Bonjour!
Today I will introduce and present to you the material that we covered in our tutorial two sessions which was established around ‘digital imaging’.
**To begin with I thought I would provide you with some info on digital imaging itself! So, what is Digital imaging? According to (Wen, C, & Yang, K. 2006) “Digital imaging or digital image acquisition is the creation of digital images, typically from a physical scene. The term is often assumed to imply or include the processing, compression, storage, printing, and display of such images.
Digital imaging was developed in the 1960s and 1970s, largely to avoid the operational weaknesses of film cameras, for scientific and military missions including the KH-11 program. As digital technology became cheaper in later decades it replaced the old film methods for many purposes”.
-Take a look at this YouTube clip of digital imaging, for those ‘visual learners’ :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLLxfhh1dFY
**Nowadays, there are innumerable ways that digital images are stored transferred and manipulated using information technology, some examples include:
-Hardware: digital cameras, computer webcam, cell phones, ipad, iPod, camera card, usb sticks, hardrives, –Networking systems: YouTube, flickr, a blog, face book, bebo, twitter, email, –Software: Photo shop, paint, Microsoft office picture manager, windows photo gallery.
-To give you an example, Pictures can be loaded from your digital camera, phone or iPod onto your computer. Once loaded on each individual picture can be manipulated using software programmes, such as being cropped, rotated, enlarged, shrunk, and colour formatted to suit. The pictures that you desire can be transferred onto networking sights to be shared with the public such as face book or flickr. There’s also the ability to print out the pictures or transfer them onto cds, disks or hardrives to keep a record of them.
-For those who would like a lesson on how to manipulate a digital image, go onto this YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHe_zarpl58 ..........it’s about how to edit a digital image using a software system! Enjoy! J -The following are three examples of the use of digital imaging which provide information and recording:
Newspapers- Newspapers provide information containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. General-interest newspapers typically publish stories on local and national political events and personalities, crime, business, entertainment, society and sports. A wide variety of material is published in newspapers, including editorial opinions, criticism, entertainment features, weather news, reviews, pictures, television listings, inserts from local merchants and cartoon. See this link for how Otago daily times newspaper use digital imaging to provide information and recording: http://www.odt.co.nz/. Magazines- Magazines provide information containing a variety of articles, pictures and current events. There are so many varieties of magazines, some contain more written information where as others contain mostly pictures. Examples of magazines include themes of, gossip, weddings, food, hunting, cars and news. See this link for how New Zealand’s Women’s weekly use digital imaging to provide information and recording: http://www.nzwomansweekly.co.nz/ TV-60 minutes programme- 60 Minutes is the television newsmagazine show currently broad casted in New Zealand which provide information to New Zealand such as current events and real life stories about people e.g. investigations such as the ‘Scott guy killing’. See this link for how New Zealand’s 60minnutes use digital imaging to provide information and recording: http://www.tv3.co.nz/Shows/60Minutes.aspx
** “A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature”, briefly discuss this statement in relation to digital camera technology:
In this day in age digital technology is booming with countless varieties of digital cameras being produced with new features, but can’t beat the unique, traditional characteristics and identity of the old superior film cameras.
-After considering the next question in this tutorial of ‘state some of the pluses and minuses digital camera technology holds in relation to more traditional film based cameras’ I have come up with the following ideas:
Pluses:
· Once photo is taken immediate feedback/instant photo is given
· Ability to take continuous amounts of photos at no cost
· Camera cost are only initial at the start when purchasing it and the equipment you want with it, you don’t have to pay for ‘films’.
· Ability to take pictures and delete the ones off the memory card you don’t want
· Good quality photos
· Zooming ability
· Aiming ability
· Photos can be transferable e.g. onto computer, memory card, hardrive or usb stick
· Memory card can hold a large memory of photos
· Affordable printing
· Functionality
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Minuses:
· Inability to develop own films has gone due to the pictures instant appearance on the photo screen
· If anything turns faulty with the batteries, memory card or the camera, photos can be lost and camera possibly ruined
· The art and skill of taking pictures is lost as in its auto focusing
· Batteries can go flat
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**Next up in today’s post is to briefly discuss the statement ‘Given the prevalence of image capturing and distribution using IT, what ethical issues may arise with their use’.
-With the capturing and distribution of digital camera images using information technology there are of course ethical issues to consider!
The obvious issues of course are manipulation and privacy of photos which can result in bad consequences. A person who is captured in a digital image is entitled to confidentiality and the right to privacy which should be considered when taking, manipulating and transferring images. Getting informed consent is crucial to have prior to taking photos to avoid negative situations and consequences. The images distributed on networking sights have the capability to be viewed out of context leading to further consequences, for example people could interpret an excited, smiley and happy person in a photo to instead be a drunk and out of control person which isn’t the correct analysis of what really happened. The ability for photos to be manipulated such as things being added into a photo or taken out using software systems becomes an issue as people in the photo can be put into treacherous situations.
**The following are some ways that digital images could, or are, being used in occupational therapy practice:
-pictures can be used and stored to keep a record, memory or evidence for to use in cases where clients object and demand proof
-To keep record of individual client progress
-To keep records of house modification progresses in clients homes
-Digital cameras can be used as a means of a meaningful occupation activity with clients, something fun and unique for clients to participate in
-scrapbook or a notice board with photos could be used for clients to create, displaying meaningful photos to them. This could also work as a means of communication, for example if the therapist can verbally communicate with a client they could point to a photo displayed on a notice board which correlates to an activity. For example the client points to a picture of a Peron playing on the computer, which means they possibly, would like to do this activity.
-Pictures can be taken and be used as evidence for when applying for grants
-Pictures can be taken of home modifications and used as evidence of before and after shots
**An additional task in this tutorial was to demonstrate my competence in using a digital camera and tripod, capturing 5 images to display here on my blog. I also opened a Flickr account where i uploaded the photos!
Here is the link to my Flickr account! Im not technical savy sorry kids, so couldnt create a photo badge!But here it is.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rachelmareethomas/
My photos i took are as follows :)
APA referencing:
