Jamel gantt discover some new photography techniques

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

2

1 1 1000 500

2.8

4

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

The rule of thirds JJ

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

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

The end Tips and techniques f o r b e tt e r p h o t o g r a p h y