Ready for the fun? Let us start with some theory. Not much, don't worry, just what fairly seems enough to understand what will be coming down your way. Just a short introductive conceptual background, to put things in position from scratch.
A human interacts with a computer with two usual means, which are the keyboard and the mouse. Via those two devices commands are sent towards the machine: instructions for the execution of tasks, expecting to be executed at once - if possible instantly.
Image processing is a composite task, since it includes partial tasks which require constant commands towards the computer. In fact image processing is nothing but struggling on the mouse or other pointing device (possibly a drawing tablet) and less with the keyboard as well. It is a perpetual movement, a constant stress on the right hand mainly. It requires the basic skill to use the operating system you work on, that is starting programs and manipulating files and folders.
What in fact is image processing, what is the nature of the thing, technically speaking? It is about the creation and/or editing of digital image files.
A digital file is a piece of information, contained in a digital means which stores information in binary form on various media - such as a hard disk, a USB stick, a smartphone, a tablet.
The basic types of digital information are text, image, sound, and video (that one is sound plus image). A digital image file is a digital file which represents optical information. With the term file size we describe the volume that a digital file occupies inside the digital means in which it is stored. The more optical information a digital image file contains, the bigger its file size will be.
So speaking technically, as digital image processing we mean the process with which, using special software as mentioned, we read ("open", or "run") an image file, and edit it - or we may also create a new image from scratch and save it as a new file.
How can we use an image file?
In order to do Image Editing, firstly you need some hardware - oh yes, this is the first thing you surely need!
As a rule of thumb, a contemporary computer is more than enough. Image editing may stress the hardware only in case you work with big files. Only for heavy work with big files -or RAW, which is out of our scope here- you should think of a powerful machine. Digital photography is not so hardware demanding as video, so for normal work a moderate contemporary computer seems to be enough.
Excellent news!
Every graphical work will stress your eyes significantly. It is possible that long term work on image editing may damage your eyes, even permanently. If you intent to work for hours daily on a computer - at any work but especially image editing - keep in mind that your eyes are under stress:
Just to warm up: prerequisites - elementary skills, very basic ones
A human interacts with a computer with two usual means, which are the keyboard and the mouse. Via those two devices commands are sent towards the machine: instructions for the execution of tasks, expecting to be executed at once - if possible instantly.
Image processing is a composite task, since it includes partial tasks which require constant commands towards the computer. In fact image processing is nothing but struggling on the mouse or other pointing device (possibly a drawing tablet) and less with the keyboard as well. It is a perpetual movement, a constant stress on the right hand mainly. It requires the basic skill to use the operating system you work on, that is starting programs and manipulating files and folders.
What, actually, is Digital Image Processing?
What in fact is image processing, what is the nature of the thing, technically speaking? It is about the creation and/or editing of digital image files.
A digital file is a piece of information, contained in a digital means which stores information in binary form on various media - such as a hard disk, a USB stick, a smartphone, a tablet.
The basic types of digital information are text, image, sound, and video (that one is sound plus image). A digital image file is a digital file which represents optical information. With the term file size we describe the volume that a digital file occupies inside the digital means in which it is stored. The more optical information a digital image file contains, the bigger its file size will be.
So speaking technically, as digital image processing we mean the process with which, using special software as mentioned, we read ("open", or "run") an image file, and edit it - or we may also create a new image from scratch and save it as a new file.
How can we use an image file?
- We can see it on screens of digital devices (a computer, a TV, a smartphone etc.)
- We can print it on paper or other physical materials/objects, such as canvases, photoalbums or T-shirts.
- We can incorporate or use it in a huge variety of other digital works - like documents, websites and multimedia.
Technical aspects
In order to do Image Editing, firstly you need some hardware - oh yes, this is the first thing you surely need!
As a rule of thumb, a contemporary computer is more than enough. Image editing may stress the hardware only in case you work with big files. Only for heavy work with big files -or RAW, which is out of our scope here- you should think of a powerful machine. Digital photography is not so hardware demanding as video, so for normal work a moderate contemporary computer seems to be enough.
Excellent news!
Recommended minimum system
Windows 7 64bit with 4GB RAM. Vista excluded. :-)Recomended cost effective system for Windows OS
Windows 10 64bit with 8 GB RAM and SSD disk for system/pagefile/scratch file.System protection
Get a decent internet security suite. Take care for your backup policy: for your system and for your files - keep your files on an external media and update on a weekly basis at least.Monitor calibration
You must be sure that what you see on your monitor is as close as possible to what you get in the result you work for. Calibrating a monitor has to do with both the hardware and the software. For the former, the least is to work on a "conventionally good" device. For the later, you can play with the device itself and the operating system. An online resource to help is this one. What has been stated in this paragraph should be enough for a beginner in image editing - professionals rather invest in special monitor calibration devices.Physical aspects
Every graphical work will stress your eyes significantly. It is possible that long term work on image editing may damage your eyes, even permanently. If you intent to work for hours daily on a computer - at any work but especially image editing - keep in mind that your eyes are under stress:
- Prefer a desktop environment. Avoid working on small screens, as it is a safe bet to kill your eyes. If you have to work on a laptop, connect a big screen.
- Prefer a quality screen - not simply a big one, to offer optical fidelity, good tonal range and color.
- Prefer a quality graphic card. A cheap graphics might be compatible with the monitor, but the monitor gives what it takes, after all!
- Use a digital connection between the graphics card and the monitor, such as DVI, HDMI or Display Port. An analog VGA connection gives inferior image quality (restricted colour gamut, sharpness, image clarity).
- Professionals often use a dual screen setup for serious work. Almost every contemporary desktop computer (graphic card) offers multiple monitor output. In case you do not have two good screens but the one is of a lesser quality, you may keep the program dialogs on the inferior one, and process the image on your best monitor.
- Keep a mild environmental lighting.
- Stop at reasonably frequent intervals to revive your body and eyes.
- Do not keep your eyes still, but adopt a dynamic vision.
- Stare frequently at different focal distances.
- Stare frequently at green color.
- Do not rub your eyes if you feel them tired, instead wash with cold water.
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