New photo book

Photo Impressions Photography Workshop

Course Content And Guidelines

Mentors : Vinay Panjwani Alok Brahmbhatt

About the workshop This basic photography workshop is for those who own a camera, has a spark to go out to shoot, passion for this visual medium of communication and want to grow gradually by self learning. Here in this workshop, we will be helping photography enthusiasts to start their journey in the world of photography. This journey will begin with basics of taking correct picture and eventually equip the photographer to judge each of his picture on his own by reading photographs; technically and aesthetically. Photography is not just a medium of communication it is also a medium of expressions just like poetry or a fiction.

This workshop will make their participants self learner and self dependent by basic dos and don'ts by these expert tutors of the workshop.

Combination of shape with geometry and something you cant describe which is sensitivity or imagination - Henri Cartier Bresson

Photo Impressions Chapter 1 : Different Types Of Cameras Chapter 2 : Camera Components Chapter 3 : Exposure Control Chapter 4 : Photo Compositions Chapter 5 : Travel Photography Chapter 6 : Documentary Photography Chapter 7 : Types Of Lightning Chapter 8 : Common Photography terms

Chapter One Different Types Of Cameras

Types Of Cameras: APS Cameras Compact Cameras Digital Camera Instant Camera One Use Camera Rangefinder Camera SLR Cameras Medium Format SLR Camera Large Format Camera APS Cameras ASP Stands for Advance Photo I System. They come in a wide range of models and in many ways they operate like 35mm cameras but with key differences.

APS film comes in a container, which at first look like 35mm film cassette, however first thing noticeable is that there is no visible film reader. The other feature of container to aid foolproof shooting is an indicator that tells you whether the film has been exposed, partially exposed, unexposed or processed. This is very useful as the processed film is returned to you still in its container and this is how it will be stored, helping to protect it from dirt and dust.

The facility, on certain models, to be able to change the film mid-roll means that you can go from colour to black and white or fast to slow film, depending on the situation, without having waste of a single frame. It is important to understand that APS film can not be used in 35mm and vis- versa.

The facility to change the format of your photograph at anytime, even mid-roll, is one of the most important advantage of APS cameras. Combine with the zoom lens, these different formats should help you to achieve perfectly composed pictures every time.

Pros and cons FOR Wide range of cameras Shoots different formats Can change film mid-roll

AGAINST Expensive to have processed Limited range of film Small negative size

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Compact Cameras Probably the most popular in recent years is the compact cameras. The best part of these cameras is that you don't have to carry bag of accessories as they almost all features are builtin and is easy to use. these cameras use 35mm size film, comes in 12, 24, and 36 exposer lengths and sold in container called cassette. When loaded the film will usually advance automatically. The cassette have all the information about the film, such as its ISO, printed into it in form of code known as DX coding and the camera read the same and set its auto exposure system accordingly. Basic compact cameras have fixed focal length lens. This is typically in the range of 35-45mm. Most compact cameras in the upper price range have auto focus lenses.

These are the great aid to photography when a situation happens quickly and you can just point and shoot without having to set the distance or focus the lens manually. Flash is in-built in these cameras.

Pros and cons For Vast range of the models available Good variety of different films Can be carried in pocket or handbag

Against Poor optics on the cheaper models Limited range of accessories Low power of built-in-flash

Digital Cameras The arrival of the digital cameras has brought a new revolution in the camera technology. Most digital cameras feel and perform like conventional cameras in the sense that you press the shutter release and an image is recorded and if being recorded in a film, a digital image is captured on a “Charge Couple Device� (CCD) through tiny sensors on its surface, this CCD converts into one element of die picture, referred as a pixel. Each photo is made up of millions of these pixels. The more pixels there are the better resolutions of your image and the bigger the enlargement that you print. As well as a conventional viewfinder, most digital cameras have an LCD screen. Not only does this display your image, which you can delete from the memory and re-shoot, but also histogram to help you evaluate the exposure so that every saved shot is perfect. The images are stored in external memory card.

Pros and Cons For View your picture instantly Download images directly into your computer Check exposure immediately

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Against Limited amount of shots per compact flash card Poor resolutions with cheap digital cameras You need a computer for best results

Instant Cameras The first Polaroid camera came on the market in 1948. From that first model, which produced prints with a sepia tone, many advances have been made. As well as offering substantial range of cameras. Polaroid cameras are now very inexpensive to buy but will still provide a range of features. With the rapid growth of digital imaging, Polaroid not very much in trend. Instant cameras, or Polaroid cameras as they are invariably called, have been eclipsed by digital cameras However; they are still the only camera that delivers a finished photograph within seconds without requiring a separate printer.

Pros and Cons For See your pictures within second's Good range of models and formats Professional range of backs available

Against Expensive film Original needs scanning or copying for reprints Increasing competition from digital cameras

One-use Cameras It is now possible to buy a film and get an actual camera included in the price. These cameras are known as disposable or one-use cameras. Many people will think that these cameras are waste of money and not to be taken seriously. But many such cameras give good results as one of the less expensive point-and-shoot compact cameras.

Their greatest use probably for those occasions when you have left your camera at home and realized your mistake too late or when your camera is broken. The reason for saying this is that there is a range of these cameras offering features that your normal camera may not have, Such as built-in-flash, ultra wide angle or stretch , under water versions etc.

Rather than have no camera at all, the one use camera can A popular Fuji Film single use camera abatable in the market. give you die opportunity to get the all-important shot and save the day!

One use cameras comes in variety of range and models, preloaded with colour or B&W film, the majority have built in flash, some can be used underwater, and some takes panoramic view.

Pros and Cons For Cheap to buy Many different versions available Some can be used underwater

Against Poor optic Fixed focal length Accessories unavailable

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Rangefinder Cameras A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus. Most varieties of rangefinder show two images of the same subject, one of which moves when a calibrated wheel is turned; when the two images coincide and focus into one, the distance can be read off the wheel.

Rangefinder cameras, in the medium price bracket, have fallen from popularity in favor of SLRs, Compact or digital cameras. However, those are still made, notably the Leica, are precision cameras and have earned their place not just in camera history but also with many of the photographers who use them. These take 120 roll film and produce and produce negative or transparencies that are 6 X 7cm and 6 X 9 cm respectively.

The camera works by coupling the focusing mount of die lens to a rangefinder mechanism in the camera body looking through the viewfinder you will see two images in the center. These might be the subject that the camera is pointed at or a small circle or square symbol in the middle of the viewfinder.

As you turn the focusing ring on the lens, the two images come closer together until only one is visible. It is at that the subject is sharp and the picture is ready to take. This system has the advantage of accurate focusing in low light conditions or against light coloured backgrounds which some auto-focus cameras have trouble with and, unlike and SLR where there is always that point where die mirror flips upwards and the viewfinder goes black, you have an uninterrupted view of the subject. This is useful when following a moving subject. They are also quite in operation which is useful if you want to remain in conspicuous. For this reason they are favored by many photojournalism. One of the disadvantages is that, unlike an SLR, there is a difference between what the viewfinder sees and what the lens sees. This is called parallax correction marks visible in the viewfinder. These indicate how much compensation is required to allow a correctly composed image to be taken at close range.

In 1924 the Leica was the first 35mm camera on the market. It was invented by Oscar Barnack some ten years earlier and made use of standard commercial cine film. It is this format that is still used today and in amateur photography it is the most popular. Later models use the coupled rangefinder system. The Leica was also the forerunner of the modern 35mm SLR in the it was the heart of a system.

Pros and Cons For Uninterrupted viewfinder Almost silent operation Superb Optic

Against Few models available Close-up work can be problematic Can be very expensive.

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SLR Cameras Although compact cameras are extremely popular with beginners, the 35mm camera that most people who arc serious about photography aspire to is the single lens reflex camera, or SLR as it is most commonly known. These cameras are now so sophisticated they can tackle almost all aspects of photography. The term SLR means that there is only one lens and no obvious viewfinder at the front of the camera. This is because when you hold the camera and look through the eyepiece at the rear of die body the view you are seeing is exactly what the lens sees. The reason for this is that you are actually looking through the lens. When the image passes through the lens it is reflected upside down, at an angle of 45 degrees by a mirror at the back of the camera. At the top of the camera is a penta-prism, a five-sided glass prism. This receives tile reflected image and turns it the right way round and the correct way up, so when you look through the eyepiece the view looks normal.

