Sydney's Blog

Pixels- a minute area of illumination on a display screen, one of many from which an image is composed

Image resolution- a minute area of illumination on a display screen, one of many from which an image is composed

Megabyte- a minute area of illumination on a display screen, one of many from which an image is composed

Megapixel – a unit of graphic resolution equivalent to one million or (strictly) 1,048,576 (220) pixels.

Gigabyte- a unit of information equal to one billion (109) or, strictly, 230 bytes.

jpeg- a format for compressing image files.

Raw- a file that contains minimally processed data from theimage sensor of either a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner.

Tiff- The ability to store image data in a lossless format makes a TIFF file a useful image archive, because, unlike standard JPEG files, a TIFF file using lossless compression (or none) may be edited and re-saved without losing image quality. This is not the case when using the TIFF as a container holding compressed JPEG.

PNG- (pronounced ping as in ping-pong; for Portable Network Graphics) is a file format for image compression that, in time, is expected to replace the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) that is widely used on today’s Internet.

Histogram- is a graphical representation of the distribution of numerical data. It is an estimate of the probability distribution of a continuous variable.

Aperture- a hole or an opening through which light travels.

Shutter speed- the length of time when the film or digital sensor inside the camera is exposed to light, also when a camera’s shutter is open when taking a photograph. The amount of light that reaches the film or image sensor is proportional to the exposure time.

Depth of field- the amount of distance between the nearest and farthest objects that appear in acceptably sharp focus in a photograph.

Noise- The occurrence of color dots or specks where there should be none.

Lag time- Refers to latency, or lag measured by the difference between the time there is a signal input, and the time it takes the input to display on the screen.

Hot shoe- A mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit and other compatible accessories.

Fisheye- A lens of small focal length, having a highly curved protruding front element, that covers an angle of view of almost 180°.

Aperture priority- a setting on some cameras that allows the user to choose a specific aperture value while the camera selects a shutter speed to match, thereby ensuring proper exposure

Shutter priority- a setting on some cameras that allows the user to choose a specific shutter speed while the camera adjusts the aperture to ensure correct exposure.

Bitmap- mapping from some domain (for example, a range of integers) to bits, that is, values which are zero or one. It is also called a bit array or bitmap index.

White balance- the process of removing unrealistic color casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo.

Exposure-the act of exposing, laying open, or uncovering:

Watermarking- a kind of marker covertly embedded in a noise-tolerant signal such as an audio, video or image data. It is typically used to identify ownership of the copyright of such signal.

Optical Zoom- allows you to zoom in (or out) on the subject in the LCD or viewfinder. This will enable you to get a closer view of the subject before taking your picture.

Macro- a lens suitable for taking photographs unusually close to the subject.

Telephoto- a lens with a longer focal length than standard, giving a narrow field of view and a magnified image.

Wide Angle- (of a lens) having a short focal length and hence a field covering a wide angle.

DSLR- A digital single-lens reflex camera (also called a digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera combining the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor, as opposed to photographic film.

Digital zoom- is a function of a digital camera used to make the image seem more close-up.Digital Zoom on a digital camera works the same as cropping and enlarging a photo in a graphics program.

Bracketing- place (one or more people or things) in the same category or group.

Light meter- an instrument for measuring the intensity of light, used chiefly to show the correct exposure when taking a photograph.

Image stabilization- (IS) is a family of techniques used to reduce blurring associated with the motion of a camera or other imaging device during exposure.

Dynamic range- is the difference between the smallest and largest usable signal through a transmission or processing chain or storage medium. It is measured as a ratio, or as a base-10 (decibel) or base-2 (doublings, bits or stops) logarithmic value.

Digital negative- (DNG) is an open lossless raw image format written by Adobe used for digital photography. It was launched on September 27, 2004.

Exposure compensation- Exposure compensation is a technique for adjusting the exposure indicated by a photographic exposure meter, in consideration of factors that may cause the indicated exposure to result in a less-than-optimal image

Scientists have recently found their first evidence of liquid water flowing on Mars. They made this discovery when they noticed dark streaks appear on the planet during summertime months.

The title of this article is “Water DOES Flow on Mars” and I found it on the Discovery News website.

This article states that there has been a recent discovery of liquid water flowing on Mars. Scientists have made this discovery based off of dark slopes that streak the planet, ranging from anywhere around 300 feet. These streaks form in the summertime months and vanish during the chill of the winter. The article states that in a press conference advisory, NASA claimed that this discovery uncovered the Mars mystery; however it rather leads the mystery to another question: where is this water coming from? According to lead researcher Lujendra Ojha, a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology, they haven’t been able to pinpoint the source in which the water is coming from, but judging by the article, scientists are trying to figure out how the water is formed on Mars. Whatever the water source, its seasonal appearance on the surface of Mars raises suspicion that it might be possible to live on the planet today.

This article took me by surprise because I found it phenomenal that life on Mars may be an option in the future. Though it is not certain that life on this planet is possible, it is fantastic that we are moving along in the process of finding out more about Mars and whether or not it can be suitable for terrestrial organisms.

This remarkable discovery impacts the world greatly because it is one step further for scientists to know if Mars can accommodate life. When scientists discover what the source of water is on Mars, they will be able to determine whether humans will be able to safely live on the planet. In the meantime, we will have to wait until further results come from NASA.

Link to article: http://news.discovery.com/space/mystery-solved-water-does-flow-on-mars-150928.htm

This past Tuesday, an avalanche which occurred in the French Alps killed seven people. This has been the deadliest snow slide to hit this mountain range this year.

