Photographer's Guidance Systems

Abstract

A photographer's guidance system is formed of a computer-based processor made responsive to location, time of day, manual user inputs, among others to provide photo exposure suggestions based upon information stored as photo set-up descriptors. In response to user requests in combination with present conditions such as time, location weather, etc., a database request is executed against stored photo set-up data to produce a result set of photo set-up descriptors. These descriptors are used both manually and automatically to assist a photographer user in setting up a photo exposure in agreement with the prescribed parameters. These systems may be directly coupled with a DSLR type camera and may operate via user controls and interfaces thereof. In alternative versions, these system have independent control and user interfaces with outputs coupled to a DSLR control.

It is claimed: 
     
         1 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems comprising:
 a programmed computer;   a photo set-up library;   an interactive control module; and   a display type user interface,   said photo set-up library is coupled to said programmed computer whereby stored photo set-up descriptors may be recalled and presented at said display type user interface, whereby said recalled photo descriptors characterize and express shooting states of a prescribed and predefined photo opportunity.   
     
     
         2 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 1 , said systems are integrated as a handheld self-contained system. 
     
     
         3 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 2 , in the form and format of a DSLR style package. 
     
     
         4 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 3 , said systems are coupled to remote servers via radio transceivers characterized as WiFi or cellular communications networks. 
     
     
         5 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 1 , said programmed computer is further characterized as comprising executable program code including a plurality of functional methods which may be invoked or called for execution by a control system or menu. 
     
     
         6 ) Electronic photographers guidance systems of  claim 1 , said photo set-up descriptors include definitions of photo instance or exposure details. 
     
     
         7 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 6 , each of said photo set-up descriptors are embodied as a program code object with prescribed name-value pairs for object properties. 
     
     
         8 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 6 , said photo instance or exposure is further characterized as including camera states defined by either of: shooting vantage point or viewpoint, shooting angle, camera subsystem settings, environment descriptions, time of day, and season of year. 
     
     
         9 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 6 , said photo set-up descriptors are presented graphically at a user interface including a display device. 
     
     
         10 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 1 , further comprises a GPS, said descriptor recall is based upon current position as determined by the GPS. 
     
     
         11 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 1 , said programmed computer comprises application specific code arranged to administer a photography tour. 
     
     
         12 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 11 , said photography tour is characterized as presentation of a series of photo set-up descriptors in a logical manner. 
     
     
         13 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 12 , said logical manner includes an orderly spatial plan. 
     
     
         14 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 12 , said logical manner includes a plurality of photo vantage or viewpoint sites all coupled by a common landmark in a ‘walking tour’ characterized as taking place along a continuous walking route or path. 
     
     
         15 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 13 , said orderly spatial plan is characterized as synchronization with either from the group: city bus route; map guide; metro routes; and city tour. 
     
     
         16 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 1 , said programmed computer comprises application specific code arranged to administer a photography lesson. 
     
     
         17 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 16 , said photography lesson is characterized as an exploration of variable camera settings. 
     
     
         18 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 17 , includes a camera setting characterized as shutter speed. 
     
     
         19 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 17 , includes a camera setting characterized as aperture. 
     
     
         20 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 17 , said photo lesson is characterized as a shooting angle lesson. 
     
     
         21 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 20 , said shooting angle is optimized for composition alternatives. 
     
     
         22 ) Electronic photographer's guidance systems of  claim 1 , said systems further comprising a control module with tactile input systems.