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RIT Group Photo

RIT Workshop: Image Processing Algorithms and Color Theory

By M.Dattoria & N.Anderson on Mon, 01/22/2018 - 15:30

This month DPO’s 3D and Mass Digitization teams, along with several SI studio photographers, traveled to RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences for the first in a series of hands-on workshops. The first workshop in the series, "Optimizing Digital Imaging Outcomes" was a refresher on the entire imaging chain. The course was coordinated by DPO's Mass Digitization Sr. Program Officer, Ken Rahaim, and RIT’s Associate Administrative Chair, Michael Peres and taught by Nitin Sampat, a professor in the Photographic Sciences department.

 

The class covered the following topics:

  • Color Management and Color Matching workflows

  • Image processing and compression methods
  • Image Quality metrics and measurements

  • Device (cameras, scanners, monitors, printers) calibration and characterization techniques

  • Histogram manipulation

  • Spatial and frequency domain processing

  • Calibrating and profile creation for color spaces

  • Image processing, demosaicing algorithms, and CFAs (color filter arrays)

 

Our days were split between in-depth classroom explanations and hands-on lab sessions. Professor Sampat focused on the latest technologies regarding color theory and digital reproduction, and much time was given to color matching issues in art reproduction and other challenges that we face at the Smithsonian.

 

"What's the best device for measuring color accuracy?" The human eye! It can detect a 1% change in color, and it is the cheapest, most consistent color checker.

 

We learned a lot during this first workshop, and are looking forward to building a multi-track/multi-workshop curriculum with the experts at RIT in order to maintain the highest levels of quality for our digitization work across the Smithsonian. Our team walks away with some great experiences in hand, including a taste of Rochester’s famous garbage plates and its many pinball bars!