When the shutter is depressed a sequence of events happens in an amazingly short space of time. The mirror flips out of the way of the film plane. The camera sets itself to the desired aperture and the shutter opens for the selected time. The motor drive then automatically advances the film after the shutter closes. The mechanisms then rapidly reverse the aperture returns to . wide open and the mirror returns so you can see your subject in the viewfinder. - All you are aware of is a brief interruption, as if you had blinked. Of course the slower the shutter speed, the longer this interruption, and it is because of this that some photographers prefer the rangefinder camera. However, on some of the most expensive models the material that the mirror is made of is so sophisticated it allows the image to pass through it onto the film without having to flip upwards. This gives a quieter operation and uninterrupted viewing. Besides the advantages of seeing exactly what the lens sees, focusing is also improved because what is, or isn't sharp will be seen in the viewfinder. This will help you to choose the best aperture not just for exposure but also for depth of field. The camera metering system will judge the exposure through the lens. This is known as TTL. The metering functions will appear in the viewfinder. This gives The advantage of letting you keep your eye to the viewfinder, so allowing you more time to concentrate on the subject. Another advantage of SLR cameras is the vast array of different lenses and accessories. Like rangefinder cameras, these form the basis of a 'system'. Lenses range from extreme wide-angle to ultra telephoto, with zoom, macro and shift lenses in between.

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Extreme close-up facilities enable you to capture minute detail and dedicated flash-guns meter the light through the lens.

Serious photographers The range of SLR cameras is truly phenomenal. Models range from quite modest versions through to the highly sophisticated 'system' versions. For everyday use or special occasions, such as holidays, these are the perfect choice for the more serious photographer.

Pros and cons FOR Excellent value for money Many digital versions available Huge range of lenses and accessories AGAINST Interrupted viewing Noisy operation Slow flash sync No visible viewfinder Because the taking lens is also the viewing lens, there is no need to have a separate viewfinder. The subject the lens is aimed at appears in the eyepiece the correct way up and the right way round through a device known as a penta-prisrn.

Accessories With the enormous range of lenses available for SLR cameras, there is scarcely a situation that can't be photographed to the most exacting standards. The effect of other accessories, such as filters, can be seen immediately in the viewfinder.

Through the lens Because the view you see in the viewfinder is looking through the taking lens, it is possible to place your subject in the frame complete accuracy. Other cameras with separate viewfinders can suffer from parallax error at close distances because of the viewfinder's displacement

Medium Format Camera Medium format has traditionally referred to a film format in still photography and the related cameras and equipment that use that film. Generally, the term applies to film and digital cameras that record images on media larger than 24 by 36 mm (full-frame) (used in 35 mm photography), but smaller than 4 by 5 inches (which is considered to be large-format photography).

In digital photography, medium format refers either to cameras adapted from medium format film photography uses, or to cameras making use of sensors larger than that of a 35 mm film frame. Often, medium format film cameras can be fitted with digital camera backs, converting them to digital cameras, but some of these digital backs, especially early models, use sensors smaller than a 35 mm film frame. As of 2006, medium format digital photography sensors were available in sizes of up to 36 by 48 mm, with 39 million pixels for use with commonly available professional medium format cameras.

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While at one time or another a variety of medium format film sizes were produced, today the vast majority of medium format film is produced in the 6 cm 120 and 220 sizes. Other sizes are mainly produced for use in antique cameras, and many people assume 120/220 film when the term medium format is used.

The main benefit of medium format photography is that, because of the larger size of the film or digital sensor (two to six times larger than 35 mm), images of much higher resolution can be produced. This allows for bigger enlargements and smooth gradation without the grain or blur that would characterize similarly enlarged images produced from smaller film formats. The larger size of the film also allows for better control of the depth of field and therefore more photographic creativity.

Cameras with a bellows typically support 'tilt and shift' of the lens. Together with 1:1 focusing (via a ground glass screen mounted at the rear in the film plane position), this permits landscape photography with an extremely large depth of field — from closest foreground to the far horizon — to be achieved.

Compared to 35 mm, the main drawbacks are accessibility and price. While 35-mm cameras, film, and photo finishing services are generally widely available and cheap, medium format is usually limited to professional photography shops and can be prohibitively expensive. Also, medium format cameras tend to be bulkier than their 35mm counterpart.

All medium-format cameras mass produced today (as of 2008) use the 120 film format. Additionally, many are capable of using the 220 film format, effectively doubling the number of frames available with 120 film. Medium format roll film is still available from specialty shops and photo labs, yet nowhere near as ubiquitous as 135 (35mm) film.

For some professional medium format cameras, those used in school portraiture for example, long-roll film magazines were available. Most of these accommodated rolls of film that were 100 ft (30.5 m) long and 70 mm wide, sometimes with perforations, sometimes without. Many professional medium format cameras are system cameras, which means that they have various interchangeable parts. Like most 35 mm SLRs, these cameras usually support different lenses, but in addition it is also standard for medium-format system cameras to support different winding mechanisms, viewfinders, and camera backs. This flexibility is one of the primary advantages of medium format photography.

Digital photography came to the medium format world with the development of digital camera backs, which can be fitted to many system cameras. Digital backs are a type of camera back that have electronic sensors in them, effectively converting a camera into a digital camera. These backs are used predominantly by professional photographers. As with film, due to the increased size of the imaging chip (up to twice that of a 35 mm film frame, and thus as much as 40 times the size of the chip in a typical pocket point-and-shoot camera) they deliver more pixels than consumer-grade cameras, and have lower noise. Features like fan cooling also improve the image quality of studio models.

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Large Format Camera Large format refers to any imaging format of 4×5 inches (102×127 mm) or larger.

Large format is larger than "medium format", the 6×6 cm (2¼×2¼ inch) or 6×9 cm (2¼×3½ inch) size of Hasselblad, Rollei, Kowa, and Pentax cameras (using 120- and 220-roll film), and much larger than the 24×36 mm (~ 1.0x1.5 inch) frame of 35 mm format.

The main advantage of large format, film or digital, is higher resolution. A 4×5 inch image has about 16 times the area, and thus 16× the total resolution, of a 35 mm frame.

In early photography, large format was all there was, and before enlargers were common, it was normal to just make 1:1 contact prints from a 4×5, 5×7, or 8×10 inch negative.

The most common large format is 4×5 inches, which was the size of common cameras used in the 1930s-1950s, like the Speed Graphic, Crown Graphic, Graphlex, and many others. Less common formats include quarter-plate, 5×7 inches, 8×10 inches (20×25 cm); the size of many old 1920s Kodak cameras (various versions of Kodak 1, 2, 3, and Master View cameras, to much later Sinar etc. monorail studio cameras), 11×14 inches, 16×20 inches, 20×24 inches, various panoramic or "banquet" formats (such as 4×10 and 8×20 inches), as well as metric formats, including 9×12 cm, 10×13 cm, and 13×18 cm, and assorted old and current aerial image formats of 9×9 inches, 9×18 inches (K17, K18, K19, K22 etc.)), using roll film of 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, or 10 inches width or digital sensors, view cameras (including pinhole cameras), reproduction / process cameras, and xray film and digital cameras.

Control Most, but not all, large-format cameras are view cameras, with fronts and backs called "standards" that allow the photographer to better control rendering of perspective and increase apparent depth of field. Architectural and close-up photographers in particular benefit greatly from this ability. These allow the front and back of the camera to be shifted up/down and left/right (useful for architectural images where the scene is higher than the camera, and product images where the scene is lower than the camera), and tilted out of parallel with each other left/right, up/down, or both; based on the Scheimpflug principle.

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Uses The 4Ă—5 inch sheet film format was very convenient for press photography since it allowed for direct contact printing on the printing plate, hence it was widely used in press cameras. This was done well into 1940s and 1950s, even with the advent of more convenient and compact medium format or 35 mm roll-film cameras which started to appear in the 1930s. The 35 mm and medium format SLR which appeared in the mid-1950s were soon adopted by press photographers.

Large-format photography is not limited to film; large digital camera backs are available to fit largeformat cameras. These are either medium-format digital backs adapted to fit large-format cameras (sometimes resulting in cropped images), step and repeat Multi shot systems, or scanning backs (which scan the image area in the manner of a flat-bed scanner). Scanning backs can take seconds or even several minutes to capture an image. When using a “Sinar� Macro scan unit and 54H data files, over 1 gigabyte of data is produced.

Large format, both film-based and digital, is still used for many applications, for example: landscape photography, advertising photos, fine-art photography, scientific applications and generally for images that will be enlarged to a high magnification while requiring a high level of detail.

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Chapter Two Cameras Components

Sensors When using a film camera you can insert any kind of film you want.

It's the film you choose that gives photographs distinctive colors, tones, and grain. If you think one film gives images that are too blue or red, you can change to another film of your choice. With digital cameras, the "film"or image sensor is permanently a part of the camera so buying a digital camera is in part like selecting a permanent film to use. Like film, different image sensors render colors differently, have different amounts of grain, different sensitivities to light, and so on. Other than these aspects there are many more to be looked into in image sensors especially the size of the sensor, which are very important when we consider the quality of the images captured.

