Test - October 1st, 2008

After completing your test, please complete the following exercise in iPhoto. Open iPhoto. Connect to the Server and download in your iPhoto Library the pictures in the folder "Fruits & Vegetables" (in iLife05). Delete some of them until you end up with the best 20 photos. Create an Album with these 20 photos and then create a Slide Show with these 20 photos. You can add music of your choice, transitions of your choice, the Ken Burns Effect and de-select "Repeat slide show."

Show Mrs. Feld your Film Roll or Title "Fruits & Vegetables" in your Library, your Album "Fruits & Vegetables" in your Source Column and your Slide Show "Fruits & Vegetables Slide Show" in your Source Column for grading. Also play the Slide Show for Mrs. Feld, for grading.

Thank You.

Lesson 6 - iMovie

On September 24th we started working with iMovie HD, the video software program. I need you to learn this program very slowly; so that you can understand very well how it works and avoid making too many mistakes when creating slide shows and movies later on. Yesterday you started creating a small slide show with six or more pictures of your choice. Some of you already added a "title" at the beginning of the slide show and transitions on some of the pictures. Today you can continue adding more transitions, practice slowly, and remember you can undo the last thing you did by going to Edit > Undo or pressing Command - Z. Check the papers I gave you (photocopies) "iMovie HD at a Glance" and "Adding Photos to Movies" - READ THEM PLEASE! On Monday I'll give you more hand-outs explaining how to add transitions, special effects, music and sounds.

When you add transitions, pay attention to the speed (check the slider!!!) - move the slider to the left and to the right and see what happens. Also, with some transitions you may need a greater "timing" on your pictures. If this is the case, go to "Media" on your Toolbox Pane and click Show Photo Settings and increase the timing on the picture - note that if you already added text to that picture, you will have to delete the text first in order to change the timing. To delete text, transitions and pictures, all you have to do is highlight the desired picture and press the delete/backspace key on your keyboard. To trim a clip, go to the Timeline View (clock button) and place the playhead where you want to cut, then go to Edit > Split Video Clip at Playhead or Command - T and delete desired section.

You should have at least six pictures on this slide show and all the pictures should have transitions on them. Also, go to "Editing" in your Toolbox Pane, select "Transitions" and preview the different transitions available. Do the same with "Video FX" and preview the different special effects available in the iMovie program. Don't forget to save your work by going to File > Save Project > Quit iMovie. You can help each other while doing this class assignment.

By now, you should have in the Server (in the Digital Applications Folder and under your name): the Cool Pieces iBook and the iBook with pictures of your choice. On Monday I'll show you how to convert your movie project into a QuickTime Movie.

Please copy the following in your notes:

You can change the arrangement of your workspace using Clip View and Timeline View. When you click the Clip View button or Clip Viewer - you see your video/movie/slide show as a series of representative slides. When you click the Timeline View button or Timeline Viewer - you see the video tracks in lengths relative to their duration. Each viewing option will be useful at some point. You will find yourself toggling back and forth between these views. You can drag your shots around the workspace on either Clip View or Timeline View to reorder them (pressing the Clip Viewer or the Timeline Viewer). To delete a shot you just select it and press the Delete/Backspace key on your keyboard.

The Playhead is the vertical line you see in the Timeline View, which shows the frame you are seeing in the Viewer or Monitor. A good way to play a sequence of your slide show is to drag the playhead to the beginning of your project and click the Play button under the Viewer or Monitor. Sometimes, when you click the Play button and you only see one clip, you have to drag the playhead to the end of the movie/slide show and click the rewind button (next to the Play button) to play the entire movie/slide show. You can also precisely move the playhead to the spot where you want your music to begin and click the Place at Playhead button, which will automatically insert the music at the right location. You can access iTunes and drag songs to your Timeline - where you want to place them - from within iMovie. iMovie will import the songs and place them where the playhead is parked.

Print your Lesson 6 notes (with your name on them). Try to understand your notes. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask Mrs. Feld.

Test: October 1st on Lessons 3, 4 and 5 (iPhoto) and the iLife paper I gave you (explaining all the different iLife Suite of products). Please review your notes.

September 23, 2008

Yesterday we worked on the creation of a Medium "hardbound" book using the "Contemporary" theme in iPhoto called the "Petrogyph Idea Book". You created this 20-page book using the photos in the "Cool Pieces" Smart Album and others from your Library. If you didn't complete your book, please do so. You learned how easy it is to create books using the iPhoto program. You should complete up to page 141 - but DO NOT PRINT THESE BOOK! Please!

When finished, drag the Cool Pieces Book from where it resides in your sources, and drop it in your Biz Owner folder. Also, you have to create a PDF File of this book by going to File > Print and selecting PDF (bottom left) > Save as PDF. You are to put this file in the Server under your Digital Applications Folder and under your name - so that I can grade it. It will count as a Quiz.

