PHOTOGRAPHY 101

All photographers have their own vision, their own artistic sense of the world. Unless youre trying to satisfy a client in a work for hire situation , the pictures you make should please youif others like them too, great. If not, too bad. Jim Zuckerman Failure is a crucial part of the creative process. Authentic success arrives only after we have mastered failing better. George Bernard Shaw You can learn more from your mistakes than you can from your successes if you pay attention to those mistakes. Paul Smith

When is an image created?

LIGHT
Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography. George Eastman

How Many Different Types of Light or Light Sources?

Types of Light
Sunlight Moonlight Good Light Bad Light Soft Light Harsh Light Storm Light Flash Light Incandescent U.V. Light Black Light Fluorescent Indirect/Bounce Highlights

Types of Light
Front Light Side Light Back Light Twilight Flat Light Tungsten Light Halogen Light Mercury Vapor Lightning? Candle Light Available/Ambient Incident Reflected Diffused Light

Types of Light
Flood Light Stage Lights Christmas Lights Polarized Light Window Light Visible Light Invisible Light Neon Light

Basic Camera Operation

Modes of Operation
Program Mode Least Desirable the camera decides both aperture and shutter speed. Aperture Priority Mode Controls Depth of Field you select the aperture, the camera determines the proper shutter speed. Shutter Priority Mode Controls Action (Stop or Blur) you select the shutter speed, the camera determines the proper aperture. Manual Mode Puts YOU in Total Control + 0 . . . l . . .

Apertures and Shutter Speeds

Aperture, measured in f stops, determines the size of the opening in your lens, which controls how much light strikes your filming during an exposure. The smaller the number, the larger the opening. The larger the number, the smaller the opening. The smaller the number, the larger the opening. Aperture also determines depth of field. The smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field.

O
f2.8

o o
f4 f5.6

o
f8

o
f11

f16

f22

Each f stop change lets in either 2 times or the amount of light, depending on whether you are opening up or stopping down. Open up means to make the opening larger (but a smaller number). Stop down means selecting an aperture that is smaller in size (but bigger in number).

Shutter Speeds
Shutter speeds appear as whole numbers, but are really fractions: 1/60 sec., 1/125 sec., 1/250 sec., 1/500 sec. Therefore 1/60 is a slower shutter speed than 1/125, etc. When you change 1 stop in shutter speed, you are letting in either 2 times or the amount of light

Reciprocal relationship between Aperture and Shutter Speed

If a correct exposure for a given lighting condition is 1/60 @ 11, then 1/125 @ f8 will let in the same amount of light. If 1/125 @f8 is correct, then 1/250 @f5.6 will let in the same amount of light.

Exposure/Metering
To understand exposure/metering, it is important to understand how a camera determines proper exposure. An in-camera meter reads light that is REFLECTED off of your subject. Your camera presumes that everything you point your camera at to be 18% GRAY.

Taking Meter Readings

Metering Modes
Average/Matrix Looks at the entire scene. Center Weighted - Looks at whats in the center of your lens. Spot Looks at a very small area in the lens. Best used in manual Mode.

Metering
Your meter reading will vary in accordance with the tonality of your subject. You will get different readings if your subject is white, black or gray. Shades in between white and black can also fool your meter (Yellow , Pink, etc.) 18% Gray will give the most accurate reading.

Exposure/Metering (contd)
As you saw, white gave one reading, black gave another reading and gray gave yet another reading. Since your camera thinks that the world is 18% GRAY, it will UNDEREXPOSE subjects that are predominantly white. It wants to make your subject GRAY.

Exposure/Metering (contd)
Conversely, your camera will OVEREXPOSE subjects that are predominantly black. It wants to make your subject GRAY. Sunny 16 Rule 1/ISO @f16
All photographers have their own vision, their own artistic sense of the world. Unless youre trying to satisfy a client in a work for hire situation , the pictures you make should please youif others like them too, great. If not, too bad. -JIM ZUCKERMAN

Exposure/Metering (contd)
How to get a proper exposure? The most accurate way to determine proper exposure using an in-camera meter is by using a GRAY CARD. A GRAY CARD will only give an accurate reading if you hold it in the SAME light that your subject is in.

Exposure/Metering (contd)
How to get an accurate exposure if you do not have a Gray Card. Find something in the scene that is 18% Gray or of medium tonality (blue sky, green grass). BRACKET Take several shots at different settings. If your subject is lighter than 18% Gray, open up, allowing more light in. If your subject is darker than 18% Gray, stop down, allowing in less light.

Histogram

Exposure/Metering (contd)
How to BRACKET Use Exposure Compensation when shooting in either Aperture or Shutter Priority. Dial in + compensation to let in more light, or dial in compensation to let in less light. Most cameras will allow changes in either 1/2 stops or 1/3 stops. When shooting in Manual Mode, just watch your meter indicator as you dial in either more or less exposure

Exposure/Metering (contd)
Bracketing (contd) Rule of thumb - White subjects need approx. 1 to 1.5 stops of additional compensation. Black subjects usually about 1 1.5 stops less compensation.

