Nikon D60 Digital Field Guide

Nikon® D60 Digital Field Guide

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page i

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page ii

Nikon® D60 DigitalField Guide

J. Dennis Thomas

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page iii

Nikon® D60 Digital Field Guide

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.10475 Crosspoint Blvd.Indianapolis, IN 46256www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

ISBN: 978-0-470-38312-4

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise,except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, withouteither the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of theappropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 750-4744. Requests to the Publisher for permission should beaddressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations orwarranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specificallydisclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. Nowarranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategiescontained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understandingthat the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. Ifprofessional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should besought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The factthat an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source offurther information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information theorganization of Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should beaware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, pleasecontact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (800) 762-2974, outside the U.S. at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in printmay not be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008929127

Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of JohnWiley and Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Nikon is a registered trademark of Nikon, Inc. All othertrademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associatedwith any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page iv

www.wiley.com

About the AuthorJ. Dennis Thomas, has been interested in photography since his early teens when hefound some of his father’s old photography equipment and photographs of the VietnamWar. Fortunately, he was able to take photography classes with an amazing teacher whostarted him on a path of learning that has never stopped.

His first paying photography gig was in 1990 when he was asked to do promotional shotsfor a band being promoted by Warner Bros. Records. Although he has pursued many differ-ent career paths through the years, including a few years of being a musician, his love ofphotography and the printed image has never waned.

With the advent of digital photography, although he was resistant to give up film, Dennisrealized there was yet more to learn in the realm of photography. It was just like starting allover. Photography was fresh and exciting again. Realizing that the world of digital photo-graphy was complex and new, he decided to pursue a degree in photography in order tolearn the complex techniques of digital imaging with the utmost proficiency.

Eventually Dennis decided to turn his life-long passion into a full time job. He currently ownshis own company, Dead Sailor Productions, a photography and graphic design business. Hedoes freelance work for companies including RedBull Energy Drink, Obsolete Industries,Secret Hideout Studios, and Digital Race Photography. He continues to photograph bands,including LA Guns, the US Bombs, Skid Row, Quiet Riot, Echo & the Bunnymen, Dick Dale,Link Wray, Willie Nelson, Bo Diddley, and the Rolling Stones. He has been published in sev-eral regional publications and continues to show his work in various galleries throughout thecountry.

He is also the author of the Nikon Creative Lighting System Digital Field Guide, the NikonCOOLPIX Digital Field Guide, the Canon Speedlite System Digital Field Guide, and the Nikon D300 Digital Field Guide, all from Wiley.

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page v

Acquisitions EditorCourtney Allen

Senior Project EditorCricket Krengel

Technical EditorBen Holland

Copy EditorKim Heusel

Editorial ManagerRobyn B. Siesky

Vice President & Group ExecutivePublisherRichard Swadley

Vice President & PublisherBarry Pruett

Business ManagerAmy Knies

Senior Marketing ManagerSandy Smith

Project CoordinatorLynsey Stanford

Graphics and Production SpecialistsAlissa D. Ellet

Quality Control TechnicianJessica Kramer

ProofreadingMelissa D. Buddendeck

IndexingChristine Spina Karpeles

Special HelpJama CarterChris Wolfgang

Credits

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page vi

To all my friends...

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page vii

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page viii

Acknowledgments

Thanks to everyone who has helped me out while working on these books. An extra special thanks to Courtney, Cricket, and Laura, at Wiley for keeping me busy.

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page ix

01_383124 ffirs.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page x

Contents at a GlanceIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix

Quick Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Part I: Using the Nikon D60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Chapter 1: Exploring the Nikon D60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Chapter 2: Nikon D60 Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Chapter 3: Setting up the Nikon D60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Part II: Capturing Great Images with the Nikon D60 . . . . . . . . . 69Chapter 4: Essential Photography Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Chapter 5: Selecting and Using Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Chapter 6: Working with Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Chapter 7: Real World Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Chapter 8: Viewing, Downloading, and the Retouch Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Part III: Appendixes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Appendix A: Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Appendix B: Online Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xi

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xii

ContentsIntroduction xix

Quick Tour 1

Selecting a Shooting Mode 1Focusing 3Playback 4Downloading 6

Part I: Using the Nikon D60 9

Chapter 1: Exploring the Nikon D60 11

Key Components of the D60 11Top of the camera 12Back of the camera 14Front of the camera 16Sides and bottom of camera 18

Right side 19Left side 19Bottom 19

Viewfinder Display 19Shooting Info Display 22

Chapter 2: Nikon D60 Essentials 27

Exposure Modes 27Digital Vari-Program 28

Auto 28Auto (flash off) 28Portrait 28Landscape 29Child 29Sports 29Close-up 29Night Portrait 29

Programmed Auto 29Aperture Priority 31Shutter Priority 31Manual 31

Metering Modes 32Matrix 32Center-weighted 32Spot 32

Exposure Compensation 33Histograms 33Bracketing 35

Focus Modes 37Continuous AF 37Single AF 37Auto 37Manual 37

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xiii

AF Area Modes 38Single-area AF 38Dynamic-area AF 38Closest subject AF 38

Release Modes 38Single 38Continuous 38Self-timer 39Delayed remote 39Quick response remote 39

ISO Sensitivity 39Auto ISO 39Noise reduction 40

White Balance 41What is Kelvin? 42White balance settings 42

Image Size and Quality 45RAW 46JPEG 46Image size and compression 46

Chapter 3: Setting up the Nikon D60 49

Quick Settings Display 49Playback Menu 50

Delete 50Playback folder 51Rotate tall 51Slide show 51Print set (DPOF) 52Stop-motion movie 52

Shooting Menu 53Optimize image 53Image quality 55

Image size 56White balance 56ISO sensitivity settings 56Noise reduction 56Active D-Lighting 56

Custom Settings Menu 58Setup Menu 61

CSM/Setup menu 61Format memory card 62Information display format 62Auto shooting information 64Shooting information auto off 64World time 64LCD brightness 64Video mode 64Language 64Image comment 64Folders 65File no. sequence 65Clean image sensor 65Mirror lock-up 65Firmware version 66Dust off ref photo 66Auto image rotation 66

Retouch Menu 66

Part II: Capturing Great Images with the Nikon D60 69

Chapter 4: EssentialPhotography Concepts 71

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xiv

Understanding Exposure 71Shutter speed 72ISO 73Aperture 74

Understanding Depth of Field 75Rules of Composition 76

Keep it simple 78The Rule of Thirds 78Leading lines and S-curves 81Helpful hints 83

Chapter 5: Selecting and Using Lenses 85

Deciphering Nikon’s Lens Codes 85Kit Lenses 87

Understanding zoom lenses 88Variable aperture 88Depth of field 88Quality 89

Understanding prime lenses 89Third-party lenses 90

Wide-Angle Lenses 92Normal Lenses 95Telephoto Lenses 95Macro Lenses 97Using VR Lenses 101Extending the Range of Any Lens 102

Teleconverters 102Extension tubes 102

Filters 103

Chapter 6: Working with Light 105

Lighting Essentials 105

Quality of light 106

Hard light 106Soft light 107

Metering light 107Natural Light 108Flash Basics 109

Using the built-in flash 110Pop-up flash diffusers 110Flash exposure modes 111

i-TTL 111Manual 112

Flash sync modes 113Sync speed 113Front-curtain sync 114Red-eye reduction 115Slow sync 115Rear-curtain sync 116

Flash Exposure Compensation 117

Fill flash 118

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xv

Nikon CLS and Speedlights 120Speedlights 120Understanding the

Nikon CLS 123Bounce Flash 124

Bouncing the flash 124Bounce cards 124

Studio Strobes 126Continuous Lighting 127

Incandescent and halogen 128Fluorescent 129HMI 130

Light Modifiers 130Umbrellas 130Softboxes 132Diffusion panels 132Other light modifiers 133

Chapter 7: Real WorldApplications 135

Abstract Photography 135Inspiration 136Abstract photography

practice 137Abstract photography tips 138

Action and Sports Photography 138Inspiration 140Action and sports

photography practice 141Action and sports

photography tips 142Architectural Photography 143

Inspiration 144Architectural photography

practice 145Architectural photography

tips 146Child Photography 147

Inspiration 148Child photography practice 148Child photography tips 150

Concert Photography 150Inspiration 151Concert photography

practice 152Concert photography tips 154

Flower and Plant Photography 154Inspiration 155Flower and plant

photography practice 157Flower and plant

photography tips 159Landscape Photography 159

Inspiration 161Landscape photography

practice 162Landscape photography tips 163

Light Trail and Fireworks Photography 164

Inspiration 165Light trail and fireworks

photography practice 166

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xvi

Light trail and fireworksphotography tips 167

Macro Photography 168Inspiration 170Macro photography practice 171Macro photography tips 173

Night Photography 173Inspiration 174Night photography practice 175Night photography tips 177

Pet Photography 177Inspiration 178Pet photography practice 179Pet photography tips 180

Portrait Photography 181Studio considerations 181Candid 182Indoor 183Outdoor 184Portrait photography practice 185Portrait photography tips 187

Still-life and Product Photography 187Inspiration 188Still-life and product

photography practice 189Still-life and product

photography tips 191Travel Photography 191

Inspiration 192Travel photography practice 193Travel photography tips 194

Wildlife Photography 195Inspiration 196Wildlife photography practice 197Wildlife photography tips 199

Chapter 8: Viewing,Downloading, and the Retouch Menu 201

Viewing Your Images 201Downloading Images 202

Using Nikon Transfer 203Source 203Embedded Info 204Primary Destination 205Backup Destination 205Preferences 206

Transferring your images 207The Retouch Menu 207

Quick retouch 208D-Lighting 209Red-eye correction 209Trim 210Monochrome 210Filter effects 211Small picture 212Image overlay 213NEF (RAW) Processing 213Stop-motion movie 214Before and after 216

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xvii

Part III: Appendixes 219

Appendix A: Accessories 221

Wireless Remote Control 221EG-D100 Video Cable 221Eye-Fi 221Tripods 222

When to use a tripod 223Which tripod is right for you? 223

Camera Bags and Cases 224

Appendix B: Online Resources 227

Informational Web Sites 227Nikonusa.com 227Nikonions.org 227Photo.net 228DP Review 228

Photo-Sharing and Critiquing Sites 228

Flickr.com 228Photoworkshop.com 228ShotAddict.com 228

Online Photography Magazines 228Communication Arts 228Digital Photo Pro 228Digital Photographer 228Outdoor Photographer 228Photo District News 229Popular Photography &

Imaging 229Shutterbug 229

Glossary 231

Index 239

02_383124 ftoc.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xviii

Introduction

This book is intended to get you familiarized with all of the features and functions of theNikon D60 dSLR camera. Although it covers a lot of the same material as the User’s Manual,this book presents it in a format that is easier to comprehend and is much more interest-ing to read. In addition to covering the technical details I include some practical real worldadvice, tips and tricks, and explanations of how to set up your equipment to achieve inter-esting and compelling images.

The intention of this book is to offer something for a wide range of readers, from amateurphotographers who are buying the D60 as their first dSLR to more advanced photographerswho have upgraded from another camera and are looking to expand the scope of their photography.

About the D60The D60 is Nikon’s newest consumer level dSLR camera. So far it is Nikon’s smallest dSLRcamera. But, don’t let the small size fool you, great things come in small packages and theD60 is no exception.

The D60 is packed with features including a big, bright 2.5 inch LCD monitor, a 10.2 megapixelCCD image sensor, Active D-lighting to expand tonal range, and two — count ‘em, two —methods of dust reduction, a first in any camera of any level!

The D60 has a multitude of shooting modes for almost any situation from the Digital Vari-Program modes that make it simple to shoot in almost any situation to the more hands onManual and Semi-Automatic modes that are available on all professional cameras.

The Nikon D60 kit comes bundled with one or two of Nikon’s amazing Vibration Reduction(VR) lenses. You can get the 18-55mm lens or a kit with both an 18-55mm and a55-200mm lens these lenses cover almost all of the ranges you will need. This is the firsttime that Nikon has offered VR lenses with a camera at this price. Nikon lenses are worldrenowned for their quality and durability. Although the D60 is limited to using Nikon’s SilentWave motor lenses, also known as AF-S lenses, for full functionality, you can also attachalmost any lens Nikon has made for the past 70 years and get some functionality out of it,which I discuss later in the book. Nikon’s line of AF-S lenses has dozens of options for youto choose from.

03_383124 flast.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xix

With the D60, you can take advantage of Nikon’s current line-up of Speedlights, the SB-400,SB-600, and the SB-800 as well as the R1C1 macro lighting kit. You can also take advan-tage of the Nikon Creative Lighting System that allows you to control a number of flashesoff-camera for the ultimate control of your light. The D60 can even be used with some ofthe older Nikon Speedlights (with limited functionality, of course).

All in all, the D60 is a sturdy, but lightweight and compact, dSLR camera that will allow youto capture great images for many years to come.

xx Introduction

03_383124 flast.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page xx

QTQTQuick Tour

The Quick Tour is designed to cover the basic functionsyou need to know to get you started using your D60

right away. It is by no means meant to be an in-depth look atthe menus and modes, so if you’re ready for that information,you can just give this section a quick once-over and move onto the later chapters, where everything is discussed in moredetail.

If you already use a Nikon dSLR (digital single lens reflex), alot of this may be familiar to you. In fact, if you use aD40/D40X, the setup for the D60 is very similar. If you areupgrading from a compact digital camera, you probablyshould read the entire Quick Tour to familiarize yourself withthe camera.

This Quick Tour assumes that you have already unpacked thecamera, read the manual, charged the batteries, mounted alens, and inserted the memory card. If you haven’t done thesethings, do them now.

I’m sure you’re ready to get out there and shoot some photoswith your new D60, so get going!

Selecting a Shooting ModeThe great thing about the D60 is that you can start takinggreat photos nearly right out of the box. The D60 has someautomatic shooting modes that choose the proper settings foryou. All you really have to do is point the camera at somethingand shoot!

The first thing you need to do is turn the camera on. Theon/off switch is located right on top off the camera with theshutter release button.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Quick Tour

Selecting a shootingmode

Focusing

Playback

Downloading

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

04_383124 prechap01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 1

Changing the shooting mode is simple:Rotate the Mode dial located on the top ofthe camera. The shooting mode will alsoappear on the top-left corner of the LCDwhen the shooting info is displayed. The D60has quite a few shooting modes rangingfrom fully automatic to completely manual.

The D60 offers two fully automatic modes:

Auto. This is a “point and shoot”mode in which the camera con-trols all of the settings, includingshutter speed, aperture, and ISO.If the camera deems it neces-sary, the built-in flash automati-cally activates as well.

Auto (flash off). This mode issimilar to the Auto mode; thecamera controls all settings.However, in this mode, the flashis disabled. This is a mode touse when natural lighting is pre-ferred or the use of flash is notallowed (such as in a museum).

The D60 employs what Nikon terms DigitalVari-Program (DVP) modes (also calledscene modes). These modes apply settingsthat are optimized to the type of sceneyou’re shooting, and include modes forshooting portraits, sports, children, and afew others. The DVP modes are as follows:

Portrait. This mode uses awider aperture, allowing thebackground to be soft while giving you sharp focus on yoursubject.

Landscape. This mode choosesa smaller aperture to ensure thatfocus is achieved throughout the image. The camera alsoenhances blues and greens toaccentuate the sky and foliage in the scene.

Child. This mode optimizes skintones and boosts the saturationa bit for more vivid colors.

Sports. With this mode, thecamera chooses a higher shutterspeed to freeze the action.

Close-up. This mode providessharp details on the subjectwhile allowing the backgroundto soften to draw attention tothe subject.

Night Portrait. This mode usesflash to capture your subjectwhile maintaining a longer shut-ter speed to capture the ambi-ent light of the background; thisresults in an evenly balanced,more natural-looking exposure.

The DVP modes take care of all of the set-tings for you, including activating the flash.These modes are handy when you’re startingout but you’re limited when it comes to fine-tuning the settings. Once you get more famil-iar with camera settings such as aperture and

AUTO

2 ✦ Quick Tour

On/off switch

Image courtesy of Nikon, Inc.

QT.1 The on/off switch in the on position


shutter speed, you may find yourself eschew-ing these DVP modes in favor of choosing themore flexible P, S, A, or M modes.

✦ P. Programmed Auto is a fullyautomatic shooting mode in whichthe camera decides both the aper-ture setting and shutter speed. Youcan use the Command dial toadjust the aperture and shutter tobetter suit your needs. This isknown as flexible program, and itallows you to control the settingswhile maintaining the same expo-sure. Use this mode when takingsnapshots or when controlling theshutter speed and the aperture isnot as important as simply gettingthe photo.

✦ S. Shutter Priority is a semiauto-matic mode in which you decidethe shutter speed to use and thecamera chooses the appropriateaperture. Use this mode when youneed fast shutter speeds to freezeaction or slow shutter speeds toshow motion blur.

✦ A. Aperture Priority is anothersemiautomatic mode where youadjust the aperture to control howmuch of the image is in focus (thedepth of field). Use this modewhen you want to isolate a subjectby focusing on it and letting thebackground go soft, or if you wantto be sure that everything in thepicture is in sharp focus.

