Dear Association Leader

Digital Cameras

Capturing images for your association

There are a number of reasons why an association should consider photography in its affairs. A scrapbook with pictures and stories of association events and activities can be a good means to support training and to encourage a common memory that defines the association. Images can be used to support inventory management. Pictures of directors and officers can be used to help members identify their leaders and to recognize contribution. A photograph can also be a means to record a copy of something for filing other paperwork or to make notes.

Single images have a unique place when compared to motion video or to sound. They are much easier to incorporate into newsletters, presentations and web pages and easier to store and file. Many things, such as portraits or document copies, only require a single image to be effective and useful.

> Snapshot grade

For most association photography, snapshot grade is all that is needed. This means getting an image that makes an accurate record. Professional grade, in contrast, not only gets an accurate record but also uses photographic art and technology to enhance certain aspects of the image in various ways and to make the result more pleasing to the eye. Modern equipment provides automatic features that make getting good snapshot grade photographs a straightforward affair. Learning about light, composition, and color can help a snapshot photographer produce more professional looking photographs.

> Image quality

The quality of an image is seen by its graininess. In film photography, this is related to how sensitive the film is to light. In digital photography, grain is defined by the imaging device used in the camera. Grain becomes more obvious as images are enlarged. In digital terms, this quality is measured by megapixels. The most common film, 35mm, rates from about one to ten megapixels, depending upon the film speed and type. This makes good images at a half page in size and acceptable images to a full page in size. To get a feel for this quality scale, consider that fax images are almost two megapixels in size (but only two colors) and most computer monitors show about one megapixel. Color images in a high quality book may have forty or more megapixel quality.

> Digital or Film?

The two choices for pictures are digital or film. Both have assets and deficits which are important to consider when determining what is appropriate for the purpose you have in mind.

+ You can choose film for indoor or outdoor use and bright or dark conditions which you cannot do with digital cameras. Most digital cameras have a light sensitivity about the same as film for bright outdoor conditions and require a flash for indoor or dim conditions.

+ Digital images are less expensive than film. It costs no more than a little battery charge to take a picture with a digital camera. This means the cost to do like a pro and take many pictures and then select only the best for final use is very low (much less than a penny per shot). It costs at least a quarter per picture to see what you have with film.

+ The cost of digital equipment is not much more than that of good snapshot equipment. This means that overall photography costs can be less with digital with moderate usage because of film cost savings.

+ The image quality of film may be somewhat better than that of a good digital camera but the digital image is ready to go for web sites and association publications.

+ Post processing is much easier and less expensive with digital images than it is with film. The digital lab is a program that is usually supplied with cameras or color printers. The lab for film requires a darkroom and hazardous chemicals. It is very easy to crop digital images or adjust them for color balance.

+ Digital cameras tend to capture a greater color depth. This makes it easier to discern between subtle shades in color and brightness. One example in a magazine article showed how shades in the fur on a black cat were visible with digital imaging that could not be seen with film imaging.

+ Both digital and film cameras automatically label images. With film, you have to add a roll identifier and then store in a controlled environment. Digital cameras do not know 'rolls' and number images with a serial number. The images can be placed in an overall association filing system with word processing, web page, and other electronic documents. You can easily change the label on an image file to fit with a nomenclature schema for your filing system.

+ Digital cameras allow immediate viewing of the photograph. Film does not unless you use a Polaroid or similar type camera and film.

+ It is easy to create prints of digital images with common equipment. This can be especially convenient and useful when combined with the ease of post processing and the preview capabilities that digital images provide. There are kiosks becoming available in stores which help create this sort of capability for film.

+ Digital cameras tend to be slower to operate than film cameras, but may have sequence imaging, panoramic support (with software), short video clip capability, sound recording, and other electronic based features not readily available with film cameras.

+ Digital cameras often come with a middle range 3:1 zoom lens such as is most popular in snapshot and tourist grade cameras. It is easier to find features such as through the lens viewing and interchangeable lenses in moderate priced film cameras.

+ While film cameras need batteries only for minor electronics, film winding and flash, digital cameras need a lot of battery power for image processing and capture. A simple film snapshot camera without flash or automatic film winding may need only a coin cell. A digital camera works best with high capacity rechargeable batteries.

Often, association photography is not considered in planning for events and activities. Any photographs that are taken are a volunteer effort without anything other than ad hoc support. No consideration is given to who owns the pictures or how they might be used. No arrangements are made with photograph subjects concerning the use of their images. These considerations should also be a part of association planning.

An investment in photographic equipment, volunteer management, and planning to assure association photographs will be returned by the ability to enhance your association's publications, maintain a visual record of events and activities, and document important association inventory.

from your Association Headquarters:

Leipper Management Group at TechComm Labs.

Education, management, and information services

especially for small businesses and associations.

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