Since we already created the "Birthday Party" slide show, we don't have to worry about pages 142 - 151. Today, I need you to first practice how to create a slide show of your book - I will explain this in class, and then you can complete the assignment below:

You are to create a book of your choice with at least 20 pages. Select a theme of your choice (Picture Book, Travel, Watercolor, Contemporary, Folio, Crayon or other); Book Type: Medium - 8" x 6". You can select pictures from your library (the pictures you already downloaded) and also from the Server (in iLife05) - I added more pictures there - so check the new pictures and others too. Practice again how to download pictures from the Server into iPhoto.

This time you can insert some text in your book. Get creative! Maybe a couple of quotes from the Internet or your own creations and entries. It should look very professional! You can always check Lesson 5 to remember certain steps on how to create your book, like you did yesterday. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask Mrs. Feld. When the book is completed, you will do what you did with the previous book - convert it into a PDF File and save in the Server under the Digital Applications Folder, under your name.

Before we move to Lesson 6, Mrs. Feld will explain in class how to use the iMovie program to create dynamic slide shows and movies.

September 17, 2008

By now you should have completed Lessons 3 and 4 in the iLife 05 Textbook. You started on page 67 of Lesson 3 and learned how to launch iPhoto, drag pictures into the iPhoto Window and organize photos by film rolls (or titles). You learned about the Source Column and the Information Pane. Also, how to delete and rotate images. You should have in your notes the last three paragraphs of "What You've Learned" on page 77.

On Lesson 4 you learned how to create Albums. Remember: Albums are the primary method for organizing photos in iPhoto. An album in iPhoto is virtually the same as a playlist in iTunes. You can create a New Album in the Source list by going to File > New Album or by pressing the + sign at the bottom of the Source column or by clicking Command-N. I also asked you to answer the 15 questions on the previous blog entry (you should have these answers in your "notes".)

You also learned how to reorder the photos in an album and how to add Comments, Keywords and Ratings to images. You learned to create Smart Albums (using Keywords and Ratings). Copy the following and paste it in your notes:

A keyword is a preset word or phrase that you can assign to any image. Assigning keywords makes it easy to find specific kinds of photos in your collection. You can select a keyword from a preset list or you can create your own keywords. Older versions: go to View > Keywords first; then go to iPhoto > Preferences > Keywords. Add a new keyword by pressing the + sign. New versions: go to Windows > Show Keywords (or Command–K) and add a new keyword by going to Edit Keywords and pressing the + sign, or add them directly under the pictures.

You can also add ratings to your photos. You can rate your images with 1 to 5 stars. Using keywords and ratings in your pictures is important when you want to create “Smart Albums”. You just go to the Information Pane and click and drag across the rating line (this will add the stars), while a picture is selected. If you want to see the ratings make sure that you select My Rating under View (or just Rating in newer versions under View also).

When you add individual pictures to iPhoto, iPhoto puts them in separate rolls or titles. You can always drag them to another film roll or title by dragging them there directly (on newer versions) or adding them to the film roll titles in older version.

You should also have in your notes the "Tips" on the following pages: 75, 84, 86, 101 and 107. Also the summary on page 115 ("What You've Learned").

So, by now you should be experts in creating Albums and Smart Albums in iPhoto. If you feel that you should review a few things, please do so. You should also know how to crop, enhance and straighten pictures, and how to remove red-eyes, as well as organizing your sources into Folders.

The following is your Class Assignment for September 17, 2008:

You will connect to the Server by going to Go on your Menu Bar (make sure you click on your Desktop first if you cannot see "Go" on your Menu Bar). If you don't see the Server's Address there, add: 10.1.10.2 and click Connect. Enter your Password and select iLife05 on the Window that pops up. There you'll see many folders with pictures. I need you to select two folders of your choice - DO NOT DOWNLOAD ALL THE PICTURES IN iPHOTO!!! Just select 15 to 20 pictures from one folder and drag them into the iPhoto Window. Do the same for the second folder. Make sure you change the name of the film roll (to whatever you want, it could be "Flowers", "Cute Animals", etc.) You should show the pictures as film rolls per topic, all the flower pictures, for instance, should appear under the film roll or title "Flowers".

Delete unwanted pictures - if any. Now, you'll learn to create a Slideshow with some of your favorite pictures. 1) Once your pictures are in iPhoto, create an Album called "Favorite Pictures" and add your favorite pictures there. 2) Create a Slideshow, by selecting your album and clicking the Slideshow button on the bottom of the iPhoto window - for newer versions of iPhoto: please press the + sign at the bottom of the Source Column and select Slideshow from the Window that pops up, or press Command-Shift-N. 3) Go to Settings and deselect "Repeat Slideshow", 3 seconds per slide is fine and make sure Automatic Ken Burns Effect is also selected; you can change the Transition if you want, click OK when done. 4) Go to Music and select a song. 5) Play your Slideshow and show it to Mrs. Feld.