✦ M. With Manual mode, you decidethe shutter speed and aperture.You can use this mode when youwant to completely control theexposure to achieve a certaintonality in your image by purpose-fully over- or underexposing theimage. When using this mode, it’shelpful to check the D60 lightmeter in the viewfinder.

FocusingYour Nikon D60 camera can automaticallyfocus on the subject when using the lensthat comes with the D60 kit. If you boughtthe camera body only, you need a Nikon AF-S lens to achieve autofocus (AF). Nikon’sAF-S lenses have a built-in AF motor thatallows the lens to focus without the use ofan in-camera motor drive. Older Nikon AFlenses that are designated AF or AF-Drequire the use of a focus motor drivelocated in the camera body. In order tomake the D60 the smallest and lightestcamera that Nikon offers, the D60 does nothave a focus motor built in to the camera.Therefore, you have to manually focus anyolder AF lenses that don’t carry the AF-Sdesignation.

The lens that comes with the D60 kit is theAF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR.You can focus this lens either automaticallyor manually. To use the AF feature, you mustfirst be sure that the switch on the lens is setto A.

✦ Quick Tour 3

Programmed modes

DVP modesImage courtesy of Nikon, Inc.

QT.2 Rotate the Mode dial to select ashooting mode.


To autofocus the camera, you simply pressthe Shutter Release button halfway. Thefocus areas that are used to determine focusappear in the viewfinder as a series of threebrackets. One or more of these bracketsmomentarily lights up in red when the cam-era achieves focus.

By default, the camera automaticallyfocuses on the closest subject in all modesexcept for the Close-Up DVP mode, in whichthe camera uses the center focus point, andthe Sports DVP mode, in which the camerauses all three focus points.

Once the camera has locked focus, a smallgreen light in the bottom-left corner of theviewfinder lights up and a beep sounds.Now you can just press down fully on theShutter Release button to take your picture.

If you want to lock focus and exposure set-tings so you can recompose your photowhile maintaining the focus and exposurereadings, you can press the Auto expo-sure/Autofocus lock (AE-L/AF-L) button thatis found to the right of the viewfinder.

PlaybackAfter you shoot some images with yourD60, you can look at them on the big, bright2.5-inch LCD screen. To view your images,press the Play button on the back of thecamera; it’s the top button to the left of theviewfinder. The most recent photo taken isthe first image displayed.

4 ✦ Quick Tour

Autofocus/manual focus switch


QT.3 The A/M switch on the kit lens


To scroll through the images that are storedon the memory card, press the multiselectorbutton left or right. Pressing the button tothe right allows you to view the images inthe sequence that they were taken. Pressingthe button to the left displays the images inreverse order. Pressing the button up anddown enables you to check the exposuresettings and histogram.

For more information on expo-sure settings and histogramssee Chapter 4.

There are a few other options available toyou when the camera is in Playback mode:

✦ Press the Thumbnail/Zoom outbutton to view thumbnails. Youcan choose to view either four ornine images at a time. When inThumbnail mode, use the multi-selector to navigate among thethumbnails to highlight one. Youcan then press the OK button tobring the selected image to a full-size preview.

✦ Press the Zoom in button tomagnify the image. This buttonallows you to check for sharpnessor look for details. Pressing thisbutton also takes you out of thethumbnail preview.

✦ Press the Protect button to saveimages from being deleted. TheProtect button (denoted by a key)locks the image to prevent youfrom accidentally erasing it whenediting your images in the camera.

When the card is formatted, allimages including the protectedones are erased.

✦ Use the multiselector to viewimage data. To see what settingswere used when a photograph wastaken, press the multiselector up or down. This also allows you tocheck the histogram, which is avisual representation of the tonalityof the image.

For more detailed informationon histograms, see Chapter 2.

✦ Quick Tour 5

Protect button

Multiselector

OK button

Zoom inbutton

Thumbnail/Zoom out

button

Playbackbutton

Delete buttonImage courtesy of Nikon, Inc.

QT.4 You can use these buttons in the Playback mode for a variety of functions.


✦ Press the OK button to do in-camera photo editing. Pressingthe OK button brings you to amenu that allows you to do somerudimentary in-camera editing suchas applying D-lighting, fixing red-eye, and cropping.

For more detailed information onin-camera editing, see Chapter 8.

✦ Press the Delete button to eraseimages. The Delete button has anicon shaped like a trashcan on it.Press this button to permanentlyerase the image from your memorycard. When the Delete button ispressed, the camera asks for confir-mation. Press the Delete buttonagain to complete the deletion.

For more detailed informationon settings, see Chapter 2 formodes and Chapter 3 for menusettings.

DownloadingWhen you fill up a card or you’re ready to dosome post-processing of your images, youwant to download them off your memorycard and onto your computer for storage.You can either download the imagesstraight from the camera to your computeror you can remove the memory card fromthe camera and use a card reader to trans-fer the images.

To download images from the camera usingthe USB cable, follow these steps:

1. Turn off the camera. Be sure thatthe camera is off when connectingit to the computer to ensure thatthe camera’s or computer’s elec-tronics are not damaged.

2. Open the rubber cover that con-ceals the D60’s output connec-tions. On the left side of thecamera (with the back facing you)is a cover that hides the camera’sUSB video out ports.

3. Connect the camera to the USBcable. Inside the box that your D60came in, there is a USB cable. Plugthe small end of the cable into thecamera and plug the other end intoa USB slot on your computer.

6 ✦ Quick Tour

USB port

QT.5 The camera’s USB port


4. Turn the camera on. Once turnedon, your computer should recog-nize the camera as a mass storagedevice. You can then drag anddrop your files or you can use asoftware program, such as NikonView or Adobe Bridge, to transferyour files.

To download images using a SD card reader,follow these steps:

1. Turn off the camera. Be sure thatthe camera is off to avoid damag-ing the SD card upon removal.

2. Remove the memory card. Openthe memory card door cover andpress the SD card in and release toeject.

3. Insert the SD card into the cardreader. Be sure that the reader isconnected to your computer. Yourcomputer should recognize thecard as a mass storage device, andyou can drag and drop the files oryou can use a software program,such as Nikon View or AdobeBridge, to transfer your files.

Depending on your softwareand how your computer is setup, your computer may offer toautomatically transfer the filesto a predetermined destination.

For more detailed informationon downloading and transfer-ring images see Chapter 8.

Note

✦ Quick Tour 7



Using theNikon D60 II

P A R T

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Part

Chapter 1Exploring the Nikon D60

Chapter 2Nikon D60 Essentials

Chapter 3Setting up the Nikon D60

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

05_383124 pp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 9

05_383124 pp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 10

11C H A P T E RExploring theNikon D60

This chapter covers the key components of the NikonD60. These are the features that are most readily acces-

sible because they are situated on the outside of the camera:the buttons, knobs, switches, and dials.

If you are upgrading or switching from another dSLR, some ofthis may be a review, but there are some new features thatyou may or may not be aware of, so a quick read-through is agood idea even if you are an experienced Nikon dSLR user.

For those who may be just beginning in the world of dSLRs,this chapter is a great way to get acquainted with some of theterms that are used in conjunction with your new camera.

So fasten your seatbelts, and get ready to explore the D60!

Key Components of the D60If you’ve read the Quick Tour, you should be pretty familiarwith the basic buttons and switches that you need to do theessential settings. In this section, you look at the camera fromall sides and break down the layout so that you know whateverything on the surface of the camera does.

This section doesn’t cover the menus, only the exterior con-trols. Although there are many features you can access withjust the push of a button, oftentimes you can change thesame setting inside of a menu option. Although the D60doesn’t have the same amount of buttons as some of its big-ger siblings in the Nikon line, it does have quite a few ofthem. Knowing exactly what these buttons do can save youloads of time and help you get the shot.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Key components of the D60

Viewfinder display

Shooting info display

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 11

Top of the cameraThe top of the D60 is where you find someof the most important buttons and dials.This is where you can change the shootingmode and press the Shutter Release buttonto take your photo. Also included in this sec-tion is a brief description of some of thethings you find on the top of the lens.Although your lens may vary, most of thefeatures are quite similar from lens to lens.

✦ Shutter Release button. In myopinion, this is the most importantbutton on the camera. Halfwaypressing this button activates thecamera’s autofocusing and lightmeter. When you fully depress thisbutton the shutter is released anda photograph is taken. When thecamera has been idle and has“gone to sleep,” lightly pressing theShutter Release button wakes upthe camera. When the imagereview is on, lightly pressing theShutter Release button turns offthe LCD and prepares the camerafor another shot.

✦ On/Off switch. This switch,located around the Shutter Releasebutton, is used to turn the cameraon and off. Push the switch all theway to the left to turn off the cam-era. Pull the switch to the right toturn your camera on.

✦ Mode dial. This is an importantdial. Rotating this dial allows youto quickly change your shootingmode. You can choose one of theDigital Vari-Program modes, one ofthe semiautomatic modes, or youcan choose to set the exposuremanually.

For a detailed description of allof the exposure modes, seeChapter 2.

✦ Exposure compensation/Aperture button. Pressing thisbutton in conjunction with spin-ning the Command dial (theCommand dial is the wheel on therear of the camera) allows you tomodify the exposure that is set bythe D60’s light meter or the expo-sure you set in Manual exposuremode. Turning the Command dialto the right decreases exposure,while turning the dial to the leftincreases the exposure. This buttonalso doubles as the Aperture but-ton when the camera is set toManual exposure mode. Pressingthe button while rotating theCommand dial allows you to adjust your lens aperture.Additionally, when pressing thisbutton in conjunction with theflash mode you can adjust yourflash exposure compensation byrotating the Command dial.

✦ Active D-Lighting. Pressing thisbutton and rotating the commanddial allows you to quickly turn onand off the Active D-Lighting func-tion. Active D-Lighting helps tokeep your highlights and shadowareas from being too dark or toolight in high contrast situations.

✦ Focal plane mark. The focal planemark shows you where the planeof the image sensor is inside thecamera. When doing certain typesof photography, particularly macrophotography using a bellows lens,you need to measure the length ofthe bellows from the front elementof the lens to the focal plane. Thisis where the focal plane markcomes in handy.

12 Part I ✦ Using the Nikon D60

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 12

✦ Hot shoe. This is where an acces-sory flash is attached to the cam-era body. The hot shoe has anelectronic contact that tells theflash to fire when the shutter isreleased. There are also a numberof other electronic contacts thatallow the camera to communicatewith the flash to enable the auto-mated features of a dedicated flashunit such as the SB-600.

✦ Focus ring. Rotating the focus ringenables you to manually focus thecamera. With some lenses, such asthe high-end Nikkor AF-S lenses,you can manually adjust the focusat any time. With the kit lens you

must set the lens to Manual focususing the Focus mode switch onthe side of the lens. Rotating thefocus ring while the lens is set toautofocus can damage your lens.

✦ Zoom ring. Rotating the zoom ringallows you to change the focallength of the lens. Prime lenses do not have a zoom ring.

✦ Focal length indicators. Thesenumbers indicate which focallength in millimeters your lens is zoomed to.

For more information on lenses,see Chapter 4.

Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring the Nikon D60 13

Focal length indicators

Zoom ring

Focus ring

Focal planemark

ActiveD-Lightingbutton

Exposure compensation/Aperture button

Shutter Release button

On/off switch

Hot shoeMode dial

Command dialImage courtesy of Nikon, Inc.

1.1 Top-of-the-camera controls

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 13

Back of the cameraThe back of the camera is where you findthe buttons that mainly control playbackand menu options, although there are a fewbuttons that control some of the shootingfunctions. Most of the buttons have morethan one function — a lot of them are usedin conjunction with the Command dial orthe multiselector. On the back of the camerayou also find several key features, includingthe all-important viewfinder and LCD.

✦ LCD. This is the most obvious fea-ture on the back of the camera.This 2.5-inch, 230,000-dot liquidcrystal display (LCD) screen is avery bright, high-resolution screen.The LCD is where you view all ofyour current camera settings aswell as review your images aftershooting.

✦ Eye sensor. This sensor detectswhen you put the camera’sviewfinder up to your eye. This isused to automatically turn off theshooting information displayed onthe LCD and turn on theViewfinder shooting information.

✦ Viewfinder. This is what you lookthrough to compose your photo-graphs. Light coming through thelens is reflected from a single front-silvered mirror and a pentaprismenabling you to see exactly whatyou’re shooting. Around theviewfinder is a rubber eyepiecethat gives you a softer place to restyour eye and to block any extralight from entering the viewfinderas you compose and shoot yourimages.


Zoom in/Info display/

Quick settingsbutton

Thumbnail/Zoom out/

Help button

Playbackbutton

Eye sensor

Menu button

Delete button

OK button

Memory cardaccess lamp

Command dial

AE-L/AF-L Protect button

Multiselector


1.2 Back-of-the-camera controls

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 14

✦ Diopter adjustment control. Justto the right of the viewfinder, hid-den behind the eyecup, is theDiopter adjustment control. Usethis control to adjust theviewfinder lens to suit your individ-ual vision differences (not every-one’s eyesight is the same). Toadjust this, look through theviewfinder, and press the ShutterRelease button halfway to focus onsomething. If what you see in theviewfinder isn’t quite sharp, slidethe Diopter adjustment up ordown until everything appears infocus. The manual warns you notto put your finger or fingernail inyour eye. I agree that this mightnot be a good idea.

✦ AE-L/AF-L/Protect. The Auto-Exposure/Auto-Focus lock button isused to lock the auto exposure (AE)and autofocus (AF). You can alsocustomize the button to lock onlythe AE or only the AF, or you canset the button to initiate AF (thissetting is in the Custom SettingsMenu, CSM-12). When in playbackmode this button can be pressed tolock an image to protect it frombeing deleted. A small key icon willbe displayed in the upper left-handcorner of images that are protected.

For more information on theCustom Settings menu seeChapter 3.

✦ Command dial. This dial is usedto change a variety of settingsdepending on which button youare using in conjunction with it. Bydefault, it is used to change theshutter speed when in ShutterPriority and Manual mode or theaperture when in Aperture Prioritymode. It is also used to adjustExposure compensation andchange the Flash mode.

✦ Multiselector. The multiselector isanother button that serves a fewdifferent purposes. In Playbackmode, the multiselector is used toscroll through the photographsyou’ve taken, and it can also beused to view image informationsuch as histograms and shootingsettings. When in certain Shootingmodes, the multiselector can beused to change the active focuspoint when in Single point orDynamic area AF mode. This is thebutton used to navigate throughthe menu systems.

✦ OK button. When in the Menumode, press this button to selectthe menu item that is highlighted.

✦ Delete button. When reviewingyour pictures, if you find some thatyou don’t want to keep you candelete them by pressing this but-ton marked with a trashcan icon.To prevent accidental deletion ofimages the camera displays a dia-log box asking you to confirm thatyou want to erase the picture.Press the Delete button a secondtime to permanently erase theimage.

✦ Playback button. Pressing thisbutton displays the most recentlytaken photograph. You can alsoview other pictures by pressing themultiselector left and right.

✦ Menu button. Press this button toaccess the D60 menu options.There are a number of differentmenus including Playback,Shooting, Custom Settings, andRetouch. Use the multiselector tochoose the menu you want toview.


06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 15

✦ Thumbnail/Zoom out/Help button. In Playback mode, press-ing this button allows you to gofrom full-frame playback (or view-ing the whole image) to viewingthumbnails. The thumbnails candisplay either four images or nineimages on a page. When viewingthe menu options, pressing thisbutton displays a help screen thatexplains the functions of that particular menu option. When inShooting mode, pressing this but-ton explains the functions of thatparticular mode.

✦ Zoom in/Info display/Quick set-tings button. When reviewingyour images you can press theZoom in button to get a closer lookat the details of your image. This isa handy feature for checking thesharpness and focus of your shot.When zoomed in, use the multise-lector to navigate around withinthe image. To view your otherimages at the same zoom ratio youcan rotate the Command dial. Toreturn to full-frame playback, pressthe Zoom out button. You mayhave to press the Zoom out buttonmultiple times depending on howmuch you have zoomed in. Whenthe camera is “asleep” pressing thisbutton displays the Shooting info.When the Shooting info is dis-played, pressing the button againgives you access to the Quick Set-tings menu. When in the QuickSettings menu, use the multiselec-tor to highlight the desired settingto change then press the OK but-ton to access the options.

The Zoom in / Info display /Quick settings button is one oftwo buttons that has a greendot beside it. The other button isthe Active D-Lighting button.Pressing and holding these twobuttons at the same time for 2seconds resets all cameramenus and settings to cameradefault.

For more detailed informationon the Quick Settings menu, seeChapter 3.

✦ Memory card access lamp.Located just to the right of theDelete button is the memory cardaccess lamp. This light will flashgreen when the camera is savingto the memory card. Under no cir-cumstances should you try toremove the memory card whenthis lamp is lit. You can damageyour card and/or camera and loseyour images.

Front of the cameraThe front of the D60 (lens facing you) iswhere you find the buttons to quickly adjustthe flash settings as well as some camera-focusing options, and with certain lensesyou will find some buttons that controlfocusing and Vibration Reduction (VR).

