Cooper City Community School
Photography course at
Cooper City Community School
9401 Stirling Road Cooper City FL 33328
754-323-0300
Class on Wednesday 6:15 to 9:15 PM
by
Rick Oltmans
Officer hours
Mon-Thurs from 5:00pm-8:00pm, Fri from 9:00am-12:00pm
I have been teaching this class for more than 15 years. I use to be a profession photographer but now I just teach this class. I enjoy teaching others the finer points of photography and hope my students enjoy learning. If you want to take this class you will need to bring all of your equipment to the first class. This class is for the advanced type of camera known as DSLR’s. This means the camera has interchangeable lens. I start you out at the beginning by going over your camera menu. The less you know the more you will get out of my class. I have lesson plans that help you discover what your camera can do to get the pictures you want. Unfortunate understanding your camera is not an easy thing to learn. The first few weeks you might not understand most of what is being taught. With time and work at the assignments you will start to see a difference in your pictures and the understanding will come. The more questions you ask the more you will learn. My class is made up of some advanced students who will help you to get to know your camera. I love to teach and I hope you will come and join me. Rick Oltmans
Lesson Plans
Rick Oltmans
Presents
Introduction to Basic Digital Photography
Workshop Notes
“If you are confused about anything in photography then you are in the right class!”
(And if you are not, why are you here?)
954-434-0694
Table of Contents
For the workshop
Topics Page
Introduction……………………………………………………………………3
Class One and Two - Learn your Menu……………………………...…5
Digital Camera Homework Assignments………………………………...……8
Class Three – In the Beginning “The Good and the Ugly”………...……...…..9
Class Four – ISO, DIN, ASA oh my! “Stop and I’ll Shoot!”….…………..…13
Class Five – Lights, Camera and Action “Light it up Naturally”…….….…...19
Class Six – In a Flash “In a Flash with Class”………………………….….....23
Class Seven – Make up your mind..…...…………………………………......26
Class Eight - Noooooo….Not a Wedding………...………………………..…27
Advanced / Club Members....……………………………………….…28 to 31
The Photographer’s Secrets………………………………………………….32
Introduction
So why are you here? Most of you have a digital camera that has a lot of things on it you don’t know how to use, and all of you have fun taking pictures or you wouldn’t be here. I hope that all of you want to find out how to use your camera and learn to take better pictures, and some of you might go on to getting paid to take pictures.
In this class you will get out of it as much as you put into it. Some of you will not come back after the first two classes. This is because you will find out that your camera is not easy to learn. Everything in photography seems to be backwards and it is hard at first to change the way you think (give me six weeks of your time and the fog will start to lift). You will also notice that some students seem to know more about their cameras and photography than others (find those and stick to them because they will help you to be better with your camera). This class requires that you do most of the work; if you don’t do the homework you will not learn much in this class. I want to help you but I can only go so far. I need you to try (and fail sometimes), in order to figure how the camera works. PLEASE DO THE HOMEWORK! Most of the assignments are confusing until you learn and understand what all of the numbers mean. I promise you that it will become easier as you progress in this class.
With a little time and effort you will understand and begin to enjoy taking pictures using your camera in manual mode only. Why manual mode? Because even though an automatic camera is programmed to take well-exposed snapshots, the camera cannot think and produce exceptional photographs; the type you see in magazines or sold as posters. Auto mode = a PHD camera. With this class you will learn how to see light and its affect on the final image. You will develop a photographer’s eye, learning how to adjust the shutter speed and aperture to create the special effect you want in a photograph.
How many times have you gotten the right picture in the past and wished you could repeat it only to find out the next time, the photo did not come out like you wanted it to? With this class you will be able to repeat the technique to capture the right picture time and time again, because you will learn how to make all your pictures come out the way you want them to. You will be confused for the first few weeks of this class however as you finish assignments (they are fun) you will gain an understanding of photography that most people do not have. You will start taking pictures that you’ll be proud of and you will waste less time.
►Please read this.◄
This is a workshop type of class with advanced students who might have the answer to your questions. This means you can get up out of your seat and find someone who can help you. You will see that a lot of the time I will be stopping my class to show one student something about their camera. If I am busy and you have a question about your camera, composition, lighting, menu, ISO, flash, f-stop, tiff file, white balance, shutter lag…etc. find an advanced student. They will be happy to show you anything they can. This is how my workshop class works.
One note, because of numerous different camera manufacturers and camera models, I can’t possibly teach you how to operate all of the functions of your particular camera. Find someone in class with the same camera and buddy-up to learn the intricacies of your particular camera. Two heads are better than one!
What you need for this class
To start off, you need a single lens reflex (SLR) camera with manual mode. Any brand will do as long as you can adjust shutter speed and aperture in manual mode. Bring your camera, instruction manual (for reference) and all related equipment to all classes. If you do not have an instruction manual, you can call, write or visit the web site of your camera’s manufacturer, they usually have manuals on hand and will mail one to you for a small fee or you can download it.
The only other piece of equipment I would recommend at this time is a tripod and a flash. I will discuss other equipment you may want to obtain, but at this point in time, a camera, lens, flash and tripod are all you need. It isn’t the amount of gear that makes a photographer (don’t tell my wife); it’s the ability to see light and the art in the photograph.
Class notes
Class One & Two
Learn your Menu
We will learn about the menu in your digital camera for the first 2 weeks of class. We will set up on the TV what is in the menu for different cameras. Homework assignment: see page 7.
Digital cameras are confusing to a lot of new users. Learning terms like white balance, pixel, ppi, dpi, memory stick – secure digital – compact flash, USB1.1 – USB 2.0, ISO, depth of field, TIFF – JPEG – RAW, shutter, shutter delay, aperture…etc. are just part of this course.
Pixels
A pixel is a contraction of the term Picture Element. Digital images are made up of small squares, just like a tile mosaic on your kitchen or bathroom wall. Though a digital photograph looks smooth and continuous just like a regular photograph, it’s actually composed of millions of tiny squares. Each square can have over 16 million possible combination of color.
One of the main ways that manufacturers categorize their digital cameras is in terms of pixel count. This is the number of individual pixels that go into making each image.
1 Megapixel = 1 million.
A 2MP = makes an excellent 4” X 6” print.
3 MP = 5 X 7
4 MP = 6 X 8
5 MP = 8 X 10
6 MP = 10 X 14
8 MP = 16 X 20
10 MP = 20 X 28
12MP = 30 X 40
25MP = 60 X 90
As you can see, the more megapixels you have, the bigger the largest print you can make. It is not recommended to go any larger than the megapixels chart above, or you start to lose image quality. With digital cameras you can go smaller, but not larger than the maximum size.
Sensor Size
The size of the digital sensor element (which is equivalent to the size of the negative for 35 mm film camera) is pretty small in all consumer digicams – typically around the size of a fingernail. The DSLR’s are about three times bigger than this but about half the size of a 35mm frame. There are 2 types of sensors: CCD (charge-coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor). The smaller CCD sensors are interline transfer and can read the data from the sensor in real time (this means you can see the LCD display at the same time you take the picture). The more expensive and larger DSLR cameras have bigger CMOS sensors called “full frame” – which doesn’t refer to their size, but their design. CMOS sensors needs a mechanical shutter while interline use an electronic control exposure. Interline can do more “tricks,” like video but the image area is smaller. Small sensors mean that short focal length lenses are needed to give the same field of view as cameras using larger sensors. Small sensors may need a 7mm lens to give the same view as an 18 mm lens on a SLR. Another problem with small sensors is depth of field; you will find that everything in a picture will be in focus which cuts down on some of the effects that you can do.