When you complete this assignment you can go to Lesson 5. We will start on page 142 first - "Making a Quick Slideshow". Create the "Birthday Party" Slideshow per the book instructions. Type the definition of Transition, under No. 8, on page 147 in your notes. Also type the last 2 paragraphs on page 150 in your notes.

Shortcut Advice: Any time you need to undo the last thing you did you can go to Edit > Undo or just press Command-Z. Learn the shortcuts!

Digital Applications Class 2008-2009

Welcome Class! First you will learn generalities about Digital Technology and the iLife Suite of products: iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand. You will learn to download, organize, edit, and share digital photos using iPhoto; while creating albums, books, and slide shows. Also: What is Digital? What are pixels? What are file formats? What are the iLife applications? How are they important in manipulating digital media? What can we do with these programs? Be patient! You have to learn the essentials. The faster you learn the faster we can work on interesting projects and fun hands-on activities.

Then, you will start working with each iLife application more extensively, following exercises and learning how each one works and how we can integrate all of them when we are creating digital media projects.

The first program that you will learn is iPhoto. COPY THIS DEFINITION: iPhoto is the photo software. iPhoto makes it easy to download, organize, edit, and share digital photos; allowing you to create your own Albums, Books, Slide Shows, Web pages and Movies. You can store and organize photos for use in your digital movies. iPhoto is organized much like iTunes; on the left side of the screen (window) are the "sources" - a Photo Library and a bunch of Albums. With iPhoto you can automatically import content from your digital camera - which is copied onto your hard disk and organized in your Library - and you can print photos. You can select music from iTunes to accompany a slide show (the program connects automatically to your playlist in iTunes.) iPhoto can play one song or an entire iTunes playlist to accompany a slide show. You can also add motion to your still photos in iPhoto using the "Ken Burns Effect."

Similarities between iTunes and iPhoto:

- The screen or window is organized in the same way. Left column for “sources”.

- Both programs have Smart Albums/Playlists.

- Both let you make your own Albums/Playlists by dragging songs/photos from the Library.

- Both allow you to share songs/photos with other Mac users in your local network.

- Both essentially organize your digital content.

- Both programs show up in other iLife applications.

So, you will learn to download, organize, edit, and share digital photos; you will be able to create your own albums, books, slide shows, web pages and movies. You can also store and organize photos for use in your digital movies (using iMovie). You will also learn to select music from iTunes to accompany a slide show and to create special sound and visual effects.

We will start using the iLife 05 Textbook, pages 67 - 77 (Lesson 3). Most of the computers in the Mac Lab have the 2006 Version (or higher versions) of the iLife products. I will guide you through all of the exercises and teach you the differences between the different versions. We will learn mostly by putting in practice what the textbooks, my presentations and my explanations teach you. The more we practice, the faster we will learn...

Read pages 64 - 77 very carefully and follow the first exercise (L3 Student roll1 - which will be called "Student roll 1" later on). You have to work individually to complete this one. Do not hesitate to ask me any questions. The important thing is to follow the instructions carefully and to fully understand the exercises before continuing with the next ones. DO NOT RUSH, work on each exercise slowly and attentively; it is important that you understand the different steps - like how to download the pictures, how to organize them, etc.

Class Homework: Copy or type the last three paragraphs on page 77, the Note on page 71 (note that the Command key is the "apple" key on the Mac Keyboard), and the Tip on page 75.

Also, answer the following questions - you can work in groups of two to answer these:

1. Where are the “Sources” in the iPhoto Window? What’s in there? Check page 64.

2. What’s an “album”? – page 81.

3. How are iTunes and iPhoto similar? (Mention at least three similarities) - find it in this "blog entry" somewhere (your challenge).

4. What happens to the photos when you import them in iPhoto (where do they end up)? - answer on page 69.

5. When you are importing pictures from a digital camera, how do you know iPhoto is ready to import them? - page 66.

6. How are the Library photos organized in iPhoto? - page 69.
7. What is the default view of your photos? - page 69.
8. How do you open and close a roll? - page 69.
9. Where is the roll label? - page 69.
10. How can you change the roll name? - pages 70 and 71.
11. How do you delete unwanted pictures? - page 71.
12. How do you rotate or reorient your photos? - page 73.
13. How do you change the default direction in which the Rotate Button rotates your photos? - page 74.
14. How do you select consecutive multiple shots at once? -
page 75.
15. How do you select shots that aren't next to one another (non-consecutive)? - page 75.

First Quiz - September 18, 2008. Study your notes on "What is Digital?" Also, watch the "What is Digital?" Video (link on the right side).

* If you complete the exercise and the class homework before other students, you can do the following practice: download pictures of your choice (one theme, ie. flowers) - from the Internet or from your digital camera (you can also connect to the Server and download photos from the iLife 05 folder - ask me for more directions or I can also give you some CD's with pictures). Organize them all in one film roll. Change the name of the roll to the "theme name". Delete unwanted photos, rotate the ones that are not right side up. (This will count as Extra-Credit)