An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image to an electric signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices. Initially, charge-coupled devices (CCDs) were the only image sensors used in digital cameras. They had already been well developed through their use in astronomical telescopes, scanners, and video camcorders. However, there is now a well-, established alternative, the CMOS image sensor. Both CCD and CMOS image sensors capture light using a grid of small photo sites on their surfaces. It's how they process the image and how they are manufactured where they differ from one another.

CCD image sensors A CCD is an analog device, which was invented by W.S.Boyle, G.E.Smith and G.G.Amelio at Bell Laboratory in 1970.Charge Coupled Device When light strikes the chip it is held as a small electrical charge in each photo sensor. The charges are converted to voltage one pixel at a time as they are read from the chip. Additional circuitry in the camera converts the voltage into digital information. A chargecoupled device (CCD) gets its name from the way the charges on its pixels are read after an exposure.

The charges on the first row are transferred to a place on the sensor called the read out register. From there, they are fed to

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an amplifier and then on to an analog-to-digital converter. Once a row has been read, its charges in the readout register row are deleted, the next row enters, and all of the rows above march down one row.

With each row "coupled" to the row above in each row of pixels is read on row at a time.

CMOS image sensors.

A CMOS chip is a type of active pixel sensor made using the CMOS A brief Mechanism of how the CCD image sensor capture the semiconductor process. Extra photo it takes. circuitry next to each photo sensor converts the light energy to a voltage. Additional circuitry on the chip may be included to convert the voltage to digital data image sensors are manufactured in factories called wafer foundries or tabs where the tiny circuits and devices are etched onto silicon chips. The biggest problem with CODs is that they are created in foundries using specialized and expensive processes that can only be used to make other CCDs. Meanwhile, larger foundries use a different process called Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) to make millions of chips for computer processors and memory. CMOS is by far the most common and highest yielding chip-making process in the world. Using this same process and the same equipment to manufacturer CMOS image sensors cuts costs dramatically . So, the cost of fabricating a CMOS wafer is significantly less than the cost of fabricating a similar wafer using the specialized CCD process. Costs are lowered even farther because CMOS image sensors can have processing circuits created on the same chip.

With CCDs, these processing circuits must be on separate chips.

Despite their differences, both types of sensors are capable of giving very good results and both types are used by all major camera companies. CMOS can potentially be implemented with fewer components, use less power and/or provide faster readout than CODs. CCD is a more mature technology and is in most respects the equal of CMOS.

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Sensor size Today the sensors used in various digital cameras are of various sizes, such as full-frame 35 mm sensor,1.5x C r o p f a c t o r, 1 . 6 x C r o p factor,4/3,2/3"11/2" etc. The crop factor is the sensor's diagonal size compared to a full-frame 35 mm sensor. It is called this because when using a 35 mm lens, such a sensor effectively crops out this much of the image at its exterior (due to its limited size) This sensor size is what really matters rather than the mega pixel count while choosing a digital camera. Larger the sensor size, higher the quality of images. All other things being equal, larger sensors capture images with less noise and greater dynamic range than smaller sensors . Because of their larger sensors, DSLRs can generally take high-quality pictures at higher ISO speeds, while compact cameras tend to produce grainy images even at ISO 400. This problem is exacerbated by pixel count; doubling the number of pixels on the sensor means that each pixel is half the size, and hence noisier.

Another thing is that as the sensor size increases, the depth of field will decrease for a given aperture(when filling the frame with a subject of same size and distance). This is because larger sensors require one to get closer to their subject, or to use a longer focal length in order to fill the frame with that subject. This means that one has to use progressively smaller aperture sizes in order to maintain the same depth of field on larger sensors. For SLR cameras, larger sensor sizes result in larger and clearer viewfinder images, which can be especially helpful when manual focusing. However, these will also be heavier and cost more because they require a larger prism/pentamirror to transmit the light from the lens into the viewfinder and towards your eye. Another advantage of larger sensors are that they have larger pixels (although Full-Frame 35 mm Sensor this is not always the case), which give -ROD 1.E.X CCC Factor them the potential to produce lower image noise and have a higher dynamic range.

Dynamic range describes the range of tones which a sensor can capture below when a pixel becomes completely white, but yet above when texture is indiscernible from background noise (near black).

Since larger pixels have a greater volume -- and thus a greater range of photon capacity — these generally have a higher dynamic range.

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How Digital Cameras Work

1. The lens forms the image.

2. The image is flashed on a sensor.

3. In a film cameras the image is flashed on film. The picture area of 35mm film is about 24mm by 36mrn in size.

4. A sensor in a digital camera is often smaller than the picture area of a 35mm camera, sometimes much smaller. The uses for digital cameras have correspondingly shorter focal lengths.

The sensor captures the image as a raw digital file. A variant of technologies are used to determine the color value for each pixel.

Depending on the camera settings, the image is converted to a specific size in pixels, compressed and then written to memory.

UNCOMPRESSED FILE COMPRESSED FILE Eventually, you transfer your images to a computer or printer.

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Selecting a Digital Camera

What kind of pictures do you like to take?

- Snapshots of family and friends - Scenery pictures to print out and frame - High quality photo art with nice detail and tonal gradations.

- Telescopic or microscopic photos What size of a camera do you want?

- Pocket size, easy to have along - Handful, but with lots of features - Big handful, with a bigger lens and more adjustments - Hefty, with interchangeable lenses and other attachments - Really heavy, but capable of wonderful quality

Lens - Fixed focal length or zoom?

- If a zoom, what range of focal lengths?

- How large should the maximum aperture be?

Bigger apertures (smaller F number) means faster shutter speeds in low light situations.

- Can you increase the range of focal lengths?

- Are lenses interchangeable?

Viewfinder and LCD monitor - Does the camera have an optical viewfinder? Does it work when you use attachments?

- Does the camera have a LCD monitor?

- How fast is the LCD monitor?

- Can the LCD monitor be rotated independent of the camera orientation? Useful for taking pictures from unusual angles.

- How clear and high resolution is the LCD monitor. Is it clear enough to reliably judge the quality of the picture?

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Built-in flash -How powerful? What is the range of distances over which the flash works?

-Can the flash be used with other attachments, or do they get in the way? O Can you use an external flash?

Storage media -Which type: Compact flash, Memory Stick, Smart Media -How much storage space on the media that comes with the camera, how expensive is it to get more media?

-How easy is it to handle the media? Is it so small you are afraid you will lose it or break it? Is it bigger than you want to make space for in your camera bag?

-What accessories will you need to download the images from the media? Digital film reader? USB cable? Etc. Exposure value choices Most cameras have a range of sensitivity settings, usually expressed in ASA numbers (i.e., 100, 200, 400). The higher the number, the greater the sensitivity. The lower the number, the better the image quality.

Raghu Rai

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Chapter Three Exposure Control

Exposure Controls There are three controls that effect exposure calculations: aperture, shutter and ISO setting.

Aperture and Depth of Field The adjustable size aperture in your lens has an effect on how much of your picture appears sharply focused. The smaller the diameter of the hole (large fstop number), the greater the range of items, at distances closer or further away, that will appear sharply focused (along with the specific subject that you actually focused on).

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A photograph with objects spread over a wide range of distances, where all are clearly focused, is said to have a large depth of field.

The opposite to large depth of field, small or shallow depth of field, is created when you photograph a scene using an aperture with a large-diameter hole (small f-stop number).

These images generally have a single object sharply focused, with the rest of the image blurry or unsharp. Using a shallow depth of field is a great way to ensure that your audience is concentrating on the part of the picture that you, as the photographer, deem as important.

Aperture size is described by an 'f-number', and if your camera lens has manual control this will carry a scale of f-numbers as set out. Digital, advance compacts and most new SLR cameras also display the aperture setting on a small readout screen located on the top of the camera. Unlike the numbers marked on the lens barrel, which represent full f-stop changes, the settings displayed on the small LCD screen often change in quarter or third of an f-stop jumps.

SLR cameras are designed so that you always see the image on the focusing screen with the lens held open at the widest aperture, which is brightest to view and most sensitive to focus. This situation is deceptive, though, if you have set a small aperture -just as you release the shutter the aperture changes to the size you set, so the picture is recorded with far more depth of field than you originally saw on the screen. Some single lens reflex cameras have a depth of field preview or 'stop-down lever'.

Pressing this while you are looking through the viewfinder reduces the aperture size to whatever you have set, so you can visually check exactly which parts of a scene will be sharply recorded. (Although, at the same time, the smaller aperture makes the image on the screen become darker.)

