CSE 131: The Science and Art of Digital Photography

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Instructor: Bruce Hemingway --photos here and here, with Rich MacDonald, Associate, and Ewa (Eva)Trebacz, Teaching Associate. TAs: Juliet Fiss, and Ian Talarico.

MWF 1:30-2:20pm Mary Gates Hall MGH 241 March 26 to June 4

Digital Photography is a unique technological activity that is totally dependent on its roots in digital sensing and computational imaging. It has many functions—scientific, artistic, documentary and social—and its historical development is a fascinating study in scientific innovation. This course will give students the tools and technological understanding to make better pictures. We will concentrate on four areas: the history and development of photography; the science of optics and digital imaging; the elements of photographic composition and design; and the future of internet-enabled photography.

Information & Policies page

Class Mailing list information is here. Add your preferred email address.
To post a message to all the list members, send email to cse131a_sp12@u.washington.edu.

Questions? Email the teaching staff here.

We encourage all participants to look at each other's photos here, and to leave (constructive) comments on them as well.

Flash applets on some technical aspects of photography

Final Extra-credit Project information here. Deadline: Wednesday June 6, by 11:59 p.m. via email.

List of completed Extra-Credit projects

Slideshow of Student Work

Course Schedule (subject to constant revision):

Mondays and Wednesdays

Fridays (sort of)

Week 1-Choosing a camera Basic Image Formation Perspective, lenses, aperture, shutter Readings: Johnson pp. 1-18 Horenstein pp. 20-93 Freeman Ch. 1	organize Picasa Photo Assignment 1: Break your camera Due:11:59PM, Sunday, April 1, 2012 Applet: Variables that affect exposure
Week 2- Optics I Lensmaker’s formulae, Depth-of-field formula History of Photography 1 Reading: Johnson pp. 19-48, 151-158	Photo Assignment 2: Digital Storytelling Due:11:59PM, Sunday, April 8, 2012 Three Tips to Help Your Photos Tell A Story
Week 3: Image Composition The Frame, Design basics, points, Lines, curves Optics II: Aberrations & Distortion Flare, vignetting, diffraction History of Photography 2 Readings: Freeman Ch. 2,3 Johnson pp. 55-63, 89-94, 125-136	Photo Assignment 3: Macro Photographs Due:11:59PM, Sunday, April 15, 2012 Monday or Tuesday, 4 p.m. *Optional* Meet at bus shelter on Stevens Way South of Chemistry Bldg. This week Walkabout: Medicinal Herb Garden & Greenhouse macros
Week 4: Camera Subsystems AF- Auto Focus AE- Auto Exposure Reading: Horenstein pp. 94-123	Photo Assignment 4: Action Photographs
Week 5: IS/VR Image Stabilization Lightfield Photography Review for the midterm	No Photo Assignment this week: MIDTERM April 27 in class
Week 6- Digital Sensors—CMOS vs. CCD Sampling; Color sensing, Bayer vs. Foveon Microlenses- SNR, ISO, noise removal Readings: Johnson Ch. 15, Appendix G Horenstein Ch. 7	This week's Walkabout: Allen Center, Suzallo Library, Business School Meet 11 am, Saturday, May 5, in the Allen Center Atrium Photo Assignment 5: Architecture and Interiors Due:11:59PM, Sunday, May 6, 2012
Week 7- Image Processing in-camera and out Convolution Demosaicing, tone-mapping, HDR sharpening, JPEG compression, Raw Readings: Freeman Ch. 4 Johnson Ch. 16	No Walkabout this week. Photo Assignment 6: Nature Photographs comments on Assignment 5 (see note in Assignment 6)
Week 8- Color—RGB Color spaces, additive, subtractive color Color temperature, white balancing Light and Reflections Readings: Johnson Ch. 2 Horenstein Ch. 5	Photo Assignment 7: Night and Color Photographs
Week 9-Lighting—key, fill, back lights,Flash Wed.: Rich MacDonald: Surveyed Portrait Typology Friday: Richard Ladner: Supporting Blind Photography Readings: Freeman Ch. 5 Paper: Supporting Blind Photography Horenstein Ch. 7	This week's Walkabout: in one place--shoot portraits Tues, Friday 3-6 pm CSE 014 (basement of the Allen Center CSE MoCap lab.) We provide lights, tripod and backdrop you provide camera and bring a friend to photograph (or do a self-portrait) Photo Assignment 8: Portraits
Week 10- Monday May 28: holiday History of Photography 3 The Future of Photography: Final Thoughts Reading: Freeman Ch. 6	Work on final project-- Deadline: Wednesday June 6, by 11:59 p.m. via email. Revise Photo Assignments Deadline: Wednesday June 6, by 11:59 p.m. Final Exam Study Guide