The title of this article is “Avalanche Kills Seven In French Alps” and I found this article on the Discovery News website.

This article makes it known that a recent avalanche caused seven people to lose their lives and one person to be injured. It was also added that rescuers are continuing to search to make sure that there are no other victims. This tragic snow slide occurred around midday in the Snow Dome in the Alps, which is quite popular with climbers. The victims of the avalanche were foreigners and their nationalities are currently unknown. According to a local official, the toll of the number of deaths to occur has increased from five to seven people dead.

My reaction to this article was shocked that this tragedy occurred but I was also in awe that the forces of this earth is so powerful to be able to take so many lives. I feel that this situation should not be taken lightly, and situations like this are impossible to control due to them being natural disasters. Therefore, people should be more careful and aware of these kinds of things to avoid them because they are unpredictable.

This event affects the world by making it more known that tragedies like this do happen and we should try to take precaution as best we can to prevent the deaths of people as much as possible. This applies to any situation relevant to this, not just avalanches. To protect the lives of people all over, we must try to be more aware of future disasters likely to occur even though they cannot be predicted easily.

Link to Website: http://news.discovery.com/earth/weather-extreme-events/avalanche-kills-seven-in-french-alps-150915.htm

This past August has been the hottest month in modern history. The US government scientists noticed that it has been unusually warm across the world’s land and sea surfaces.

The title of this article is “August Breaks Heat Records Worldwide” and I found this article on the Discovery News website.

This article states that this past August has broken the record of warmth, especially across South America and parts of Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last month has been the hottest it has been since 136 years ago, putting 2015 on pace to beat 2014 as the warmest year ever. Scientists say the heat is caused by fossil-fuel burning and is worsened by the presence of El Niño, which has a warming effect on some parts of the world’s oceans. Much of August’s warmth is affected by water.

This article took me by surprise because I didn’t realize that this past August had gotten so hot. I think that it is impressive that this year is making history as one of the world’s hottest years, but I also think that if the heat gets a little out of control, it can be hazardous to the earth’s environment.

This outburst of excessive heat could affect the world by causing change in environments such as altering the habits of animals that are more used to cooler weather, modifying plant adaptations and more. Hopefully this heat will not increase much more for the sake of the earth and everything living within it.

Link to Website: http://news.discovery.com/earth/global-warming/august-breaks-heat-records-worldwide-150917.htm

Beaches in Florida’s Miami-Dade and Broward counties are running out of sand. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are trying to figure out where to get more sand to replenish the shorelines as fast as possible to prevent erosion caused by future hurricanes.

The title of this article is “Florida Beaches Are Running Out of Sand” and I came across this article on the Discovery News website.

This article is about how a few Florida beaches are running out of sand and how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is trying to figure out where to get more. According to the Associated Press, the Army Corps is holding meeting on the subject. Because we have dammed up rivers and built up harbors there’s less sediment replenishing the shore these days. The AP also states that there is enough sand off southeastern Florida shorelines to replenish five counties for over 50 years. Beach nourishment can be expensive so the federal government and local entities split the bill for the first 50 years of nourishment and after that the federal funding will stop. The Senate recently passed a bill that will last for 15 years and the White House will take up its version of the bill next month.

I feel that this is a situation that should not be taken lightly. If this issue is not handled quickly enough, the beaches shorelines will not be protected from erosion caused by future hurricanes. I believe the Army Corps is doing everything in their power to replenish and nourish the beaches and hopefully they will be able to figure out how to keep this from happening anywhere else.

This shortage of sand in Florida affects the world by changing a few of America’s most famous beaches. It causes change by making it known to humans that we can either help or hurt our environment with great impact. Due to structures and other manmade things, humans are the greatest shapers of landscapes because we move much more Earth than wind or water. This event reminds us that we have more power than we realize when it comes Earth’s nature and we need to be more careful with what we build in our environment.

Link to website: http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/florida-beaches-are-running-out-of-sand-130816.htm

Alaska’s recent massive wildfire caused by a lightning strike is melting glaciers, changing animal behavior and causing climate change. People are worried that the climate change will affect the rest of the U.S.

The title of this article is called “Is Alaska our Future?” which refers to the concern that the change in climate in Alaska will spread to the the rest of the 48 states.

I found this article on the Discovery News website.

This article was about the recent wildfire caused by lightning in Alaska, which burned more than 5 million acres and is now documented as 2015 being the second most devastating fire year on record for Alaska. President Obama flew to Alaska on Monday, August 31, to cover climate change issues, and at the same time, NASA officials announced new programs of airplanes, satellites and on-the-ground field work to get more information on what’s happening in Alaska and how it will affect the rest of America.

I feel this tragedy is a big situation that is going to be hard to handle due to it being a natural disaster and something out of America’s control. If the predictions of officials of NASA are accurate, this event could greatly affect myself and America as a whole with there being changes in climate, animal behavior and more in Alaska today. As of now, NASA officials are researching and coming up with answers of what exactly is happening with Alaska’s situation, how fast it will affect the U.S. and why it it happening.

This issue in Alaska impacts the world by possibly being able to change one of its continents, if the assumptions of NASA are correct, by changing the climate of America. If America’s climate changes, it could affect the animal habits and habits of other things in the U.S. Therefore, the world would be greatly impacted if Alaska’s wildfire caused the rest of the United State’s climate to change.

Link to article: http://news.discovery.com/earth/global-warming/is-alaska-our-future-150831.htm