Embedded Files
Chapter One
Chapter One
Camera Settings
Camera Settings
Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Shutter Speed
Shutter Speed
Shutter Speed Overview
Shutter Speed Overview
A slower shutter speed makes your image brighter because the shutter is open for longer.
The smaller the number, the faster movement you can capture
Use a slower shutter to capture an entire motion or avoid capturing something by having it move faster than your shutter
Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Aperture
Aperture
Discussing aperture can be a bit confusing. Sometimes the larger numbers are referred to as a smaller aperture. This is because the lens is more closed off at f/8 than at an aperture like f/1.4 and is therefore physically smaller. To simplify, a smaller number opens the lens wider and lets more light in, brightening the image. The inverse is true for larger numbers.
Aperture is mainly used for bokeh. Bokeh is the name given to the creamy background blur behind a subject. A larger aperture (smaller number) creates more bokeh and essentially seems to add distance between the subject and the background. A smaller aperture (larger number) reduces the bokeh and makes the background look closer to the subject. Often this is distracting, but can be useful when done under the correct circumstances.
Take a moment to scroll through these different images. Think about how aperture plays a role in each of them to draw your eyes to what is important. For example, in building and street photography a smaller iris (larger number) allows you to include important components such as various street signs, people, and vehicles. This contrasts with single subject images where the background is less important.
Chapter Four
Chapter Four
ISO
ISO
ISO, or film speed, is your camera's sensitivity to light. The higher your ISO number, the brighter your image will be; however, with a higher ISO comes the dreaded color noise. Refer to the image above and notice the increased frequency of grain as you progress to the right frame. ISO is a delicate balance, as all camera settings are. This is why when shooting in manual mode, consistent attention to what each component is set to.
Since ISO introduces grain into the image, you will want to make up for low lighting with shutter speed or aperture as much as possible without getting movement blur.
More light is not always better. For instance, in this picture of a candle flame, the flame itself becomes overexposed as ISO is increased.
Assignment
Assignment
Now that you know how to use all the basic settings, take one of the cameras and take several pictures of a subject in different lighting with varying ISO values to see when grain is introduced. Then, to compensate, try changing your shutter speed and aperture values to reduce the grain.
Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Lighting
Lighting
Lighting is probably the hardest thing to master in photography. It takes experience and constant analysis of of how different lighting hits your subject. One step that makes this entire learning curve easier, is recognizing the different types of light.
Direct Light
Direct Light
In this image, the direct light is casting shadows on the model's face. In portraiture, you usually want soft, even lighting on your model unless shadows add to the effect of the image.
Harsh light often results in squinting as well as the unflattering shadows. Her face is also overexposed at the high points.
Here is an example of when direct natural light is useful. Like most aspects of photography, unconventional techniques can be useful if they add something to the image and the audience knows it is intentional.
Backlighting
Backlighting
A popular technique is backlit photos. This is when the light source is positioned behind the subject. It causes a nice glow at the edges of hair, and even lighting on the subject's face.
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