Introduction to Darktable

• An understanding of basic photography concepts
• Experience with digital cameras and image formats
• No programming experience required

Audience

• Photographers
• Photo enthusiasts
• Beginners in image editing

Darktable is a powerful open-source photography workflow and editing application. 

This instructor-led, live training (online or onsite) is aimed at beginner-level and intermediate-level photographers who wish to harness the full potential of Darktable for their image editing and management needs. This course outline provides a comprehensive overview of the Darktable software, starting from the basics and progressing to more advanced editing techniques.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Set up a development environment with Darktable.
• Import, organize, and manage their photo collections.
• Edit and enhance images using Darktable's features.
• Perform advanced color correction and manipulation.
• Apply non-destructive editing techniques.
• Debug common issues in Darktable.

Format of the Course

• Interactive lecture and discussion.
• Lots of exercises and practice.
• Hands-on implementation in a live-lab environment.

Course Customization Options

• To request a customized training for this course, please contact us to arrange.

Introduction

• What is Darktable?
• Darktable vs. other image editing tools
• Overview of Darktable's features and architecture
• Benefits of using Darktable for photography

Understanding Darktable

• The lifecycle of a photo in Darktable
• How Darktable's non-destructive editing works
• Introduction to modules and their role

Getting Started

• Setting up the Development Environment
• Installing Darktable on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Configuring basic settings and preferences

Importing and Organizing Photos

• Importing photos into Darktable
• Organizing and managing your photo library
• Adding metadata and tags for better organization

Basic Image Editing

• Crop and rotate images
• Adjust exposure, contrast, and brightness
• White balance and color correction

Advanced Editing Techniques

• Using masks and blending modes
• Applying filters and effects
• Fine-tuning with tone curves and levels

Non-destructive Editing Workflow

• Understanding history and snapshots
• Revisiting and re-editing photos
• Preserving original image quality

Debugging and Troubleshooting

• Common issues and error messages
• Troubleshooting techniques and solutions

Summary and Next Steps

• Review of key concepts and skills learned
• Resources for further learning and advanced topics