✦ Flash pop-up/Flash mode/FlashExposure compensation button.Press this button to open and acti-vate the built-in Speedlight.Pressing this button and rotatingthe Command dial on the rear ofthe camera allows you to choose aflash mode. You can choose fromamong Front-curtain sync, Red-eyereduction, Red-eye reduction with

Note


06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 16

slow sync, Slow sync, and Rear cur-tain sync. After the flash pops up,pressing this button in conjunctionwith the Exposure compensationbutton and rotating the Commanddial allows you to adjust the FlashExposure Compensation (FEC). FECallows you to adjust the flash out-put to make the flash brighter ordimmer, depending on your needs.

For more information on flashmodes see Chapter 6.

✦ Self-timer/Function (Fn) button.By default, pressing this buttonactivates the camera’s self-timer.When the self-timer is on, the cam-era delays the shutter release toallow you to get into the picture orto reduce vibration caused byshaking the camera when pressingthe Shutter Release button while

the camera is attached to a tripod.This button can also be set to pro-vide other functions. You can setthe button to quickly change fromsingle to continuous shot, imagequality, ISO sensitivity, or white bal-ance via the Quick settings menu.Pressing the Fn button and rotatingthe Command dial changes thesettings for the specific functionassigned. The Fn button can beassigned to a specific function inCSM 11.

For more information on theCustom Settings menu (CSM),see Chapter 3.

✦ Lens release button. This buttondisengages the locking mechanismof the lens, allowing the lens to berotated and removed from the lensmount.


Lens release button

Self-timer/Function button

Lens focus mode selector

Flash pop-up button

VR switch(on VR lenses only)


1.3 Front right camera controls

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 17

✦ Lens Focus mode selector. Thisswitch is used to choose betweenusing the lens in Auto or Manualfocus.

✦ VR switch. If your lens featuresVibration Reduction (VR) technol-ogy, this switch allows you to turnthe VR on or off. When shooting inbright light it’s best to turn the VRoff to reduce battery consumption.

✦ Built-in flash. This option is ahandy feature that allows you totake sharp pictures in low-light sit-uations. Although not as versatileas one of the external NikonSpeedlights such as the SB-800 orSB-600, the built-in flash can beused very effectively and is greatfor snapshots.

✦ AF-assist illuminator. This is anLED that shines on the subject tohelp the camera focus in dim light-ing. The AF-assist illuminator onlylights when in Single focus mode(AF-S) or Automatic focus mode(AF-A).

✦ Infrared receiver. This allows youto wirelessly control the camera’sshutter release using the optionalML-L3 infrared transmitter.

Sides and bottom ofcameraThe sides and bottom of the camera haveplaces for connecting and inserting thingssuch as cables, batteries, and memory cards.


Built-in flash

AF-assist illuminator

Infrared receiver

VR switch


1.4 Left front camera controls

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 18

Right sideOn the right side of the camera (with thelens facing you), are the D60’s output ter-minals. These are used to connect yourcamera to a computer or to an externalsource for viewing your images directly fromthe camera. These terminals are hiddenunder a plastic cover that helps keep outdust and moisture.

✦ Video out. This connection, offi-cially called Standard video output,is used to connect the camera to astandard TV or VCR for viewingyour images on-screen. The D60 isconnected with the EG-D100 videocable that is supplied with thecamera.

✦ USB port. This is where the USBcable plugs in to attach the camerato your computer to transferimages straight from the camera.The USB cable is also used to con-nect the camera to the computerwhen using Nikon’s optionalCamera Control Pro 2 software.

Left sideOn the left side of the camera (lens facingyou) is the memory card slot cover. Slidingthis door toward the back of the cameraopens it so you can insert or remove yourmemory card.

BottomThe bottom of the camera has a couple offeatures that are quite important.

✦ Battery chamber cover. This cov-ers the chamber that holds the EN-EL9 battery that is supplied withyour D60.

✦ Tripod socket. This is where youattach a tripod or monopod tohelp steady your camera.

Viewfinder DisplayWhen looking through the viewfinder notonly do you see the image you are com-posing, but there is also a lot of usefulinformation about the photo you are set-ting up. Here is a complete list of all theinformation you can get from theviewfinder display.


1.5 The D60’s outputterminals

1.6 Memory card slotcover

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 19

✦ Focus indicator. This is a green dotthat lets you know if the cameradetects that the scene is in focus.When focus is achieved, the greendot lights up; when the scene is notin focus, the green dot blinks.

✦ Focus point display. When inDynamic-area or Single Point AFmodes this shows you which AFpoint is chosen by showing it witha bracket around it. When set toClosest Subject mode no AF pointis chosen

✦ EL lock. When this is lit you knowthat the auto exposure has beenlocked.

✦ Flexible program indicator.When this is lit it lets you knowthat the exposure has been modi-fied from the original settingsdefined when using theProgrammed Auto exposure mode.To return to the default settingsrotate the Command dial until thisindicator disappears.


0ISO AUTO

?FPEL *K

Focus pointsAF area mode

Focus indicator

Flexible program indicator

Shutter speed

Exposures remaining

Battery indicator

Auto exposure lock

Aperture (f-number)/Noise reduction indicator

Electronic analog exposure display

Warning indicator

Exposure compensation indicator

Flash compensation indicator

Flash readyindicator

Thousands indicator forremaining exposures

ISO auto indicator

1.7 Viewfinder display showing all icons

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 20

✦ Shutter speed display/noisereduction indicator. This showshow long your shutter is set to stayopen. When the camera is per-forming noise reduction “job nr” isdisplayed here.

✦ Aperture/f-stop display. Thisshows what your current lensopening setting is.

✦ Electronic analog exposure dis-play/Exposure compensation/Rangefinder. Although Nikongives this feature a long and con-fusing name, in simpler terms thisis your light meter. When the barsare in the center you are at theproper settings to get a good expo-sure; when the bars are to theright you are underexposed; andwhen the bars are to the left youare overexposing your image. Thisfeature is especially handy whenusing Manual exposure. When theExposure Compensation button ispressed this indicates how muchover- or underexposure is beingset. When the Rangefinder optionis turned on (CSM 19) this showsyou a bar graph that indicates dis-tance. When the subject is in focusthere is one bar on either side of a0. When the bars are displayed tothe left this indicates that you arefocused in front of the subject;bars to the right indicate that thefocus is falling behind the subject.Use the focus ring to adjust thefocus. The Rangefinder display isnot available when shooting inManual exposure mode. The rangefinder function is only available inManual focus mode and is auto-matically activated when youattach a non-CPU manual focuslens.

✦ FEC indicator. When this is dis-played your Flash exposure com-pensation is on.

✦ Exposure compensation indica-tor. When this appears in theviewfinder, Exposure compensationis activated, and you may not get acorrect exposure.

✦ Remaining exposures. This set ofnumbers lets you know how manymore exposures can fit on thememory card. The actual numberof exposures may vary according tofile information and compression.When the Shutter Release button ishalf-pressed, the display changesto show how many exposures canfit in the camera’s buffer beforethe buffer is full and the frame rate slows down. The buffer is in-camera memory that stores yourimage data while the data is beingwritten to the memory card. Thisarea also indicates that the whitebalance is ready to be set by flash-ing PRE it displays the amount ofexposure compensation and FECwhen the exposure compensationbutton is pressed. It tells youwhether the Active D-Lighting is onor off when the Active D-Lightingbutton is pressed, and also indi-cates when your camera isattached to a computer.

✦ Flash ready indicator. When thisis displayed the flash, whether it isthe built-in flash or an externalSpeedlight attached to the hotshoe, is fully charged and ready tofire at full power.

✦ Warning indicator. When thisquestion mark icon is flashing thecamera is warning you that theremay be a problem with your set-tings. Press the Help button toview the warning.


06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 21

✦ Battery indicator. This appearswhen the battery is low. When thebattery is completely exhaustedthis icon blinks and the shutterrelease is disabled.

✦ Auto ISO indicator. This is dis-played when the automatic ISOsetting is activated to let you knowthat the camera is controlling theISO settings.

✦ K. This lets you know that thereare more than 1,000 exposuresremaining on your memory card.

Shooting InfoDisplayWhen the camera is turned on the Shootinginfo is automatically displayed on the LCDmonitor screen. The Shooting info displayshows some of the same shooting informa-tion that appears in the viewfinder, butthere are also some settings that are onlydisplayed here. When this is displayed onthe LCD you can view and change the set-tings without looking through theviewfinder. The Shooting info remains ondisplay until no buttons have been pushedfor about 8 seconds, your eye is put up tothe viewfinder, or the Shutter Release but-ton is pressed.

This display shows you everything you needto know about your camera settings.Additionally, the camera has a built-in sen-sor that knows when the camera is beingheld vertically and the Shooting info is dis-played upright no matter which way youhold your camera.

The camera also allows you a number ofoptions on how the information is dis-played. You can choose between Classic,Graphic, and Wallpaper. You can alsochange the color of the Shooting info dis-play. You can choose black, blue, or orange.You can also choose a different display forthe DVP and P, S, A, and M modes. Thesesetting can be accessed in the Setup menuunder the Info display format menu.

For more info on the Set-upmenu, see Chapter 3.

✦ Shooting mode. This displays theshooting mode that your camera iscurrently set to. This can be one ofthe DVP modes, in which case thedisplay will be the appropriate iconor one of the semiauto modessuch as P, S, A, or M, in which casethe display shows the correspon-ding letter. This display changeswhen the Mode dial is rotated.

✦ Shutter speed. This shows in sec-onds or fractions of seconds howlong your shutter will stay openwhen the Shutter Release button ispressed.

✦ Aperture (f- number). This tellsyou how wide your aperture orlens opening is. The terms apertureand f-stop are interchangeable.Higher f-numbers denote smalleropenings while lower f-numbersmean that the opening is wider, letting in more light.

✦ Shutter speed display. When setto the Graphic mode this gives youa visual idea about the length ofyour shutter speed.

✦ Aperture display. When set toGraphic mode this shows youapproximately what your lensopening looks like.


06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 22

✦ Electronic analog exposure dis-play/Exposure compensation.This is your light meter. When thebars are in the center, you are atthe proper settings to get a goodexposure; when the bars are to theright, you are underexposed; whenthe bars are to the left, you areoverexposing your image. This fea-ture comes in especially handywhen using Manual exposure.

✦ Flash exposure compensation.This shows you the amount, if any,of flash exposure compensation.Flash exposure compensation(FEC) is used to make the flashmore or less bright. FEC is set bysimultaneously pressing the Flashmode button, the Exposure com-pensation button, and rotating the Command dial.

✦ Flash sync mode. This showswhich mode your flash is set to.You can change the flash mode bypressing the Flash button androtating the Command dial.

✦ Exposure compensation value.This shows the amount of expo-sure compensation, if any, that hasbeen set. Exposure compensationis used to increase or decrease theamount of exposure to fine-tuneyour image.

✦ Help indicator. When this icon isflashing there may be a problemwith one of your settings. Pressingthe Help/Zoom out button displaysinformation on rectifying the problem.

✦ Active D-Lighting indicator. Thisshows whether you have Active D-Lighting on or off. Active D-Lightingcan be set by pressing the ActiveD-Lighting button and rotating theCommand dial.

✦ Number of remaining expo-sures/Preset white balancerecording indicator/Capturemode indicator. This shows youapproximately how many expo-sures can be saved to your mem-ory card. When the Preset WhiteBalance is ready to be set thisblinks PRE.

✦ K. This icon appears when youhave more than 1,000 exposuresremaining on your memory card.

✦ Metering mode. This displayswhich metering mode your camerais set to: Matrix, Center-weighted,or Spot.

✦ AF-area mode. This tells youwhich AF-area mode is selected:Closest subject, Dynamic area, orSingle point.

✦ Focus mode. This tells you whichfocus mode your camera is set to:AF-A (Automatic), AF-C(Continuous), or AF-S (Single).

✦ Release mode. This lets you knowwhat release mode your camera isset to: Single frame, Continuous,Self-timer, Delayed remote, orQuick response remote.


06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 23


OFF

DATE ISO

-2.0AUTOSLOW -2.0

A PO

3232KK

00

1/1251/125 F5.6F5.6

FINE

1600

AF-A

? Seti

Shootingmode

Manual flash control indicator/Flash compensation indicatorfor optional Speedlight

ISO autoindicator

Beepindicator

Optimizeimage

indicator

Focus point display/AF-area mode

Date Imprintindicator

Batteryindicator

Shutter speed

Aperture(f-number)

K appears when more than1,000 exposures remain

ActiveD-Lighting indicator

Flash sync mode

Exposurecompensation

value

Image size

Help indicator

White balance mode

Image quality

Release mode

Number of exposuresremaining/Preset whitebalance recordingindicator/Capturemode indicator

Focus Mode

Flashcompensation

exposure

Electronic analogexposure display/Exposure compensation

Aperture display

Shutter speed display

ISO

AF-area mode

Metering mode

1.8 LCD display Wide (landscape) orientation

✦ ISO sensitivity. This tells you whatyour current ISO setting is.

✦ White balance mode. This dis-plays which white balance settingyou are currently using.

✦ Image size. This tells you the sizeof the image you are recording.

✦ Image quality. This display showsthe quality or compression of theJPEG or shows that you are record-ing a RAW image.

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 24


✦ Focus point display/AF-areamode. This indicates which focuspoint is currently active. This alsoshows the AF-area mode currentlyin use.

✦ Battery indicator. This shows youthe remaining charge on your battery.

✦ Beep indicator. This icon tells youwhether you have the camera setto beep when focus is achieved.

✦ Optimize image indicator. Thisoption lets you know whichOptimize image setting your cam-era is currently set to. The optionsare Normal (N), Softer (SO), Vivid(VI), More vivid (VI*), Portrait (PO),Black-and-white (BW), or Custom.

✦ ISO auto indicator. When thisicon is shown the camera is set toAuto ISO.

✦ Manual flash control indica-tor/Flash compensation foroptional Speedlight indicator.When this is displayed the cam-era’s built-in flash is being setmanually. This icon also appearswhen an optional Speedlight isattached and FEC has been set.

✦ Date imprint indicator. This iconis shown when the optional dateimprint function is applied. Thisfunction prints the date at the bot-tom of the image as it’s beingrecorded.

OFF

DATE ISO

-2.0AUTOSLOW -2.0

A PO

3232 KK

1/1251/125 F5.6F5.6

? Seti

QUALFINE 100

AF-AWB

ISO

00

1.9 LCD display Tall (portrait) orientation

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 25

06_383124 ch01.qxp 6/4/08 10:05 AM Page 26

22C H A P T E RNikon D60Essentials

When you familiarize yourself with the basic layoutof the D60 and all of the various dials, switches,

and buttons, you should find it much easier to navigate to andadjust the settings that allow you to control and fine-tune theway the camera captures images. This chapter covers some ofthe most commonly changed settings of the camera, such asthe exposure modes, metering, AF settings, white balance,and ISO. All of these settings combined are used to createyour image, and you can tweak and adjust them to reflectyour artistic vision or simply to be sure that your picturescome out right in tricky lighting situations.

Exposure settings covered in this chapter include the expo-sure modes and the metering modes. You also learn moreabout ISO, which also plays into exposure.

This chapter also explains the Autofocus modes, which deter-mine which areas of the viewfinder are given preferencewhen the camera is deciding what to focus on. Discussions ofwhite balance, image quality, and file formats round out thechapter.

Exposure ModesExposure modes control how the camera chooses the aper-ture (f-stop), shutter speed, and ISO settings when determin-ing the exposure. The camera gives aperture and shutterspeed higher priority and adjusts the ISO accordingly depend-ing on the lighting conditions. The D60 offers a wide varietyof exposure modes ranging from fully manual, in which youcompletely determine the settings, to semiautomatic settings,in which you select the aperture or shutter speed, to fullyautomatic modes in which the camera determines all settingsfor you.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Exposure modes

Metering modes

Exposure compensation

Focus modes

AF area modes

Release modes

ISO sensitivity

White balance

Image size and quality

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 27

Digital Vari-ProgramThe Digital Vari-Program modes are morecommonly called scene modes. Thesemodes are for photographing specific scenetypes such as sports or portraits. The D60’sscene modes allow you to capture theimage with the settings that are best forwhat you are photographing. The camerahas the parameters programmed into it soyou can just rotate the Mode dial to thescene type. For example, when shootingsports you usually want to freeze the action,while when shooting a portrait you oftenwant a wider aperture to blur out the back-ground. With scene modes, you don’t haveto think about this and you can focus oncapturing the moment rather than frettingover what the proper settings should be.

When using these scene modes, the cameracontrols all facets of the exposure process,including setting the shutter speed, aper-ture, and ISO. The camera also determines ifthere is enough light to make an exposureand activates the built-in flash if there is notenough light. Some of these scene modes,such as Auto (flash off) and Landscape, alsomake sure that the flash is not used even inlow-light situations.

The Auto ISO setting can beoverridden using the Quick set-tings display to change the ISOsetting. If the Function button isset to ISO, the Auto ISO can beoverridden as well. The overrideremains in effect unless thecamera is changed to P, S, A, orM and returned to one of theDVP modes. When changingback to a DVP mode from P, S,A, or M the Auto ISO function isagain activated.