White Balance
Color temperature or Kelvin is a measured unit of the color of light. Daylight is at 5400k, flash is at 5200k, tungsten, light bulbs, is at 3200k. The camera needs to know which light you are shooting under in order to have the right color in the photograph. If you shoot under the wrong “light temperature” you will have a color shift in the picture. Digital cameras can shoot under different color temperatures and still give you the right color using Auto White Balance. In Auto White Balance the camera reads the color temperature and picks the closes white balance. You can get better results with your digital camera by changing the setting in “White Balance” to the symbol that matches your current lighting conditions (this might give you better results), but remember if you set the white balance and then change to another light source make sure you change the color temperature, or your pictures will come out with the wrong color. Homework assignment: see page 7.
Sensitivity
ISO setting on the camera sets the sensitivity of the CCD, keep the ISO setting as low as possible to give the best picture quality. As the ISO goes up, 800 to 125,000, the noise (white dots) increases. The higher the ISO the more sensitive to light the CCD is. In low light it might be better to increase the ISO to give faster shutter speeds. Homework assignment: see page 7.
RAW, TIFF and JEPG
RAW (Canon) or NEF (Nikon) = a “digital negative.” These files are actual data generated by the sensor in a proprietary format, which means that your camera’s CMOS chip generates it as a RAW or NEF file and then has to convert it to JEPG or TIFF. These files are compressed, but in a non-lossy manner. The one disadvantage of this format is that the image must be converted to TIFF or JPEG for computer software to be able to display them. This conversion is quite a complex process and can be time consuming (in the computer) if you have a lot of images to convert. One advantage of a RAW or NEF file is to rescue otherwise improperly exposed images and you can make white balance corrections.
TIFF = Tagged Image File Format = this is a lossless way of saving files. The file size is big compared to JEPG and can be saved as a 16-bit data file. A lot of software files will not take a TIFF file.
JEPG = Joint Photo Experts Group = this is a compressed file. JEPG is an algorithm designed to work with continuous tone photographic images which takes image data and compresses it in a lossy manner (you lose some information). JEPG works with most software programs and is the best for sending a picture in an E-mail.
Computer Connectivity
Your camera can connect to your PC via USB (Universal Serial Bus) port. Another option is to buy a USB memory card reader. With the reader you don’t put extra wear on your camera when you are uploading to your PC and the upload time is quicker. Homework assignment: see page 7.
Flash Cards, Memory Cards, Compact Flash
The technology of cards is always changing. Before buying a card, check to see if it is the latest card available. The transfer speed of the card is the most important part, but might not always be on the card. Different manufactures of the cards do not speak the same language as far as the transfer speed is concerned. Look and ask questions before buying a card or ask someone in the class what they have and if it has a fast transfer speed. Some of the newer cameras can take faster cards then an older one. Make sure you buy the right card for your camera.
Shutter Lag
Shutter lag is caused by the needs of the camera. Before taking the actual picture, a camera needs to focus, work out the exposure, charge the flash (if needed) and transfer the last shot to the card (that is why a fast transfer speed is needed). To speed the delay up, press the shutter half-way before the picture is to be taken, turn off the auto-focus and shoot in manual mode.
Homework assignment: see page 7.
Power
Cameras manufactures have different ways to power all the electronic parts of the camera. A rechargeable battery system might be the best way to keep the camera powered up and ready to go. With rechargeable batteries it is easier to have spare batteries waiting for when they are needed. Lithium rechargeable batteries are the most expensive to buy but last the longest in the camera.
Notes
Digital Camera Homework Assignments
To learn the different functions of your digital camera I want you to experience all of your camera’s settings. The problem with an assignment of this type is that not all of the digital cameras will do the same thing. So, with that in mind please understand that what you can do with your digital camera is not going to be the same for everyone.
1. Menu
I want you to fully understand the menu part of your camera. Play with the different selections in your menu. If a function can turn off or on, make sure you know what the difference is. Check with your camera’s manual.
2. White Balance
White balance is one area that is very important for a good picture. In auto mode “P”, with your camera on a tripod, I want you take a picture outdoors in bright sunlight with the white balance set to auto white balance. Now change the white balance setting to each of the different color temperatures (sources of light) and take another picture of the same scene as the first one. Set it to sunlight, shade, flash, fluorescent, and tungsten and bring in a sample picture of each white balance picture you took. Now go inside of your house and shoot under a different light source and do the same thing as you did for the outside pictures. Shoot in the color temperature that you picked and then shoot in all the other light sources. See how the color changes if you don’t have the right setting for the right light source. Also see if the picture is better if you put the setting on the right light source or if the camera can do just as good a job in the auto white balance setting.
There is one setting that will always give you the best color temperature of any light source and that is custom white balance. The custom white balance setting is a little bit harder to use but will give you the best results. Please ask some of the advanced students for this information or bring it up in class so we can discuss it.
3. Sensitivity Setting
See what the difference is when you change the ISO settings. Put your camera into the TV (time value for Canon) or S (shutter for Nikon) mode, go outside in bright sunlight, pick ISO number 100, a shutter speed that will give you an aperture of wide open (F4 or smaller number, using a wide angle lens (18 mm)). If you see in the window the word “low” in place of the F number (Nikon) or a flashing f number (Canon) then you went too far. Now change to the ISO 200 setting and take another picture of the same subject. Change to ISO 400, take a picture, ISO 800, take a picture and keep doing this by doubling the ISO number until you have reached the highest ISO setting. See if you can see any noise (white spots in the picture area) on the highest ISO setting. Now change the auto setting to the AV (aperture value) or A (aperture) pick the highest number for the aperture (smallest opening) and do the same thing over again. If you see in the window the word “low” (Nikon) or a flashing F number (Canon) then you went too far. What did you notice about the camera’s aperture and shutter speed setting when you changed the ISO?
4. Shutter Lag
The delay in shutter, or, “I push the shutter release button and nothing happens,” is caused by many factors. The CCD chip, white balance, auto-metering, focus, and flash cause this delay. Changing the camera’s settings to manual white balance, manual metering, pre-focus (and then turn off the focus switch), and charging the flash will speed up the delay. See if you can speed up this very real problem. The best way is to pre-push the shutter button half way before you are going to take the picture. This will tell the camera to get ready faster. Another problem is in-between picture delay. The last picture being stored in memory, compressed and transferred to the memory card causes this. Some cameras are faster than others. To give you the fastest time between pictures, make sure you have a memory card with the fastest transfer speed (most money).
5. Computer Connectivity and Saving Your Images
Last is how and what to do with the images you have. Upload your pictures to your computer. Remember the best way is to take your memory card out of the camera and plug it into an USB memory card reader. This saves wear and tear on the camera and batteries. As far as storing your pictures, if you save the file as a RAW or NEF file format you will be saving the picture as a digital negative. The file size will be large but you will have the best image quality. JPEG (Joint Photo Experts Group) is a compressed file, also known as a lossy manner file (this means you lose some information). Back up your files to CDs, DVDs, CDRs (not CDRw, it is erased by light and heat) or whatever else is available, not just to the computer. Your computer can crash.
Class Three
In the Beginning…The Camera
The camera was invented around 1827. It came from an invention called the camera obscure (Latin for darkroom). The camera obscure, invented hundreds of years before photography, was an enclosed dark room with a tiny hole in one of the walls, the opposite wall held the image upside down; this effect was very popular with artists, scientists and curious spectators. Remember the Flintstones cartoon of the bird in the camera. We still use the same principle today to capture an image; you have to keep the digital sensor element (CCD or CMOS sensor, the light sensitive component behind the lens that records the image in a digital camera), or film, in complete darkness. Then, when you want to record an image, you let some light in. This is what a camera is, a sealed box with a shutter that opens and closes between a lens and CCD chip or film.
I will refer to all of the light sensitive components as CCD, even if you have a film camera.
For the picture to come out right, you have to precisely control how much light hits the CCD (that is why there’s a light meter in your camera). Using a lens to sharpen the image, an aperture to control how much light comes thru the lens, and a shutter to control how long the light hits the CCD.
