During Tutorial Two we discussed digital camera use. We compared digital to traditional cameras, looked at what digital imaging offers and how its used in Occupational Therapy practice. We considered the ethical issues surrounding the use of digital cameras and looked at Flickr.com, a photo management and sharing application. Then we were let loose with a camera to capture our very own snaps to up-load onto our blogs and Flickr accounts. Below are brief technical descriptions of the points covered during this tutorial.
1. “A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature”.
In relation to Digital cameras, this statement is suggesting that just because a camera is digital, it does not mean that it can outdo an original film camera in every way. Digital cameras have excelled in many areas such as convenience, efficiency and practicality. This is shown as they are being made smaller, to fit in a handbag or to be hand-held, enabling them to be handy whenever a candid moment arises, as well as enabling the captor to view the photos and delete the unwanted ones, rather than paying money to process the photos, without knowing what they look like.
However many believe that digital cameras do not fully capture the standard of quality in a photo that an old film camera can, believing that overall a film camera is superior to a digital camera in quality of photos.
Technology has advanced tremendously over the years as many people have moved from traditional film camera use to a digital option. However I feel that there are pros and cons to both digital and old film loaded cameras and ‘the newer option’ will not always out-do and older device. Many users agree that traditional film cameras produce better quality photos than newer digital models. Also photography is a meaningful occupation enjoyed by many individuals who would agree that using a digital camera would take the challenge and enjoyment out of the activity as the user would not go through the developing process.
Digital cameras are a more convenient option as they can be small in size, durable and water-proof allowing the user to take it with them to a range of locations that a traditional camera could never go. For example extreme sports enthusiasts can ensure they are capturing their moments of childish madness while jumping from a plane, watching their mates fly off the back of a biscuit or getting some serious air off a jump at the snow. The digital camera can store an impressive amount of pictures which don’t have to be developed in order for users to view them instantly and if found to be embarrassing, shocking or just plain boring can be deleted. The images can then easily be loaded onto the computer to be edited and shared with friends and family over the internet.
2. List some of the ways that digital images can be stored, transferred and manipulated using other communications technology.
Computer applications such as photo shop allow the user to edit photos using options such as cropping, red-eye removal, adjusting the contrast and exposure of images. Images can be transferred and stored onto a computer and sent to others via the internet or up-loaded onto photo sharing applications such as Face book. These can also be transferred onto USB’s or CD’s where they can be stored.
3. Given the prevalence of image capturing devices, and thinking about the issues discussed in tutorial one, consider what sort of ethical issues may arise with their use.
One ethical issue concerning the use of an image capturing device is safety; for example an individual can be located as someone can view an image and recognise the surroundings in order to discover their whereabouts. Another issue to consider is consent. This should be gained prior to transferring an image onto the internet. (This also includes individuals who may be in the background of the image). A prime example of this lack of consent is displayed daily on Face Book (a social networking site). Friends often upload embarrassing pictures of their mates without even considering previously gaining their consent. The site works to prevent this as it gives users the option to report the photo to site organisers who can remove the image from the web page. Identity theft can occur when images are misused by other users.
4. Discuss some ways that digital images could, or are, being used in Occupational Therapy practice.
Digital images are used within Occupational Therapy practice to capture important information about a client’s environment, for example space, lighting, floor surfaces and the layout of a room. They can also be used to record the way a client functions within that environment, for example their mobility, range of movement (ROM), their preferred method and sequence. These images can also be revised at a later date to evaluate intervention in order to determine whether a client has made progress in their area of difficulty. Digital images may also be used in OT practice during education sessions. Providing the client with a picture of a piece of equipment ensures that the therapist is considering a visual learning style.
5. Provide a brief summary of the services offered by Flickr.com
Flickr is a free online photo management and sharing application that allows its users to up-load, edit, organize and share their photos and videos with other members, whether it be friends up the road of family members across the globe. It enables the user to keep in touch with others and offers other interesting features such as card making, photo books, framed prints and DVDs.
6. Name one other photo storage website which offers a service similar to Flickr.com
Photobucket is also a free online photo management application which allows users to upload, edit and share photos, videos and graphics with others via emails and social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook. Photobuckets huge library provides a vast amount of videos and images for your viewing, all with just the click of your mouse.
7. Explain what the difference is between a digital and an optical zoom.
Digital zoom simply crops the image to a smaller size, them enlarges the cropped portion to fill the frame. This results in a poor quality, blurry photo.
Optical zoom adjusts the focal length and magnification of an image, resulting in a clear, high quality image.
8. Explain what is meant by the term megapixel
A digital image is created by thousands of pixels or picture elements which can be described as “tiny tile-like elements” of colour. A megapixel amounts to one million pixels.
Digicamhelp.com. (2010) Digital photography terms. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from http://www.digicamhelp.com/glossary/digital-photography-glossary/