AutoThe Auto mode is basically a “point andshoot” mode. The camera takes complete

control over the exposure. The camera’s meterreads the light, the color, and the brightness ofthe scene and runs the information through asophisticated algorithm. The camera uses thisinformation to determine what type of sceneyou are photographing and chooses the set-tings that it deems appropriate for the scene.If there isn’t enough light to make a properexposure, the camera’s built-in flash pops upwhen the Shutter Release button is half-pressed for focus. The flash fires when theshutter is released, resulting in a properlyexposed image.

This mode is great for taking snapshots,when you simply want to concentrate oncapturing the image and let the cameradetermine the proper settings.

Auto (flash off)This mode functions in the same way as theAuto setting except it disables the flash evenin low-light situations. In instances whenthe lighting is poor, the camera’s AF-assistilluminator lights up to provide sufficientlight to achieve focus. The camera uses thefocus area of the closest subject to focus on.

This setting is preferable when you want touse natural or ambient light for your subjector in situations where you aren’t allowed touse flash, such as museums or events suchas weddings, where the flash may cause adistraction.

PortraitThis scene mode is for taking pictures ofpeople. The camera automatically adjuststhe colors to give natural-looking skin tones.The camera focuses on the closest subject.It also attempts to use a wide aperture, ifpossible, to reduce the depth of field. Thisdraws attention to the subject of the por-trait, leaving distracting background detailsout of focus.

Note


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 28

The built-in flash and AF-assist illumina-tor automatically activate in low-light situations.

LandscapeThis mode is used for taking photos of far-off vistas. The camera automatically adjuststhe colors to apply brighter greens andblues to skies and foliage. The camera alsoautomatically focuses on the closest subjectand uses a smaller aperture to provide agreater depth of field to ensure focusthroughout the entire image.

In this mode, the camera automatically dis-ables the AF-assist illuminator and the flash.

ChildThis mode is for taking great photos or can-did shots of children. The camera automati-cally adjusts the colors to give moresaturation while still giving a soft, naturalskin tone. The camera automatically focuseson the closest subject and uses a fairly smallaperture to capture background details. Thebuilt-in flash is automatically activated whenthe light is low.

SportsThis mode uses a high shutter speed tofreeze the action of moving subjects. Thecamera focuses continuously as long as youhave the Shutter Release button half-pressed. The camera also uses predictivefocus tracking based on information from allof the focus areas in case the main subjectmoves from the center focus area.

The camera disables the built-in flash andAF-assist illuminator when this mode isselected.

Close-upThis scene mode is used for close-up ormacro shots. It uses a fairly wide aperture toprovide a soft background while giving themain subject a sharp focus. In this mode, thecamera focuses on the subject in the centerof the frame although you can use the mul-tiselector to choose one of the other focuspoints to create an off-center composition.When light is low, the camera automaticallyactivates the built-in flash. Be sure to removeyour lens hood when using the flash onclose-up subjects because the lens hood cancast a shadow on your subject by blockingthe light from the flash.

Night PortraitThis mode is for taking portraits in low-lightsituations. The camera automatically acti-vates the flash and uses a longer shutterspeed to capture the ambient light from thebackground. This balances the ambient lightand the light from the flash, giving you amore natural effect. I recommend using atripod when you use this feature to preventblur from camera shake that can occur dur-ing longer exposure times.

Programmed AutoProgrammed Auto, or P, mode is a fullyautomatic mode suitable for shooting snap-shots and scenes where you’re not very con-cerned about controlling the settings. Thismode is similar to the Digital Vari-ProgramAuto mode, but doesn’t automatically acti-vate the flash in low light. It also allows youto adjust the ISO when your camera is set tothe Auto-ISO off option. This mode alsooffers you the option of modifying the cam-era’s settings to suit your specific needs.

When the camera is in P mode, the cameradecides the settings for you based on a setof algorithms. The camera attempts to select

Chapter 2 ✦ Nikon D60 Essentials 29

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 29

a shutter speed that allows you to shoothandheld without suffering from camerashake while also adjusting your aperture sothat you get good depth of field to ensureeverything is in focus. When the camerabody is coupled with an AF lens the cameraautomatically knows what focal length andaperture range the lens has. The camerathen uses this lens information to decidewhat the optimal settings should be.

The P exposure mode chooses the widestaperture possible until it reaches the opti-mal shutter speed for the specific lens. Thenthe camera chooses a smaller f-stop, as wellas increases the shutter speed as light levelsincrease. For example, when using a17-55mm f/2.8 zoom lens, the camerakeeps the aperture wide open until theshutter speed reaches about 1/40 second(the minimum shutter speed to avoid cam-era shake). Upon reaching 1/40 second, thecamera adjusts the aperture to increasedepth of field.

For more information on aper-ture and shutter speed’s effecton exposure see Chapter 4.

The exposure settings selected by the cam-era appear on both the LCD monitor (whenthe Info button is pressed) and theviewfinder display. Although the camerachooses what it thinks are the optimal set-tings, the camera does not know what yourspecific needs are. You may decide that yourhands are not steady enough to shoot at theshutter speed the camera has selected, oryou may want a wider or smaller aperturefor selective focus.

Fortunately, you aren’t stuck with the cam-era’s exposure choice. You can engage whatis known as flexible program. Flexible

program allows you to deviate from thecamera’s aperture and shutter speed choicewhen you are in P mode. To automaticallyengage this feature, simply rotate theCommand dial until the desired shutterspeed or aperture is achieved. This allowsyou to choose a wider aperture/faster shut-ter speed when you rotate the dial to theright or a slower shutter speed/smalleraperture when you rotate the dial to the left.With flexible program, you can maintain themetered exposure while still having somecontrol over the shutter speed and aperturesettings.

A quick example of using flexible programwould be if the camera has set the shutterspeed at 1/60 second with an aperture off/8 but you’re shooting a portrait and wanta wider aperture to throw the backgroundout of focus. By rotating the Command dialto the right, you can open the aperture up tof/4, which causes the shutter speed toincrease to 1/250 second. This is what isknown as an equivalent exposure, meaningyou get the same exact exposure but thesettings are different.

When flexible program is on, an asteriskappears next to the P when the shootinginfo is displayed. Rotate the Command dialuntil the asterisk disappears to return to thedefault P settings.

P, S, and A modes are not avail-able when using a non-CPUlens. The camera must be set toM or Manual mode.

If there is not enough light tomake a proper exposure in Pmode, the camera displays Loinstead of a shutter speeddenomination.

Note


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 30

Aperture PriorityAperture Priority, or A, mode is a semiauto-matic mode. In this mode, you decide whichaperture to use and the camera sets theshutter speed for the best exposure basedon your chosen aperture. Situations whereyou may want to select the aperture includewhen you’re shooting a portrait and want awide aperture (small f-stop number) to blurthe background, and when you’re shootinga landscape and you want a small aperture(large f-stop number) to ensure the entirescene is in focus.

If there is not enough light tomake a proper exposure in Amode, the camera displays Loin place of the shutter speedsetting.

Shutter PriorityShutter Priority, or S, mode is another semi-automatic mode. In this mode, you choosethe shutter speed and the camera sets theaperture. This mode is good to use whenshooting moving subjects or action sceneswhere you need to be sure to have a fastshutter speed to freeze the motion of yoursubject and prevent blur. You can also selecta slower shutter speed to add motion bluras a creative photographic technique.

If there is not enough light tomake a proper exposure in Smode, the camera displays Loin place of the aperture setting.

ManualWhen in Manual, or M, mode, you set boththe aperture and shutter speed settings. Youcan estimate the exposure, use a handheldlight meter, or use the D60’s electronic ana-log exposure display to determine the expo-sure needed.

The D60’s electronic analogexposure display only functionswith lenses that have a CPU.

Probably the main question that peoplehave about M mode is why use it when youhave these other modes? There are a fewreasons why you may want to set the expo-sure manually:

✦ To gain complete control overexposure. Most times, the cameradecides the optimal exposurebased on technical algorithms andan internal database of imageinformation. Often what the cam-era decides to be optimal is notnecessarily what is optimal in yourmind. You may want to underex-pose to make your image dark andforeboding, or you may want tooverexpose a bit to make the col-ors pop (making colors bright andcontrasty). If your camera is set toM, you can choose the settings andplace your image in whatever tonalrange you want without having tofool with Exposure compensationsettings.

✦ When using studio flash. Whenusing studio strobes or externalnondedicated flash units, the cam-era’s metering system isn’t used.When using external strobes, aflash meter or manual calculationis necessary to determine theproper exposure. Using M mode,you can quickly set the apertureand shutter speed to the properexposure; just be sure not to setthe shutter speed above the ratedsync speed of 1/200 second.

✦ When using non-CPU lenses.When you use older non-CPUlenses, you can only adjust the settings in M mode. You will also

Note

Note

Note


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 31

need to estimate the exposure settings or use an accessory lightmeter.

Metering ModesThe D60 has three metering modes that youcan choose from to help you get the bestexposure for your image: Matrix, Center-weighted, and Spot. Metering modes decidehow the camera’s light sensor collects andprocesses the information used to deter-mine exposure. Each of these modes is use-ful for different types of lighting situations.You can change the modes by using theQuick Settings menu or changing theCustom Settings menu (CSM-5).

MatrixThe default metering system that Nikoncameras use is a proprietary system called3D Color Matrix II, or Matrix metering forshort. Matrix metering takes an evaluativereading of the light falling on the entirescene taking into account the color informa-tion. Then the camera runs the data throughsome sophisticated algorithms and deter-mines the proper exposure for the scene.When using a current Nikkor D- or G-typelens, the camera also takes the focusing dis-tance into consideration.

For more info on lenses and lensspecifications, see Chapter 5.

The Matrix metering setting is highly intu-itive, and Nikon has been refining it over anumber of years, so it works very well formost subjects. I almost always have mycamera set to Matrix.

Center-weightedWhen the camera’s metering mode isswitched to Center-weighted, the metertakes a light reading of the whole scene, butbases the exposure settings mostly from thelight falling on the center of the scene. Thecamera determines about 75 percent of theexposure from a circular pattern in the cen-ter of the frame and 25 percent from theedges.

Center-weighted metering is a very usefuloption. It works great when you’re shootingphotos where you know the main subjectwill be in the middle of the frame. It’s use-ful when you’re photographing a dark sub-ject against a bright background, or a lightsubject against a dark background. And itworks especially well for portraits whereyou want to preserve the background detailwhile exposing correctly for the subject.

Center-weighted metering can provide youconsistent results without you having toworry about the fluctuations in exposuresettings that can sometimes happen whenusing Matrix metering.

SpotIn Spot metering mode, the camera doesjust that: meters only a spot. This spot isonly 3.5mm in diameter and only accountsfor 2.5 percent of the entire frame. The spotis linked to the active focus point, which isgood, so you can focus and meter your sub-ject at the same time.

Spot metering is best when the subject isthe only thing in the frame that you wantthe camera to expose for. For example,when you are photographing a subject on a


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 32

completely white or black background, youneed not be concerned with preservingdetail in the background; therefore, expos-ing just for the subject works out perfectly.One example where this mode works well isin concert photography where the musicianor singer is lit by a bright spotlight. You cancapture every detail of the subject and justlet the shadow areas go black.

ExposureCompensationYour camera’s meter is not always completelyaccurate. There are a lot of variables in mostscenes, and large bright or dark areas cantrick the meter into thinking a scene isbrighter or darker than it really is, causing theimage to be over- or underexposed. Exposurecompensation is a feature of the D60 thatallows you to fine-tune the amount of expo-sure to vary from what is set by the camera’sexposure meter. If after taking the photo-graph you review it and it’s too dark or toolight, you can adjust the Exposure compensa-tion and retake the picture to get a betterexposure. You adjust Exposure compensationby pressing the Exposure compensation but-ton, to the right of the Shutter Release button,and rotating the Command dial to the left formore exposure (+EV) or to the right for lessexposure (-EV). The Exposure compensationis adjusted in 1/3 stops of light. You canadjust the Exposure compensation up to+5EV and down to -5EV, which is a largerange of ten stops. To remind you thatExposure compensation has been set, theExposure compensation indicator appears in the viewfinder display. It also appears onthe rear LCD when the shooting info is beingdisplayed.

Be sure to reset the Exposurecompensation to 0 after you’redone to avoid unwanted over-or underexposure.

HistogramsThe easiest way to determine if you need toadjust the Exposure compensation is to sim-ply preview your image. If it looks too dark,add some Exposure compensation; if it’s toobright, adjust the Exposure compensationdown. This, however, is not the most accu-rate method of determining how muchExposure compensation to use. To accu-rately determine how much Exposure com-pensation to add or subtract, look at thehistogram. A histogram is a visual represen-tation of the tonal values in your image.Think of it as a graph that charts the lights,darks, and midtones in your picture.

The histogram charts a tonal range of aboutfive stops, which is about the limit of whatthe D60’s sensor can record. This range isbroken down into 256 separate brightnesslevels from 0 (absolute black) to 255(absolute white), with 128 coming in atmiddle, or 18 percent gray.

Ideally, with most average subjects thataren’t bright white or extremely dark, youwant to try to get your histogram to look


Exposurecompensation

button

2.1 The Exposure compensation button

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 33

sort of like a Bell curve, with most of thetones in the middle range tapering off asthey get to the dark and light ends of thegraph — so, you want to expose your subjectso that it falls right about in the middle ofthe tonal range. But, this is only for mostaverage types of images. As with almosteverything in photography, there are excep-tions to the rule. If you take a photo of adark subject on a dark background (a low-key image), then naturally your histogramwill have most of the tones bunched up onthe left side of the graph. Conversely, if youtake a photograph of a light subject on alight background (a high-key image), thenthe histogram will have most of the tonesbunched up to the right.

The most important thing to remember is thatthere is no such thing as a perfect histogram.A histogram is just a factual representation ofthe tones in the image. The other importantthing to remember is that although it’s okayfor the graph to be near one side or the other,

you usually don’t want your histogram tohave spikes bumping up against the edge ofthe graph; this indicates your image hasblown-out highlights (completely white, withno detail) or blocked-up shadow areas (com-pletely black, with no detail).

Now that you know a little bit about histo-grams, you can use them to adjust Exposurecompensation. Here is a good order of oper-ations to follow when using the histogramas a tool to evaluate your photos:


shadows darks midtones lights highlights

2.2 Representation of the tonal range of a histogram

2.3 Example of a histogram from an over-exposed image (no highlight detail). Noticethe spikes at the far right of the graph.

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 34

1. After taking your picture, reviewits histogram on the LCD. Toview the histogram in the imagepreview, press the Playback buttonto view the image. Press the multi-selector up or down, until the his-togram appears directly over theimage preview.

2. Look at the histogram. An exam-ple of an ideal histogram is shownin figure 2.5.

3. Adjust the Exposure compensa-tion. To move the tones to theright to capture more highlightdetail, add a little Exposure com-pensation by pressing the Exposurecompensation button and rotatingthe Command dial to the left. Tomove the tones to the left, pressthe Exposure compensation buttonand rotate the Command dial tothe right.

4. Retake the photograph if neces-sary. After taking another picture,review the histogram again. Ifneeded, adjust the Exposure com-pensation and try again until youachieve the desired exposure.

BracketingAnother way to ensure that you get theproper exposure is to bracket your expo-sures. Bracketing is a photographic tech-nique in which you vary the exposure ofyour subject over three or more frames. Bydoing this, you ensure you get the properexposure in difficult lighting situationswhereyour camera’s meter can be fooled.Bracketing is usually done with at least oneexposure under and one exposure over themetered exposure.

The following is a sequence of bracketedimages. I shot five frames and used incre-ments of 1EV to show the broad range ofexposures you can get with bracketing.


2.4 Example of a histogram from an under-exposed image (no shadow detail). Noticethe spikes at the far left of the graph.

2.5 Example of a histogram from a properlyexposed image. Notice that the graph doesnot spike against the edge on the left or theright, but tapers off.

2.6 Example of a histogram from a low-keyimage. Notice that although the graph ismostly on the left, it does not spike againstthe edge, indicating that there is shadowdetail in the image.

2.7 Example of a histogram from a high-keyimage. Notice that although the graph ismostly on the right, it does not spike againstthe edge, indicating that there is highlightdetail in the image.

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 35


2.8 An image bracketed at -2 EV

2.9 An image bracketed at -1 EV

2.10 An image bracketed at 0 EV.

2.11 An image bracketed at +1 EV

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 36

Focus ModesThe Nikon D60 has four focus modes:Continuous AF, Single AF, Auto, and Manual.Each mode is useful for different types ofshooting conditions, from sports to imagesto still-life photographs. These modes canbe set using the Quick settings menu or by accessing the Custom Settings menu(CSM-2).

Continuous AFWhen the camera is set to Continuous AF(AF-C), as long as the Shutter Release but-ton is halfway pressed, the camera contin-ues to focus. If the subject moves, thecamera activates Predictive Focus Tracking.With Predictive Focus Tracking on, the cam-era tracks the subject to maintain focus andattempts to predict where the subject will

be when the Shutter Release button ispressed completely. When in Continuous AFmode, by camera default, the camera fireswhen the Shutter Release button is pressed,whether or not the subject is in focus (thisis known as release priority). This is the AFmode you want to use when shootingsports or any subject that may be movingerratically.