Our modern cameras today are not much different than the one invented in 1827. We have a lens, aperture and a shutter. The aperture allows the adjustment of light thru the lens. The aperture controls how much is in focus (depth of field). The different size openings create different effects to the final image. We will learn how the aperture changes the image in our first photo assignment. The other important part of the camera is the shutter. The shutter, which controls the action, also allows the adjustment of how much light can enter the camera onto the CCD. The different shutter speeds create different effects to the final image. We will learn more about shutter speeds with our first photo assignment.
Manual vs. Automatic
With the technology of today, why bother with using the manual mode of an automatic exposure camera? The answer is simple. While an automatic camera will calculate the correct F-stop and shutter speed for a given photo (most times), the camera cannot decide what effect is needed and it can make mistakes with the exposure. For example, shooting a photo of a person in the foreground and the sky as part of the background, the auto-exposure mode in the camera will be fooled and under exposure the foreground, creating an image of the main subject being underexposed. You also lose control of the special effect that the right aperture and shutter speed would create if you were in manual mode. Sometimes you will get the effect and sometimes you will not. Automatic cameras can calculate but they can’t think…You, the photographer, can think (I hope)!
Lens – Fixed focal length vs. zoom
There are two types of lenses available on the market; they are fixed length and zoom. A fixed focal length lens is, as the name implies fixed at a certain focal length, i.e. 15mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, 135mm, 200mm, etc. The lens is fixed at whatever focal length it was designed for. Just about any professional photographer will tell you that a fixed focal length lens is slightly sharper than a zoom lens (less moving parts). And it’s true. When creating enlargements the details in the photograph will be clearer. Fixed lenses tend to be smaller, lighter and faster than their zoom counterparts. However, because of the cost associated with purchasing single focal length lenses, the amateur photographer will usually purchase a zoom lens first.
Which type of lens is right for you? At this point, a zoom lens will allow you to be more creative. In the future, if you decide to shoot at a more professional level, fixed lens will give you the quality you desire, but don’t buy them now, save your money.
How Well do you Know Your Camera
Most cameras have functions that are similar. Placements of these functions are not always in the same place. Your camera might not have all of the features listed and might have some not listed.
On the lens
• Depth-of-field indicator – Indicates by aperture what will be in focus at a given distance
(most new automatic cameras do not have this feature).
• Aperture - Focusing index - Is the mark you align for the particular f-stop and distance to.
• Focusing ring – allows the adjustment of focus on the lens.
• Distance scale – Shows the distance from the film plane to the subject being photographed in
feet and meters.
• Aperture scale and ring – indicates what aperture is set on your lens (some cameras have this
function on the body of the camera, in the window).
• Zoom scale and ring – indicates what focal length the lens is set at (18mm, 28mm, 35mm, etc.).
• Auto/Manual focus button- lets you turn off your auto focus and adjust your focus manual.
On the body
• Shutter-release button-used to trip the shutter.
• Shutter speed indicator wheel – adjusts the speed at which the shutter opens and closes. The higher the number the faster the shutters speed is.
• Aperture wheel-adjusts the aperture of the lens (might need to push an additional button to activate).
• Frame counter – shows what frame you are exposing.
• ISO-ASA – sets the meter in the camera to the sensibility of the CCD.
• Hot-Shoe – will hold the flash and is the electrical contact between the camera and the flash.
• Self-timer – is a devise to allow you to push the shutter and have approx. 10 seconds before the
shutter is released.
• Depth-of field preview button – shows you (thru the lens) what will be in focus (most cameras don’t have this feature).
• Tripod socket – allows the attachment of tripods and other attachments.
• Viewfinder- is used to view the object to be photographed
• Auto exposure button – allows you to change from manual to different auto modes.
• Auto focus switch – allows you to turn the auto-focus on and off for the lens (might be on the lens).
• Monitor-shows you what pictures are in the camera and the menus.
• Multi Selector-A button to change menu selections.
• Buttons-depending on the camera, short cut buttons for menu selections.
• Flash button-pops up the flash (for manual mode and some auto modes).
• Selection window-shows what you have selected for the setting on the camera (shutter speed, aperture, frame counter, ISO, self-timer, mode of camera, etc.).
Inside the Camera body
• Mirror – reflexes the image from the lens to the viewfinder. NEVER TOUCH THE MIRROR.
• Shutter curtains – allows the film to be exposed when the shutter button is depressed.
NEVER TOUCH THE SHUTTER CURTAIN. IT IS EXTREMELY DELICATE.
• Battery chamber – holds the battery used to power the camera.
• CCD chip.
• Flashcard chamber-holds the flashcard.
• Cable connector.
What We Really Need to Know
Basically there are two parts of the camera that we will become intimate with. They are the shutter speed and the aperture. With these two controls, you will become the master of your camera. Refer to the instruction manual that came with your camera to learn how to adjust these controls. After reading one small section, try out the functions discussed in that section, then move onto the next section. Once you start to use the manual features of the camera the operation of your camera will become less confusing.
Like a Rock - How to Hold Your Camera
Now that you understand the basic functions of your camera, the next step is learning how to hold it properly. Basically, you must cradle the camera in your left hand so you can adjust the aperture, shutter speed and the focusing ring (non auto focusing cameras only). You grip the right side of the camera in such a way as to operate shutter release button. Next, press the top of the camera against your forehead and brace your left elbow against your body. For 60th of a second shutter speed or slower, you may want to brace yourself against a wall or other solid object if a tripod is not handy. When you are ready to take the picture slowly push the shutter release button. You should not see your finger move as you release the shutter. After a few times of practicing, you will find out how much pressure is needed to release the shutter.
When taking a picture try to stand like a tripod. Keep your legs straight and brace yourself to keep the camera from moving while taking the picture.
You will find that your pictures will seem sharper using this camera holding technique, because there is less camera movement when the picture is taken. Camera movement translates into fuzzy pictures.
Positioning and Angles
When you shoot a subject, what your eye sees and what the CCD sees will not always be the same. For example, you may see a child playing and take some pictures of that happy moment. When you get the pictures back, you find a pole sticking out of the child’s head, or you see some other distracting object. Why didn’t you notice this when you shot the picture? Your mind was focused on the child, your brain removed distracting objects automatically, and depending on the F- stop of the lens the camera sometimes doesn’t show you what the camera is taking. The CCD does not have this ability to remove distracting objects so it is up to you the photographer to know this will happen and look. This is where positioning and angles come in.
Next time when you frame a subject, before you push the shutter button, look around the subject. You may find distracting objects in the frame. If you can move the object, do so. If you can’t (like a pole), then change the angle of your shot. Later, you will learn how to use selective focus with a wide-open aperture to remove distracting objects.
Notes
Class Four
ISO, ASA, DIN, Oh My!
Aperture and Shutter Speed:
What do they have to do with metering?
What does ISO mean
ISO stands for International Standards Organization. This designation replaced the term ASA of American Standards Association. Another designation used in Europe was DIN, which stood for Deutsche Industrie Norm (German Industry Standard). ISO is now the standard worldwide.
But, what does ISO mean to me? When shooting pictures, you must evaluate the lighting on the subject in order to use the proper speed of the CCD for the lighting conditions available. ISO refers to the light sensitivity of the CCD.
Typically, you will be using an ISO of 100. CCD’s with low numbers 100 (slow), produce photos with little noise so enlargements have better detail, but requires more light than ISO’s of 400 to 1600 (fast). In low light it might be better to have the ISO on 400 or higher so you will have a fast enough shutter speed to stop the action.
Moving from 100 to 200 speed is the equivalent of reducing the amount of light needed by half (1 stop), or doubling the sensitivity of the CCD by 1 stop. ISO 100 needs twice as much light as ISO 200, or you could say ISO 200 needs half as much light as ISO 100. Each increase in ISO speed reduces the amount of light needed by one-half (1 stop). This is one of the hardest concepts in photography to understand. If you are confused then you are in the right class. I will go over this more than one time, so keep listening.
Why not use the highest ISO speed all the time? High-speed ISO require less light but there is a tradeoff. As the ISO increases, the noise becomes larger and hence more noticeable. This is the tradeoff between ISO speed and high quality pictures. A high ISO in bright light also will require a small aperture, which will not help in a shallow depth of field picture (a portrait needs a shallow depth of field so the subject is not competing with the background).
The ISO speed you pick depends on the subject you plan to shoot with the intensity of the light available. For portrait work, you want to use ISO 100 if enlargements are needed. For fast action where a fast shutter speed is needed to “stop the action” a faster ISO speed might be better. The trade-off is noise and sharpness, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. In a low light situation (night time with stadium lighting), faster ISO (800 to 1600) are going to be the only way to get a picture of the action of the game.
CCD records light
Our eyes work in a similar fashion to a camera. The light reflected off an object enters the eye, is focused by the lens, the iris adjust itself so the proper amount of light hits the retina and the cones and rods in the retina are stimulated. The retina sends a signal to the brain where it is decoded into what we see.
The camera works like an eye. Light reflected off an object, enters the lens, where it is focused; we adjust the diaphragm (the camera’s iris) using the aperture ring on the camera for the proper amount of light. When the shutter is released, it opens and allows the light to hit the CCD for a specified time. The CCD chip is stimulated and the picture is set. When a print is made, we see what the camera saw. The big difference is our eyes do everything automatically while the camera must be told what to do. Today’s automatic cameras try to accomplish what we do naturally; however, the camera can be fooled. That is why it is important to learn to shoot in manual mode. By understanding the reason for adjusting aperture and setting shutter speed, your pictures will come out better and your understanding of the workings of your camera will help you to repeat the same picture the next time you want it.
So, what’s next? As we said earlier, we adjust the aperture to control the amount of light reaching the CCD. Shutter speed also controls light but we will discuss the real reason for these adjustments next.
Notes
Aperture
Note: The terms diaphragm and aperture are used interchangeably. The leaves located in your lens create the diaphragm. By adjusting the diaphragm you control the diameter of the opening, which is called the aperture.
The diaphragm gets bigger and small just like the iris of your eye. As more light is needed, the diaphragm must be opened up (eyes dilate wide open). You adjust the diaphragm using the aperture ring located on the lens of the camera. Most digital cameras have a button to control aperture on the body of the camera. For the reason I’ll explain below, a small number (f4) corresponds to a large aperture (opening) while a larger number (f22) corresponds to a small aperture (opening).
So, the first rule is – The lower the f-stop number, the larger the aperture opening. The higher the f-stop number, the smaller the aperture opening. Want to remember whole f-stops? Notice that if you add 1.4 to 1.4 you get 2.8. Can you figure out the pattern?
So what does f-stop mean? Answer this at a party and you’ll become the F-stop expert.
F-stop refers to the ratio of aperture diameter (in mm) verses the focal length (the distance between the optical center of the lens and the point where it focuses) of the lens that you are using. For example, a 50mm lens with a maximum aperture of 1.0 would have an aperture opening of 50mm. If the maximum aperture were 2.0, then the maximum diameter of the aperture would be 25mm. A 3.5 maximum aperture would be 14.28mm in diameter (if you understand this, than you are in the wrong class. I never used this at a party because I don’t even know what this means).
Depth-of Field
As you will learn from experimentation, aperture controls the depth of field. Depth of field is the term used to describe what will be in focus between the closet and furthest object you focused on. You will see from your first photo assignment, (first rule) a larger aperture (f4, small number) is used for a shallow depth of field and a small aperture (f22, large number), is used for a deep depth of field.
Why would you wish to control depth of field? Good photographs focus on one subject. One way to eliminate distractions is to blur the foreground and background (portraits). At other times, you may wish to photograph a person with the background in focus, such as in front of a mountain or Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World. By understanding and using depth of field (and the depth of field preview button), you will see improvements in your photographs.
The distance the subject is from the camera and the focal length of the lens used also affects depth of field.
The second rule is – The closer the subject is to the camera, the shallower the depth of field. The further away the subject is from the camera, the longer the depth of field. The third rule states – The longer the focal length (telephoto) of the lens, the shallower the depth of field will be. The shorter the focal length (wide angle) of the lens, the longer or deeper the depth of field will be.
Another note about depth of field – You may have noticed that the depth of field is not equal in length from the point you focus at. Generally, the depth of field is 2/3rd’s the length behind the subject as in front of the subject. For example, if you were to focus on an object 10 feet away from you, the depth of field might be 2 feet in front of the object and 3 feet in back of the object. This is important to note because you may want an object in front as well as in back to be in focus.
Depth of field preview button (some cameras do not have this feature)
When you look through the viewfinder, the image you see comes from the lens of the camera. In order to make the image as bright as possible, the camera is designed to meter with the aperture wide open. In other words, you only view with the aperture wide open, but when the shutter is tripped, the aperture closes down to the adjusted aperture setting. When using the depth of field preview button, the lens closes down to the adjusted setting, showing what will be in focus. The closed down aperture will make the viewfinder darker, but you will also see what will be in focus at the chosen aperture.
Shutter Speed
The other part of the camera that affects the amount of light hitting the CCD is shutter speed. Shutter speeds can be as slow as bulb (the term bulb came from cameras that used a squeeze bulb to activate the shutter), which keeps the shutter open as long as the button is depressed, or as fast as one-eight thousandth of a second. Full stop shutter speeds are 8000, 4000, 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, 60, 30, 15, 8, 4, 2, 1, etc., all of these numbers are part of a second (i.e. 125 = 125th of a second). Each stop up (60 to 125) equals half as much light hitting the CCD, thru the shutter and it equals one stop (this is a part of learning about your camera that’s not easy to understand). For some low light photos, (night shots of Christmas lights) you may need to use bulb to get a proper exposure. How will you know the proper exposure? Sometimes a good guess is required.
Light Meter
The light meter inside of the camera will help with most of the lighting conditions. The light meter reads the light reflecting off the subject the camera is aimed at (called a reflected light meter). CCD needs just the right amount of light to make the proper exposure. Not enough light and the CCD will be underexposed, causing more noise and fewer details in the picture. Too much light and the CCD will be overexposed, causing a color shift in the picture (It is better to be a little overexposed than underexposed when shooting). The CCD needs just the right amount of light. The light meter is the tool to help achieve the right exposure. But sometimes the light meter will not help. This is the time to poke and hope. That’s right; you might have to guess at what settings to put your shutter and aperture at. When you look at the preview you can than see if you guessed right and the next time you run into the same lighting situation you can make a better guess at the right settings.
Taking Notes
In this class you will learn by writing down the frame #, aperture, shutter speed, lens setting, ISO speed, lighting and subject for each picture. This way you can go back and look up the setting for the effect you want to create. With time and practice you will know what settings to use for the picture you want.
Notes
Photo Assignment for Class Four
“Stop and I’ll shoot!!!”
Equipment needed:
Camera set on ISO 100, wide-angle lens (less than 35mm ), telephoto lens (more than 35mm), tripod, model and an outdoor space about 70’ long.
Object: To find out how aperture and shutter speed affect the photograph and how closer the subject is to the camera the greater the affect is in the picture.
Instructions:
First I want you to know that this first assignment will take longer than you think. This might be the first time you have used your camera in manual mode, setting the aperture, shutter speed and using the light meter. Give yourself time and ask someone in the class to be your buddy and model (a lot of spouses will not understand how long this will take).
All pictures are outdoors, in bright sun light, with no flash. Try to keep the same intensity of light on the subject.
The first part of this assignment will show you what affect the aperture has on the final image.
First picture: Put your camera on a tripod, into manual mode, with the spot meter on. Put your widest-angle lens on the camera and adjusted it to the widest lens you have (smallest number). Adjust the aperture to the widest opening (lowest number for the aperture). Have the model stand or sit (remember this will take some time) about 3’ to 5’ away from the camera. I want only a head and shoulder picture of the model with a little more space in the front of the model (not centered in the middle of the picture). Make sure you have at least thirty feet of open space behind the model that is showing in the picture.
In manual mode, with the aperture at the widest opening (low number), meter a close up of the face of the model (on the darker side of the face) by adjusting the shutter speed until the meter reads centered or zero. When metering, remember to focus first, than meter. After the camera is set to the proper setting move back to the 3’ to 5’ spot, refocus (if you have an auto-focus camera, focus, than turn off the auto-focus before taking the picture) and take the picture. Remember the light meter might not stay on zero. If you notice a differences don’t worry about it. The saying is set it and for get it. Write down all the information, aperture, shutter speed, ISO and focal length of the lens (most cameras will have this information stored in with the picture).
Second picture: adjust the aperture to f8 and meter the model just like the first picture was metered. Come back to the 3’ to5’ mark and take the second picture. Write down the information.
Third picture: in this group, adjust the aperture to the smallest opening (high number), meter, take the picture. Write it down.
Fourth picture: shoot in A mode (AV for Canon) and take a picture, using the widest opening.
Fifth picture: manual mode, now come in as close as you can to the subject, and still be in focus, and take one more picture with the widest aperture. Make sure you metered first. Also make sure we can see some of the background in the picture (this is a close-up of your subject).
Sixth thru tenth picture: change the lens to the longest telephoto; the longer lens will make it necessary to move back to get some of the background in the picture. With the aperture to the widest opening, meter the face by adjusting the shutter speed. Take the picture (picture 6). Do the same thing using f11 (picture 7) and again using the smallest opening (picture 8). Now change the meter to the A mode (AV for Canon) and take a picture, using the widest opening. For the last picture change back to manual mode, come in as close as you can to the subject, and still be in focus, open the aperture to the widest opening, meter and take the picture making sure there is a little of the background in the picture for a reference.
Now you will see how the shutter speed affects the photograph.
With your widest-angle lens on the camera and a full-length shot, have the model walk 90 degrees to the camera (see sample below). Meter the same way as before. For picture 1 open to the widest opening, picture 2, f 8 and picture 3, the smallest opening, for a total of three pictures. Pre-focus before taking each picture and turn off the auto focus on the lens. When the model is at the 90-degree mark from the camera, take the picture without moving the camera (a tripod works best for this shot). Make sure the model continues to walk past the camera (not stopping until after the shutter has stopped). Remember to meter close to the face and write down all of the settings and what lens was used. Now do the same thing using your longest lens with the widest opening, f11 and the smallest opening for a total of three pictures. With the longest lens get a full length shot for all 3 pictures.
Starts here Model walking
camera Take picture when model is here.
90 degrees
X Full length of model.
Lens facing this way
Stop here
Try shooting some panning shots after you have completed the assignment. Panning with the camera means your camera moves with the subject while the shutter is released. Use the same sample as the one above to take the picture (take the picture when the subject is 90 degrees from the camera). Use slower shutter speeds (30, 15, 8) for the effect of the background becoming a blur. Try having the model run instead of walking to see how this will affect the picture. This might be harder than it sounds. I have had to take 30 to 50 pictures before I got one that I liked, so keep shooting until you get it right.
Notes
Class Five
Lights, Camera and Action
Let there be light
Without light, the CCD will not produce an image. So, how much light do you need? The light meter built into your camera will give you the answer. Light meters have one purpose, to determine the exposure settings needed to record an image. The reflected light meter built into your camera is pointed at the subject to measure the amount of light reflected from the subject back towards the camera. Most cameras use an averaging meter, which considers the entire viewfinder frame for the proper setting. Some cameras have spot metering, which reads only a small center spot in the viewfinder and some cameras have a center-weighted meter, which gives the most attention to the center of the frame. More expensive cameras have all three types of metering. The light meter displays in cameras are not all the same. Some use a needle and scale, some us colored LED’s (light emitting diodes) and most digital cameras have a LCD (liquid crystal display) which might show a + or – to indicate what the settings are. In any case, when metering, the idea is to get the reading as close to the middle or zero as you can.
Light meters are calibrated to measure average gray. Average gray is a precisely defined photographic term representing 18 percent reflectance of light that falls on a subject. Why 18 percent? It was calculated that the average photograph, when all the light and dark areas are averaged, was translated into 18 percent gray. Turn your camera on, set it to zero, and notice how the meter will jump around and not stay on zero. This is because the meter is seeing different degrees of light as you move the camera. Don’t worry if it doesn’t stay on zero. As long as you are close (1/3 stop) you should get a good picture. Remember to find something that is 18% gray in the picture area in-order to meter the scene properly.
I like to use the spot meter in my camera; this way I can aim the center of my camera directly at the 18% area and get a good reading. I don’t worry if the meter changes after I get it set unless the lighting changes.
The four qualities of light are: intensity, degree of diffusion, direction and color
Intensity refers to the brightness of the light hitting your subject. The light meter reads the intensity reflected off of the subject. When metered properly using the adjustments for the shutter speed and aperture correctly, the picture should be perfectly exposed. The intensity directly affects what shutter speed (which affects your ability to stop action) and what aperture (which affects depth of field) you will use. Intensity will also affect what ISO speed you need. Lower light levels may require a higher ISO number.
Degree of diffusion has two extremes: they are sharp and concentrated or soft and diffused. Sharp light may produce harsh and sharp shadows. Sharp light is projected from a single point, the sun on a cloudless day or a flash unit. Diffuse light gives a hazy look possibly with no shadows at all. Diffused light comes from an overcast day of bright sun hidden by clouds. Multiple light sources can create diffused light.
Direction refers to the angle at which light strikes your subject. Sidelight moves across a subject enhancing texture. Front light minimizes texture and creates a flat look. Backlit increases the depth of the photograph by projecting shadows to the front of the subject. Light from above is natural because most light is projected from above. Light from below is often called “ghoul lighting” because of the sinister look it creates.
Color from light sources may run from cool (bluish) to warm (red-yellow). The color of light is called the temperature of light or Kelvin (K).
Three kinds of light: natural, existing and artificial lights
Natural light comes from the sun (usually outdoors). The light can be soft and diffused (an overcast day) or harsh and contrast from bright direct light (a bright day at the beach or on a snow covered mountain). Depending on the time of day or season of the year, natural light may create no shadows, soft shadows, or deep shadows. In order to get that perfect shot, you may have to wait awhile for clouds to diffuse the situation or shoot in the morning or late afternoon to get the shadows necessary for that perfect picture. Some photos might take all day to get the perfect shot.
Existing light is found at the location of your photograph and is usually shot indoors. Existing light comes from reflection of sunlight through a window and existing light fixtures. The lighting will often be uneven and the effect can add or distract from the photograph. Generally, existing light is less intense than natural light. Less intensity requires a slower shutter speed and faster ISO. Slower shutter speeds will require a tripod in order to get pleasing results.
Artificial light includes light from floodlights, photofloods, flash, and spotlights. Flash units or strobes produce intense bursts of light.
Bracketing
When you are not sure if you have the right exposure, you might want to consider bracketing by changing the setting to make sure that one of the exposures is the right one. First take the exposure at what you think is the right setting, than move up one stop and down one stop. This works for both exposure and for depth of field. Bracketing is better suited for the CCD because what you shoot is what you get, but a stop over and under might be more than what is needed. Try using half stops over and under when shooting in digital. There is nothing you can do to fix under or over exposed shots once it has been processed. Yes Photoshop can help, but if the picture was properly exposed before Photoshop, it will still be a better shot after Photoshop. Remember a good exposure in, a good exposure out.
I shoot all of my photos in the raw setting, this helps me to “fix” problems before I turn it into a JEPG.
Other Accessories
If your bag is not full, you might want to purchase a cable release, penlight, desktop tripod and a polarizing filter. All of these are inexpensive to buy. The cable release will allow you to fire the shutter release button without touching the camera, plus when the shutter is on bulb it will allow you to keep the shutter button down until you release the cable. The penlight is handy for setting the camera controls at night. The desktop tripod is small enough to fit into your bag when a regular tripod is not available. The polarizing filter is probably the only filter I do want in my bag. This filter will help get the true color for the beautiful fall pictures of the changing of the leaves, to eliminate glare, and enhance a blue sky.
What is a Fast Lens
A fast lens is a lens that allows you to shoot with a faster shutter speed. Let’s say you have a lens with the widest opening of f5.6 and you meter a scene that gives you a shutter speed of 60. With a shutter speed of 60 you might not be able to stop the action of the soccer player running down the field. If you have a lens with an f2.8 opening, which is 2 stops faster, more light can come thru the lens allowing a 250-shutter speed. This will allow you to stop the action of the runner. The 2.8 lens does have a higher price tag attached to it and this is why it’s not in everyone’s bag. A 70 to 200mm lens with a 4 to 5.6 opening might cost $300.00. The same lens with a 2.8 opening might cost $2,000.00.
Notes
Photo Assignment For Class Five
“Light it up Naturally”
Equipment needed: Camera, ISO 100 speed, any lens, tripod, models and any type of lighting
Object: to find out about existing light, what it is and how it affects your picture.
Instructions:
Existing light is all around us; it is the sun, the lights we use at night or the light that enters our home along with indoor lighting. I want you to take pictures using different types of light. See how light shapes and molds the pictures we take. Start to see light the way the camera records it (the camera sees it differently than we do).
Use models with direct sunlight, open shade, inside window light and tungsten light (indoor lighting). Remember with tungsten lighting, don’t meter with the light showing in the viewfinder because the light might fool the meter with the wrong setting.
Take a picture of a waterfall or fountain, then change the shutter speed and see what the difference will be. Remember if you change one setting on the camera; you have to change the other to get a properly exposed picture.
Go to a carnival at night and take pictures of rides that have a lot of moving lights, using different shutter speeds like 1”, 4”, 15”, 30”, etc. (use a tripod and cable release). Put your camera on a tripod and take a picture of the city skyline at night (f8 at 30”). If you don’t have a tripod, rest the camera on the hood of your car (make sure the engine is off). If you don’t have a cable release use the self-timer to trip the shutter. Metering is sometimes a guessing game because the meter cannot read the light, so write the settings of the camera down to help for the next time you come across the same type of picture. Try zooming the lens while the exposure is being taken for a different type of effect.
If you like to take pictures of children, stay at their level. Don’t take pictures looking down at them. Have the children doing something fun and you will get good expressions.
Take some type of sports photos and see if you can get them at the peak of action. With sports photography, it’s not easy to get someone moving to stay in focus, so pre-focus. With auto focus cameras pre-focus means to aim the camera at a given spot, focus the camera, turn off the auto-focus and wait until the action comes in focus before shooting.
Class Six
In a Flash!
Flash
The flash is a brief, portable intense light intended to make it easier to take pictures when and where there is not enough existing light. The flash (5200K) has about the same light temperature as the sun (5400k). This is why a flash can be used with daylight setting. The light meter is not used with indoor flash photography. This is important, because metering the scene will cause the camera’s shutter to be open too long, causing camera movement.
The camera has to be synchronized with the flash in order to take flash pictures. This means the shutter has to expose the full length of the CCD while the electric connection (PC terminal or hot shoe) of the camera is firing the flash. You can use the sync shutter speed or slower when using the flash.
Most flash units are made just for the camera you have, this is called a dedicated flash. With a dedicated flash, your camera and flash commutate with each other. The camera knows when the flash is on and sets the sync speed of the camera. The flash also can tell the camera what aperture is needed for the proper exposure.
Some flash units have manual and auto modes. The auto mode can read the amount of light reflecting off the subject and adjust the flash output for a properly exposed picture, TTL metering. The manual setting is used for adjusting the flash for off camera use.
Effects Created by Flash Photography
The flash is a light on the camera that is activated by firing the shutter. The flash can be controlled to give you some special effects. With the flash mounted on the camera, you will get a very intense direct type of light that gives a flat washed out look to the subject. Bounce the flash off a wall or ceiling and the light becomes softer with less fall-off.
Fill-in Flash
The flash works very well for outdoor portraits to fill in the details of the shadow areas, and adds a twinkle in the eye. Many pros use the flash for outdoor portraits. This is a little hard to understand at first. Practice this and write down the settings so you can see what works best. Bright direct sun tends to create harsh shadows. Sometimes you have no choice with lighting direction (backlighting). Fill-in flash helps “fill-in” the detail of the shadow areas.
Red Eye
The light causes red eye from a flash reflecting off the retina (back-side) of the eye. The closer the flash is to the lens the more red-eye occurs. To eliminate red eye move the flash away from the lens. This is why flash heads are extended above the lens.
Painting with Flash
How can you use one flash to light up a whole room? By removing the flash from the camera and going around the room firing the flash as you go. To do this you will need a tripod, cable release and an off camera flash. Put the camera on a tripod, set the aperture to what the flash scale is for about 8 feet and open the shutter using the lock on the cable release. Now go around the room firing the flash about every 8 feet (remember to stay 8 feet away from objects). When you think you have enough light in the room, close the shutter. Write down the setting for next time.
Stop the Action
The flash is a good tool to use if you want the action to be stopped. The flash is a very quick flash of light. The duration of a flash is around 20,000th of a second, which will stop a bullet in mid air.
Notes
Photo Assignment
For Class 6
“In a Flash with Class”
Equipment needed: Camera, ISO 100, lens, tripod, flash and a model.
Object: To learn more about flash photography.
Instructions:
Flash photography is used when there is not enough existing light available to take a well-exposed picture without having to reduce your shutter speed. Flash photography is also used to add light, as fill-in light and to freeze action or for painting with light. Try and use the flash in as many ways as you can. Show us what you can do!
For the first picture have a model stand inside a room without window light and use the built-in flash on your camera. Set the ISO to 100. Using the widest lens you have take a picture at 3 feet away. Now move back and take the picture from 6 feet away. Move back to 12 feet away and take a picture. Now move back and take it at 24 feet and one at 50 feet.
Did you notice how dark the picture was at 30 feet and beyond? How can you make the picture less dark? The answer is to change the ISO to a higher number. The built-in flash is not strong enough for long distance. Changing the ISO increases the sensitivity of the CCD to get the longer distance pictures. Buying an external flash also helps because of the stronger out-put.
Now let’s go outside in daylight with open shade. You will find open shade under a tree or in any type of shade. Using the flash for this type of portrait is important. The flash adds a needed twinkle to the eye and adds details to the shallow area of the face. To do this type of picture you have to learn how far away from the subject you have to be in-order to add just enough light from the flash to enhance the photo and not get flat lighting. This can be achieved by the distance your camera is from the subject or by reducing the amount of flash. Try zooming your lens to a longer setting and see if you can achieve fill-in flash. Some camera menus have a flash out-put that can be adjusted. Find out if your camera has this by asking the more experienced photographers how to set this up in your camera. Again you will have to experiment on the distance to get just the right amount to call it fill-in-flash. Bring in the results so we can see if you understand this type of portrait. The more you do the better you will get!
To stop action, try having your model ride a bike past you as you pan the shot. Remember to use a slow shutter speed (30,15). This is not fill-in flash, so set the flash to full power for this type of picture.
To paint with light, set the camera on a tripod in a dark room. With the aperture set to the scale on the flash for the distance you plan on flashing from, trip the shutter in bulb setting, using a cable release. Walk around the room until you think you have flashed enough; close the shutter. Remember to stay the required distance away from objects when flashing. You might have to do this more than one time to get the right results.
Class 8
Noooooo….Not a Wedding!
Weddings
A wedding is the one thing that sounds easy to do. And on top of that you have told all your friends how good you are (because of this photography class), so now they know you will do their wedding for them (and save the big bucks)! So you get an extra memory card, extra batteries and you’re ready for the ONCE IN A LIFE TIME (that will never be done again) EVENT. If you still want to do this than here goes…First make sure the camera you have will work in low lighting with auto focus on. Make a list of shots needed by the bride, groom, both moms and dads. Get to the church on time, and start shooting. Find out where the bride is waiting and get her with mom, dad and the girls, than on to the groom doing the same thing. Cover the church, reception and you are through. Sounds simple and it is, just don’t think about the fact that the bride and her mother have wanted this wedding since birth…. So, have fun and hope all the pictures come out. I started out this way and look what it got me!
P.S. Call me if you need help. 1-800-quit while your ahead.
Numbers to keep
Camera repair………….……C & M 3391 Overlook Rd. Davie…………… 954-318-4398
Enlargements………...……...Dale Labs 2960 Simms St. Hollywood……… 954-925-0103
Notes
Advanced / Club Members
Homework assignments
I want you to work in teams. This will give you a better understanding of photography and it might build a friendship (and keep your non-photo friends from shooting you). It is best if you hook-up with someone who has the same camera and the same interest. These assignments are an on-going learning experience and a starting point for enhancing your pictures. The more you shoot the better you get. What looks good now might not make it into your portfolio a year from now.
1. A photo essay: Pick a subject that interest you and your photo mate. Through pictures show what is the best about your subject. It could be a painter, painting a picture, a mechanic working on a vehicle, a welder; welding, a cook; cooking, someone starting a garden, someone painting your house, someone shopping, someone mowing the lawn, etc. Think outside of the box. I want 10 to 15 good pictures that tell a story from beginning to end. Remember to look for good lighting and try to stay away from direct lighting from a flash. Shoot allot of pictures and edit later. Only show your best to the class but bring all of the assignment photos in for me to see.
2. Life with me: This one is all about you. Pick a day in your life and show it in pictures. Pick a day like, going to the beach, playing tennis, moving into your new house (this one will go over real big when your tell the other movers in your party that you can’t pick up the piano because you need to shoot this for your class), a party (why was I not invited), etc. Show something that is fun to do for you. The best part of this assignment is you get to use your camera with the self-timer and a tripod. Not all of the pictures need to be of just you, but most of them should be you and what you are doing. Again think outside of the box.
3. Product Photography: This one is mostly about lighting. I want you to pick a product, it could be something around the house, or you could go and buy something you always wanted and photograph it before you break it. Pick the right props for the shot along with a good background. Now the most important thing about this is how you light it. You can use the lights around the house or go outside and use the sun for the main light. As we see with only one light source (sun light being one light source) try not to get carried away and add to many lights. Remember to add fill light using white cards.
4. Sports /Action Photography: Yes this is it. You, your camera, and any type of sport that gets you excided. Now I am not saying that if you bring your camera to the neighborhood baseball game of your kid and start shooting that you won’t have all of the other parents pointing out their kid (who by the way is also the best player on the team) and that they might want to see the shots that you took. By the way this is a good way to make money, so don’t be too cheap with the 8 X 10’s you sell. The key to make this type of photography work is lighting, fast shutter speeds and a fast lens. A monopod helps keep you steady and a lens hood makes the other photographers think you know what you are doing.
5. Outdoor Portrait Photography: First thing to remember is that if these are your kids you plan to photograph it is sometimes a little harder to get the look you want ( six through 16 years of age). Your kids will act different around you. I cannot do a good picture of my kids (they hate me). But I am a good photographer around other kids (they don’t know me). I want you to photograph your teammate’s kids and your own kids and see if there is a difference. Pick a park for nice backgrounds. Pick cloths that are newer and avoid t-shirts with lettering on it. Use the longest lens you have with wider aperture. For smaller kids (two to six years old) let them play and have fun. Their moods change fast so be ready and get them in a good mood (with the promise of lots of candy if they cooperate, I hear chocolate is the best). Get down to their level (even if it means you are laying on the ground with them). If they are real small (sitting up age) you might want to sit them on mom’s lap and get in real tight. Let mom play with them and get ready to shoot while cropping out mom. Always look at what the lighting is doing. Fill-in flash is the best way to get the twinkle in the eyes (check your flash out-put for the right fill in. It should be one stop less than the main light). Shoot a ton of pictures, bring all of them in for us to see but edit to only the best ones for mom to see.
6. Indoor (natural light) Portrait Photography: A big window brings in the best type of light there is. Bring a stool next to the window, have your subject sit down, and see what the light is doing. You might need to increase your ISO to a higher setting. Wider apertures give faster shutter speeds. A tripod helps with framing and gives you more control with the subject. If you have a remote shutter release this is the time to use it. Remember to watch the background (no lines cutting through the head). Add a fill light, or a big white fill-in card, to fill-in the shadow areas of the face.
I find it is best to talk to my photo subject before the shoot starts (while I am setting up). I learn who the person is and what will get the look that I am after. I try to never ask them to smile for the camera, but instead I might give them a compliment on their kids, their looks, their cloths, their shoes, their toys, their lovers, their…etc. A portrait is a very small amount of time in the life of the person you have in-front of your camera. Try and remember that and capture it with a picture that they will see for the rest of their life and they will remember how you made them feel when they see the portrait you made for them.
7. Architecture (Buildings): Early morning or late afternoon light is the key to good lighting. Look for longer shadows that help to form the building. Shoot close-ups to show form. Come back after dark and see if the whole town looks different. A tripod is the best thing for framing the shot. Try longer shutter speeds with small apertures. Shoot while a lot of the people are near the building and see if you can make them all vanish from your photograph.
8. Abstract: This assignment can happen at any time while you are taken pictures. Start to look at things and see how light, the right lens and a good eye can start your abstract photography. You might have to look a long time before you see it.
9. Macro / Close – Up Photography: This one is not for everyone. First you need a close-up lens or filters. Not all lenses have the macro feature. Even some that state that it is a macro lens might not give you the close-up feature. Take some pictures of some butterflies and other insects. In macro mode you will find that you will have a shallow depth-of-field. It might be better to focus all the way in and then move the camera closer and further away to get the image that you want. Remember that you are seeing the image in the widest opening of your aperture and this is a good time to use the depth-of-field preview button on your camera (most cameras don’t have this feature). With the preview button you will see how much will be in focus in the final picture. Now add your tripod and cable release (because of the low light and the closed down aperture) and you are in business.
10. Flowers: It is fun to take a picture of a flower (particularly if it’s a prize winning one you grew). To take a picture of a flower, you have to master the macro assignment first. Now to make the flower stand-out you might want to add a nice plain color back ground to the image. The background can be out-of-focus. Just make sure that there is enough light on the background for the exposure.
11. Interiors: First thing to do for an interior room shot is to decide what you want to show as the most dominate thing in the room. It could be the walls, the furniture, the grand piano; the space between the furniture or whatever else is in the room that you like. Set your camera on a tripod. Remember the tick-tack-toe of composition for the image and look for the lines that bring your eyes around the room in the picture. With the camera in custom white balance, and using the available light, take a reading for white balance, making sure all of the lights are the same color temperature. Now that the custom white balance is set, look at the lighting and add any additional lights to "fill-in" where the shadows from the main lights don't show enough detail.
12. Low Light- Night Photography: This is a fun shoot. You and your photo-mate can get into your car and drive around the city looking for the best angle to shoot your picture in the day light. But wait I said to shoot this at night! I find that it is best to start early to look for the best place to shoot, park the car and see the life in the day time. Now that you have done that it is time to find a nice restaurant and have one of the best dinners for you and your photo-mate (drinking is optional). Now that you are done, time to go back and set up the tripod, self-timer and composed the picture. Remember to bring water and a flash light. This is a good time to see if you can remember to bracket the photographs. You will have to guest at a good setting for the shutter and aperture. A good starting point is f-8 at 30 seconds with the ISO set to 100.