Maximum depth of field Pictures taken with an automatic-only camera will show greater depth of field the brighter the light and/or when fast film is loaded. This is because, in these conditions, the camera automatically sets a small aperture (along with brief shutter speed) to avoid overexposure. A simple fixed-focus compact camera is likely to have its lens set for about 4m with a fixed

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Another way of working, if you have time, is to use the depth of field scale shown on some SLR camera lenses. First, sharply focus the nearest important detail - in the example shown, this reads as 3 m on the focusing scale. Next, refocus for the furthest part you also want sharp, which might be 10 m. Then, refer to the depth of field scale to see where to set focus between the two, and what f-number to use in order to embrace both 3 and 10 m - in this case f5.

Many digital camera users have the advantage of being able to preview the results of their aperture selection on the LCD screen immediately after the image is taken. Unlike film users, they have the advantage of being able to check their zone of sharpness straight away. Using this preview technique it is possible to shoot a range of images at different aperture settings and, after reviewing the depth of field results in each picture, make a final aperture selection.

Maximum depth of field Pictures taken with an automatic-only camera will show greater depth of field the brighter the light and/or when fast film is loaded. This is because, in these conditions, the camera automatically sets a small aperture (along with brief shutter speed) to avoid overexposure. A simple fixed-focus compact camera is likely to have its lens set for about 4m with a fixed aperture of about f8. La this way, you ae.t depth of field from about 2 m to the far horizon. But remember that it remains unchangeable in every shot. To adjust the depth of field when using a manually focused lens, you should first set the lens for the key element in your picture or, if there is not one, then focus for a distance of about one-third of the way into the scene. Se, if the nearest important details are about 2 m (7 ft) and furthest detail 7.5 m (25 ft) from the camera, a difference of 5.5 m (18 ft), set your focus at about 4 m [13 ft). Select your smallest lens aperture (such as i96 or f22), then alter the shutter speed until the meter reads correct exposure. Using a semi-automatic or multi-mode camera, choose 'aperture priority' ('Av' or 'A'), set the smallest aperture your lens offers and the camera will adjust the shutter speed to suit. In poor light, unless you are using fast film, this may lead you to a slow shutter speed - so be prepared to use a tripod or some other means to steady the camera when you are trying to capture large depth of field images.

Minimum depth of field To get minimum depth of field you need a camera with wide aperture lens and a really accurate method of focusing. But remember, using apertures such as f2 means that a fast shutter speed will probably have to be set, to avoid overexposure. In bright lighting, such as a summer's day, it will be helpful to load slow film (for digital users set a low ISO number) into your camera to account for the big aperture hole. There are two other methods for creating a shallow depth of field - use a longer focal length lens or move closer to your subject. Changing to a telephoto lens (or setting your zoom control to the longest setting, sometimes marked as T') gives less depth of field even if you keep to the same fnumber. Remember, however, at this use of shallow, selective focus means there is no

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margin for error in setting the lens for your chosen subject distance. This is especially true with close-ups or macro subjects, where the depth of field is often measured in millimeters (fractions of an inch).

Shutter The camera's shutter is the control that determines the time period that the light coming through the lens (controlled by the Canon EOS REBEL T3 1/250s aperture), is allowed to strike the imaging Focal Length : 75.0mm f/5.6 ISO: 160 sensor. The time that the light is allowed to (35mm equivalent: 1004 mm) strike the imaging sensor is typically quite short, probably averaging at around I /125 of a. second. However times of between I/16,000th of a second, down to perhaps 10 seconds, or longer for a time exposure, are possible, depending on the camera equipment and ISO setting. As with the aperture, each shutter time setting La represents either a doubling, or a halving, of the time the light is allowed to strike the film. So therefore a shutter speed of 1/250 of a second will allow the light to strike the Imaging Sensor for half as much time as a setting of /125th of a second_ Where the aperture setting controls depth of field, the shutter setting can affect movement. If you wish to freeze movement a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second (with a standard lens of around 50mm), or higher, is recommended. If however, you wish to show movement in your image, than a shutter speed of 1 /30th of a second, or lower, would be required.

Remember also that camera shake, which will Canon EOS REBEL T2i 1/2500s result in blurred images, can result from using a Focal Length : 75.0mm f/7.1 ISO: 1600 slow shutter speed, without the benefit of some (35mm equivalent: 455 mm) additional support for the camera, such as a tripod. A handy rule, to avoid camera shake when hand-holding a camera, is to use a shutter speed that is about equal to the focal length of your lens, or higher. Therefore if you are using a 150mm lens (without a tripod or additional support), and you wish to avoid camera shake, you should use a shutter speed of I /125th of a second, or higher (I /250th of a second would be better).

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ISO Setting The ISO setting you use in the camera (presuming you can set it and it's not fixed) is another control, as far as determining exposure is concerned. You will remember that the higher the ISO setting the more receptive the imaging sensor is to light and therefore, less light is needed to form the image. As discussed in a previous chapter, the higher the ISO setting, the greater the attendant risk of producing computer noise within your images. ISO settings are also similar to both the aperture and shutter, in that a doubling of the ISO setting means that you need half as much light to correctly expose your image, given the same lighting conditions. Halving your ISO setting (eg. set at ISO 100 instead of ISO 200) will mean that you need twice as much light to correctly expose your image, again given the same lighting conditions.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Focal Length : 24.0mm (35mm equivalent: 127 mm)

Exposure triangle.

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1/25s f/1.4 ISO: 6400

Chapter Four Photo Compositions

Foreground Composition The composition of a photograph can be enhanced by giving thought to the foreground. A point of interest close to the camera can lead the eye into the picture or can be used ps a framing device. Many a m a t e u r photographers make composition mistakes by not observing what is right in front of them. For example, it is all too easy when a spectacular scene comes into view when driving or walking to just point and shoot. It is only when we see our final prints that we are disappointed with the results. This could be because that view across a lake with the picturesque village on the opposite side is now a great swathe of dull water with blurred buildings in the distance. Or a view from a hilltop that seems to stretch for miles comes out as a mass of sky and no memorable features. Take time to look for a feature in the foreground or choose a different viewpoint other than just standing at normal height. By considering the foreground we can use it to our advantage to hide untidy objects or ugly intrusions in the background of the picture. Such a framing device might be a tree or arch in the foreground that will help hide unwanted detail and lead die eye into the picture, creating a sense of depth. However, care must be taken with exposure when objects are included in the foreground. Check that such objects are not in shadow compared to the middle and background area of the shot. If this is the case and it comes out underexposed the result will be highly unattractive.

Another way to use foreground interest is with perspective. Take for example, a ploughed field or a road. By choosing a low viewpoint we can emphasize the furrows or tarmac which will meet at a point of convergence. This foreground interest will4ead the eye to the horizon or to die next element of detail.

We can use equipment to our advantage as well when looking for foreground interest. By choosing a wide angle lens we can keep objects or people, close to the camera, in focus. This is because such lenses have a greater depth of field than standard or telephoto lenses

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Viewpoint A low viewpoint was chosen when photographing this dandelion. By placing it in the foreground it takes on great presence while the tree in the background, which we know is far larger, diminishes in importance but makes an effective backdrop.

Wide angle lens By combining a wide angle lens with a low viewpoint, the foreground detail in this dry, desert picture has been emphasized. However, it also leads our eye into the photograph, greatly adding to the dramatic perspective of the composition.

Enhancing the picture When photographing water, such as rivers or lakes, the foreground can appear to be dark and gloomy. Using the jetty to the left of the frame has helped to fill a void and has created foreground interest, enhancing the overall composition.

Composition This portrait of a market stall holder in a Moroccan souk has been improved by creating foreground interest. A low viewpoint was taken to increase the height of the spices in the foreground. This helps to lead the eye into the picture and benefits the overall composition.

Selecting A Background Whether you are taking a shot of a person, object or landscape, the background will play a considerable part in its success. When looking at your finished shot, your eye will be confused as to the purpose of the picture if the background is so busy your main subject becomes indistinguishable from it.

The background should act as a backdrop to set off your subject in die same way as a stage set in a theater. Imagine that the backdrop was so busy that the actors were camouflaged by it. It would make for a tedious production and you would quickly lose interest.

Many people think that they have no control over the background, if the subject is a landscape for instance.

Of course you cannot move mountains or uproot trees. However, you can move and often a few inches either way will help to eliminate unwanted background detail. Alternatively, you can change die focal length of your lens. A telephoto lens will enable you to crop out unwanted areas of background and give the impression of compressing the background, by seeming to bring it closer. A wide angle lens, with its greater depth of field, and a low viewpoint can keep both foreground and background sharp. It will also help to lead the eye into the picture and Therefore the background.

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Weather can also create interesting backgrounds. Think about how a storm can suddenly blow up with dark thunder clouds filling the sky in the background. This is especially true if the foreground is still lit by bright sun highlighting buildings and foreground trees.

Another way we can use natural phenomena in a landscape photograph is by looking out for distant hills that make a valley on die horizon as if it is two curtains being drawn back.

