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Advice on Still images
Still images: Digitising analogue media
This section covers the digitisation of existing analogue images. These technical advisory papers are specifically targeted towards readers who have hands-on or technical management responsibilities for developing an existing image collection.
An Overview of Colour Management for Still Images
There is a lot of confusion around the subject of digital colour and the process of ensuring colour consistency for still images. This document provides an introduction to the different methods used to manage digital colour.
Read full advice document...Basic Guidelines for Image Capture and Optimisation
This document provides a guide to good practice in still image capture to help the user to design a workflow for capture and optimisation. The document highlights the main points that should be considered to ensure the highest quality output from your equipment.
Read full advice document...Choosing a File Format for Digital Still Images
The choice of file formats can often prove overwhelming for someone new to the world of digital imaging. The aim of this document is to explain some of the factors that should be considered before choosing a format and suggest suitable file formats for specific applications.
Read full advice document...Colour and Resolution Targets
In order to accurately calibrate and benchmark imaging devices, it is standard practice to capture colour targets and resolution targets. Capturing a target and assessing the results can give an accurate indication as to how your system is performing. This document lists a variety of targets that are used to measure a capture device's ability to resolve detail or record colour information. Some of these targets are widely used to calibrate cameras and scanners as part of an effective open loop colour system.
Read full advice document...Colour Management in Practice
This document provides a detailed explanation of the different approaches to colour management. The document also covers the process of calibration of monitors, scanners and printers as well as conversion between aditive and subtractive colour systems.
Read full advice document...Colour Theory: Understanding and Modelling Colour
Colour is an area of digital imaging that can lead to considerable confusion. This document provides a detailed introduction to colour theory.
Read full advice document...Converting your Slides into Digital Images
The 35mm slide has long played a key role for delivering images in the teaching and learning environment. However, recent improvements in capture and delivery technology have seen digital images virtually replace analogue media. Many slide collections now have to be converted to a format which can more easily be incorporated into the modern workflow. This document explains the process of converting analogue slides into digital images and preparing them for delivery.
Read full advice document...Copyright and Digital Images
Copyright and related rights issues are central to the use of digital images within Higher and Further education. This advice paper provides a broad overview of copyright and related rights as they affect digital images.
Read full advice document...Digital Cameras
Digital cameras come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, this document details the different technologies used to capture a digital image. This paper also covers the features that a user should consider before choosing a digital camera.
Read full advice document...Generic Image Digitisation Workflow
This document reviews the general concepts of 'best practice' within an image digitisation workflow and then looks at how these concepts can be mapped onto the workflow, to allow the efficient production of all required deliverables.
Read full advice document...Generic Image Digitisation Workflow: Text Version of Diagram
This is a text version of the workflow diagram in the advice document: Generic Image Workflow.
Read full advice document...How Do I Digitise Difficult Objects?
Scanners and digital cameras are the most commonly used devices for capturing still images; the digital files they create fit seamlessly into the modern workflow. This document looks at scanners and digital cameras and how they can be used to capture non-typical objects. In this document we look at a range of different objects and how we can capture them with a camera or scanner and a few accessories.
Read full advice document...Image Editing Software
Once you have created a digital image, you will nearly always need to undertake some form of image editing before it is ready for archiving or delivery. This paper looks at what you will need to consider when choosing the right software for your needs.
Read full advice document...Photographic Guidelines
There are many factors that need to be considered before and during a photographic session, this document provides a set of guidelines which will assist in planning a photographic project.
Read full advice document...Resampling Raster Images
This document uses images to illustrate how different resampling methods will affect the appearance of the resized image. The most suitable method varies according to the type of image being resampled, this paper helps to guide the user to the appropriate resampling method for their images.
Read full advice document...Roles and Responsibilities for Staff Involved in Building Digital Image Collections
Creators of digital image collections, have important choices, decisions and responsibilities. This paper examines the role of copyright for staff who may be involved in the building of image collections.
