11-Sources-of-Photos-and-Graphics

Sources of Photos and Graphics

1. Personal and Professional Photos

  • Taken by amateur or professional photographers.

  • Downloaded and stored on computer.

2. Scanned Images

  • Photos transferred from printed sources using scanning devices to a computer.

3. Stock Photo Library

  • Photographs and created images available for sale.

  • Provided in CDs or DVDs.

  • Typically royalty-free.

4. Online Stock Photos

  • Found on the internet, which is the most dominant source.

  • May be subject to copyright and fees.

Online Digital File Formats

General Information

  • File format: a way of encoding and storing information.

  • Uses suffixes added to the end of the filename (File Name Extensions).

Digital File Formats

  1. Proprietary Formats

    • Owned by individuals or corporations.

    • Specifications are not public; covered by copyrights.

  2. Open Formats

    • Free and accessible to the public.

    • Not covered by copyrights or patents; maintained by groups.

Major Groups of Digital File Formats

  1. Uncompressed or Raw Format

    • Used for storing the original file, requires larger memory.

  2. Lossless File Format

    • Compressed format replicating original quality at reduced file size.

    • Ideal for important files (images, audio, video).

  3. Lossy File Format

    • Compressed format approximating original; good compression rate, less memory.

Image File Formats

Types of Image Formats

  1. Raster/Bitmap Image Files

  2. Vector Graphics Files

Raster Image Files

  • Represent digital images in bits, viewed as pixels.

  • Majority are lossy and common on the internet.

Types of Raster Image Formats

  • .bmp: Bitmap file; large file size, not common online.

  • .gif: Popular, supports animation, small file size.

  • .jpg: Common for photos, supports 24-bit color.

  • .png: Open-source, supports 24-bit color, employs lossless compression.

  • .psd: Photoshop-native format, can edit multiple formats.

Vector Image Files

  • Lossless files created using mathematical equations; retains quality regardless of size.

  • Preferred format for high-quality prints and displays.

Types of Vector Image Formats

  • .ai: Adobe Illustrator file format.

  • .drw: Generic drawing file stored in vector format.

  • .dxf: Used for CAD vector images; developed by Autodesk.

  • .ps: Page Description Language for printing.

  • .svg: Common vector format on the internet; developed by W3C.