Single AFIn Single AF (AF-S) mode, the camera focuseswhen the Shutter Release button is pressedhalfway. When the camera achieves focus,the focus locks. The focus remains lockeduntil you release the shutter or the ShutterRelease button is no longer pressed. Bydefault, the camera does not fire unless focushas been achieved (this is known as focuspriority). This is the AF mode to use whenshooting portraits, landscapes, or other pho-tos where the subject is relatively static.

AutoWhen the camera is set to this mode, itautomatically chooses between AF-C andAF-S depending on the subject. If the cam-era determines that your subject is not mov-ing, it sets the focus mode to AF-S. Whenthe camera detects a moving subject, it setsthe focus mode to AF-C.

ManualWhen set to the Manual mode, the D60 AFsystem is off. You can only focus the cameraby rotating the focus ring of the lens. Thefocus indicator light in the viewfinder dis-play appears when the camera is in focus.You can use Manual mode when shootingstill-life photographs or other nonmovingsubjects, and when you want total control ofthe focus.


2.12 An image bracketed at +2 EV

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 37

AF Area ModesWith the D60, Nikon uses the Multi-CAM530AF module. The D60 focusing system has a three-point AF system. You can use thethree AF points individually in Single-area AF mode, or you can set them to use in agroup when in Dynamic-area AF mode. Youcan also set the camera to use the focuspoint that contains the closet subject to thecamera.

The D60 also has Predictive Focus Tracking,which enables the camera to switch focuspoints as a moving subject crosses theframe. Focus tracking is made possible bythe camera recognizing color and light infor-mation and using this to track the subject.

Single-area AFSingle-area AF mode is the easiest mode touse when you’re shooting slow-moving orcompletely still subjects. You use the multis-elector to choose one of the three AF points.The camera only focuses on the subject if itis in the selected AF area. When selecting theAF point, the point used will be lit up in theviewfinder while the camera is attempting toachieve focus.

Dynamic-area AFDynamic-area AF mode also allows you toselect the AF point manually, but unlikeSingle-area AF the remaining unselectedpoints remain active so just in case the sub-ject moves out of the selected focus area,the camera’s AF can track it across the frame.

Closest subject AFThis mode is exactly what it sounds like: thecamera automatically determines the closest

subject and chooses one or more AF pointsto lock focus. This is a good mode to usewhen shooting close-up or macro pictures,or if you’re shooting close-up portraits.

Release ModesThe release modes control how (or if) theShutter Release button controls the actualshooting. You can set the release mode totake only one shot when the button ispressed or you can set it to shoot continu-ously as long as the Shutter Release buttonis pressed there are also options for addinga delay and for using a optional wirelessremote. The release mode settings can bechanged using the Quick Settings display orin the Custom Settings menu (CSM-04).

SingleWhen set to single mode the camera takesone picture each time the Shutter Releasebutton is pressed. This is the best mode touse when shooting subjects that aren’t mov-ing or when shooting portraits.

ContinuousWhen the camera is set to Continuousrelease mode the camera takes photographsat up to three frames per second as long asthe Shutter Release button is pressed andheld down. The actual frame rate can varydepending on the shutter speed and shoot-ing mode selected. To get the fastest framerate using Shutter Priority mode with a shut-ter speed of 1/250 is recommended. UsingActive D-lighting results in a slower framerate. This is a good mode to use when shoot-ing moderate to fast action such as sports.


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 38

Self-timerUsing this option gives the camera a timedelay after the Shutter Release button ispressed before the camera takes the shot.This allows you be able to be in your ownpictures. You can also use this option toreduce blur from camera shake that iscaused from pressing the Shutter Releasebutton when the camera is on a tripod. Thedelay allows the tripod and camera to stopshaking before the shutter is released givingyou a sharper image especially when usinglong shutter speeds. By default the cameragives you a 10-second delay. You canchange the delay time in the CustomSettings menu (CSM-16). The options are 2,5, 10, or 20 seconds.

Delayed remoteThis release mode can be used only with theoptional ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control.When using this mode the shutter is released2 seconds after the camera has achievedfocus.

Quick response remoteThis option can also only be used with theoptional ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control.When using this release mode the cameratakes a picture as soon as the camera is infocus after pressing the Release button onthe remote.

ISO SensitivityISO, which stands for InternationalOrganization for Standardization, is a ratingfor the speed of film. In digital terms thattranslates to the sensitivity of the sensor tolight. The ISO numbers are standardized,which allows you to be sure that when you

shoot at ISO 100 you get the same exposureno matter what camera you are using.Because the ISO you choose determineshow sensitive the image sensor is to thelight that is reaching it through the lensopening, increasing or reducing the ISOaffects the exposure by allowing you to usefaster shutter speeds or smaller apertures(raising the ISO), or using a slower shutterspeed or wider aperture (lowering the ISO).

The D60 has an ISO range of 100 to 1600.In addition to these standard ISO settings,the D60 also offers a setting that extendsthe available range of the ISO so you canshoot in very dark situations. This setting islabeled as H1 (high speed) and gives youan equivalent ISO sensitivity of 3200.

Using the H1 setting does notproduce optimal results. The H1setting can cause your imagesto have a high amount of digitalnoise, which are artifactscaused by amplifying the cam-era’s sensor signal to achievemore light sensitivity.

Auto ISOThe D60 also offers a feature where thecamera adjusts the ISO automatically foryou when there isn’t enough light to make aproper exposure. Auto ISO is meant to freeyou up from making decisions about whento raise the ISO. The Auto ISO can be set inthe Shooting menu under the ISO sensitivitysettings option.

For more information on theShooting menu see Chapter 3.

By default, when Auto ISO is on, the camerachooses an ISO setting from 100 up to 1600whenever the shutter speed falls below 1/30second. You can also limit how high the ISOcan be set so you can keep control of thenoise created when a higher ISO is used.


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 39

Auto ISO is automaticallyselected when shooting in oneof the Digital Vari-Programmodes, such as Portrait or Child.

Be sure to set the following options in theShooting menu/ISO sensitivity settings:

✦ Maximum Sensitivity. Choose anISO setting that allows you to getan acceptable amount of noise inyour image. If you’re not con-cerned about noisy images thenyou can set the ISO all the way upto 1600. If you need your imagesto have less noise you can choosea lower ISO.

✦ Minimum Shutter Speed. Thissetting determines when the cam-era adjusts the ISO to a higherlevel. At the default, the camerabumps up the ISO when the shut-ter speed falls below 1/30 second.If you’re using a longer lens oryou’re photographing moving sub-jects you may need a faster shutterspeed. In that case, you can set theminimum shutter speed up to1/250. On the other hand, if you’renot concerned about camerashake, or if you’re using a tripod,you can set a shutter speed asslow as 1 second.

The minimum shutter speed isonly taken into account whenusing Programmed Auto orShutter Priority modes.

Noise reductionSince the inception of digital cameras,they’ve been plagued with what is known asdigital noise. This, simply put, is randomlycolored dots that appear in your image giving

it a grainy appearance. It is basically causedby extraneous electrons that are producedwhen your image is being recorded. Whenlight strikes the image sensor in your D60,electrons are produced. These electrons cre-ate an analog signal that is converted into adigital image by the Analog to Digital (A/D)converter in your camera.

There are two specific causes of noise.

✦ The first cause of digital noise isheat generated or thermalnoise. While the shutter is openand your camera is recording animage, the sensor starts to gener-ate a small amount of heat. Thisheat can free electrons from thesensor, which in turn contaminatethe electrons that have been cre-ated as a result of the light strikingthe photocells on your sensor. Thiscontamination shows up as noise.

✦ The second cause of digitalnoise is known as high ISOnoise. In any type of electronicdevice there is background electri-cal noise. For the most part it’s veryminiscule and you never notice it.Cranking up the ISO amplifies thesignals (photons of light) your sen-sor is receiving. Unfortunately, asthese signals are amplified so isthe background electrical noise.The higher your ISO, the more thebackground noise is amplified untilit shows up as randomly coloredspecks.

Digital noise is composed of two differentelements, chrominance and luminance.Chrominance refers to the colored specksand luminance refers mainly to the size andshape of the noise.

Note

Note


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 40

Fortunately, with every new camerareleased, the technology gets better and bet-ter, and the D60 is no exception. You canshoot at ISO 800 and not worry about exces-sive noise. In previous cameras, shooting atISO 800 sometimes produced a very noisyimage that was not suitable for large prints.

Although very low in noise, there is noisethere, especially when shooting at or aboveISO 1600 (the Hi setting) or when usinglong exposure times. For this reason mostcamera manufacturers have built-in noisereduction (NR) features.

When this setting is turned on (in theShooting menu), the camera runs a NRalgorithm to any shot taken with a longexposure (8 seconds or more). Basically,how this works is that the camera takesanother exposure, this time with the shutterclosed, and compares the noise from thisdark image to the original one. The camerathen applies the NR. The NR takes about thesame amount of time to process as thelength of the initial exposure; therefore,expect to double the time it takes to makeone exposure. While the camera is applyingNR, the LCD panel blinks a message thatsays “Job nr.” No additional images can betaken until this process is finished. If youswitch the camera off before the NR is fin-ished, no noise reduction is applied.

(When the noise reduction is set to on, anyimage shot at ISO 400 or higher is runthrough the NR algorithm.) This NR featureworks by reducing the coloring in thechrominance of the noise and combiningthat with a bit of softening of the image toreduce the luminance noise. Even when theNR is turned off, the camera applies a smallamount of NR to all images that are shot atISO 800 or higher.

You can turn NR off in the Shooting menu.

When shooting in RAW noactual noise reduction isapplied to the image.

For the most part, I choose not to use in-camera NR features. In my opinion, even atthe lowest setting, the camera is veryaggressive in the NR, and for that reason,there is a loss of detail. For most people, thisis a minor quibble and not very noticeable,but for me, I’d rather keep all of the avail-able detail in my images and apply NR inpost-processing. This way I can decide formyself how much to reduce the chromi-nance and luminance rather than letting thecamera do it. The camera doesn’t knowwhether you’re going to print the image at alarge size or just display it on-screen.

NR can be applied in CaptureNX, or by using Photoshop’sAdobe Camera Raw or otherimage-editing software.

White BalanceVarious types of light, whether from sun-light, a light bulb, fluorescent lighting, or aflash, have their own specific color. Thiscolor is measured using the Kelvin scale.This measurement is also known as colortemperature. The white balance allows youto adjust the camera so that your imagescan look natural no matter what the lightsource. Because white is the color that ismost dramatically affected by the color tem-perature of the light source, it is what youbase your settings on; hence the term whitebalance. You can change the white balancein the Shooting menu or by pressing the WBbutton on the top of the camera and rotat-ing the Command dial.

Tip

Note


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 41

The term color temperature may soundstrange to you. “How can a color have atemperature?” you might think. Once youknow about the Kelvin scale, things make alittle more sense.

What is Kelvin?Kelvin is a temperature scale, normally usedin the fields of physics and astronomy,where absolute zero (0K) denotes theabsence of all heat energy. The concept isbased on a mythical object called a blackbody radiator. Theoretically, as this blackbody radiator is heated, it starts to glow. Asit is heated to a certain temperature, itglows a specific color. It is akin to heating abar of iron with a torch. As the iron gets hot-ter, it turns red, then yellow, and then even-tually white before it reaches its meltingpoint (although the theoretical black bodydoes not have a melting point).

The concept of Kelvin and color temperatureis tricky as it is the opposite of what youlikely think of as “warm” and “cool” colors.For example, on the Kelvin scale, red is thelowest temperature, with it increasingthrough orange, yellow, white, and toshades of blue, which are the highest tem-peratures. Humans tend to perceive reds,oranges, and yellows as warmer and whiteand bluish colors as colder. However, physi-cally speaking, the opposite is true asdefined by the Kelvin scale.

White balance settingsNow that you know a little about the Kelvinscale, you can begin to explore the whitebalance settings. The reason that white bal-ance is so important is to ensure that yourimages have a natural look. When dealingwith different lighting sources, the color

temperature of the source can have a dras-tic effect on the coloring of the subject. Forexample, a standard light bulb casts a veryyellow light; if the color temperature of thelight bulb is not compensated for by intro-ducing a bluish cast, the subject can lookoverly yellow and not quite right.

To adjust for the colorcast of the lightsource, the camera introduces a colorcast ofthe complete opposite color temperature.For example, to combat the green color castof a fluorescent lamp, the camera intro-duces a slight magenta cast to neutralize thegreen.

The D60 has eight white balance settings:

Auto. This setting is best formost circumstances. The cameratakes a reading of the ambientlight and makes an automaticadjustment. This setting alsoworks well when using a Nikon-compatible Speedlightbecause the color temperature is calculated to match the flashoutput. I actually recommendusing this setting as opposed to the Flash WB setting.

Incandescent. This setting isbest when the lighting is from astandard household light bulb.

Fluorescent. This setting is bestwhen the lighting is comingfrom a fluorescent-type lamp.You can also adjust for differenttypes of fluorescent lamps,including high-pressure sodiumand mercury vapor lamps. Tomake this adjustment, go to theShooting menu and chooseWhite Balance, and then fluores-cent. From there, use the multi-selector to choose one of theseven types of lamps.

AUTO


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 42

Direct sunlight. This setting isbest when shooting outdoors indaylight. 5500K.

Flash. This setting is best whenusing the built-in Speedlight, ahot-shoe Speedlight, or externalstrobes. 5500K

Cloudy. This setting is bestwhen shooting under overcastskies. 6500K

Shade. This setting is best whenyou’re in the shade of a tree ora building or even under anoverhang or a bridge — anyplacewhere the sun is out but isbeing blocked. 7500K

PRE. This setting allows you tochoose a neutral object tomeasure for the white balance.It’s best to choose an object thatis either white or light gray.There are some accessories thatyou can use to set the whitebalance from. One accessory is agray card, which is fairly inex-pensive. Simply put the graycard in the scene and balanceoff of it. Another accessory is the Expodisc. This attaches tothe front of your lens like a filter;you then point the lens at thelight source and set your whitebalance. PRE is best used underdifficult lighting situations, suchas when there are two differentlight sources lighting the scene(mixed lighting). I usually usethis setting when photographingwith my studio strobes. To preseta white balance:

1. Press the Shooting info buttontwice to enter the Quick Settingsmenu.

2. Use the multiselector to high-light the white balance optionthen press the OK button.

3. Use the multiselector up/downto scroll thorough the WBoptions until you get to PRE,and then press the OK button.

4. Press and hold the OK buttonuntil PRE starts flashing on theShooting info display (PRE also flashes in the viewfinderdisplay).

5. Point your camera at an objectthat is white or gray, and thenrelease the shutter. The subjectdoes not have to be in focus.

6. If the Shooting info displayflashes Gd, your WB has beenrecorded; if the info displayflashes no Gd, try again.

By keeping your digital cameraset to the Automatic WB setting,you can reduce the amount ofimages taken with incorrectcolor temperatures. In mostlighting situations, the Auto-matic WB setting is very accu-rate. You may discover that yourcamera’s ability to evaluate thecorrect white balance is moreaccurate than setting white bal-ance manually.

Figures 2.13 to 2.19 show the differentlooks of the white balance settings.

Tip

PRE


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 43


2.13 Auto, 5050K

2.14 Incandescent, 2850K

2.15 Fluorescent, 3800K

2.16 Direct sunlight, 5500K

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 44

Image Size andQualityThe Nikon D60 allows you to choose fromtwo different file formats when saving yourimages: RAW or JPEG. In addition you canalso to choose to store a RAW file and aJPEG file at the same time.

The file format you choose depends on howmuch control you want over the final outputof your images and how much post-processing you’re willing to do. RAW filesallow you a little more flexibility in how yourfinal image turns out because none of thedata is actually fixed when you record it.JPEG images work best when you just want


2.17 Flash, 5500K

2.18 Cloudy, 6500K

2.19 Shade, 7500K

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 45

to print straight out of the camera and youdon’t necessarily plan to spend a lot of timeediting your images using software. Ofcourse you can easily edit JPEG files usingsoftware as well, but as I said before RAWfiles offer much more flexibility and oftenyield better results.

RAWA RAW file is a file format that preserves allof the original image data that was recordedby your camera’s sensor. You can manipu-late this image data after you have savedthe image, which allows you greater controlover your images. You can adjust the expo-sure, white balance, and image size amongother things. For the most part, you do theseRAW conversions on a computer, usingimage-processing software such as NikonCapture NX or Adobe Camera Raw (avail-able in Photoshop).

The Nikon D60 also allows you to makesome changes to your RAW files in-cameratoo. Since RAW files are usually not sup-ported by most print services and cannot beprinted using a direct USB connection theNEF (RAW) processing feature in the Retouchmenu allows you to make adjustments incamera then save as a JPEG so you can printdirectly from your camera or memory card.

For more information on in-camera RAW processing and theRetouch menu see Chapter 8.

JPEGThe second option for saving images on theD60 is JPEG. When an image is saved asJPEG, the camera processes the image infor-mation and applies any custom settings thatyou may have chosen in the Optimize image

option, such as sharpening, contrast adjust-ments, or color adjustments. JPEG imagescan be processed using image-processingsoftware, but they leave you with less flexi-bility than RAW files when it comes to mak-ing adjustments. JPEG files are alsocompressed when saved, which gives you asmaller file size, allowing you to fit moreimages on your memory card.

