 The
selections below will help fill in the details you need to improve your
photographic skills. Just click on the site you desire! |
Glossary
Photography has a jargon of
its own. Most of the words come from the uses of the camera or the
film. If you don't understand the meanings behind the words, The manuals,
discussions and photographic exhibitions can become quite confusing. Information
can be found at the following sites:
Creative Photography Glossary ... Everyday Magic
Look at the world of photographic
words from a different point of view
Introduction to Photography
Basic information on all types
of photography. |
| Exposure and Depth of Field |
| The amount of time light is
allowed to strike the film or photographic paper determines its' exposure.
Failure to understand exposure can result in pictures that are either too
dark, too light or fuzzy (photographers call it "soft"). Many cameras are
automatic and do all the work for you. This is particularly true for point
and shoots. However SLR cameras often come with a manual mode
which allows you control. You become a true artist. You determine how much
and what light strikes your film. You decide what is soft and what will
be sharp. You select the temperature and texture of the picture. It is
in your hands. The camera can be like the artist paint brush, if you know
how to use it wisely and efficiently. |
| Exposure is controlled by....
|
| The appropriate film for the
subject. 100 speed film will not work well with a sporting event. Some
older cameras require you to set the film speed manually with a switch
or knob, but newer models automatically read the DX (speed) and set it
for you. |
| The correct shutter speed. This
refers to the amount of time the lens stays open to allow light to strike
the film. It is like the blink of your eye lid. The faster you blink, the
less time the light has to reach your retina. They are described in seconds
and fractions of seconds. 1,2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, 1,000,
2,000 (i.e. 1sec, 1/2 sec, 1/4 sec, 1/8 sec). Most SLR cameras also have
a bulb exposure. It holds the lens open as long as you press the shutter
release. The red indicates speeds in which you need to use a tripod. |
| The aperture or f-stop refers
to the width of an open lens. It can be compared to your iris. The wider
your iris opens the more light will hit the retina. They are read in numbers
such as 1.4, 2, 2.8, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, and 22. The higher the number the
smaller the lens opening. The lower the number the wider the lens opening.
If you move from an f/8 to an f/5.6 you are doubling the amount of light
reaching the film (called one stop). If you move from f/11 to f//16 you
are cutting the amount of light reaching the film in half. |
|
Check the F-stop chart
to get an idea of which aperture would be best for a subject you plan to
shoot. |
|
| Keys to Exposure |
|
The three keys to exposure must
be used in correct combinations. My recommendation is that you use a good
light meter or the meter in your camera. Remember that if you change
the f-stop either up or down you must change the aperture setting in the
opposite direction. in order to maintain the same exposure. For example
suppose you are shooting a race. You set your camera at f5.6 at 60.
You want to stop the action so you move your camera to 125. You must change
your f-stop to 4 to maintain proper exposure. The same is true for changes
in the opposite direction. Picture it as a child's see saw, one side goes
up the other side must go down and so forth.
|
| Depth of field
the range of picture
sharpness.
Three factors determine this range of sharpness |
| The size of the lens opening.
The smaller the lens opening (aperture) the greater the depth of field.
The larger the lens opening the smaller the depth of field. |
| The distance the object is from
the camera. The closer you are to the subject the narrower the depth of
field. The further you are from the subject the greater the depth of field. |
| The focal length of the lens
you are using. The longer the focal length of your lens the shorter your
depth of field. The shorter the focal length of your lens the larger your
depth of field. |
|
| The Aperture:
This ring adjusts the aperture as you turn it to
the right or left |
|
All lenses have an aperture ring to set the f-stop The ring has a scale that shows you approximately
how much of the subject is in focus at each f-stop. Practice with the aperture
ring till you can work with it easily.
|
|
Modes Set:
automatically adjust the settings
of your camera internal light meter.
|
| P (Program AE)( has an icon
that looks like a rectangle) In this mode the camera automatically sets
both the shutter speed and the aperture.. This mode reads the entire scene
and sets the controls as to what it thinks would give you the best picture.
Basically this is the automatic mode! |
| TV (Shutter priority AE) In
this mode the camera will automatically set the aperture when you set the
shutter speed. |
| Av. (Aperture priority AE) In
this mode the camera will automatically set the shutter speed when you
set the aperture. |
| DEP (Depth-of-Field AE) In this
mode the camera will set the shutter and aperture so two objects will be
in focus. You select the distant subject by pressing the shutter release.
Then you select the near object the same way. The camera then sets
the proper settings to put both in focus.. Not all SLRs have this marvelous
mode. My Canon A2 has it and I have found it very useful! |
| M (Manual exposure) You set
both the shutter speed and aperture. Here is where you can become the real
artist. Try it in this mode and get the thrill of creating a work of art. |
| Bulb Exposure mode-(icon a B)
This mode opens the shutter after you press the shutter release for as
long as you hold the shutter down. This mode is used to expose the film
at night or to get great depth of field for inanimate objects. |
| Multiple exposure mode- (icon
two frames overlapping one another)-This mode stops the film so you can
get a double exposure. |
| Multiple flash mode-This mode
makes the strobe flash more than once on a frame. |
| Spot meter mode (has an icon
of a circle with a rectangle around )-This mode takes readings from a small
area of the scene. After you set the camera on this mode (read the manual,
not all cameras set the mode the same way) you press the shutter
release half way down. The camera evaluates the light and sets the controls.
Compose your picture and press the shutter release a second time.
It is useful for subjects with strong backlighting, close-ups and slide
photography. |
| Exposure compensation mode-You
override the cameras exposure. It opens or closes the shutter according
to the numbers you select. This mode is useful in correcting situations
such as snowy days, deserts or beaches where you have a tremendous amount
of contrasts. |
| Some cameras have a knob that
has a series of pictures on it. These pictures (portrait, landscape, action
and general) represent preprogrammed settings. These can be handy
if you are shooting in a hurry. This is kind of a hybrid between a point
and shoot and an SLR. |
|
| Other Controls
|
| X (Flash Sync Mode) In
this mode you can attach your camera to an external light source such as
a strobe or flash by using the pc terminal or an accessory shoe. |
| AE lock This will lock all settings
for the shoot. |
| AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing)
In this mode the camera will shoot a series of pictures at different exposures
automatically. |
| Exposure Compensation Mode
In this mode you can force the f-stop up or down to correct for snow, water
or sand. Great for winter shots! |
|
| General Information Hot Links |
Photo
Secrets
This site also
gives a lot of basic information on photography. |
Focus
on Photography
This site covers a wide
range of techniques to improve your photography. |
| If you have a web site or know of a web site
to add to the list click here. I will check
it out and see if it can be used. |
Page created by Inspired
Art, Sandy Arroyo Photographic Artist
Inspired Art
does not guarantee the quality or accuracy of the information provided
by the web sites. |
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