A good photography textbook is hard to find partially because of cost and partially because the field of photography is growing so quickly it is difficult to keep up with the technology. With a paper textbook costing close to $60 or more each a class set for 30 will cost over $1800 so they need to last a long time. Some books are not hard bound and student back packs and lockers create a lot of wear and tear on these books resulting in a life of about 5 years or so. That comes to a cost of about $300 per year which is what the Digital Textbook offered by SCPHOTO will cost for a class of 30. The difference is found in the "green alternative" the electronic version provides and the fact the electronic version provides yearly updates as changes happen in technology. 

The web based system used for this material is ideal for schools beginning to use the iPad in the classroom since content is fully web based and not stored on the school system at all. Students can access content over wiFi or the web at school or at home 24-7.

Students in class today are not interested in a LOT of reading. It has been my experience that presenting a short clip of technical content coupled with photographic examples that then turn into a project that students complete to try to apply the technique to their own work results in the best understanding of photography. The Digital Textbook covers the most important aspects of Basic Digital Photography. Composition, exposure and simple software editing techniques are the foundation of all further study. Examing lighting and ways to control it are an important concept to cover.

The Digital Textbook is the same basic course as the Independent Study class with the same content and assignments but without the ability to submit assignments online or to take part in online forums or tests. The textbook then allows teachers to work with the material much like they would with a paper book and assign sections to students and add their own material in class. The digital technology allows the material to be read at home or school. Most students today have net access at home and many have it on their phone and carry it everywhere. With the invention of the iPad the Digital Textbook revolution is here and this is a text on Basic Photography that has been succesful in teaching high school students for over 30 years both in film and digital format. The concepts and assignments work for either process.

The Digital Textbook also contains some material on film and processing for any schools that still may be working with this in the labs.

Cost for the program is $10 per student for a years' license in groups of 5 or more or $20 each for individual or small group purchases. If you school has two groups in a year then there is a group price available as well as a site license for schools that wish to enroll students for two or more years at a time.