For more information onOptimize image, see theShooting menu section ofChapter 3.

Image size andcompressionWhen saving to JPEG format, the D60 allowsyou to choose an image size. Reducing theimage size is like reducing the resolution onyour camera: It allows you to fit moreimages on your card. What size you choosedepends on what your output is going to be.If you know you will be printing your imagesat a large size, then you definitely want torecord large JPEGs. If you’re going to print ata smaller size (8 × 10 or 5 × 7), you can getaway with recording at the medium or smallsetting.

Image size is expressed in pixel dimensions.The large setting records your images at3872 × 2592 pixels; this gives you a file thatis equivalent to 10.2 megapixels. Mediumsize gives you an image of 2896 × 1944 pix-els, which is in effect the same as a 5.6-megapixel camera. The small size gives youa dimension of 1936 × 1296 pixels, whichgives you about a 2.5-megapixel image.

Other than the size setting, which changesthe pixel dimension, you have the compres-sion settings Fine, Normal, and Basic. There is


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 46

considerable controversy regarding whethercompressing a JPEG to a smaller size reducesthe actual resolution. This controversy stemsfrom the fact that when a JPEG file is closed,it compresses to a smaller size discardingsome of the image information to savespace. This is known as lossy compressionbecause image data is lost. When set to Basicor Normal, more information is discarded,supposedly resulting in less image detail.Some photographers say that using the Fine

setting is the only way to go while others pro-fess that the Normal setting is perfectly goodfor print use.

I don’t want to choose sides in this contro-versy. The advice that I offer is this: Set up ashot and take one at each of the settings,make a print of each, and decide for your-self whether or not you can see an appre-ciable difference.


07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 47

07_383124 ch02.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 48

33C H A P T E RSetting up theNikon D60

The first few sections of the book covered how to changethe main settings of your D60. In this chapter, I delve

deep into the menu options. In the menus, you can customizethe D60 options to fit your shooting style, help refine yourworkflow, or make adjustments to refine the camera settingsto fit different shooting scenarios.

Some of these options are the same as those you can accessand adjust by pushing a button and/or rotating the Commanddial. However, in the menus, you can access other optionsthat don’t need to be changed very often or quickly.

After pressing the Menu button, use the multiselector to scrollthrough the toolbar on the left side of the LCD. When thedesired menu is highlighted, press the OK button or turn themultiselector right to enter the menu. Pressing the Menu but-ton again or tapping the Shutter Release button exits theMenu mode screen and readies the camera for shooting.

Pressing the Menu button on the back of the cam-era accesses all of the menus, with the exceptionof the Quick Settings display.

Quick Settings DisplayThe Quick Settings display is arguably the most importantmenu, and you’ll probably find yourself accessing this quiteoften. This is where you can quickly change most of the princi-pal settings: flash mode, Exposure compensation, Flash expo-sure compensation, Active D-Lighting, metering, AF-area mode,focus mode, release mode, ISO, white balance, and imagequality.

Note

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Quick Settings display

Playback menu

Shooting menu

Custom Settings menu

Setup menu

Retouch menu

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 49

Accessing this menu is a very simpleprocess. When the camera is turned on andthe shooting information is automaticallydisplayed, press the Info/Zoom in button toenter the Quick Settings display. If the LCDmonitor is off you need to press the buttontwice, first to display the shooting informa-tion and then to show the Quick Settings.

Some settings are not availablein certain DVP modes. Theseoptions are grayed out and notaccessible.

When the Quick Settings menu is displayeduse the multiselector left/right or up/downto highlight the setting you want to change.Press the OK button to display the optionsfor the specific setting. Use the multiselectorup/down to highlight the setting option.Press the OK button or multiselector right tochange the setting. Press the multiselectorleft to return to the Quick Settings displaywithout changing the setting. To exit theQuick Settings display, press theInformation/Zoom-in button or tap theShutter Release button.

Playback Menu The Playback menu is where you managethe images stored on your flash card. ThePlayback menu is also where you controlhow the images are displayed and whatimage information and is displayed duringreview. There are 6 options available fromthe Playback menu.

DeleteThis option allows you to delete selectedimages from your memory card or to deleteall of the images at once.

To delete selected images:

1. Press the multiselector right,highlight Selected (default) fromthe Delete menu, and press themultiselector to the right again.You can now select the image youwant to delete.

Note


OFF0.0

o

Off OKOK

RAW

S

WB

AF-S

800

Focus modeQUAL

Move0.0

Fn

?

[ ]

i

1/60 13 94F

3.1 The Quick Settings display

Stop-motion moviePrint set (DPOF)Slide showRotate tallPlayback folderDelete

OFF2s

ALL

PLAYBACK MENU

3.2 The Playback menu

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 50

2. Use the multiselector left/rightto choose the image. You canalso use the Zoom in button toreview the image close up beforedeleting. Press the multiselector upor down to set the image for dele-tion; more than one image can beselected. When the image isselected for deletion it shows asmall trashcan icon in the right-hand corner.

3. Press the OK button to erasethe selected image(s). The cam-era asks you for confirmationbefore deleting the image(s).

4. Select Yes, and then press theOK button to delete. To cancelthe deletion, highlight No (default),and then press the OK button.

To delete all images:

1. Use the multiselector down tohighlight All from the Deletemenu, and then press the OKbutton. The camera asks you forconfirmation before deleting theimages.

2. Select Yes, and then press theOK button to delete. To canceldeletion, highlight No (default),and then press the OK button.

Playback folderThis menu allows you to choose the folderfrom which to display images for review.The default setting is NCD60, which displaysimages from the default folder created bythe D60, which is named NCD60. SelectingAll displays images from all folders.Selecting Current displays images only fromthe folder to which the camera is activelysaving at the time.

Changing the active folder is covered later inthis chapter.

Rotate tallThis rotates images that are shot in portraitorientation to be displayed upright on theLCD screen. I usually turn this option offbecause the portrait orientation imageappears substantially smaller when displayedupright on the LCD.

The options are:

✦ On. The camera automaticallyrotates the image to be viewedwhile holding the camera in thestandard upright position.

✦ Off (default). When the auto-rotat-ing function is turned off, imagestaken in portrait orientation aredisplayed on the LCD sideways inlandscape orientation.

Slide showThis allows you to display a slide show ofimages from the current active folder. Youcan choose an interval of 2, 3, 5, or 10 seconds.

While the slide show is in progress, you canuse the multiselector to skip forward orback (left or right), and view shooting infor-mation or histograms (up or down). You canalso press the Menu button to return to thePlayback menu, press the Playback buttonto end the slide show, or press the ShutterRelease button halfway to return to theShooting mode.

Chapter 3 ✦ Setting up the Nikon D60 51

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 51

Print set (DPOF)DPOF stands for Digital Print Order Format.This option allows you to select images to beprinted directly from the camera. This can beused with Pict-bridge-compatible printers orDPOF-compatible devices such as a photokiosk at your local photo printing shop. Thisis a pretty handy feature if you don’t have aprinter at home and want to get some printsmade quickly, or if you do have a printer andwant to print your photos without down-loading them to your computer.

To create a print set:

1. Use the multiselector to choosethe Print set (DPOF) option, andthen press the multiselectorright to enter the menu.

2. Use the multiselector to high-light Select/set, and then pressthe multiselector right to viewthumbnails. Press the Zoom inbutton to view a larger preview ofthe selected image.

3. Use the multiselector right/leftto highlight an image to print.When the desired image is high-lighted, press the multiselectorup/down to set the image andchoose the number of prints youwant of that specific image. Youcan choose from 1 to 99. Thenumber of prints and a smallprinter icon appear on the thumb-nail. Continue this procedure untilyou have selected all of the imagesthat you want to print. If you wantto reduce the number of prints youhave set, or to completely removeit from the print set, press the mul-tiselector down.

4. Press the OK button. A menuappears with three options:

• Done (default). Press the OKbutton to save and print theimages as they are.

• Data imprint. Press the multiselector right to set. Asmall check appears in the boxnext to the menu option. Whenthis option is set, the shutterspeed and aperture settingappear on the print.

• Date imprint. Press the multi-selector right to set. A smallcheck appears in the box nextto the menu option. When thisoption is set, the date theimage was taken appears onthe print

5. If you choose to set the imprintoptions, be sure to return to theDone option and press the OKbutton to complete the print set.

Stop-motion movieThe Nikon D60 allows you create stop-motion movies through the Retouch menuusing images you have stored on yourmemory card. If you have created a stop-motion movie, you can use this option toplayback the movie.

See Chapter 8 for an in-depthdiscussion of the Retouch menuand a look at how to create yourown stop-motion movie.


08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 52

Shooting MenuThe Shooting menu is where you canchange the different options of how theimages are stored as well as other settingssuch as white balance, noise reduction,Active D-Lighting, and JPEG compression.

Optimize imageThis option allows you to choose differentsettings to adjust how a JPEG is processedin the camera. These settings apply differentamounts of sharpening, contrast, and satu-ration depending on the setting chosen. Thedefault color space for all of these settingsexcept for Custom is sRGB. The options are:

✦ Normal. This is the default setting.This setting is recommended formost shooting situations. The cam-era automatically applies sharpen-ing and tone compensation asneeded.

✦ Softer. Using this setting gives yourimages a softer look. No sharpen-ing is applied. This setting canwork well with portraits andimages that will be retouched lateron with an image-editing program.

✦ Vivid. This setting applies a fairamount of sharpening, the satura-tion is increased, and tone com-pensation is applied to give theimage more contrast. This settinggives you images with bright reds,greens, and blues. This works wellfor landscapes and night images.

✦ More vivid. This setting appliesthe maximum amount of sharpen-ing, tone compensation, and satu-ration giving the image intensecolors with a lot of contrast andsharpness. This setting is not rec-ommended for shooting images ofpeople as it can give the subjectoddly colored skin tones. This set-ting is best used for landscapeimages in which the scene lackscontrast.

✦ Portrait. This setting gives theimage a lower contrast and appliesno sharpening to make the sub-ject’s skin smoother looking withnatural skin tones.

✦ Black-and-white. When this set-ting is chosen the images are con-verted to black and white. This is agood setting to use when shootingat a very high ISO or to give yourimages a vintage or retro feel.


Noise reductionISO sensitivity

Active D-Lighting

White balanceImage sizeImage qualityOptimize image

OFFOFF800

FINE

SHOOTING MENU

3.3 The Shooting menu

Black-and-whiteBW

Portrait

Custom

More vividVividSofterNormal

Optimize image

PO

VI+

VI

SO

N

3.4 The Optimize image menu

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 53

✦ Custom. This setting allows you tochoose your own parameters withwhich your photos is processed.When choosing the Custom settinga submenu appears that offers youthe following options:

• Image sharpening. Thisapplies a sharpening algorithmto your images that adds a littlecontrast between the pixels giv-ing your image the appearanceof sharpness. Be careful not tooverdo this as it can cause yourimages to look overprocessedand unnatural. The choices forthis setting are: Auto, Normal,Low, Medium low, Mediumhigh, High, and None.

• Tone compensation. This con-trols the amount of contrast inyour image. The choices are:Auto, Normal, Less contrast,Medium low, Medium high,More contrast, and Custom. TheCustom setting allows you touse a Custom contrast settingthat can be uploaded usingNikon’s Camera Control Pro 2software, which is availableseparately. Use the lower set-tings when photographing high-contrast scenes to preserve

highlight and shadow detail.When photographing in situa-tions that have low contrast,such as a foggy morning, usethe higher settings to add somedepth to the image.

• Color mode. This allows you tochoose which color space yourimages are saved in. Colorspace simply describes therange of colors, also known asthe gamut, that a device canreproduce. You have twochoices of color spaces with theD60: sRBG and Adobe RBG.The color space you choosedepends on what the final out-put of your images will be.

sRGB is a narrow color space,meaning that it deals withfewer colors and also less-satu-rated colors than the largerAdobe RGB color space. ThesRGB color space is designed tomimic the colors that can bereproduced on most low-endmonitors. The D60 offers youtwo choices in the sRGB colorspace, I a and III a. The I aoption is suitable for most sub-jects including portraits. The III aoption gives bright, highly satu-rated colors, especially in thegreen and blue spectrum.

Adobe RGB has a muchbroader color spectrum than isavailable with sRGB. The Adobegamut was designed for dealingwith the color spectrum thatcan be reproduced with mosthigh-end printing equipment.

• Saturation. This allows you tocontrol how vivid the colors inthe image appear. The settingsare Auto, Moderate, andEnhanced.


SaturationColor mode

Hue adjustment

Tone compensationImage sharpening

DoneCustom

0°0

+1

II

Optimize image

OK

3.5 The Optimize image Custom submenu

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 54

• Hue adjustment. This allowsyou to adjust the color tone ofthe images. You can choose ±9ºin 3º increments. Choose posi-tive numbers to make reds moreorange, greens more blue, andblues more purple and negativenumbers to make reds morepurple, blues more green, andgreens more yellow. I recom-mend leaving this setting aloneas it can cause your images tolook strangely colored.

After you adjust the settings to your liking besure to select Done from the menu list, andpress the OK button to save your changes.

Image qualityThis menu option allows you to change theimage quality of the file. You can choosefrom these options:

✦ NEF (RAW). This option saves theimages in RAW format.

✦ JPEG fine. This option saves theimages in JPEG with minimal compression.

✦ JPEG normal. This option savesthe images in JPEG with standardcompression.

✦ JPEG basic. This option saves the images in JPEG with high compression.

✦ NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic. Thisoption saves two copies of thesame image, one in RAW and onein JPEG with high compression.

These settings can also be changed by usingthe Quick Settings display.

For more information on imagequality, compression, and fileformats, see Chapter 2.


Which Color Space Should I Use?

This is a question you have no doubt asked yourself at this point. The color space youuse depends on what the final output of your images is going to be. If you take pic-tures, download them straight to your computer, and typically only view them on yourmonitor or upload them for viewing on the Web, then sRGB is fine. The sRGB colorspace is also useful when printing directly from the camera or memory card with nopost-processing.

If you are going to have your photos printed professionally or you intend to do a bitof post-processing to your images, using the Adobe RGB color space is recom-mended. This allows you to have subtler control over the colors than is possible usinga narrower color space like sRGB.

For the most part, I capture my images using the Adobe RGB color space. I then domy post-processing and make a decision on the output. Anything that I know I willbe posting to the Web I convert to sRGB; anything destined for my printer is saved asAdobe RGB. I usually end up with two identical images saved with two different colorspaces. Because most Web browsers don’t recognize the Adobe RGB color space, anyimages saved as Adobe RGB and posted on the Internet usually appear dull and flat.

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 55

Image sizeThis menu option allows you to choose thesize of the JPEG files. The choices are:

✦ Large. This setting gives you a fullresolution image of 3872 × 2592pixels or 10 megapixels.

✦ Medium. This setting gives yourimages a resolution of 2896 ×1944 pixels or 5.6 megapixels.

✦ Small. This setting gives yourimages a resolution of 1936 ×1296 pixels or 2.5 megapixels.

For more information on imagesize, see Chapter 2.

White balanceYou can change the white balance optionsusing this menu option. Use the multiselec-tor to choose from the different settings.When the white balance is selected fromthis menu the camera gives you the optionto fine-tune before setting it. This optionappears as a small colored grid. Use themultiselector to move the spot around thegrid if you feel you need to fine-tune thedefault setting. Press the OK button to setthe WB. The Preset manual WB also offersyou a couple of different options: Measureand Use photo. Choosing the Measureoption allows you to set a custom WB bypointing the camera at a neutral white orgray object and pressing the Shutter Releasebutton allowing the camera to measure thecolor temperature. The Use photo optionallows you to copy the WB balance settingsfrom any photo on your memory card.

For detailed information onwhite balance settings, seeChapter 2.

ISO sensitivity settingsThis menu option allows you to set the ISO.You can choose from Auto, 100, 200, 400,800, 1600, and Hi 1. The Auto ISO setting isnot available when shooting in the P, S, A, orM mode.

For more information on ISOsettings and noise reduction,see Chapter 2.

Noise reductionThis menu option allows you to turn onnoise reduction (NR) for exposures longerthan 8 seconds and images taken at ISO800 and higher. When this option is on, thecamera runs a noise-reduction algorithm,which reduces the amount of noise in yourimage giving you a smoother result.

Active D-LightingActive D-Lighting is a setting that isdesigned to help ensure that you retainhighlight detail when shooting in a high-contrast situation, such as shooting a picturein direct bright sunlight, which can causedark shadows and bright highlight areas.Active D-Lighting basically tells your camera


Incandescent

White balance

AB

G

M

A–B 0G–M 0

OKOKAdjust

3.6 The WB fine-tuning display

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 56


Fine-Tuning Your White Balance

If you find that your white balance justisn’t quite right, it is likely due to thefact that the camera is using genericsettings that are made to cover a spe-cific situation, such as direct sunlight or shade. The problem is that evendirect sunlight has a different colortemperature depending on atmos-pheric conditions — how high it is inthe sky, etc. This is also true for fluo-rescent lamps and incandescent lightbulbs. As these bulbs get older the colors shift a bit, so the white balancesetting doesn’t exactly match.

