Digital Literacy 101: Image Editing
Of all the topics we’ve explored thus far in the 7th grade Digital Literacy course, none have engaged the students and faculty quite like image editing; it seems that nearly everyone enjoys taking and manipulating digital images. Just as “Googling” has become THE verb for searching the web, “Photoshopping” is the de facto standard for digital imaging. As such, the powerful yet user-friendly Photoshop Elements is our tool of choice:
Organize, Edit, Create, Share
Many think of Photoshop as only an editor, but Elements includes tools for organizing, creating, and sharing your work. The Organizer workspace displays all your media and allows you to place your images into albums, add captions and keyword tags, and perform simple edits. Once in the Editor workspace, new users may want to begin with the Guided option, then progress to the Quick Fix and Full edit tools when they become more experienced. The Create tab makes it easy to design books, calendars, collages, and slideshows, and the Share tab includes a number of options for sharing your work with friends and family.
Ideas for the Classroom
The Create and Share features should spark your creativity, and additional ideas and resources for using images in the classroom abound. Adobe’s Digital School Collection includes lesson plans, assessment tips, and lesson accelerators, and their Digital Kid’s Club has tips and lessons for digital photography, video, and multimedia presentations. The Center for Digital Storytelling is invaluable for anyone interested in the art of storytelling, and tools like Photostory for Windows can be used by students of any age.
Getting Started
No matter your skill level, interests, or needs, the aforementioned resources will help you find an appropriate entry point into the world of digital imaging. Photoshop Elements does not have to be intimidating, and time spent practicing and reviewing tutorials such as those found on Atomic Learning will get you on your way. The addage that a picture is worth a thousand words is true, and with a little Photoshopping, it might even be worth a few more.
October 29th, 2008 at 1:52 am
Digital photography enables you to experiment with the camera settings, different styles of images can be tried out, learn t from and techniques improved all without the expense of film processing. Keep experimenting with your camera.