Of course, potential backgrounds are everywhere and it could be one that we see every day without giving it a second thought. This could be a weathered stretch of fence or wall. It might even be a doorway or the side of building.

In photographic studios you will often see wide rolls of paper that are known as 'colorama'. These come in long rolls and a multitude of colours. When suspended from the wall or ceiling and then run out along the floor the person or object placed on them look as though they arc floating in space. In some studios where these are a permanent fixture they are know as infinity coves.

With digital photography it is possible to shoot a range of backgrounds, then drop your subjects into them by using a program such as PhotoShop. Many professional photographers now use this method as it cuts down on the expense of having to take models away to a far-off location.

A Filling the frame Filling the entire frame with the fishing nets that this fisherman was repairing in a port in Goa, India, has helped to create an interesting background. Careful positioning was required so that unwanted detail was eliminated.

A Choice of lens A medium telephoto lens was used for this picture of an old woman's hands. By using a wide aperture the depth of field has been reduced, making the background out of focus. This has helped to draw the eye to the hands.

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Texture The texture of this wall and doorway has created an interesting background for this street scene of an old bike.

Although the shot does not make a great statement, it does typify many a traditional French village scene.

Studio backgrounds Many backgrounds in professional photographic studios are just plain rolls of coloured paper. By choosing the right colour they can produce effective background results that highlight the subject in the foreground..

Spontaneous backgrounds Sometimes when we are taking photographs backgrounds create themselves, such as this shot of a model in a village.

The combination of back ground lighting and shallow depth of field have created just the right backdrop to show off her costume.

Perspective Whether they are prints or transparencies, photographs are two dimensional. To prevent your finished picture from looking flat and uninteresting, a three- dimensional sense or perspective needs to be added.

Perspective helps to create a feeling of depth in a picture. Without this depth, the results can look very dull. Perspective can be created photographically by using naturally formed lines to create 'linear' perspective.

Wide angle lenses, with their greater depth of field, help you get in dose to the subject while keeping the background sharp. They also give the illusion of greater space between objects as they recede from the camera. The opposite is true with telephoto lenses where the sense of depth gets compressed and the distance between near and far subjects diminishes. This space between foreground, middle ground and background is essential if a picture is to have life. One of the problems with using a wide angle lens is standing so far away from the subject that the foreground recedes into the background. Don't be afraid to go in close to your subject. This will make it appear bold and startling against a more distant background.

If we stood in the middle of a road and looked along it die edges would appear to meet at a distant point, as though they were converging. This is linear perspective and is apparent even when viewed with the naked eye.

Though we know the road is straight, because it appears to taper, that exaggerates the perspective and gives the feeling that the road goes on for ever. Again, by focusing on something close, such as the center lines of the road, perspective can be enhanced by seeing these lines go from one large strip to one continuous band. The lower your viewpoint the greater this effect. However we could use trees, for

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When photographing buildings it is sometimes necessary to point the camera upwards to be able to get the whole subject in. However, this will result in the building appearing to taper toward the top. This effect is known as converging vertical. Although it may give a false perspective to the building, it can dramatically add to the photograph Landscapes or portrait?

You can alter the sense of perspective by the way that you choose to frame your photograph. Look at these two shots of the seashore. In the portrait version the emphasis is on the sky. While it has interesting cloud formation, it does nothing to draw the eye into the shot and the canyon itself is completely lost.

However, by slightly changing the viewpoint and choosing a landscape format the emphasis has been changed, by increasing the amount of foreground interest the picture now has a far greater sense of perspective. The walls of the canyon in the foreground drop away and the eye looks through the narrow gully, it is then drawn through this gully to the walls of the canyon in the far distance. The space created by framing the scene in this way adds depth and atmosphere.

This is a good example of how important it is to view every conceivable angle to get the best shot. Often it might not be until you examine all your shots together that you will be able to edit out the best one.

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Increasing height Photographing this tree with a wide-angle lens and a low viewpoint has given a false sense of perspective. Look how small the surrounding tower blocks appear, even though they are taller in reality than the chimney.

The arch in this picture acts not only as a framing device but also helps to draw the eye into the picture. We see three essential elements of a good composition: the arch in the foreground, the cypress trees and gardens that form the middle ground, and finally the mountains in the background.

Together they create a true sense of perspective.

Viewpoint By taking a low viewpoint in this shot of a straight road, the receding white and yellow markings help to create an illusion of distance that gives the shot great depth. You can create this sense of perspective by carefully assessing your viewpoint.

Henri Cartier-Bresson (August 22, 1908 – August 3, 2004) was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography. He helped develop the "street photography" or "life reportage" style that has influenced generations of photographers who followed.

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Against The Light Some of the best and most effective pictures can be taken when shooting into or against die light. This method is sometimes known as rcontre-jour and many famous photographers have used it to great effect.

The most important point to remember when shooting against the light is to get the exposure right.

This might seem an obvious thing to say, but if you arc relying on your camera's metering system it can underexpose your shots and if, for instance, your subject is a person, they may appear as a silhouette on the final print.

Many cameras have a back light setting which will compensate for this situation by giving more exposure than would ordinarily be die case.

Alternatively, it might have a program mode for different situations including back lighting. Another method, when shooting into the sun, is to use fill-in flash. This requires a certain amount of experimentation to perfect, but once mastered will produce excellent results.

If your camera does not have these settings or you do not have a flashgun with you, it might be possible to reflect light back into your subject's face by using a reflector. This does not necessarily have to be a custom-made one. It could be improvised quite easily by using a white towel or any other light coloured material.

When shooting into the light, probably the most effective landscapes are those where there is a certain amount of water involved, such as the sea or a lake. This is because the water produces strong highlights and shadow detail. As opposed to photographing people, these situations are best exposed for the highlights. This method will add drama and atmosphere.

When shooting into the light, study the subject carefully and try to look at it from different viewpoints.

It is amazing how just a few meters one way or another can completely change die atmosphere by reducing or increasing the amount of back light. Remember, too, that in the early morning or the evening, the sun is much lower in the sky than at midday This means that it could be shining straight into the lens and causing flare which will ruin your pictures. To avoid this, you will need to shield the light by using a lens hood. (This should be used at all times anyway!) However, with the sun this bright, a lens hood might not be adequate and you will need to hold something larger above the lens, such as yours or a friend's hand.

Early morning light These two young women were photographed in the early morning when the light was still quite low. It is possible to see that the shadows on the ground are coming almost directly to the camera. This type of lighting creates a wonderful halo effect in their hair.

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Photographing dusk Just post sunset, the brightness in the sky is almost equivalent to that of artificial lights – so timing is essential to dusk photography.

Since the brightness levels are descending rapidly and there is just a brief phase when the sky is neither orange / red, nor is it black – it has just a tinge of blue and violet, you need to work fast. A tripod is a must in situations like this. Bracket the shot when unsure. Find a subject that is evenly lit or decorated with artificial light. Set up early, around sunset, and wait patiently for the perfect light. The delicate mix of natural and artificial light creates romantic, colourful and fascinating scenes worthy of being captured.

Point of Focus in landscape photography (when using wide angles) When shooting landscapes, your focus is critical to the effective Depth of Field of the photograph. One way to ensure maximum DOF is to use a smaller aperture and focus at the one-third point, that is, around a third of the way up the image. Focusing far into the image will cause objects in the distance to be sharp, but things close to you as out of focus. Focusing below the one-third point will make the DOF higher in the foreground but distant objects will not be as sharp even though they may appear to be so.

But also keep in mind the focal length of your lens, whether you are shooting a horizontal or vertical frame, the choice of aperture, and how far away the scene is from you. However, if you are trying to highlight a particular point of interest in the frame, then the one-third point can be overlooked.

Zoo photography To avoid bars and glass from being part of the picture, move in close.

Spend time at the zoo – animals will not pose for you – you will have to wait for things to happen.

Feeding time has interesting image possibilities – animals are animated because they are anticipating their food. But they are frisky at these times too. You will end up shooting shaky pictures if you are not careful. Wildlife is not only about the big animals. Many zoos also have insects and reptiles and they are good subjects too.

Look out for interactions amongst the animals especially in groups. Some zoos keep animals surrounded by habitat as close to their natural surroundings as possible. Try and capture this whenever possible.

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Have fun with your sunglasses In the absence of filters for compact cameras you can use your sunglasses for funky effects.

Place them in front of the lens while shooting landscape or shooting in bright sunlight and get the sky a perfect colour. Ensure that the main point of interest lies at the center of the sunglasses so that if you need to crop later, you will not lose out on any important elements.

Lights in motion To capture moving light, use long exposures.

