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Photography

BASICS

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Photo basics

  • Learning the basics will help you have stronger images and ultimately, a better book.
  • Photography comprises the majority of the yearbook.

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Camera basics

Do you wonder what all these numbers and buttons mean?

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ISO

Determines the camera’s sensitivity to light. Here, it’s set at 200.

Shutter speed

The length of time light hits the digital chip. Here, it’s 200 which is 1/200 of a second.

Aperture

The amount of light striking the digital chip. Currently set at f/7.1

ISO button

How to adjust the ISO.

Light meter

Keep at the 0 setting to properly expose pictures. Adjust up to three stops to under or overexpose images.

Camera basics

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Auto White Balance

Camera sets accurate color temperature setting. You can change setting to Daylight, Cloudy, Florescent, etc, by selecting the WB button.

Frame count

How many images left on the memory card.

Drive

How quickly frames can be taken. Set on high here. Single frame (the default) is a lone rectangle . Adjust by selecting the Drive button.

File type

Type and size of images. Cameras have small, medium, large and RAW settings.

Camera basics

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What about this dial?

Camera basics

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Auto

Camera does all the work. Sets the ISO and exposure settings.

Program

The camera sets the exposure settings, but you can adjust the ISO.

Shutter Speed Priority

You set the shutter speed and ISO, the camera sets the accurate aperture. Useful when wanting a set speed for action or blurring images.

Aperture Priority

You set the aperture and ISO, the camera sets the corresponding shutter speed. Helpful when wanting to control the depth of field or to let in as much light as possible.

Manual

You set the aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

Canon mode dial

Nikon mode dial

Camera basics

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Canon mode dial

Nikon mode dial

Sports

An action setting that uses a high shutter speed. The camera sets all the settings.

Landscape

The camera uses a high aperture to have more depth of field for landscape photos. The camera sets all the settings.

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Macro

The camera lets you take closer up photos, uses a low aperture to have shallow depth of field. The camera sets all the settings.

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Portrait

The camera uses a low aperture to have shallow depth of field. The camera sets all the settings.

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Canon mode dial

Nikon mode dial

Camera basics

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Three settings affect correctly exposing a photograph.

        • ISO
        • Aperture
        • Shutter speed

Exposures

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  • The ISO setting determines the camera’s sensitivity to light.
        • The higher the ISO, the more sensitive (e.g. needs less light)
            • 100-400 – bright sunlight, daytime
            • 800 – dusk, inside classrooms
            • 1600 – night, inside gym & theatres

Exposures – ISO

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        • Aperture refers to how much light is let in the lens.
        • Measured in F-stops
        • Controls depth of field
        • The higher the number, the smaller the opening and less light let in.

Less light let in, more depth of field

More light let in, shallow depth of field

Exposures – apertures

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f/4

f/22

At f/4, there is a lot of light being allowed into the camera and there is shallow depth of field.

Only the middle student is in focus.

As the lens is stopped down to f/22, less light is coming into the camera and the depth of field improves.

Notice now all three students are clear at f/22.

Exposures – apertures

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        • Shutter speed refers to how long light strikes the film or digital sensor.
        • Measured in fractions of a second (cameras often omit the fraction)
        • The higher the number, the more action is stopped.

1/15

1/30

1/60

1/125

1/250

1/500

1/1000

1/2000

1/4000

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Exposures – shutter speeds

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ISO 3200, f/2.8 & 1/800

ISO 400, f/4.5 & 1/8

At 1/800, all of the action is frozen.

The photographer has slowed the shutter to 1/8th of a second to capture the movement of the flag.

Note, you’ll need a monopod or tripod to avoid camera shake.

Exposures – shutter speeds

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        • Apertures and shutter speeds work together to create the proper exposure.
        • Each setting is called a stop, letting in half or twice as much light.

ISO 1600, f/2.8 & 1/250

Exposures

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        • If you adjust one, the other has to compensate.
        • Easy way to remember: if one goes up, the other goes down.

f/2.8

f/4

f/5.6

f/8

f/11

f/16

f/22

2000

1000

500

250

125

60

30

Same exposure

Exposures

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ISO 400, f/5.6 & 1/400

ISO 400, f/8 & 1/200

ISO 400, f/11 & 1/125

ISO 400, f/16 & 1/60

Exposures

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So, what settings should I use?

If you don’t have a 2.8 lens, might have to increase the ISO.

OUTSIDE DAY

ISO 100-400

Auto, P, Av 5.6-8, or Tv 1/500-1/4000

INSIDE SCHOOL

ISO 800

Auto, P or Av 2.8-4

OUTSIDE DUSK

ISO 800-1250

Av 2.8 or M 2.8 1/250-800

NIGHT & GYM

ISO 1600-3200

M 2.8 1/250-800

Exposures

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ISO 800

f/3.5 & 1/320

Examples

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ISO 200

f/5.0 & 1/250

Examples

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ISO 100

f/8 & 1/320

Examples

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ISO 400

f/3.5 & 1/1600

Examples

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ISO 800

f/4.5 & 1/500

Examples

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ISO 12800

f/2.8 & 1/1000

Examples

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ISO 200

f/2.8 & 1/800

Examples

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ISO 100

f/2.8 & 1/140

Examples

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