Introduction to Digital Photography
These lessons are currently in development
Digital photography is a critical component of photogrammetry, a technique used to create 3D models from 2D photographs. Mastering digital photography is essential for capturing high-quality images that can be processed into accurate and detailed 3D models. While this module covers digital photography it deals strictly with techniques associated with 3d scanning and covers various topics and suggested best practices for capturing high quality images.
For more comprehensive introduction to digital photography, the Cambridge in Colour website has an excellent introduction as well as additional tools and tutorials. I can also highly recommend the accompanying book from Cambridge in Color, Understanding Photography: Core Concepts and Techniques with Digital Image Capture. Another excellent resource on digital photography basics is from Capturing the Atlas which I highly recommend.
Camera Settings and Techniques
Understanding the optimal camera settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and focus, is crucial for capturing sharp and well-exposed images. Techniques like proper framing, ensuring overlap between photos, and maintaining consistent lighting conditions are essential to achieve seamless photo sets for photogrammetric processing.
Lighting and Composition
Good lighting is paramount in digital photography for photogrammetry. Natural light, artificial light, and diffuse lighting setups are explored to minimize shadows and reflections, which can interfere with the photogrammetric process. Composition techniques ensure that all necessary details of the object or scene are captured from multiple angles.
Macbeth Chart and Color Correction
The Macbeth Chart, or color checker, is used for accurate color correction. By capturing a reference image with the chart under the same lighting conditions as the subject, photographers can ensure consistent and true-to-life color representation in their 3D models. This step is crucial for maintaining the visual fidelity of textures in games and visual effects.
HDR Photography and Bracketing
High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography and bracketing techniques help capture a wide range of brightness levels in a scene. This is particularly useful for photogrammetry in challenging lighting conditions. By merging multiple exposures, photographers can create images with balanced lighting, preserving details in both highlights and shadows.
360 Panoramic Photography
360 panoramic photography is a technique that captures the full 360-degree view of a scene, creating immersive and interactive images. Using a DSLR camera in combination with PTGui Pro software allows for high-resolution, detailed panoramas that can be integrated into various applications such as virtual tours, games, and visual effects. This topic covers the entire process, from capturing the photos to stitching them together into a seamless panorama. When combined with HDR Bracketing, panoramas may be used for Image Based Lighting (IBL) used in visual effects and games for the photorealistic representation of lighting in a scene.
Image Processing
Post-processing images in software such as Adobe Lightroom, Raw Therapee, EasyHDR and DNG Camera Profile enhances their quality and prepares them for 3d scanning usage depending on the technology required. Adjustments to exposure, contrast, sharpness, and color balance, along with noise reduction, chromatic aberration, and lens correction ensure that the images are optimized for generating accurate 3D models.