Photography Assignment Sheets

SUNSET PORTRAIT This sheet will teach you how to capture a portrait image against an early sunset. Š SLR Photography Guide

PHOTO ASSIGNMENT No more frustration when attempting to photograph a person or subject against an early sunset. Simply follow the f/4 rule listed below from the good old film days and your set.

Camera Settings For f/4 Rule When photographing a subject against a sunset, set your camera to manual mode with an f/4 aperture.

Now choose a matching ISO/ Shutter Speed combination. For example, if you choose ISO 400, set a matching Shutter Speed of 1/400 second. If you choose ISO 800, set a Shutter Speed of 1/800 second and so forth.

Note, if you are hand holding your camera make sure you select a ISO and Shutter Speed combination that is faster than the length of your lens.

For example, if you are using a wide angle 24mm focal length, select a shutter speed faster than 1/24 of a second. Hence the ISO 100 with 1/100 second shutter speed is your best option. Always aim for the lowest ISO possible.

If you are using a focal length of 300mm. Use ISO 400 + 1/400 second shutter speed combination and so forth.

SHORT NOTE These settings will help get you quickly into a good ball park to start with. It's then up to you to tweak the settings depending on your creative vision for the shot.

ASSIGNMENT CARD: SUNSET PORTRAIT

CONTRASTING LIGHT This sheet will teach you how to handle bright subjects against dark backgrounds and vice versa. The more you practice seeing tonalities in a scene, the easier it will become to quickly select camera settings.

Š SLR Photography Guide

PHOTO ASSIGNMENT When using the camera's default metering mode (Matrix Metering or Evaluative Metering mode), the camera divides the entire frame into multiple segments, takes a meter reading from each segment and averages it out, giving more emphasis to the center of the frame.

Therefore as a photographer, you need to take the average tonality of the entire frame and over expose the image if the average is on the brighter side, or under expose if the average tonality is on the darker side.

Example #1 - Tiger There are more darker tones in this image than lighter ones.

Therefore you'll need to under-expose the shot by -1 or -2 when using Matrix / Evaluative metering mode.

Example #2 - Bird Same as above, there are more darker tones in this image than lighter ones. Therefore you'll need to under-expose the shot by -1 or -2 when using Matrix / Evaluative metering mode.

Example #3 - Zebra The overall tonality of this scene is even throughout. Therefore there is no reason to under or over expose the shot. The camera should do a great job on exposing the image automatically when using Matrix or Evaluative metering.

Example #4 - Eagle The overall tonality of this scene is brighter in tones. Therefore to bring out the details in the Eagle's darker feathers, you'll need to over-expose the shot by +1 or +2 when using Matrix / Evaluative metering mode.

ASSIGNMENT CARD: CONTRASTING LIGHT

MOON This assignment sheet will teach you how to capture all the phases of the Moon. Š SLR Photography Guide

PHOTO ASSIGNMENT As with all night sky photography, these settings are a basic starting point from which you may need to tweak your settings after taking a couple of test shots. If you find a test shot too dark, increase your ISO or lower your aperture f/number. If you find it too bright, decrease your ISO or increase your aperture f/number.

When using a tripod, your lens vibration reduction / image stabilization should always be turned off. Otherwise in searching for vibration, your lens may actually cause movement, creating images that are less sharp than they otherwise would be.

Other Settings To Try: Full Moon 1/250sec, f/11, ISO 250 Gibbous Moon 1/125sec, f/11, ISO 250 Quarter Moon 1/60sec, f/11, ISO 250 Wide Crescent 1/30sec, f/11, ISO 250 Thin Crescent 1/15sec, f/11, ISO 250 Earthshine 2sec, f/2.8, ISO 250

Bright Moon

Crescent Moon

- Shutter Speed 1/500 sec - Aperture f/5.6 - ISO 400-800

- Shutter Speed 1 sec - Aperture f/5.6 - ISO 400-800

- Use a tripod and remote release, or set a 2 second Self Timer to trigger the image.

- Use Manual Mode.

SHORT NOTE The brighter the moon, the faster your shutter speed needs to be. If you find an image too dark, increase your ISO or lower your aperture f/number. If you find it too bright, decrease your ISO or increase your aperture f/number.

ASSIGNMENT CARD: MOON

FIREWORKS This assignment sheet will teach you how to capture fireworks. What you'll need: Camera and wide angle lens, tripod, cable release or remote timer.

© SLR Photography Guide

PHOTO ASSIGNMENT Arrive early to scout out your location. Think about the wind direction. If you’re downwind from the display, the air will quickly become filled with smoke haze, which is not ideal. If you can, try and position yourself upwind to avoid this.

Manually set the focus for your scene before it gets dark. Focus on infinity or on an object in the distance. Once the fireworks begin, you’ll be ready to start shooting. If you have an issue mid-show, turn autofocus back on and shoot a distant well-lit object, then turn it back to manual focus again.

Method 1

Method 2

- ISO 200 - Aperture f/8 - Shutter Speed 2 seconds - Ignore the exposure line

- ISO 200 - Aperture f/11 - Ignore the exposure line

Take a test shot. If the results are too bright increase the aperture number to f/11, if too dark decrease aperture to f/5.6 or f/4

Instead of choosing a shutter speed, set the camera to Bulb (B) which allows you to keep the shutter open as long as you want.

The longer you keep it open, the more bursts you will capture in a single shot.

1. Use a sturdy tripod and cable release or wireless remote to trigger the shutter 2. Set camera to 'Manual Mode' (Method 1) or 'Bulb' Mode (Method 2) 3. Turn your onboard Flash OFF if you have one 4. Turn OFF Autofocus and Image Stabilisation / Vibration Reduction 5. Image Quality - RAW 6. White Balance - AUTO 7. Drive Mode - Single Shot 8. Focus Manually on infinity SHORT NOTE When shooting with longer shutter speeds you need to use a tripod and remote release for sharp images. Sometimes when shooting on manual mode you need to ignore the exposure line and decide for yourself what shutter speed works best.

ASSIGNMENT CARD: FIREWORKS

100 PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENT SHEETS NEW Photography Assignments, covering everything you can imagine.

Learn More https://www.slrphotographyguide.com/photo-assignments/

LIGHT PAINTING This sheet will teach you how to blend light painting techniques along with a Milky Way landscape.

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The purpose of light painting is to give recognizable detail to the landscape foreground so you only need to make one exposure. One shot makes post processing easier, as you don't have to combine separate exposures for the sky and foreground. Your light source can be something as simple as a flashlight, headlamp, flashlight app on your mobile phone, car headlights. i.e anything that gives off light.

First step is to take test shots of the landscape with ambient light to make sure you've exposed correctly for the sky and stars. Once you have a good night time exposure, start light painting the scene, but don't change the camera settings.

Camera Settings Manual Mode Shutter Speed20-30 seconds Aperture: Wide open f/2 .8-f/4 ISO 1600-3200 Take a test shot to expose for the Milky Way or Stars first.

Once you are happy with the results, then bring in the light painting.

1 . Use a tripod and remote release 2. Set camera to Manual Mode 3 . Tum off Image Stabilisation/ Vibration Reduction 4. Image Quality- RAW 5. White Balance- Daylight/ Sunny 6 . Drive Mode- Single Shot 7. Focus Manual

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HOW DID YOU GO? • Did you have fun experimenting with different light positions?

• Were you able to capture the night sky and light painting on the foreground?

ASSIGNMENT CARD: LIGHT PAINTING