Read full advice document...Scanners
This document details the features of the typical flatbed scanner and what to look out for when choosing one for a digitisation project. While the focus is mainly on flatbed scanners the document also looks at drum scanners and book scanners.
Read full advice document...Setting up a Workspace for Digitising Images
In planning a digitisation project, one of the major considerations will be where you decide to do the digitising and how to make best use of the workspace. Ensuring the area is designed and set up correctly will not only help establish a smooth and effective workflow, but will also make sure the project personnel involved are at their happiest and therefore at their most productive. This document looks at the main issues to be considered when planning and setting up a workspace for digital imaging.
Read full advice document...Still Image Capture: Hardware and Software
This document is an introduction to digital cameras and scanners and their role in digitisation. This document also looks at the features found in software used to edit images captured by cameras and scanners.
Read full advice document...The Camera Raw File Format
The Raw file format is the native format offered by most digital SLR cameras. The format can offer greater levels of control over the conversion of capture data to more widely accepted formats such as TIFF or JPEG formats. This document is an introduction to the format and how to make use of it.
Read full advice document...The Digital SLR Camera for Teaching, Learning and Digitisation
Digital SLR cameras have improved dramatically over recent years, they have also become much cheaper. Consumers can now buy an entry level digital SLR for around the same price as a top of the range compact. This paper explains the difference between a digital compact and digital SLR and shows how to get the most out of this type of camera.
Read full advice document...The Digital Still Image
The digital image is a more than just a loose arrangement of pixels; to accurately represent an image it must have a resolution and colour depth. This document explains what makes a digital image and how to use the resolution and colour depth appropriately.
Read full advice document...Using a Budget Digital Camera for Teaching, Learning and Research
Over recent years the price of digital cameras has tumbled while there has been a corresponding improvement in image quality. Compact digital cameras are compact flexible devices that work well in the modern workflow. This document provides an introduction to the compact camera and how to get the most from it.
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Related cross-media advice:
Analogue Film Types Used for Still and Moving images
This document looks at the history of photographic and movie film and how and why the film type has altered over time. The document also contains some frequently asked questions on film types and handling.
Read full advice document...Audiovisual Signal Types and Interconnects
Over the decades various technical standards have been adopted for analogue and then for digital video and audio. As the popularity of systems declined they were generally replaced by improved technologies, making many system configurations entirely obsolete. Obsolete interconnects can be difficult to use in conjunction with modern equipment.
This paper looks at the nature of audio and video signals and then surveys significant historical interconnects (such as RCA) and contemporary, digital equivalents (such as SDI and SPDIF).
Any method of transferring digital data, such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) can potentially be used to transfer digital audiovisual files, but such technologies are not primarily associated with audio video signal data and so are not discussed here.
Read full advice document...Budgeting for a Digitisation Project
It is not possible to provide detailed information on budgeting for a digitisation project; these costs will depend on the nature, condition and amount of analogue materials to be digitised and the extent and accuracy of existing metadata. However, some general advice which assigns comparative values to different activities within a project may help when planning a digitisation project.
Read full advice document...Choosing a File Name
File naming is a vital first step for those beginning to digitise. This document examines planning and using an effective file naming system when managing digital files. This paper highlights the advantages of using the 8.3 convention and looks at some options when naming derivative, surrogate files.
Read full advice document...Deciding to Digitise
This brief document takes an introductory view of pre-digitisation project considerations. It is intended to be of use to resource management staff considering the digitisation of all or part of their collection.
Read full advice document...Digitisation Services
JISC Digital Media contacted a number of digitisation service providers for more information about the services they supply. The following list is not an endorsement of any of the services, but is provided to help you identify services to evaluate in more detail.
Read full advice document...Digitisation Staff Training
This paper takes a general looks at the staffing issues related to a digitisation project from a management perspective. It is intended to be of use to resource management staff considering the digitisation of all or part of their collection.
Read full advice document...File Formats and Compression
This document looks at the theory of file formats and the common methods of data compression.
