Welcome Digital Applications Class!

Welcome Class! I'm very excited about having smaller classes this year - we can learn better and I can help you more.

First you will learn generalities about Digital Technology (What is Digital?) and the iLife Suite of products (iLife applications): 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 - you will use the iLife 06 Textbook. You will also learn: What are pixels? What are file formats? How can you use the iLife applications to manipulate digital media? What can you 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. iPhoto is the photo software (check the iLife handout I gave you on September 9, 2010. 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 (I know you're familiar with 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."

Read the iLife handout - you will have to study this information and your notes on "What is Digital?" for a small quiz some time next week (I'll let you know the exact date soon).

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.

You will start with page 58 in the iLife 06 Textbook: "Getting familiar with iPhoto." Read pages 58 and 59 (skipping for now "Importing From a Camera") - please try to understand what you are reading; if you have any questions, please ask Mrs. Feld. Then, go to page 61 and read "Prepare for the Lesson." You can find the iPhoto application in the Finder under Applications (or on you dock). You will download the entire folder called L2.Student roll 1 into your open iPhoto window (or just drag it into the iPhoto icon on the dock). This folder is located in the Server in the iLife06 folder. iPhoto will automatically start importing the folder of photos. Continue reading the whole chapter to page 70 and follow the book instructions.

Copy the following questions and answers in your notes:

1. How do you import pictures into iPhoto from a folder on your computer? Just dragging the folder into the main iPhoto window.

2. Name two things you should do right after you import photos: Deleting bad images and rotating the remaining images so they're properly oriented.

If you complete the instructions in Lesson 2, you can move to Lesson 3, page 73 ("Organizing and Refining your Photos). Read and follow the instructions of the whole chapter, up to page 109. Also copy in your notes (type) the Lesson Review on that page - Questions and Answers.

Vocabulary:
Digital, Digital System, Digitize, Binary Numbers (or Binary Digits), Bit(s), Byte(s), Kilobyte(s), Megabyte(s), Gigabyte(s), iLife, iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand.