Introduction to photography Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r p h o t o g r a p h y
Photography JJ
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Greek for “painting with light” Can be considered both an art and a science
• P h o t o g r a p h y i s a s c i e n c e , b e c a u s e there are basic principles of physics that govern success • P h o t o g r a p h y i s a r t b e c a u s e i t s beauty is subjective
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
First photograph taken by Joseph NicĂŠphore NiĂŠpce in France. in 1826, on a bitumen coated aluminum plate
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Exposure
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Stops JJ
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The amount of light that strikes the film/chip is measured in stops and is also known as exposure value (Ev) A difference of 1 stop is a doubling or halving of the light making the image A stop is used to measure the differences in Ev of apertures, s h u tt e r s p e e d s a n d f i l m s p e e d s “Fast� means the camera can expose a photo quickly
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Film Speed Film
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Film Speed JJ
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Film speed is a measure of the sensitivity of the film or sensor in a camera. It i s m e a s u r e d i n v a l u e s u s i n g a n International Organizations of St a n d a r d s ( ISO ) n u m b e r . U s e d t o b e m e a s u r e d i n A m e r i c a n St a n d a r d s A s s o c i a t i o n s ( ASA ) n u m b e r s ISO n u m b e r s a r e u s e d i n b o t h film and digital cameras
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Film Speed JJ
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ISO n u m b e r s c o m e i n a w i d e range, but standard numbers are 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200 ISO n u m b e r s a r e l i n e a r i n t h e i r relationship T h e h i g h e r t h e ISO n u m b e r , t h e more sensitive the film/sensor and also the more noise or grain in the image
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Film Speed
L o w ISO
H i g h ISO Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Shutter Speed Shutter
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Shutter Speed JJ
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Controls the amount of time t h e s h u tt e r o r c u r t a i n i s o p e n S h u tt e r s p e e d i s m e a s u r e d i n fractions of seconds Depending on the camera, it may s h o w t h e s h u tt e r s p e e d w i t h o u t the numerator, i.e. 250 instead of 1/250
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Shutter Speed JJ
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C o m m o n s h u tt e r s p e e d s a r e 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000 A doubling or halving of the t i m e v a l u e (Tv) r e p r e s e n t s o n e s t o p o f EV A f a s t s h u tt e r s p e e d f r e e z e s t h e action of an image C o n v e r s e l y , a s l o w s h u tt e r s p e e d blurs the action of an image
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Shutter Speed F a s t s h u tt e r s p e e d
S l o w s h u tt e r s p e e d
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Shutter Speed F a s t s h u tt e r s p e e d
S l o w s h u tt e r s p e e d
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Aperture Aperture
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Aperture JJ
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Aperture is the size of the hole in the diaphragm that allows light into the camera The larger the hole, the more light that enters the camera in a given time A p e r t u r e v a l u e s (Av) a r e measured using f-stops, shown as f/# (i.e. f/16)
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Aperture JJ
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The image at left shows common f-stop values and how they appear A change of 1 f-stop doubles or halves the light entering the camera Smaller f-numbers represent wider apertures, and larger f-numbers are smaller apertures Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Aperture
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T h e Av c o n t r o l s t h e a m o u n t o f depth of field in an image The wider the aperture, the more shallow the depth of field, and vice versa Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Av & Tv together JJ
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The wider the aperture used, the less time – i.e. the faster s h u tt e r s p e e d – i s n e e d e d t o properly expose the image Conversely, the slower the s h u tt e r s p e e d , t h e s m a l l e r t h e aperture needs to be For any image, there are a number of combinations that will make a correct exposure f-s top
Shutter s peed
1.4
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1 1 1000 500
2.8
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5.6
8
11
16
1 250
1 125
1 60
1 30
1 15
1 8 Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lighting JJ
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Light is the essential ingredient of photos One of the skills that separates photographers from snap shooters is the ability to solve lighting problems There are 2 primary factors to consider for light: direction and colour
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lighting - direction JJ
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The direction the light comes from can make the image seem flat or 3-dimensional Front lighting is easy to photograph, but images are generally flat Top lighting, such as from the sun overhead, Also makes the image flat, and shadows are short and dark Side lighting will emphasize texture and contours, and create long shadows Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lighting - direction
Front lighting
Side lighting
top lighting
b o tt o m l i g h t i n g
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lighting - Colour JJ
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The colour of light is measured by temperature in Kelvin (°K) The colour of natural light changes through the day Humans respond psychologically to different colours, therefore the colour of a photo will affect emotional responses Light that is in the reds, oranges and yellows is said to be “warm”. Conversely, “cool” light is blue in tone Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lighting - Colour
Warm lighting
Cool lighting Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lighting - Colour JJ
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When taking a photo with a digital camera, the White B a l a n c e s e tt i n g o f a c a m e r a will affect the colour cast of the image, balancing the lighting of the subject T y p i c a l w h i t e b a l a n c e s e tt i n g s of a camera include: Tungsten, Florescent, Shade, Sunny, Cloudy, Flash, Auto and Manual Filters can also be used to affect the colour of light in the image Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lighting - Colour
Flash/mid-day
Tungsten
Florescent
Cloudy
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Camera shooting modes JJ
All digital cameras have various modes for shooting
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Camera shooting modes JJ
Scene Modes take the guess work o u t o f s e tt i n g p r o p e r e x p o s u r e • M o d e s i n c l u d e p r e s e t s f o r t a k i n g p h o t o s i n a v a r i e t y o f s e tt i n g s such as at night, on the beach or snow, or for portraits
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Manual modes allow for more creative control • a G r e a t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f c a m e r a s e tt i n g s i s r e q u i r e d
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Composition
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Lenses JJ
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The length of a lens is measured i n m i l l i m e t r e s (mm), o r e q u i v a l e n t for point-and-shoot cameras Low numbers are considered wide lenses, while high numbers are considered long lenses
• A w i d e l e n s , i . e . , 1 8 mm, i s u s e f u l f o r landscape photos • A l o n g l e n s , i . e . , 3 0 0 mm, i s u s e f u l for close-ups of wildlife
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Human eyesight is equivalent to about 50mm
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Depth of Field JJ
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D e p t h o f f i e l d (DoF) i s t h e “ z o n e o f acceptable sharpness” DoF is controlled by aperture and distance to subject • T h e c l o s e r t h e s u b j e c t , t h e s m a l l e r t h e DoF
• T h e w i d e r t h e a p e r t u r e , t h e s m a l l e r t h e DoF
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Depth of Field
Distant - deep DoF
Close - Shallow DoF Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Depth of Field
Small Aperture - deep DoF
Large Aperture - Shallow DoF Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
The rule of thirds JJ
The “rule of thirds� states that when composing your photo, place the centre of interest at a junction of the lines that trisect the image
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
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Also, when composing landscape shots, the horizon line should be on one of the intersecting lines
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Framing JJ
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Framing is using a foreground object to “frame� the subject of the photo The frame should be appropriate to the subject The frame should have its own aesthetic value Render the frame sharply, or blur it away
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Framing
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Fill The Frame If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough. R o b e r t C a p a , W o r l d W a r II p h o t o j o u r n a l i s t JJ
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If you can’t get closer to your subject, use a longer lens to fill the frame Filling the frame refers to the primary subject, not extraneous objects
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Fill the frame
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Portrait Techniques JJ
The subject should face into the image so that there is more space in front than behind
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Portrait Techniques JJ
Subjects usually shouldn’t be square on to the camera
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Landscapes JJ
Try to include an object to create sense of scale
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Landscapes JJ
Horizon Line should be placed to emphasize either the sky or the land
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Landscapes JJ
Horizon Line should be placed to emphasize either the sky or the land
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Landscapes JJ
Focus on a detail within the scene to add interest
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Landscapes JJ
Try to use a line that will lead the viewers eye into the picture
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
Final tip
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There are no rules in photography
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
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The subject should face into the image so that there is more space in front than behind
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
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Subjects usually shouldn’t be square on to the camera
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
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Horizon Line should be placed to emphasize either the sky or the land
Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r photography
The end Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r p h o t o g r a p h y