Light, Focus, CompositionDigital Photography Basics

Photography

• The meaning of the word photography is a Greek word that means "light writing" or literally - writing with light.

• It’s not about only “taking pictures” it’s about using the camera as a tool to explore and understand other subjects.

Lighting

• Direction

• Quality

• Intensity

• These characteristics of light each have a dramatic effect on your pictures

The best source of natural light is the sun

• But it is best to avoid taking pictures at noon, when the sun is at its zenith. – It throws very short shadows and produces an intense, white light that is

not good for taking pictures.

• The best light is when the sun is lower on the horizon– either in the morning or in the evening. – During these hours, light has a soft golden red hue that adds to the

colors in the picture. – Some photographers suggest taking landscape or outdoor pictures two

hours before sunset or two hours after sunrise.– If you are photographing in sunlight, try to position yourself so that the

sun hits your subject from the side, this will give you nice 'modeling' and help create a 3D effect in the picture.

– Sunlight behind the subject can give a very pleasing 'backlight' effect but be careful that you are not getting 'flare' in the lens, which degrades the contrast of the image.

Composition

• Rule of Thirds– Instead of placing the main focus of interest in the centre of the frame,

you look to position it on an intersection of the thirds. (like a tic tac toe board).

• Kodak’s Site: – Photography Hints:

• http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=38/39&pq-locale=en_CA

– Interactive Demo: • http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=38/39/6369&pq-locale=en_CA

• National Geographic– Adventure Photography:

• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pathtoadventure/phototips/

Simple IdeasTRY THESE• Mover closer to your subject! Use the zoom lens to get closer.• Think composition. Try not to center your main subject. Apply the

Rule of Thirds.• Think vertical. Take “portrait” (vs. landscape) type photos for

vertical-based subjects (people, trees, flowers, etc.).• Working with lighting. The best quality photos are taken outdoors. If

you have to take a photo indoors, remember that your flash is only good up to 10 feet distance.

Photographing people:• Move closer to people when taking their photo. People doing

activities make good photos. • For portraits, “head and shoulder” shots are the best (crop the feet

out).• For creative photos, try photographing above or below your subject.

Get on your hands and knees, typically not at “eye-level,” for those award winning shots.

Quality: Know your Resolutions

Typical resolutions:

• 640x480- great for web only use.

• 800x600- OK for multi-purpose use with consideration to storage space.

• 1024x768- best overall for use with both web and small prints.

• 1472x1104- 1.6 megapixel overkill for web images, good for small prints.

• 1600x1200- ~2 megapixel quality

• 2000x1500- 3 megapixel quality

• 3000x2000- 6 megapixel quality

Megapixel: More pixels = better image detail and quality.

• 1mp- looks good on a computer screen, with limited features and prints good to 3 x 5 size.

• 2mp- pictures look good on a computer screen and provides quality prints up to 5 x 7 size.

• 3mp- quality camera with many advanced features and prints to 8 x 10 size.

• 4, 5, 6+mp- high-end camera with quality optics, many advanced features and prints to 11 x 14.

Editing

• Resizing– Always make a new file by choosing 'save as' and giving the photo a

new name. This way you will still have the original file.

• Cropping– You can change the focus of your image by cropping into the desired

section

• Recoloring– You do not have to “take” the photo in black & white or sepia, these

modifications to your image can be done with an image editing program

• Brightness/Contrast• Tool we will use today is Irfanview for these

basic edits

Digital Workflow

• Take pictures

• Organize them

• Fix pictures

• Print and share

Classroom Projects

• Virtual Reality Movie using images• Sign Language Browser:

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

• Chasing Metaphors: http://education.apple.com/education/ilife/lesson_plans/chasingmetaphors.pdf

• Living Alphabet:

http://education.apple.com/education/ilife/lesson_plans/livingalphabet.pdf • ILife Lesson Plans

http://education.apple.com/education/ilife/subject_template.php?subject_id=3

Links for using digital photography in the classroom

• Adobe Digital Kids Club: http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/lessons/index.html

– Sample: Are you really symmetrical? http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/lessons/symmetry.html

• Additional Links will be visited this afternoon