For this reason Nikon has added a fea-ture that allows you to fine tune thepre-existing white balance settings.This feature is accessed by entering theWhite balance menu in the Shootingmenu. Once you have selected a whitebalance setting a small colored gridappears. This grid allows you to addup to 6 points of green or magentaand amber or blue to the current whitebalance setting.

Using the multiselector up adds green,down adds magenta, left adds blue,and right adds amber. Because greenand magenta are opposite colors youcan only add one at a time, the samewith blue and amber. But you can addtwo colors together, as long as theyaren’t opposites. For example, you canadd 4 points of green and 3 points ofblue, which adds a blue-green tint tothe existing WB setting. On the opposite side, you can add 4 points of magenta and3 points of amber, adding a reddish-purple tint to the WB setting.

All in all it’s actually more complicated to explain than it is to do. The grid gives youa pretty good idea of the color that you can add to the WB setting.

Incandescent

White balance

AB

G

M

A–B 0G–M 0

OKOKAdjust

Incandescent

White balance

AB

G

M

A–B B3G–M G4

OKOKAdjust

Incandescent

White balance

AB

G

M

A–B A3G–M M4

OKOKAdjust

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 57

to underexpose the image a bit; this under-exposure helps keep the highlights frombecoming blown out and losing detail. TheD60 also uses a subtle adjustment to avoidlosing any detail in the shadow area that theunderexposure may cause.

Active D-Lighting is a separateand different setting than the D-Lighting option found in theRetouch menu. For more infor-mation on standard D-Lighting,see Chapter 8.

Custom SettingsMenuThe Custom Settings menu (CSM) is whereyou really start getting into customizing yourD60 to shoot to your personal preferences.You can also use this menu to change someof the same settings that are available in theQuick Settings display.

The CSM is an in-depth menu system with alot of submenus. Here I just give a briefdescription of what each setting is used for(see the Setup menu information later inthe chapter for details on how to set CSMoptions). The CSM can be changed in theSetup menu to display a simple version withonly the most commonly changed settings,or you can choose to display all 19 options.When the Simple view is activated only the first seven options are displayed andaccessible.

To enter the CSM, press the Menu button onthe rear of the camera. Use the multiselec-tor to highlight the icon that looks like apencil. This is the CSM. Then use the multi-selector up or down to scroll through theavailable options. When the desired menuoption is highlighted, press the OK button orthe multiselector right to access the sub-menu where you change the settings.

✦ R Reset. This option allows you torestore all of the Custom settingsto Default.

✦ 01 Beep. This allows you to turnon or off the beep that soundswhen the camera achieves focus orwhen the self-timer or delayedremote is activated.

✦ 02 Focus mode. This option allowsyou to change how the camera’sfocusing system operates. Thechoices are AF-A, AF-S, AF-C, or MF.


MeteringRelease mode

No memory card?

AF-area modeFocus modeBeepReset

05

04

06

03

02

01

R

OK

AF-SOFF

CUSTOM SETTING MENU

S

AE-L/AF-L/Fn button

AE lock

ISO autoAf-assistFlash compensationImage review

12

11

13

10

09

08

07

0.0

OFF

OFFOFFISO

ON

CUSTOM SETTING MENU

AE

Date imprintRemote on duration

Rangefinder

Self-timerAuto off timersBuilt-in flashAE lock

18

17

19

16

15

14

13

M

10s1M

OFF

OFFON

CUSTOM SETTING MENU

3.7 The CSM menu items

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 58

✦ 03 AF-area mode. This settingallows you to choose how thecamera selects the focus point.Your choices are Closest subject,Dynamic area, and Single point.

✦ 04 Release mode. This allows youto set how the shutter is released.The choices are Single, Continuous,Self-timer, Delayed remote, andQuick-response remote.

✦ 05 Metering. This is where youchoose how the camera deter-mines the settings for exposure.You can choose Matrix, Center-weighted, or Spot metering.

✦ 06 No memory card? This settingallows you to disable the shutterrelease when there is no memorycard inserted in the camera. Yourchoices are Release locked, whichlocks the shutter release; orRelease enabled, which allows theshutter to be released.

✦ 07 Image review. This settingallows you to choose whether yourpictures are shown on the LCDmonitor immediately after they aretaken. When On is selected thecamera automatically displays theimage after it is taken. When Off ischosen you need to press thePlayback button to view yourimages after they are taken.

✦ 08 Flash compensation. Thisallows you to adjust your flashexposure compensation to makethe flash brighter or dimmer. TheFEC is adjustable in 1/3 stops. Thechoices are. -3, -2.7, -2.3, -2, -1.7, -1.3, -1, -0.7, -0.3, 0, +0.3, +0.7, +1.

✦ 09 Af-assist. This allows you toturn off the AF-assist illuminator.The AF-assist illuminator turns onin dim light to give the camera suf-ficient light to allow the camera tofocus. You may want to turn this

off when trying to achieve candidsnapshots or when photographinga wedding or similar event wherethe light may be distracting.

✦ 10 ISO auto. This is where youchoose the ISO auto setting. ISOauto allows the camera to choosethe ISO sensitivity for your cameradepending on the lighting situation.You can also set the parameters bywhich the camera chooses the ISOhere. By selecting Max. sensitivityfrom the submenu you can choosehow high the camera can set theISO. The choices are 200, 400, 800,and 1600. This allows you to con-trol how much digital noise yourimages have because of a high ISO.You can also choose the Min.Shutter speed option from the sub-menu. This allows you to deter-mine how slow your shutter speedis before the camera starts to boostthe ISO. You can choose to set theminimum shutter speed anywherebetween 1 second and 1/125 in 1-stop intervals.

✦ 11 Fn button. This option is usedto set a specific function to theSelf-timer function button. Bydefault, pressing this button acti-vates the self-timer. You can assignthis button to a number of differ-ent functions that allow you tochange a setting quickly. You canset the button to Self-timer, tochange the Release mode from single to continuous, change theImage quality/size, ISO sensitivity,or white balance. I usually set mine to ISO because that is one of the settings that I change themost frequently.

✦ 12 AE-L / AF-L. This CSM optionallows you to control how the AE-L/AF-L button functions. Thereare five options:


08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 59

• AE/AF lock. When this optionis selected the exposure andfocus are locked when the button is pressed and held.Releasing the button allows the AE meter and focus to beactivated.

• AE lock only. This allows youto lock the exposure whilepressing and holding the AE-L/AF-L button. The camera stillfocuses by half-pressing theShutter Release button.

• AF lock only. (This optionallows you to lock focus on asubject while still letting thecamera’s autoexposure meter-ing function.) The focus remainslocked as long as the AE-L/AF-Lbutton is pressed and held.Releasing the button allows thecamera to focus as normal.

• AE lock hold. When this set-ting is chosen pressing the AE-L/AF-L button locks theexposure in. The exposureremains locked even if yourelease the button. The expo-sure is reset when the shutter is released or when the cameragoes to Standby mode.

• AF on. This option allows youto activate the autofocus bypressing the AE-L/AF-L button.

✦ 13 AE lock. Turning this option onlocks the exposure when theShutter Release button is half-pressed. This option is useful whenyou focus on a subject and thenrecompose the image placing thesubject in a different area of theviewfinder.

✦ 14 Built-in flash. This optionallows you to choose how thebuilt-in flash or SB-400 Speedlightoperates. You can choose eitherTTL metering or Manual setting.This CSM option is not availablewhen using the SB-800 or the SB-600 Speedlight. If one of theseSpeedlights is used, the settingsare changed on the Speedlight.

✦ 15 Auto off timers. This allowsyou to set how long the LCD moni-tor and exposure meters remain onbefore the camera goes to Standbymode. You can choose Short,Normal, Long, or Custom. The cus-tom setting allows you to cus-tomize three different options:

• Playback/menus. This optionallows you to set how long theLCD monitor remains on whenin Playback mode or whenviewing the menus. You can setthis to turn off after 8 seconds,12 seconds, 20 seconds, 1minute, or 10 minutes.

• Image review. This allows youto choose how long the imagesare displayed on the monitorafter the image has been shot.You can set this to turn off after4 seconds, 8 seconds, 20 sec-onds, 1 minute, or 10 minutes.

• Auto meter off. This settingallows you to choose how longthe camera’s meter remainsactive while no buttons arebeing pressed. You can set thisto turn off after 4 seconds, 8seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute,10 minutes, or 30 minutes.


08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 60

✦ 16 Self-timer. This option is usedto set the amount of time the cam-era waits to release the shutterwhen the self-timer is activated.You can set the amount of delay to2, 5, 10, or 20 seconds.

✦ 17 Remote on duration. Thisallows you to set the amount oftime the camera waits for a signalfrom the optional wireless remotebefore returning to the camera’sdefault setting. You can choose toset it to 1, 5, 10, or 15 minutes.When the camera is set to Remotethe camera stays “awake” regard-less of your Auto off timers’ settings.

✦ 18 Date imprint. Turning thisoption on imprints your imageswith the date and/or time thatthey were shot. You can choose toimprint only the date, the time anddate, or the date counter, whichdisplays the number of days thathave elapsed between the datethat the picture was taken and aselected date.

✦ 19 Rangefinder. This allows youto turn on a display in the view-finder that indicates the focus dis-tance. This is only displayed whena non-AF-S (MF) lens is attached.The rangefinder display replacesthe electronic analog exposure dis-play in all shooting modes exceptfor M.

Setup MenuThis menu contains your basic camera set-tings, most of which don’t need to bechanged very often. These options rangefrom setting the time and date to adjustingthe LCD brightness and formatting thememory card. You also find the necessarysettings for cleaning the image sensor here.

CSM/Setup menuThis menu option allows you to choosewhich options are displayed in the menus.You can choose to display the Simple ver-sion of the CSM, which has only the mostfundamental settings or the Full versionwith all of the available CSM options.


World timeShooting info auto off

LCD brightness

Auto shooting infoInfo display formatFormat memory cardCSM/Setup menu

-1

SETUP MENU

Clean image sensorFile no-sequence

Mirror lock-up

FoldersImage commentLanguageVideo mode

En

NCD60

NTSC

ON

ON

ON

SETUP MENU

info

Dust off ref photoFirmware version

Auto image rotation

Mirror lock-upClean image sensorFile no-sequenceFolders

ON

ON

SETUP MENU

NCD60

3.8 The Setup menu

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 61

This is also where you can choose to set upthe My menu options. My menu allows youto build your own custom menus by addingonly the settings that you feel are the mostimportant. You can customize all of themenus: the Playback menu, Shooting menu,Custom Settings menu, Setup menu, and theRetouch menu. To customize your menus:

1. Use the multiselector up/downto highlight the CSM/Setupmenu option from the Setupmenu, and then press the OKbutton to enter the submenu.

2. Use the multiselector up/downto highlight My menu, and thenpress the OK button to view thesubmenu options.

3. Use the multiseletor up/down tochoose the menu you want tocustomize. Choose the Playbackmenu, Shooting menu, Customsettings menu, Setup menu, or theRetouch menu. Press the OK but-ton to view the available settings.

4. Select the items you want to dis-play. Using the multiselectorup/down highlight the item youwant to show (or not). Next to themenu option is a box with a checkmark in it. When the check mark is

displayed the menu option will bedisplayed. To change the displaysetting, press the multiselector but-ton to the right. When the option isturned off the check mark is nolonger displayed and the menuoption is not shown when that spe-cific menu is being viewed. Whenyou have selected the options youwant to display, be sure to scrollback up to the top of the menu tothe Done option and press the OKbutton to save your settings. Repeatthis with all of the menus until youhave set all of the options that youwant to be displayed.

Format memory cardThis menu option allows you to completelyerase everything on your SD card.Formatting your memory card essentiallyerases all of the data on the card by rewrit-ing the directory structure of the card. It’s agood idea to format your card every timeyou download the images to your computer(just be sure all of the files are successfullytransferred before formatting). Formattingthe card helps protect against corrupt data.Simply erasing the images leaves frag-mented data on the card and allows it to beoverwritten; sometimes this older data cancorrupt the new data as it is being written.Formatting the card gives your camera ablank slate on which to write.

Information displayformatThis menu option is how you set the differ-ent display options for the LCD shootinginformation. You can choose between dis-playing the shooting information in theClassic format or the Graphic format in three


Setup menuCustom setting menu

Retouch menu

Shooting menuPlayback menuDoneMy menu

CSM/Setup menu

OK

3.9 The My menu submenu display

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 62

different colors. You can also select animage off of your memory card to display aswallpaper behind the shooting information.Additionally you can also choose for the

camera to display the shooting informationdifferently depending on whether you’reusing the DVP modes or the P, S, A, or Mmodes.


OFF0.0

FINE

S

WB

AF-S

800

ManualQUAL

0.0

Fn

? Seti

o

1/60 13F

153

OFF0.0

FINE

S

WB

AF-S

800

QUAL

0.0

Fn

? Seti

o

1/60 13F

153

M

ManualM

OFF0.0

FINE

S

WB

AF-S

800

ManualQUAL

0.0

Fn

? Seti

o

1/60 13F

153

M

3.10 The Classic shooting informationsettings: blue, black, and orange

? Seti

OFF0.0 0.0 153153

00

1/601/60 F 13F 13

? Seti

OFF0.0 0.0 153

0

1/60 F 13

FINE

800

AF-S

? Seti

M

M

S

FINE

800

AF-SS

M

OFF0.0 0.0 153153

00

1/601/60 F 13F 13

FINE

800

AF-SS

3.11 The Graphic shooting informationsettings: white, black, and orange

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 63

Auto shootinginformationThis menu option allows you to choose ifthe shooting information is displayed on theLCD when the Shutter Release button ishalf–pressed and then released. This allowsyou to quickly view your settings. You canset this option differently for the DVP andPSAM modes.

Shooting informationauto offTurning this menu option on activates theeye sensor below the viewfinder and turnsoff the shooting information display whenyour eye is at the viewfinder. Turning thisoption off allows the shooting information tocontinue to be displayed even when lookingthrough the viewfinder. This can make it dif-ficult to see through the viewfinder, espe-cially in low-light situations. The shootinginformation will be turned off as long as theShutter Release button is pressed.

World timeThis menu option is used to set the timeand date that is added to the EXIF data ofyour images. You can also set the time zonethat you are in as well as adjust for daylightsaving time. There is also an option (Dateformat) that allows you to choose how thedate is displayed (year/month/day, month/day/year, or day/month/year).

LCD brightnessThis menu option sets the brightness of yourLCD screen. You may want to make it brighterwhen viewing images in bright sunlight or

make it dimmer when viewing imagesindoors or to save battery power. There isalso a setting called Auto dim, which reducesthe brightness of the LCD monitor when theshooting information is displayed.

Video modeThere are two options in this menu: NTSCand PAL. Without getting into too manyspecifics, these are types of standards forthe resolution of televisions. All of NorthAmerica, including Canada and Mexico, usesthe NTSC standard, while most of Europeand Asia use the PAL standard. Check yourtelevision owner’s manual for the specificsetting if you plan to view your images on aTV directly from the camera.

LanguageThis menu option is where you set the lan-guage that the menus and dialog boxes dis-play. There are 14 languages to choosefrom. Use the multiselector up/down tohighlight the correct language, and thenpress the OK button to set.

Image commentYou can use this feature to attach a com-ment to the images taken by your D60. Youcan enter the text using the Input Commentmenu. The comments can be viewed inNikon’s Capture NX or View NX software orcan be viewed in the photo information onthe camera. Setting the Attach commentoption applies the comment to all imagestaken until this setting is disabled. Somecomments you may want to attach arecopyright information or your name, or eventhe location where the photos were taken.


08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 64

FoldersThis menu option allows you to select whichfolders in your memory card your D60 savesthe images to. You can also add new foldersor rename existing ones. This is a handy fea-ture when shooting different subjects — forexample, when photographing sports carracing events there are often eight or moredifferent groups of cars. By creating differentfolders and naming them GRP1, GRP2,GRP3, and so on, I am able to keep thegroups separate to make it easier for me tolocate specific cars by their groups later on.

To create a new folder, simply choose Foldersfrom the Setup menu and then use the mul-tiselector to scroll down to the New option.Pressing OK displays the D60’s text entryscreen. Use the multiselector and Commanddial to enter a name for your new folder.Press OK to save the folder when you finish.

File no. sequenceThis menu option determines how the D60applies sequential file numbering to yourimages when saving them to the memorycard. When this option is set to Off (thedefault setting), the camera automaticallystarts the file numbers at 0001 every timeyou create a new folder, when the memorycard is formatted, or when a new memorycard is inserted to the camera.

Turning this option On allows the camera tocontinue sequentially numbering the filenumbers until the file numbers reach 9999,at which time the camera resets the numbersequence back to 0001.

When the Reset option is selected the cam-era resets the image numbering to 0001unless there are images in the current folder.If this occurs, the file numbering starts at thenext highest number.

I usually have my file number sequence setto On, which helps to ensure that I don’t getany duplicate file numbers.

