The Basics of Digital SLR Photography
Taught by Dorn Byg
1
There are many reasons to want to capture an image and no ma<er what
they are we, as photographers we are all doing the same thing.
We are capturing light.
Why?
2
What is happening?
3
Camera Mechanics
4
What’s going on?
! Light goes through lens ! Through aperture ! Through shu9er ! To sensor (ISO) ! To digital file
5
Camera ShooDng Modes! There are three types of camera modes
◦ AutomaDc Modes " These modes let the camera make all the decisions on how a photo is taken
◦ Semi AutomaDc Modes " The camera is limited to what it can decide based on the mode that is selected.
◦ Fully Manual Mode " You decide everything
6
AutomaDc Modes
7
• AutomaDc Mode -‐ The camera makes all the decisions to get the best possible exposure
• Portrait Mode -‐ The camera opens the Aperture (smaller number) to make the depth of field more shallow so the focus is on the subject.
• Macro Mode -‐ Allows you to get very close. Different cameras handle this in different ways. See your owners manual.
• Landscape Mode -‐ The camera closes the Aperture (larger number) to increase the depth of field. It will try to make everything in focus.
AutomaDc Modes
8
• Sports Mode -‐ This seQng is to take photos of moving objects. The camera will use a fast shu9er speed to a9empt to freeze moving objects.
• Night Mode -‐ This seQng is for low light situaSons. The camera will use longer shu9er speeds to capture more light while firing the flash to illuminate and freeze the foreground.
!There are other AutomaSc Modes some camera models offer that are not
menSoned above. Please see your owners manual for the details.
Semi AutomaDc Modes
9
Aperture Priority Mode (A or AV) • This mode allows you to choose at what Aperture (f/stop) to
shoot at and the camera makes all the other decisions (shu9er speed) to get the proper exposure.
!Reminder : Small numbers means a larger hole and more light.
Aperture Priority Mode (A or AV)
! PosiDve ◦ Allows you to control the Depth of Field (DOF) !
! NegaDve ◦ At risk of longer exposure due to to li9le light. " Can cause unwanted blur from movement
10
Semi AutomaDc Modes
11
Shu<er Priority Mode (S or TV) • This mode allows you to choose at what Shu9er speed the
camera will use and allows the camera makes decisions (aperture) to get the proper exposure.
Shu<er Priority Mode (S or TV)
! PosiDve ◦ Allow you to control the shu9er. " Freeze fast moving acSon with a short exposure " Capture movement with a longer exposure !
! NegaDve ◦ No longer in control of the Depth of Field (DOF)
12
Fully Manual Mode
13
Manual Mode • This mode allows you have full control over everything the
camera does. ISO, Aperture, Shu9er Speed, White Balance etc.
Manual Mode
! PosiDve ◦ Allow you to control everything !
! NegaDve ◦ You have to be very fast and know your camera very well to be able to switch seQngs in a situaSon with changing variables.
14
Understanding Exposure f-‐stops / aperture shu<er speeds ISO seUngs
15
f/ Stops (Aperture) ! A measurement of how “open” your lens is. How much light is let in.
16
Each whole f/stop increase halves the light passing through the opening.
!
!
!
!
In other words: The larger the f/stop number the
smaller the opening is.
17
f/stop wide open
18
ISO 200 f/2.8 1/250th
Larger opening -‐ Smaller number
f/stop closed
19
ISO 200 f/8 1/250th
Smaller opening -‐ Larger number
f/stop example
20
1/60th f/1.4 ISO 1000
f/stop range
21
1/15th f/2.8 ISO 1000
f/stop range
22
1/3rd f/6.3 ISO 1000
f/stop range
23
2sec f/16 ISO 1000
Try it
24
Aperture Priority Mode (A or AV) • This mode allows you to choose at what Aperture (f/stop) to
shoot at and the camera makes all the other decisions (shu9er speed, white balance, ISO etc) to get the proper exposure. !
• Set your camera to A of AV seQng. • Change the f/stop to it’s lowest number. Take a picture. • Change the f/stop to the highest number. Take a picture.
Shu<er Speed Using shu<er speed you can freeze acDon.
25
Shu<er Speed ! Shu<er Speed defines in Dme how long the shu<er stays open.
! Measured in Seconds, usually fracDons of a second ex., 1/200, 1/80, 1/4000 or 2 Seconds
! Primarily used to control moDon blur caused by camera shake or object movement.
! Controls Ambient Light level.
26
Shu<er Speed -‐ Short
27
ISO 6400 f/2.8 1/1000th
Shu<er Speed?
28
ISO 200 f/6.3 124.2s
shu<er speed example
29
1/3200th f/1.4 ISO 8000
shu<er speed example
30
1/1250th f/1.4 ISO 8000
shu<er speed example
31
1/500th f/1.8 ISO 8000
shu<er speed example
32
1/40th f/6.3 ISO 8000
Try it
33
Shu<er Priority Mode (S or TV) • This mode allows you to choose at what Shu9er speed the
camera will use and allows the camera makes all the other decisions (aperture, white balance, ISO etc) to get the proper exposure. !
