked of them. An interchangeable lens system will provide access to a wide variety of focal lengths that will also be required if students are to gain as much benefit from the course as they ideally will.
The question of pixel count is solely one of determining an acceptable level of resolution and original picture data to produce the required sized prints and subject detail. Four million pixels is an absolute minimum, though obviously six million pixels is a preferable and recommended minimum standard.
There are many cameras now on the market that provide much of the control a SLR affords, but which do not allow lenses to be exchanged. Images captured using this type of camera (from here on called a Bridge camera) may be submitted, but students should be careful that the creativity of their work or their ability to satisfy the requirements of their work modules is not compromised by restricted focal length settings. Accessory lenses may be used to extend the focal range of this type of camera but it is the responsibility of the student to ensure image quality does not suffer as a result.
In the case of bridge camera use students should use models with no fewer than five million pixels.
Students should pay close attention to the feature set of their chosen camera, particularly its suitability to operate with external flash units, its metering systems, ISO settings and the range of shutter speeds and apertures it offers.
At all times it is the student's responsibility to ensure image quality is of a high standard. Digital artefacts, such as excessive image noise, colour fringing, jaggies, pixelation, general lack of definition, colour shift and dust spots will count against your marks and may result in your tutor recommending you stop using the camera that is creating these effects. Digital camera users will not be judged unfairly, but quality faults in digital images will be remarked on in the same way that film users may be asked to use a better emulsion, print house or better quality lens.
Submitting digitally captured images
The way you submit your digital images will have an effect both on the way your tutor will mark your work and the degree to which your tutor will be able to identify technical and technique mistakes and suggest ways you could improve your work. In general terms, the more information you supply the better able you tutor will be to help you. Using a digital camera and computer software does not present the ideal chance to make your work look perfect by manipulating faults from your images, such as bad exposures. The idea of the course is that you learn how to make good exposures all the time. Hiding mistakes behind Photoshop effects and Levels adjustments will not improve your photography. Be open and honest if you want as much assistance with your work as your tutor wants to give you.
The manipulation of digitally captured, or scanned, images is quite acceptable, and indeed encouraged, for the correction of white balance or the selection of black and white points with-in the image. Sharpening is also encouraged, as are saturation changes and compositional crops. Students may also apply other effects if they wish to do so, but are reminded that tasteful restraint is generally the best policy. The course is an exercise in photographic skills based on camera and lens use, not one for abstract coloration and solarisation etc.
All manipulated images must be accompanied by the 'straight' version of the same image file. This should be a copy of the original file as it was downloaded from the camera - before any changes were made to it. As a standard of best practice students should maintain separate folders on their computers where unaltered images are kept. This then allows the chance to redo an unsuccessful image manipulation at a later date when new skills have been learned.
Your tutor will be able to determine more accurately in which areas you need to improve by looking at the unaltered file. The exif data that is embedded in these files will also allow the inspection of exposure details etc, which will further assist your tutor in giving you most helpful and practical advice.
Practicalities
Students submitting digital images should do so using CD or DVD. It is generally not recommended that camera memory media by sent, or that the images submitted are not back-up on your computer or another CD etc.
It is the responsibility of each student to ensure files are in a readable state, and may be easily accessed by a third party. Standard TIFF and JPEG formats are the only acceptable file formats. RAW images should not be submitted unless it is specifically agreed between you and your tutor.
Images may not be emailed to your tutor.
Images contained on these disks must also be presented as finished prints. This applies only to the final digital image you are submitting, and not to 'straight' unaltered original camera files. As is the case with film based submissions prints may be home or commercially produced, but should be of a high standard in finish. Prints on photocopier paper, for example, should be avoided! If your personal printer is not of a standard to represent the quality of your photography it may be recommended you use a commercial print house - such as a high street lab, pro lab or on-line processor.
As with film based submissions prints should be at least 7x5in in size (or the nearest size that suits the proportions of your camera's sensor).
Mixed media
There is no reason that any student should not submit certain work in a digital format and other work on film based media. If you choose to use a digital camera you do not have to complete the entire course using it. Students are free to mix digital and film capture from module to module, and indeed within any single module.
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