Depth of Field
Photography is not about depth of field, its about depth of feeling. - Michael Fatali

Depth of field is defined as the distance between the nearest point and furthest point in the photograph which is perceived as acceptably sharp. It is the apparent zone of sharpness within a photograph. This zone typically extends from 1/3 of the distance in front and 2/3 of the distance behind the subject. How large or small that zone is, is determined by your aperture. A small aperture (f22) will make the apparent zone of sharpness greater. A large aperture (f2.8) will make the apparent zone of sharpness smaller.

VARIABLES THAT AFFECT DEPTH OF FIELD

LENS SELECTION APERTURE CAMERA TO SUBJECT DISTANCE CHECK BY USING DEPTH OF FIELD PREVIEW FEATURE

TO MAXIMIZE DEPTH OF FIELD USE A SMALL APERTURE (f22) AND FOCUS 1/3 THE DISTANCE INTO YOUR PHOTOGRAPH

LENSES

LENSES
FIXED FOCAL LENGTH ZOOM NORMAL WIDE ANGLE TELEPHOTO PORTRAIT MACRO SPECIALTY (FISH EYE, PC)

LENSES
CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PURCHASING A NEW LENS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Cost Speed Faster lenses are also brighter Minimum Focusing Distance Diameter (Filter Size) Size/Weight Distance Scale or Hyperfocal Scale

SPECIALTY LENSES
1. FISH EYE 2. PC OR PERSPECTIVE CONTROL

FISH EYE
Fish Eye Lens creates distortion bends horizon line up or down depending on how you aim it. Can be used as super wide angle lens if you do not bend it when shooting. A 16 mm fish eye has a 180 degree field of view.

PERSPECTIVE CONTROL LENS

Used mainly in Architectural Photography and Product/Studio Photography. They allow you to stretch depth of field at moderate apertures by use of tilts and shifts. They come in various focal lengths: Canon makes: 24 mm, 45 mm, and 90 mm. Nikon makes an 85 mm macro PC lens ($1300). They no longer make the 28 mm or 35 mm

RULE OF THUMB FOR HANDHOLDING LENSES

SHUTTER SPEED = 1/FOCAL LENGTH OR FASTER

LENS FLARE
Caused by shooting directly into a bright light source (sun or flash) More likely when: 1. Using a multi element lens (zoom) 2. Using a wide angle lens 3. Using filters/stacking filters Reduce flare by: 1. Using lens hood or gobo to shade lens 2. Using a fixed focal length lens 3. Using a longer focal length lens 4. Removing filters

FILTERS
U.V. FILTERS POLARIZING FILTERS COMBINATION FILTERS WARMING FILTERS 81 Series ENHANCING SOFT FOCUSDIFFUSION GRADUATED NEUTRAL DENSITY FLD Fluorescent Correcting NEUTRAL DENSITY COOLING 80 Series COLOR CORRECTING SPECIAL EFFECTS
Star Filters Rainbow Filters Motion Filters

Thin Filters for Wide Angle Lenses

FILTERS
Cheap filters may make adversely effect the sharpness of your images. Be careful to avoid vignetting do not stack filters if you can avoid it. Wide angle lenses are more likely to produce vignetting. Avoid by buying thin filters. Be prepared to pay more money!

Composition Rules of Composition

1. Rule of Thirds and Power Points 2. Leading Lines 3. Diagonal Lines 4. S Curve and C Curves 5. Frame Within a Frame 6. Keep it Simple 7. Rules for Portraiture 8. Eye enters photo from left to right (USA) 9. Foreground - Midground Background 10. Use of Color as a Compositional Element 11. Breaking the Rules

Rule of Thirds

LEADING LINE

LEADING LINE and C CURVE

USE OF DIAGONAL LINE

FRAME WITHIN A FRAME

EYES IN UPPER THIRD IN PORTRAITS

LEAVE ROOM FOR SUBJECT

FOREGROUND - MIDGROUND BACKGROUND

GIVE IMAGE SCALE

EXCEPTIONS
Bulls Eye may be acceptable for close up shots of flowers, etc. Horizon in middle may be acceptable in reflection shots Need to Know the Rules Before you can Break the Rules

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
1. Horizontal Vs Vertical 2. Lines, Textures, Patterns, Colors 3. Make sure that leading lines lead to an interesting subject and do not lead viewer out of the frame 4. Avoid distracting elements 5. Watch out for merging elements 6. Make sure the horizon line is level use tripod, bubble level, and cable release 7. Viewfinders usually do not show 100% of the image.

Things To Watch For

Watch your edges!!!!! Most beginners do not look at the bottom of the frame when composing. Leave room for subjects such as birds and animals so they do not appear to be leaving the frame. In portraits, leave some head space unless you are cropping tight for a reason.

USE OF COLOR(S)
Use Complimentary Colors as a compositional element.