Read full advice document...Learning Lessons from Other Digitisation Projects
This document proposes a number of potential challenges associated with the digitisation of a collection. It then examines the value of lessons learned from previous projects when attempting to meet those challenges. It is intended to be of use to resource management staff considering the digitisation of all or part of their collection.
Read full advice document...Light Sources for Still and Moving Images
The word photography means drawing with light, without light it is impossible to record a video or still image. So lighting whether in a classroom, office or dedicated photographic studio is an essential component in a photograph or video. The captured image is a record of the light that is emitted, reflected or absorbed by the subject. With a basic understanding of light and how it can be modified the photographer or filmmaker should be able to improve the appearance of their images. This document will look at commonly used light sources and how the user can get the most from them.
Read full advice document...Links to Digital Media and Digital Preservation Organisations
The list below survey a selection of audiovisual and digital preservation related organisations and provides links to their websites.
Read full advice document...Overview of JISC Digital Media Materials for Digitisation Project Staff
This guide provides an overview of the JISC Digital Media website materials we think digitisation project staff will find useful during the lifetime of a digitisation project.
Read full advice document...Potential Sources of Funding for Digitisation Projects
This document presents a selection of potential funding sources, which may be called upon to fund digitisation project work. Both public and private sector funders are included.
Read full advice document...Project Management for a Digitisation Project
This paper takes a look at the role and responsibilities of the digitisation project manager. It addresses common managerial challenges such balancing the expectations of stakeholders and ensuring the of quality of output. It is intended to be of use to the management team of time limited digitisation projects or to resource management staff planning to digitise their collection.
Read full advice document...Quality Assurance and Digitisation Projects
This document examines issues relating to quality assurance from a project management perspective. It proposes a four-layer model for assuring quality and looks at some of the more common reasons for problems with output quality. This document is intended to be used by collection managers intending to digitise their resources or by managers of digitisation projects.
Read full advice document...Risk Assessment for Digitisation Projects
This paper identifies some of the more common risks associated with a digitisation project. It is intended to be of use to the management team of time limited digitisation projects or to permanent collection management staff planning to digitise.
Read full advice document...Selection Procedures for Digitisation
This document looks at points to consider when developing a selection criteria for digitisation. Some of the points made here will not be relevant to all projects and collections, but the document has been designed to serve as a useful overview and to stimulate some further thinking and research. It is intended to be of use to resource managers who intend to digitise all or part of their collection.
Read full advice document...Selection Procedures: Text Version of Decision Tree Diagram
This is a text version of the 'Decision tree (simplified)' diagram in the Selection Procedures for Digitisation document.
Read full advice document...Stands and Supports for Still and Moving Images
One of the easiest ways to improve the quality of still or moving images is by using a support. Supports and stands can reduce or eliminate vibration or movement which otherwise would degrade the quality of the captured media. Supports come in all shapes and sizes: this document looks at a variety of support types including tripods, copy-stands, clamps and brackets as well as improvised solutions.
Read full advice document...Systems for Managing Digital Media Collections
Everyone's collection and context is unique, so your choice of a system (or systems) for managing your digital media will require a careful assessment of your needs and resources and an evaluation of the available options. This paper provides an overview of a number of different approaches to media management: from some very cheap and 'low-tech' approaches to much more complex and specialised solutions.
Read full advice document...To Outsource or to Digitise In-house?
This document is intended to inform the managers of analogue collections which have been identified for digitisation. It looks at the pros and cons of outsourcing digitisation work before contrasting these with carrying out work in-house.
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Training courses
- Advanced Techniques in Digital Image Capture
- Digital Photography - Taking Control of your SLR
- Digitising Analogue Audio
- Digitising Grooved Discs and Open Reel Audio
- Essential Techniques in Digital Image Capture
- Scanning with the CLA Licence
- Essential Photoshop Skills 16 March 2010
- Digitising Analogue Video Recordings 22 March 2010
- Image Optimisation 23 March 2010
- Digital Media Restoration 14 April 2010
