Course description
Darktable is an incredibly powerful editing program for digital image files. It is one the best photo editing programs available for RAW files. The program is designed by photographers for photographers and undergoes rigorous testing by users such as our course tutor before being released as a stable version every six months.
With each new version, the program seems to get faster and easier to use. Darktable version 5.4 introduced ‘capture sharpening’ to improve initial sharpness of RAW files. Version 5.4 introduced a new module called AgX which transforms the colours and tones of an image to fit the display or print medium. It is incredibly powerful and precise but is very easy to use.
In Darktable V5.6 further improvements in speed and usability have been achieved, but the big addition is the inclusion of AI masking and AI denoising to further extend the capabilities of Darktable.
The course is designed to make you comfortable with Darktable’s workflow and capabilities. Most people regardless of their experience level feel overwhelmed commencing work with a new piece of software and Darktable is no exception. Darktable lets the user determine their own preferred workflow using the modules and options that best suit their images. There are over 70 modules to choose from. Our tutor will introduce you to the most important modules that you need for editing your raw files. You will also be shown how to create Darktable picture styles and module pre-sets to speed up the editing process. These can be used to quickly apply sharpening, noise reduction, clarity, white balance, lens correction, and other settings you choose for your images with just a couple of clicks.
This course is for the total novice or people who are very experienced at photo editing. The course is also suited to current users of Darktable and previous Darktable students as we will explore the new features of version 5.6 and improved workflow options. It will also be an opportunity to share problem images and learn methods for tackling these challenging images.
What your course will cover
There is too much to list here, but the course will cover how to import/open images in Darktable for editing and then how to export the edited image as a new image file while leaving the original image untouched. You will be shown the most useful and important tools to adjust exposure, and colour and recover shadow details. You will learn the correct ways to sharpen images and perform noise reduction to reveal the finest details in the image. We will cover how to do localised adjustments using drawn and parametric masks.
About the Software
Darktable is a non-destructive editor that will not alter your original files. It records your editing steps in a separate xmp file and then creates a new image file upon export when you are finished. Darktable is designed to extract the most out of your camera’s RAW files, but it will also edit JPEG and TIFF files. It is free and works on multiple platforms including Windows, MAC, and Linux.
Our tutor has spent a huge amount of time over the last few years getting to understand how Darktable works and what advantages it has over other programs. The strength of Darktable is the level of control you have in editing. For example, you can do localised edits using a drawn mask and then feather and blur the edges to get an invisible transition. However, it doesn’t end there. You can select parts of an image with parametric masks that select pixels-based luminosity, hue, saturation, or even size of detail.
Darktable can be downloaded free of charge from the official download site [https://www.darktable.org/install/](https://www.darktable.org/install/)
Please ensure the software installs and opens correctly on your computer. Advice can be given by the tutor if problems occur by contacting him via email tpinfold@gmail.com
What to bring
Please bring your own laptop with Darktable 5.6 loaded and functioning. It is strongly recommended that you also bring a mouse and your laptop charger.
Please note that children must not attend this class unless it is a specified parent/child activity.
Disability and special needs
Libraries Tasmania is committed to achieving open, equitable access and participation to a range of adult education programs and courses. If you have a disability or medical condition which you think may impact on your ability to participate in an adult education course, please complete the Special Needs Form available at: http://adulteducation.libraries.tas.gov.au/enrolling, or contact the adult education team: http://adulteducation.libraries.tas.gov.au/contact. This will help us to make the necessary adjustments to maximise your enjoyment and experience in your chosen course. All enquiries are confidential.
Please note that carers supporting learners with disabilities can attend our classes free of charge. For more information, please contact adult education team: http://adulteducation.libraries.tas.gov.au/contact.
Refund policy
Cancellations and Refunds
Please choose your course carefully. A full refund is payable in the event that a class is cancelled. No other refunds are considered except for extenuating circumstances which are supported by a written application.
Visit http://adulteducation.libraries.tas.gov.au/contact to contact Adult Education by email or phone.
Terms and Conditions
Visit http://adulteducation.libraries.tas.gov.au/policies or contact the Adult Education team.