Trails of vehicle lights and moving giant wheels at amusement parks are some examples where light can be captured in motion. It can be interesting to experiment with a subject that has part of the frame steady and some aspects with moving lights, like a cityscape with moving traffic. Use narrow apertures for good Depth of Field and to be able to achieve slow shutter speeds for the moving lights to register in continuity.

When shooting a giant wheel, which is moving lights in a particular pattern or shape (in this case a circle), try and get a good composition by shooting in different angle than just a shot showing the full circle. Alternatively for an absolutely well exposed set of traffic trail shots, a photographer should bracket by adding up to two stops of exposure from what the camera meter suggests ISO could be as low as 50 or 100.

Be wary of a street lights which are too close to the camera. They create unnecessary lens flare in long exposures.

The street should be a broad one busy with traffic, and if the frame can have a traffic roundabout, it will make for a good shot.

Set the camera to manual/shutter priority.

Take the meter reading of the camera and bracket the shots in +½, 1½, +2, +2½ stops of exposure.

If the sky has a bit of element in it the photographs can look different. A higher position is ideal, like a bridge or a roof of a taller building.

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Another quick and simple thing you can do is to simply tilt your camera up and down to see if there is a more interesting composition. Sometimes including more sky might offer an original take on an old subject (as might excluding sky).

You may have seen the shot in our photographs of the Colosseum collection. The reason it was chosen is that it stood out from so many other photographs because it shows the monument from a point of view that isn’t used very often. That alone gives it the originality that many other shots lack.

This photograph of the Eiffel Tower also shows what you can do if you get moving. Taken from several miles away, the shot with the gargoyle in the foreground is one that not many tourists would even think to get.

Get a Detail Shot In the same vein as moving your feet, simply walking closer to get a close up of part of the monument will often give you an original image. Don’t be afraid to choose a specific and interesting part of the subject you are shooting. This might be a head or arm of a statue or a window frame of a building.

The image shows a detail of the domed ceiling at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. By filling the frame with a small but colourful and interesting part of a much larger structure of interest, the photographer has managed to add a lot more originality to his image than many other photographers who photograph St Peters every day.

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Chapter Five Travel Photography

People photography when traveling Travel Photography Photography and travel go together like gin and tonic. Everybody wants to take great photographs when they are seeing new places. The problem is that everybody basically has the same idea and many are likely to see many of the same sites and monuments. A lot of photographs tend to turn out very same and it can get difficult to get a shot that people think is original or it has wow factor. So let’s take a look at the things that travel photographers can do to add a little originality to their shots, even if the shot is of a monument that has been photographed a thousand times that day.

The typical postcard shot of any popular feature or monument will be well known to most people. Often it will be a front on shot of the monument taken in even lighting that gives a good idea of what is there, but isn’t particularly inspiring. That provides a couple of opportunities for any photographer straight away.

Think About Your Angle The most obvious opportunity to change things up when shooting a well-known monument is to move your feet. Find a unique vantage point or walk around until you get to a spot. This might be as simple as lying down on the ground to change your angle or you might have to walk miles or climb a nearby hill to find an angle that hasn’t been done as often. The options here are obviously only limited by the subject, but the basic idea is to move around (usually away from other photographers). Don’t be afraid of looking a little silly by lying down on the ground or getting yourself into strange positions – this is pretty standard fare for photographers searching for new angles!

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The photographer took this image of the Sydney Opera House by getting close and ignoring what everyone else had done when photographing it. It is still very recognizable, but doesn’t suffer from being the same as the majority of other photos that are taken of the same building.

Time of Day The next most obvious thing to do to get a better shot of a popular place or monument is to simply come back at a better time of day when the lighting is more agreeable. Simply planning your touring with better timing can result in much better shots.

This relatively standard composition of the Washington Monument is suddenly a lot more interesting due only to the fact that the photographer took it at a time of day when the lighting is much more interesting. The photographer even discusses his thought process in taking an original photo of a subject that has been shot a thousand times before. It’s an easy thing to do to come back at a better time, but it’s amazing how many people won’t.

Time for Artificial Lighting Moving on from great natural lighting, you can also get great results from photographing popular subjects at time when great artificial lighting is available. This is usually for special events like fireworks or laser shows, but sometimes you can be lucky enough to want to photograph a subject that is lit up nicely at night.

The fireworks in the photograph make a standard photograph really stand out. Compared with a similar photograph, being able to capture a popular building or monument when there is a fireworks show will make any photo stand out.

While it can be an extra hassle to organise your travels around such events, the results can be worth it.

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The night time view of the statue of Christ the Redeemer above Rio de Janeiro provides a great opportunity for photographers to capture lighting that many tourists miss.

Play With Depth of Field There are so many ways that purposefully adjusting your depth of field can be used to improve the originality of your travel photography, that it’s probably easiest to jump into some examples.

Make use of different depth of field.

Often, using a narrow depth of field to isolate a foreground element such as a person, a flower, an animal etc against a famous background can be very effective.

Look for Reflection In a lot of places it pays to look around for things that might be used to reflect the true object that you wish to photograph. Anything from windows to

polished tiles and even puddles can give you a unique way to present a popular subject. While this is a lot easier in modern cities (with lots of glass, steal and tiled architecture) there are also opportunities to employ this tactic elsewhere.

This great shot of Big Ben in London is a perfect example of using reflections to plan an original photograph of a very popular monument. It rains a lot of the time in London so opportunities for reflections shots in puddles are plentiful. This is a perfect example of a photographer who took advantage of that.

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Chapter Six Documentary Photography

Documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle significant and historical events. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, or real life reportage, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit. The photographer attempts to produce truthful, objective, and usually candid photography of a particular subject, most often pictures of people.

Documentary photography generally relates to longer term projects with a more complex story line, while photojournalism concerns more breaking news stories. The two approaches often overlap The Concept of documentary photography is the shot, which aim is to describe the reality and, perhaps, to transfer some important massage or story.

A documentary photographer is close to an independent author or even a poet. The main task consist in finding the way of making your ideas visible. So for a start we need to have the idea or in other words a strong subjects which appeals to us to which we are ready to give our time and energy.

Robert Capa, he says: “If the shot is not good enough it means: 1) a photographer wasn’t too close to the action; 2) a photographer hasn’t read about the event enough; 3) a photographer hasn’t had a close emotional contact with the object of his photography.”

Documentary Photography : Steps 1. Researching the subject 2. Getting Inspired 3. How to present your subject 4. Represent Reality 5. The bigger picture : ELEMENTS 6. Relation with subject 7. Patience 8. Post production 9. Compiling the essay 10. Final Presentation

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Chapter Seven Types Of Lighting

Light is probably the most important thing to think about when trying to take a great photograph. When taking pictures, it is critical at times to be in the right place at the right time to get the perfect light, especially when you’re dealing with the sunrise or sunset.

We can see this in shown example that demonstrates the changes in light in less than 10 minutes while shooting a sunrise landscape photo. The images are jpgs straight from the camera with no processing done and each one using the same graduated filter.

Pretty amazing to see how quickly light can change in a matter of minutes. This example emphasizes the importance of setting up your shot ahead of time and making sure you have the ideal settings ready to get the photo you want. Doing simple tests like photographer did here can help you understand the importance of light in photography and help you become a better photographer.

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key light The key light is the first and usually most important light that a photographer, cinematographer, lighting cameraman, or other scene composer will use in a lighting setup. The purpose of the key light is to highlight the form and dimension of the subject. The key light is not a rigid requirement; omitting the key light can result in a silhouette effect. Many key lights may be placed in a scene to illuminate a moving subject at opportune moments.

High-key lighting High-key lighting is a style of lighting for film, television, or photography that aims to reduce the lighting ratio present in the scene. This was originally done partly for technological reasons, since early film and television did not deal well with high contrast ratios, but now is used to suggest an upbeat mood. It is often used in sitcoms and comedies. High-key lighting is usually quite homogeneous and free from dark shadows. The terminology comes from the key light (main light).

Low-key lighting Low-key lighting is a style of lighting for photography, film or television. It is a necessary element in creating a chiaroscuro effect.

Traditional photographic lighting, three-point lighting uses a key light, a fill light, and a back light for illumination. Low-key lighting often uses only one key light, optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector.

Fill light In television, film, stage, or photographic lighting, a fill light (often simply fill) may be used to reduce the contrast of a scene and provide some illumination for the areas of the image that are in shadow. A common lighting setup places the fill light on the lens axis, roughly perpendicular to the key light.

Fill flash Fill flash is a photographic technique used to brighten deep shadow areas, typically outdoors on sunny days, though the technique is useful any time the background is significantly brighter than the subject of the photograph, particularly in backlit subjects. To use fill flash, the aperture and shutter speed are adjusted to correctly expose the background, and the flash is fired to lighten the foreground.