13. Gardens: A garden is a wonderful place to visit. Walk around and try to see it through the eyes of the one who created it. Look around and find the best advantage point for your photographs. Lighting is the key to good pictures. You might want to come at first light, mid-day, and just before sunset and twilight. Now this is not always possible but it is the best way to see how the light affect the subjects you are photographing. I find that if the lighting is not there then it is better to pass on a shot. It might be best to find a garden that is close-by so you can go back to see it at different times of the year. You will find different flowers open at different times of the day/year, so it might be a good idea to write it down for future shoots. Gardens also are a good place to shoot portraits, as the backgrounds help to improve a nice picture, and the open shade is a nice type of light.
14. Street Photography: As the name implies this is a different type of photograph. A street photo might be the city lights at night, cars moving along a highway, bridges and over-passes, the people in the streets (be careful about who you aim your camera at), traffic, the masses walking down a crowed street, the homeless (always ask to take their picture), signs, store fronts, the beach, a pick-up game in a park, the swap-shop with people selling their goods,…etc.
15. Nature: Nature is all around us. It is the world we live in that is not manmade. Flowers, bugs, ants, snakes, trees, plants, etc. So now you know what nature is, go out and take a picture of it. Remember light makes of breaks a good photograph.
16. Self Portraits: This will be the hardest assignment to due. Why, you will see. Pick the right background, lighting and subject (lol) and start shooting. A tripod, self-timer and a good sense of humor are the keys to this fun shoot. This assignment does not need to have your photo-mate along for the ride.
17. On Stage: This is all about stage lighting. Nicest part about this is you are limited to the lighting that is available on the stage (no flash allowed). A fast lens helps because the lighting is not always going to be strong enough. You might want to bring your ISO up to the fastest setting so you have the fastest shutter speed possible. Wide open apertures are also a must. A tripod is nice but a lot of the times you are in the audience so if you have a mono pod this is a good time to use it. With the low lighting you might have to wait for the action to be at its peak. Just like a ball that you bounce, when the ball is in the air and still going up but before it starts to go down, that is the peak of action (when the ball is neither going up or down). That is when you shoot the shot; right at the peak of action. Timing is important for the shot to come out with not too much blurriness. Remember digital cameras have a delay.
18. Zoo: Lets all go down to the zoo. The nice thing about a zoo is you will always see the animals. In nature we are not guaranteed a good shot of the animals we are looking for. The problem taking pictures at a zoo is you will sometimes get manmade objects that are a distraction in the picture, like the fence that keeps you and the animal safe. The best way to get rid of a fence that is in front of the animal you want to shoot is to get as close as you can to the fence, use a long lens (300 to 500 mm) with a wide open aperture and shoot through the fence (the fence, if shot right, will be out of focus). Find out from the zoo keeper what time of day is best to see the animals active. You also have to remember about the best time for lighting. I find that the first 3 hours of light and the last three hours are the best times for good pictures. Shoot close-up pictures of just the head, just like taking a pet picture (glad you have a very long lens).
19. Water in Motion: Water in motion can be a fun picture to take. Add night time, with color lights, and you might have a prize winner. A tripod, cable release, (or remote) and a flash light will help to get the right picture. When taking a picture that you might not know the right exposure for, it might be the right time to guess, and then take another picture with another exposure, and this is called bracketing. Look at your monitor to see if you guessed right. A good starting place is ISO 100, F-8 at 30” (for night time) and bracket from there with a longer shutter speed or a wider aperture.
20. Pets: Pet pictures look better with the ears up, try a whistle or clicking your fingers and be ready. Pick a good clean background and look at what the light is doing.
21. Black and White: Black and white sounds like it is easy to do, just change to the B & W setting and go. But if you have noticed anything in this class, what sounds easy does not always come out as it should. Sometimes the subject shot in color will not have the same impact when you convert it to B & W. Contrast is a big problem with B & W pictures. Most pictures are printed on color paper and don’t have the rich blacks that you see from a B & W negative. The best thing to do is try an increase the contrast of your picture before you print them.
Notes
The Photographer’s Secrets
Kodak’s Top 10 Tips
1. Get down to their level.
2. Use a plain background.
3. Use flash outdoors.
4. Move in close and crop tight in the camera.
5. Don’t forget to take some vertical pictures.
6. Lock the focus. First center the subject to focus, then press the shutter half way down to get the lens to focus, re-frame your picture while still holding the shutter half way down and take the picture. I find it is also easy to turn off the focus on the lens after I have the picture in focus. This way is easier if you need more time to compose the photograph.
7. Move it from the center of the shot: use the rule of thirds.
8. Know the range of your flash.
9. Watch the light:
• Great light makes great pictures. Study the effects of light in your pictures.
• Soft lighting from a cloudy day is best for people pictures. No squinting of the eyes and no harsh light on the face makes for the best people pictures.
• For scenic pictures, use the early or late sun to get longer shadows and warmer colors.
10. Be a picture director.
• Take control of the picture, if something is in the way move it, add some props, rearrange your subjects, or try a different view point.
Shoot like a Professional
For sports, the trick is to pre-focus on a spot that the action will take place at. Wait for the action to come to you. Meter on the ground. Try panning with the subject (remember to use a slower shutter speed for panning).
For fireworks you will need a tripod, penlight and cable release. ISO 100 shoot on bulb with f8. Aim up at where the fireworks are going off, push the cable release with the lock on and let a few burst be exposed on the film. Than release the shutter and try it again.
Night city scene or a carnival: tripod, cable release and a penlight. ISO 100 shoot at f8 for 30 seconds.
Portraits, outdoors, with available light: Meter for the dark side of the face, Use a long lens, aperture wide open, (and next week fill in flash).
Portraits of children, same as above, plus allow the children to play and get down to their level when shooting; also get close to your subjects. See the impact your pictures will have when you fill the frame with their face and eliminate the background. Use the fastest shutter speed to stop the movement of the camera and the subjects by opening up the lens to its widest opening (smallest number).
Outdoor scene polarized filter, meter on the ground.
Remember the rule of thirds.
Camera Exposure Modes
1. A (aperture priority)-You select the aperture and the camera sets the proper shutter speed.
2. S (shutter priority)-You select the shutter speed and the camera sets the proper aperture.
3. P (program mode)-The camera sets the proper shutter speed and the aperture.
4. M (manual mode)-You set both shutter speed and the aperture using the built-in light meter.
All other modes like sports, portrait, landscape, night…etc. are variations of the 3 auto modes (A, S, and P).
Flash Exposures
1. Full flash-indoor or night time flash photography.
2. Fill flash-when your subject is back lit and you need to fill in the shadows.
3. Red-eye reduction-fires a pre-flash that is supposed to contract the pupils of your subject’s eyes thereby reducing the flash reflection in their eyes from the actual flash that immediately follows.
Effective Flash
Most cameras have a TTL meter. The TTL meter will control the out-put of the flash by turning it off when enough light hits the subject matter. To use this feature you need a flash that is dedicated to the camera you are using. The built-in flash in your camera uses this feature. With an optional flash you will get more power for greater distances with your flash. Also with a dedicated flash you can add fill-light by changing the control of the flash.
Fill-in flash is great for outdoor portraits. Meter the person you want to take a picture of using the syncing speed or slower. Set the flash to 1 stop under and you will get a 2 to 1 ratio. This will fill-in the shadow area without over exposing the main light source. By using this method you will enhance your pictures and add a “catch light” to the subjects’ eyes.
Custom White Balance
1. Meter on an 18% gray card.
2. Go into custom white balance (C W B).
3. Set the camera to C W B and take a picture of a white card, in the lighting you are under.
4. This will set the camera for the right color temperature of light that you are shooting under. Remember to re-set the white balance when you change the light you are shooting under. If you really need the shot you are taking you might want to save one picture in a RAW format. This will allow you to fix the white balance in the computer instead of the camera.
Tree Tops Park
What equiment is needed:
Camera, tripod, all lens, flash, chair, blanket, white fill card, water, a model and 3 hours of your time.
What you will learn: How to take portrait pictures in the sun, open shade, and backlite using, fill-in white card and fill-in flash. How to pose, and talk to the person, you are photographing. How to take baby pictures, group pictures, and single pictures.
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