• Set your camera to this seQng. • Set the shu9er speed to 1/30th of a second. Take a picture. • Set the shu9er speed to 1/100th of a second. Take a picture.
ISO! ISO = InternaSonal Standards OrganizaSon ! ISO Number refers to the light sensiSvity of the capture medium; the higher the number the greater the sensiSvity
! ALSO the higher the number the higher the noise or gain is visible in the image
34
High ISO
35
ISO 6400 f/2.8 1/100th
High ISO
36
Low ISO
37
ISO 200 f/5.6 1/160th
Low ISO
38
ISO?
39
ISO 1600 f/2.8 1/200th
ISO?
40
ISO 1600 f/1.8 1/4000th
Try it
41
ISO SeUngs • ISO effects the way your camera sees light. This directly
effects how shu9er speed and aperture values can be used. !
• Change your camera’s ISO seQng to it’s highest seQng. • Take a picture • Change your camera’s ISO seQng to it’s lowest seQng. • Take a picture.
White Balance
42
White Balance At its simplest – the reason we adjust
white balance is to get the colors in your images as accurate as possible to match the environment we were shooDng in.
!
For example: A sunny day VS inside under
fluorescent lights.
43
Camera White Balance SeUngs Each camera has its own seUngs, so it is best to consult your owner’s manual to fully understand how to make adjustments.
44
General Camera White Balance SeUngs !
Auto – this is where the camera makes a best guess on a shot by shot basis. You’ll find it works in many situaSons, but it’s worth venturing out of it for trickier lighSng.
! Tungsten – this mode is usually symbolized with a li9le bulb and is for shooSng indoors, especially under tungsten (incandescent) lighSng (such as bulb lighSng). It generally cools down the colors in photos.
! Fluorescent – this compensates for the ‘cool’ light of fluorescent light and will warm up your shots.
45
Camera White Balance SeUngs !
Daylight/Sunny – not all cameras have this seQng because it sets things as fairly ‘normal’ white balance seQngs.
! Cloudy – this seQng generally warms things up a touch more than ‘daylight’ mode.
! Flash – the flash of a camera can be quite a cool light, so in Flash WB mode you’ll find it warms up your shots a touch.
! Shade – the light in shade is generally cooler (bluer) than shooSng in direct sunlight, so this mode will warm things up a li9le.
46
Image ResoluDon
47
Image ResoluDon
48
Image ResoluDon! Your choice of resoluSon or image quality can be determined by many factors. ◦ Desired end use " For web use " For print use ◦ Desired print size
49
SelecDon of a file type
! Each file type has its benefits and drawbacks. There is no ONE correct answer.
◦ JPG ◦ RAW
50
JPG -‐ File format! PosiDve ◦ Small file size ◦ Pre-‐processed ◦ You can select the size of file !
! NegaDve ◦ Has compression ◦ Not as editable as the RAW or TIF (WYSIWYG)
51
RAW -‐ File Format! PosiDve ◦ Captures all available visual informaSon ◦ Can be edited with more flexibility in post somware ◦ Allows for more photographer errors
! NegaDve ◦ Requires more ediSng in and requires post somware ◦ Large file size ◦ Allows for more photographer errors
52
Flash
53
Flash
54
55
ISO 200 f/7.1 1/60thISO 200 f/7.1 1/60th
56
ISO 200 f/13 1/250thISO 200 f/8 1/250th
57
ISO 100 f/6.3 1/125thISO 100 f/1.8 1/500th
Focus and Autofocus! There are several types of Focus ◦ Single (AF-‐S) ◦ ConDnuous (AF-‐C) ◦ Spot Focus ◦Manual Focus ◦ Others like Face-‐priority AF and MulD area focus " Not all cameras have the same focus modes
58
Focus
59
! Single (AF-‐S) ◦ Camera focus will be acSve unSl focus lock is found " This seQng in good for staSonary objects
! ConDnuous (AF-‐C) ◦ Camera focus will be conSnuously acSve " This seQng in good for moving objects
! Spot focus ◦ Choose one point to focus on
Focus
60
! Manual Focus ◦ You control where the focus is actually turning the focus ring.
! Other -‐ Face-‐priority AF and MulS area focus ◦ Not all cameras have these seQngs. !Note: See your camera’s owners manual to see the details on all the
focus seQngs you camera is capable of.
Equipment
! Lenses ! Flashes ! Tripods ! Memory Cards
61
! Cases/Bags ! ProtecDve equipment ! Card Readers ! and so on...
QuesDons?
62
LINKS!
63
Shameless self promoDon: Twi<er @dorn or Byg Day Photography www.bygday.com Twi9er @BygDay
★“Camera Buyers Guide” Covers the basics in depth and is a good reference point to return to.
★Shu<er Speed
★ IntroducDon to White Balance
★ResoluDon Link OneLink Two
★Camera Mode Link
★Fundamentals of Exposure
★Flash buying guide