Most point and shoot cameras include a fill flash mode that forces the flash to fire, even in bright light.

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Short Lighting sometimes known as "narrow" lighting The main light illuminates fully the side of the face turned away the camera. This lighting is generally used for the average oval face of either a man or a woman. It tends to emphasize facial contours more than broad lighting and in conjunction with a comparatively weak fill light, can be used as "strong" or 'masculine" lighting especially adapted for low-key portraits . Short lighting has the effect of narrowing the face and therefore can be used effectively as a corrective lighting technique for round or plump faces.

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Broad Lighting The main light illuminates fully the side of the face turned twords the camera. although this lightning helpes to de-emphasise facial textures, it is primary use as a corrective lightning technique to help widen, thin narrow, faces.

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Rembrandt Light Rembrandt lighting is a lighting technique that is used in studio portrait photography. It can be achieved using one light and a reflector, or two lights, and is popular because it is capable of producing images which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment.

Rembrandt lighting is characterized by an illuminated triangle under the eye of the subject, on the less illuminated side of the face. It is named for the Dutch painter Rembrandt, who often used this type of lighting.

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Full length Lighting One can use all the 5 classic lighting set ups for full length. The only requirement being the main must be either silver umbrella, or the opal light (maxi soft or chabdi) or soft box (bigger than 4'x3') These above lights/accessories in use with one's lights has been designed to throw a wide light source but same time retaining edge to edge even illumination. This lighting is the perfect lighting for full length and group shots.

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Split Lighting Main light can be moved far enough behind the subject so that only half of the face is highlighted and there is no triangular patch of the light on the nearest cheek. This variation of short lighting, known as “Split lightning”, is used only rarely and then to produce moderately dramatic low-key effects. Conceal facial defects in the shadow side of the face, or slenderize a very broad nose.

In this picture the “Split Light” has been created with the help of natural window light, a good example of how we can create portraits at home.

Canon EOS 60D Focal Length : 75.0mm (35mm equivalent: 70 mm)

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1/50s f/5.6 ISO: 500

Butterfly lighting The main light is placed directly in front of the face and cast a nose shadow directly underneath, and in line with the nose. Butterfly lighting is used most successfully with the normal oval face and is considered as type of glamour lighting specially suitable for young women. It is not usually suggested for men because of the way which the subject ear might be highlighted and made undesirably prominent.

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Chapter Eight Common Terms Of Photography

Some of the most used terms used in photography today are listed below for your quick reference.

Aperture An opening or hole within a lens, that restricts the quantity of light that is allowed to pass through the lens and strike the film or imaging sensor. The size of the opening or hole can, in some cases, be varied by a device known as an iris diaphragm which is controlled by a rotating ring on the outside of the lens and in digital cameras it can be changed using dial placed on the camera body. The quantity of light allowed to pass is measured by a system known as f-stops. The aperture is one of the three exposure controls that will determine the correct exposure setting of your photograph. It will also help determine what is in focus in your photograph and what is out of focus.

Available Light or Ambient Light A general term meaning the amount of light that is naturally within a scene without any supplemental illumination such as flashguns or photographic lights.

Artifact A digital defect such as noise or an unwanted pattern that can be caused either by an image capture or processing problem.

Backlighting Either natural or artificial light that is coming towards the camera from the subject.

Bit A bit is the basic unit of digital information and eight bits equals one byte. BA stands for binary digit.

Bracketing A technique that consists of shooting the same scene at different exposure levels in an effort to get the most accurate exposure result.

B Setting A shutter setting which, when used, will allow the shutter to remain open for as long as the shutter release button is depressed. It is normally used in time exposure photography.

Burst Mode A setting on digital cameras that allows the capture of a number of images quick succession without the time delay of downloading on to the cameras storage media.

CCD Stands for Charged Coupled Device and is one of two types of image sensor computer chips.

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Cloning A process in Image Manipulation Applications that allows a part of the image to be copied on to another image or, another part of the Same image.

Closing Down A photographic term used to describe the adjustment of an aperture to allow less light to pass through (higher f-stop).The opposite of opening up.

CMOS Stands for Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor and is the second type of Image Sensor computer chip.

CMYK Printing color model used to mix inks to produce colors. Stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.

Color Cast A overall bias towards one particular color in a color photograph or slide.

Color Correction Refers to the adjustment of an end color result by the altering of the Primary Colors (eg.

Red/Green/Blue or Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Black).

Color Temperature A scale (expressed in degrees Kelvin) that measures the color content of various light sources. Different light sources have a differing color content, which can produce a color cast over a photograph. For instance imaging sensors or film rated for daylight (5600 degrees Kelvin) but used indoors (3400 degrees Kelvin) without flash will produce a red/orange cast unless a color correction filter is used or White Balance (WB) can be adjusted in digital.

Compact Flash A removable memory card for digital cameras to store image files. A smaller version of the PC Card.

Computer Noise Sometimes simply called noise. This term refers to defects in a digital image that can resemble grain in normal film photography. It can be caused by too little light during exposure or, alternatively, a defect in the electrical signal during the image-capture process.

Dedicated Flash A flash designed for a specific camera or range of cameras which links, via contacts normally found in the camera's hot shoe, directly into the camera's circuitry for transfer of information between camera and flash.

Depth of Field Refers to the distance both in front of and behind a subject, that has an acceptable degree of sharpness (appears to be in focus) at any one setting of focus and aperture. As a general rule of thumb the depth of field will extend one third in front of the point of focus and two thirds behind. Depth of field is improved when a lens uses a smaller aperture setting. A shorter focal length lens has a better depth.

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of field than does a longer focal length lens. For instance a wide-angle lens (say 24mm) has better depth of field than a telephoto lens (say 200mm).

Diffuser An attachment or substance (for instance Vaseline gel) that causes light passing through it to divert from its original path and scatter. Used in photography to soften shadows caused by direct light such as a flashgun and also to produce a soft focus effect in photographs.

Directional Lighting Lighting that will produce a scene, as seen by the camera, that is well-lit on one side and shadowed on the other.

Direct Vision Viewfinder Common in all compact cameras, the direct vision viewfinder allows the user to view the subject directly without the aid of a mirror and pentaprism as utilized on 35mm SLR cameras.

Downloading The reception of data (files) from another computer device.

DPI Abbreviation for dots per inch. Refers to how many dots of ink a printer can produce per linear inch.

DX CodeSystem for automatically setting the film speed and length in a camera by means of electrical contacts in the camera's film chamber which read a pattern stamped on the film cassette.

Dye-Sublimation(dye-sub) A digital printer capable of producing excellent prints.

Electronic Flashgun A device designed to provide illumination (rated at daylight color temperature) that can be either built into the camera or a stand-alone accessory.

Enlargement Any print that is bigger than the original file, negative or slide that was used to produce it.

Expiry Date A date (normally printed on the box that film comes packed in) by which time the film's maker recommend you have the film processed in order to get the optimum results (Does not apply to digital photography).

Exposure The end result of the combination of the quantity (intensity) of light (controlled by the aperture) and the amount of time this light is allowed to strike the film or imaging sensor(controlled by the shutter).

Exposure Latitude This refers to the amount you can either underexpose (not enough light intensity or time, or a combination of both) or over-expose (too much light intensity or time, or a combination of both).

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Exposure Meter A device designed to measure the amount of light either falling on, or being reflected by an object. Most modern cameras have exposure meters built-in but there are also hand-held models for specific applications.

Fast Film or High ISO Number Imaging sensor or film that has a high ISO Number and thus is very sensitive to light.

File Format The way an image is stored in a computer file, eg. TIFF, JPEG and EPS, PNG. Fill Light Additional lighting introduced into a scene, designed to lighten shadows.

Film A thin transparent plastic material coated with a light sensitive emulsion which after exposure and processing carries a visible image. This image can be a negative (as is the case with film designed to produce prints) or a positive (as in the case of slides or transparencies).

Film Speed or ISO Number The degree to which an imaging sensor or film is sensitive to light. The higher the ISO Number the more sensitive to light it is and it therefore needs less light to produce acceptable results. However higher ISO Numbers can produce photographs with a grainy result if they are enlarged.

Filter Normally a glass attachment (although other materials are used) that attaches to either the front of the lens or in some cases the light source (eg. flashgun) and modifies the light that passes through it.

Filter Factor The amount by which exposure calculations must be increased to allow for the reduction of light caused by the filter. (Not applicable to 35mm SLR cameras where the cameras meter is used to calculate exposure settings).

Flare Glare that has been transmitted from shiny backgrounds, which can result in reduced contrast, and shadow areas that lack detail. May also result in a bright hot spot in your image.

Flash Synchronisation A method (usually electrical) of firing a flashgun at the precise moment that the camera's shutter is fully open.

Flat Lighting A term that describes low contrast lighting that fails to model the subject. In photographic terms this expression is also used to describe front lighting where a single light source is mounted on the camera quite close to the lens.

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f-stops Numbers engraved on the rotating ring located on a lens barrel that controls the size of the aperture. They are calculated by dividing the focal length (see Focal Length) of a lens by the effective aperture. For example a 100mm lens with an effective aperture of 25mm results in f4 (100mm/25).The same f-number on different lenses will allow exactly the same amount of light to pass through to the imaging sensor.

Higher f-numbers allow less light to pass through to the sensor. For example on a 50mm lens a f 16 setting means that the aperture has an effective opening of 3.13mm (50mm116); whereas a f4 setting on the same lens means that the effective aperture is 12.50mm. Obviously an aperture of 12.50mm will allow more light to pass through to the sensor than a 3.13mm aperture. Each f- number indicates either a doubling (lower fnumber) or halving (higher f-number) of the amount of light allowed to pass through to the sensor. Remember that the higher f-number used, the greater the depth of field (see Depth of Field).

Focal Length The distance between the face of the rear lens element and the film plane when the lens is set to infinity.

Focal Plane The point within the camera where the light being reflected through the lens is in focus when the lens is set to infinity. It is at this point that the imaging sensor is positioned.

Focal Plane Shutter Used in most 35mm cameras, this is a curtain or blade that is positioned directly in front of the film and controls the amount of time that the light, passing through the lens, is allowed to strike the imaging sensor (not used in digital cameras).

Focus Achieved when light that is passing through a lens converges to form a sharply defined image on the imaging sensor.

Focusing Scale Markings that are etched on the focusing ring of the lens.They indicate the distance between the camera and the subject.

Gamut The range of colors that a device such as a monitor or printer can reproduce. Colors that cannot be reproduced by these devices are said to be out of gamut.

GI F Stands for Graphics Interchange Format, which is one of the two image file 1 used on the World Wide Web (WWW). The other format is JPEG. Gigabyte 1024 Megabytes or I billion. Abbreviated as GB. Grayscale Where an image consists of tones that run solely from white to black.

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formats

Guide Number (GN) A number that is used to indicate the strength of light that is outputted by a Highlights The brightest area in any particular subje Hot Shoe This is a fitting on top of the camera, normally directly over the lens (unfortunately!) which allows a flashgun to be mounted. Most modern cameras with Hot Shoes (usually 35mm SLRs) have electrical contacts that allow data to be passed between camera and flashgun.

Incident Light Refers to light that is falling on to a subject. Light that is reflected by a subject is called reflected light. Understanding the difference can be important in determining exposure setting especially in difficult lighting situations.

ISO International Standards Organization. Current standard for determining a imaging sensors or film's sensitivity to light. It has replaced the older ASA and DIN systems. A doubling of the ISO number indicates a doubling of the sensor or films' sensitivity to light.

For instance a sensor or film with an ISO number of 200 needs half as much light as one with a 100 number to correctly expose the same scene.

J aggies Refers to an image that has edges that appear jagged due to being printed at too low a resolution.Also known as Aliasing.

JPEG One of the two formats used on the World Wide Web (WVVW).The other is GI F. Key Light The main light illuminating a subject.

Kilobyte 1024 bytes. Abbreviated as K or KB. LCD Liquid Crystal Display. A type of viewing screen found on digital cameras.

Lens An optical device capable of both collecting and bending light.

Low Key Lighting Lighting that produces results that are dark, heavy and have few highlights. The term low key image refers to a photograph that is the result of such lighting.

Marquee An outline (dotted) that results when you select a portion of an image with one of the image manipulation applications selection tools.

Megabyte 1024 Kilobytes, abbreviated as MB.

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Megapixel 1,000,000 pixels. A term used by some digital camera manufacturers to describe their product's ability to capture large amounts of image data.

Memory Stick A virtually new storage device that at the moment is exclusive to Sony digital cameras and other Sony products.

Mode Some compact and 35mm SLR cameras have a number of different modes under which they may operate. For instance a 35mm SLR might possess both an aperture priority mode and a shutter priority mode. In the aperture priority mode the user selects the desired aperture and the camera automatically sets the shutter speed.The reverse applies in shutter priority mode. Some cameras have a program mode where both the shutter speed and aperture settings are calculated automatically.

Monochrome In real terms this means single color. However in photography the term is used to denote black and white film or prints Motor Drive A device, either built-in or attached to a camera, that automatically advances the frame once an exposure is made. Some models allow for rapid firing of frames (up to 10 frames per second). On some cameras the motor drive will automatically rewind the film after the last frame has be exposed.

Negative Developed film where the image highlights (light areas) and shadows are reversed. When projected on to photographic paper and developed this is reversed and the final image is comparable to the original scene.

Negative Film Film that, when processed, will produce a negative..

Opening Up A photographic term used to describe the adjustment of an aperture to allow more light to pass through (lower f-stop).The opposite of closing down.

Over-exposure This occurs when film, imaging sensor or photographic paper is either exposed to too much light or for too long a period, or a combination of both.

Parallax Error This is a problem that occurs in compact cameras (but not 35mm SLR's) where what the camera user sees through the viewfinder is not exactly what is recorded. Compact camera manufacturers usually provide parallax error lines in the viewfinder to help in countering this problem. Short distances (less than 2 meters) may make this assistance redundant.

PCMCIA Card Storage device used in some digital cameras. Most often simply called a PC Card.

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Perspective The use of various elements in a photograph to portray an impression of depth. Elements that can be used include lines that converge, differences in scale and changes of tone.

Pixel The pixel is the basic building block of an image. The word pixel is a derivative of picture element.

PPI Pixels per Inch. A term used to define image resolution, which measures an image in the number of pixels per linear inch. The higher the PPI the better the image.

Red Eye The effect created when a flashgun illuminates the blood in a subject's eyes and, as a result, turns them red.

Reflector Any apparatus that is used to collect light and redirect it to another area. in photography reflectors are used to lessen shadows within an image.

Resolution Refers to the number of pixels per linear inch in a digital image. In general, the higher the resolution the better the image. Resolution can refer to digital images, printers, scanners and computer screens.

RGB Stands for red, green, blue - the standard color model for digital images.

Sharpening Using an image manipulation application to apply a image-correction filter to a digital image that will create the appearance of sharper focus.

Sharpness A photographic term used to describe image clarity, which is affected by the accuracy of focus, lack of movement within the subject, and contrast.

Shutter A device that is used to control the amount of time light is allowed to strike the film.

Shutter Speed The amount of time a shutter stays open and allows light to fall on the sensor. Shutter speeds are mainly expressed in fractions of a second starting at perhaps 1/2000th of a second and ending at 1,2,3 or 4 seconds. Each shutter speed setting represents either a doubling or halving of the time that the light is allowed to fall on the film. For instance if you change the shutter speed from 11250th to 1/125th of a second you double the amount of time that the light is allowed to fall on the film. Conversely if you change the shutter speed from 1/250th to 1/500th of a second you 'halve the amount of time light is allowed to fall on the film.

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Slave Unit A small electronic device that when attached to a stand-alone flashgun will automatically fire it at the same instant as the primary flash is fired.

Slide Film/Fast ISO A film type that produces slides that are intended for projection. Sometimes called transparency film.

Slow Film/Slow ISO A film that, due to its low light sensitivity, will require more exposure than a fast or medium film.

SLR (Single Lens Reflex) A camera system that allows the photographer to see the subject by means of light passing through the lens and being reflected, via the mirror, to the viewfinder in the pentaprism.When the shutter is fired the mirror flies up and allows the light passing through the lens to strike the sensor.

Smart Media Another type of removable memory card used to store images in digital cameras.

TIFF Tagged image File Format - a way to store digital images without compression and possible image degradation.

Time Exposure A term designating an exposure time that is considered long (normally longer than one second).

TTL (Through the Lens) A metering system that measures the actual light that passes through the lens. Normally found only on 35mm SLR digital and film cameras.

Under-exposure The result achieved when you allow either too little light to reach the sensor, or allow it to fall on the sensor for too short a time, or a combination of both.

Unsharp Mask A function of scanner and image editing applications that creates the appearance of a sharply focused digital image. See Sharpening.

White Balance (WB) The adjustment of a digital camera to compensate for the type of light that illuminates the subject being photographed. For instance the correct white balance setting can remove the green color cast that results from photographing a subject under fluorescent lights.

8-bit, 16-bit and 24-bit images An 8-bit image contains 256 (or less) colors, while a 16-bit image contains 32,000 colors, and a 24-bit image contains 64,000,000 colors.

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Photo Impression 2012 Cover and book design Shekhar Nirmal

“Seeing is not enough; you have to feel what you photograph” – Andre Kertesz