Clean image sensorThis is one of the best new features on theD60. The camera uses ultrasonic vibration toknock any dust off the filter in front of thesensor. This helps keep most of the dust offof your sensor but is not going to keep itabsolutely dust free forever. You may haveto have the sensor professionally cleanedperiodically. There are two menu optionsyou can choose for cleaning the sensor. Youcan choose Clean now, which cleans theimage sensor immediately, or you canchoose for the camera to clean the imagesensor whenever the camera is turned on oroff or both.

Mirror lock-upSelecting this menu option locks up the mir-ror to allow access to the image sensor forinspection or for additional cleaning. Thesensor is also powered down to reduce anystatic charge that may attract dust. Beforelocking up the mirror to clean your sensorbe sure that your batteries are fully chargedor the camera is attached to Nikon EH-5a ACpower adaptor to ensure that the mirrordoesn’t close on your cleaning implements.


Input comment

!/ 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < => ? @ BCDE FGH I J KLMN PO QRS T UV W XYZ [

" # + , – .' ( ) *$%&

c op y r i gh t _DeadSa i lo r P r odu c t i on s

A

InputCursor SetOK

3.12 The Input comment menu

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 65

Although there are many home sensorcleaning kits available, I strongly recom-mend taking your camera to an authorizedNikon service center for any sensor cleaning.

Firmware versionThis menu option displays which firmwareversion your camera is currently operatingunder. Firmware is a computer program thatis embedded in the camera that tells it howto function. Camera manufacturers routinelyupdate the firmware to correct for any bugsor to make improvements on the camera’sfunctions. Nikon posts firmware updates onits Web site at www.nikonusa.com.

Dust off ref photoThis menu option allows you to take a dustreference photo that shows any dust ordebris that may be stuck to your sensor.Capture NX then uses the image to auto-matically retouch any subsequent photoswhere the specks appear.

Auto image rotationSelecting this menu option tells the camerato record the orientation of the camerawhen the photo is shot (portrait or land-scape). This allows image-editing softwareto show the photo in the proper orientationso you don’t have to take the time in post-processing to rotate images shot in portraitorientation.

Retouch MenuThe Retouch menu allows you to makechanges and corrections to your imageswithout the use of imaging-editing software.As a matter of fact, you don’t even need todownload your images. You can make all ofthe changes in-camera using the LCD pre-view (or hooked up to a TV if you prefer).

The options in the Retouch menu include D-Lighting, Red-eye correction, Trim, Mono-chrome, Filter effects, Small picture, Imageoverlay, NEF (RAW) processing, and Stop-motion movie.


Filter effectsMonochrome

Small picture

TrimRed-eye correctionD-LightingQuick retouch

RETOUCH MENU

NEF (RAW) processingImage overlay

Stop-motion movie

Small pictureFilter effectsMonochromeTrim

RETOUCH MENU

RAW

3.13 The Retouch menu

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 66

The Retouch menu options are:

✦ Quick retouch. Allows you toautomatically adjust your photos.

✦ D-Lighting. Allows you to bringout shadow detail in contrastyimages.

✦ Red-eye correction. Automaticallyfixes red-eye in pictures taken withflash.

✦ Trim. Enables you to crop yourimages.

✦ Monochrome. Allows you turn toyour photos black and white, sepia,or cyanotype.

✦ Filter effects. Applies differentphotographic filter effects such ascolor intensifiers and cross screen.

✦ Small picture. Saves a small copyof your image for use in e-mailing.

✦ Image overlay. Allows you to cre-ate a multiple exposure type imageusing RAW files.

✦ NEF (RAW) processing. Enablesyou to adjust settings on your RAWfiles and saves the image as a sep-arate JPEG file.

✦ Stop-motion movie. This optioncreates a movie file from selectedstill images.

The Retouch menu is discussedat length in Chapter 8.


08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 67

08_383124 ch03.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 68

CapturingGreat Imageswith theNikon D60

IIIIP A R T

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Part

Chapter 4Essential PhotographyConcepts

Chapter 5Selecting and Using Lenses

Chapter 6Working with Light

Chapter 7Real WorldApplications

Chapter 8Viewing, Downloading,and the Retouch Menu

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

09_383124 pp02.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 69

09_383124 pp02.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 70

44C H A P T E REssentialPhotographyConcepts

Photography, whether traditional film photography orworking with a digital SLR, is built on concepts that are

the foundation for every photo you take. This chapter givesyou the essential coverage of those items, including informa-tion on exposure, the effects the aperture has on depth offield, and some tips and hints on composition techniques.

Understanding ExposureAn exposure is the resulting creation of three elements thatare all interrelated. Each depends on the others to create agood exposure. If one of the elements changes, the othersmust increase or decrease proportionally. The following arethe elements you need to consider:

✦ Shutter speed. The shutter speed determines thelength of time the sensor is exposed to light.

✦ ISO sensitivity. The ISO setting you choose influ-ences your camera’s sensitivity to light.

✦ Aperture/f-stop. How much light reaches the sen-sor of your camera is controlled by the aperture, orf-stop. Each camera has an adjustable opening onthe lens. As you change the aperture (the opening),you allow more or less light to reach the sensor.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Understandingexposure

Understanding depth of field

Rules of composition

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 71

Shutter speedShutter speed is the amount of time lightentering from the lens is allowed to exposethe image sensor. Shutter speeds are indi-cated in fractions of a second. Commonshutter speeds (in 1-stop increments) are: 1second, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60,1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, and so on.Slow shutter speeds mean the shutter isopen longer, such as 1/2 second or 1 sec-ond. Fast shutter speeds mean the shutter isonly open for a very short time, such as1/1000 second or 1/1500 second.Increasing or decreasing shutter speed byone setting doubles or halves the exposure,respectively. When the shutter speedchanges, the amount of light entering thecamera changes, so it stands to reason thatif you increase or decrease the time that thelight is reaching the sensor, you will alsohave to make an adjustment to other set-tings to ensure that you still have the properexposure. This is done in one of two ways.

You can adjust the aperture to increase ordecrease the amount of light reaching thesensor, or you can adjust the ISO sensitivity.

The D60 allows you to adjust the shutterspeed in 1/3-stops for fine-tuning the expo-sure (1, 1/1.3, 1/1.6, 1/2, 1/2.5, 1/3, 1/4...).It may seem like math (okay, technically itdoes involve math), but it is relatively easyto figure out. For example, if you take a pic-ture with a 1/2-second shutter speed and itturns out too dark, logically you want tokeep the shutter open longer to let in morelight. To do this, you need to adjust the shut-ter speed to 1 second, the next full stop,which lets in twice as much light.

The shutter speed can also affect the sharp-ness of your images. When using a longerfocal-length lens a faster shutter speed isrequired to counteract against camerashake, which can cause your image to beblurry. Longer lenses magnify not only yoursubject but also magnify movement such as

72 Part II ✦ Capturing Great Images with the Nikon D60

4.1 This image was shot with a shutter speed of 1/640 second, ISO 400 at f/5.6.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 72

camera shake. A good rule of thumb to fol-low when using a longer lens is to use ashutter speed that is the reciprocal of thefocal length of the lens. For example, whenusing a focal length of 200mm the slowestspeed you should use is 1/200, although ifyou’re using a VR lens you can shoot withan even slower shutter speed. When takingphotographs in low light, a slow shutterspeed is often required, which can alsocause blur from camera shake or fast-mov-ing subjects.

For more information on lensesand focal length see Chapter 5.

The shutter speed can also be used to showmotion. Panning, or moving the camerahorizontally with a moving subject whileusing a slower shutter speed, can cause thebackground to blur while keeping the sub-ject in focus. This is an effective way to por-tray motion in a still image as in 4.2. On theopposite end, using a fast shutter speed can

freeze action such as the splash of waterfrom a surfer, which can also give the illu-sion of motion in a still photograph.

ISOThe ISO (International Organization forStandardization) setting is how your cameradetermines how sensitive your camera is tolight. The higher the ISO number is, the lesslight you need to take a photograph, mean-ing the more sensitive the sensor is to light.For example, you might choose an ISO of100 on a bright, sunny day when you arephotographing outside because you haveplenty of light. However, on a dark, cloudyday you want to consider an ISO of 400 orhigher to make sure your camera capturesall the available light. This allows you to usea faster shutter speed should it be appropri-ate to the subject you are photographing.You can also use a higher ISO if you need touse a small aperture to achieve greaterdepth of field.

Chapter 4 ✦ Essential Photography Concepts 73

4.2 In this image, a relatively slow shutter speed of 1/80 second was used to create amotion blur. Panning was also employed to keep the subject of the image in sharp focus.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 73

It is helpful to know that each ISO setting istwice as sensitive to light as the previoussetting. For example, at ISO 400, your cam-era is twice as sensitive to light as it is at ISO200. This means it needs only half the lightat ISO 400 that it needs at ISO 200 toachieve the same exposure.

Additionally, when in Auto ISO mode theD60 adjusts the ISO in 1/3-stop increments(100, 125, 160, 200...), which enables thecamera to fine-tune the ISO to reduce thenoise inherent with higher ISO settings.

ApertureAperture is the size of the opening in thelens that determines the amount of lightthat reaches the image sensor. The apertureis controlled by a diaphragm that operatesin a similar fashion to the iris of your eye.Aperture is expressed as f-stop numbers,such as f/2.8, f/5.6, f/4 and f/8. Here are a few important things to know about aperture:

✦ Smaller f-numbers equal widerapertures. A small f-stop such asf/2.8, for example, opens the lensso more light reaches the sensor. Ifyou have a wide aperture (open-ing), the amount of time the shut-ter needs to stay open to let lightinto the camera decreases.

✦ Larger f-numbers equal nar-rower apertures. A large f-stopsuch as f/11, for example, closesthe lens so less light reaches thesensor. If you have a narrow aper-ture (opening), the amount of timethe shutter needs to stay open tolet light into the camera increases.

Deciding what aperture to use depends onwhat kind of photo you are going to take. Ifyou need a fast shutter speed to freezeaction, and you don’t want to raise the ISO,you can use a wide aperture to let moreavailable light into the sensor. Conversely, ifthe scene is very bright, you may want touse a small aperture to avoid overexposure.


4.3 This image shows digital noise resulting from using a high ISO. Notice that the noise ismore prevalent in the darker areas of the image.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 74

For an in-depth look at workingwith light, see Chapter 6.

UnderstandingDepth of FieldDepth of field is the distance range in a pho-tograph in which all included portions of animage are at least acceptably sharp. It isheavily affected by aperture, but how faryour camera is from the subject can alsohave an effect.

If you focus your lens on a certain point,everything that lies on the horizontal planeof that same distance is also in focus. Thismeans everything in front of the point andeverything behind it is technically not infocus. Because our eyes aren’t acuteenough to discern the minor blur thatoccurs directly in front of and directly

behind the point of focus, it still appearssharp to us. This is known as the zone ofacceptable sharpness, which we call depthof field.

✦ Shallow depth of field. Thisresults in an image where the sub-ject is in sharp focus, but the back-ground has a soft blur. You likelyhave seen it used frequently inportraits. Using a wide aperture,such as f/2.8, results in a subjectthat is sharp with a softer back-ground. Using a shallow depth offield is a great way to get rid ofdistracting elements in the back-ground of an image.

✦ Deep depth of field. This resultsin an image that is reasonablysharp from the foreground to thebackground. Using a narrow aper-ture, such as f/11, is ideal to keepphotographs of landscapes orgroups in focus throughout.


4.4 An image with a shallow depth of field has only the main subject in focus.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 75

Remember, to enlarge yourdepth of field, you want a largef-number; to shrink your depth offield, you want a small f-number.

A factor to consider when working withdepth of field is your distance from the sub-ject. The farther you are from the subjectyou are focusing on the greater the depth offield in your photograph. For example, if youstand in your front yard to take a photo of atree a block away, it has a deep depth offield with the tree, background, and fore-ground all in relatively sharp focus. If youstand in the same spot and take a picture ofyour dog that is standing just several feetaway, your dog is in focus, but that tree ablock away is just a blur of color.

Rules ofCompositionAlthough many of you are likely well versedin these concepts regarding composition,some of you may be coming in cold, so tospeak. So this section is intended as arefresher course and a general outline ofsome of the most commonly used rules ofcomposition.

Photography, like any artistic discipline, hasgeneral rules. Although they are called rules,they are really nothing more than guide-lines. Some photographers — notably AnselAdams, who was quoted as saying, “The so-called rules of photographic compositionare, in my opinion, invalid, irrelevant, and

Tip


4.5 An image with a deep depth of field has most of the image in focus.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 76

immaterial” — claim to have eschewed therules of composition. However, when youlook at Adams’s photographs, they followthe rules perfectly in most cases.

Another famous photographer, EdwardWeston, said, “Consulting the rules of com-position before taking a photograph is likeconsulting the laws of gravity before goingfor a walk.” Again, as with Adams, when youlook at his photographs, they tend to followthese very rules.

This isn’t to say you need to follow all of therules every time you take a photograph. As Isaid, these are really just general guidelinesthat when followed can make your imagesmore powerful and interesting.

However, when you’re starting out in pho-tography, you should pay attention to therules of composition. Eventually, youbecome accustomed to following the guide-lines and it becomes second nature. At thatpoint you no longer need to consult therules of composition; you just inherently fol-low them.


4.6 There’s noquestion as towhat the subject isin this photograph.

4.7 Getting down and shooting this seagullfrom a lower angle allowed me to place thesky behind him. Shooting the bird from uphigh would have placed the distractingelements of the beach behind the mainsubject of the photo.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 77

Keep it simpleSimplicity is arguably the most importantrule in creating a good image. In most cases,you want to be sure the viewer can identifywhat the intended subject of your photo-graph is. When you have too many compet-ing elements in your image, it can be hardfor the viewer to decide what to focus on.

Sometimes changing your perspective tothe subject is all you need to do to removea distracting element from your image. Trywalking around and shooting the same sub-ject from different angles.

The Rule of ThirdsMost of the time you are probably temptedto take the main subject of your photographand stick it right in the middle of the frame.This makes sense, and it often works prettywell for snapshots. However, to create moreinteresting and dynamic images, it oftenworks better to put the main subject of theimage a little off-center.

The Rule of Thirds is a compositional rulethat has been in use for hundreds of years,and famous artists throughout the centurieshave followed it. With the Rule of Thirds,you divide the image into nine equal partsusing two equally spaced horizontal andvertical lines, kind of like a tic-tac-toe pat-tern. You want to center the main subject ofthe image at an intersection, as illustrated infigure 4.8. The subject doesn’t necessarily


4.8 The cactus, which is the main subject of this photograph, is placed to the left of theframe according to the Rule of Thirds.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 78

have to be right on the intersection of theline, but merely close enough to it to takeadvantage of the Rule of Thirds.

Another way to use the Rule of Thirds is toplace the subject in the center of the frame,but at the bottom or top third of the frameas illustrated in figure 4.9. This part of therule is especially useful when photograph-ing landscapes. You can place the horizonon or near the top or bottom line; you

almost never want to place it in the middle.Notice in figure 4.10 the mountain range iscovering the bottom third of the entireframe.

When using the Rule of Thirds with a mov-ing subject, you want to be sure to keepmost of the frame in front of the subject topresent the illusion that the subject hassomeplace to go within the frame. You cansee the difference the framing makes in fig-ures 4.11 and 4.12.


4.9 In this image, the subject is in thecenter of the frame, but in the bottom third.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 79


4.11 Placing the peahen directly in the middle of the frame results in a nice picture.

4.10 Using the Rule of Thirds in a landscape.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 80

Leading lines and S-curvesAnother good way to add drama to animage is to use a leading line to draw theviewer’s eye through the picture. A leadingline is an element in a composition thatleads the eye toward the subject. A leadingline can be a lot of different things: a road,sidewalk, railroad tracks, buildings, orcolumns, to name a few.

In general, you want your leading line to goin a specific direction. Most commonly, aleading line leads the eye from one cornerof the picture to another. A good rule ofthumb to follow is to have your line go fromthe bottom-left corner leading toward thetop right.

You can also use leading lines that go fromthe bottom of the image to the top, and viceversa. Often, leading lines heading in thisdirection lead to a vanishing point. A van-ishing point is the point at which parallellines appear to converge and disappear.Figure 4.13 shows a leading line ending in avanishing point.

Depending on the subject matter, a variety ofdirections for leading lines can work equallywell.

Another nice way to use a leading line iswith an S-curve. An S-curve is exactly whatit sounds like: It resembles the letter S. TheS-curve draws the viewer’s eye up from thebottom of the image, through the middle,over to the corner, and back to the otherside again.


4.12 Recomposing to place the peahen toward the right part of theframe results in a more dramatic image.

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 81


4.14 In this image, the curves of the guitar body form a sort of an S-curve that draws theeye through the whole image.

4.13 A leading line ending in a vanishing point

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 82

Helpful hintsAlong with the major rules of composition,there are all sorts of other helpful guidelines.Here are just a few that I’ve found mosthelpful:

✦ Frame the subject. Use elementsof the foreground to make a framearound the subject to keep theviewer’s eye from wandering.

✦ Avoid having the subject lookingdirectly out of the side of theframe he or she is closest to.Having the subject looking out ofthe photograph can be distractingto the viewer. For example, if yoursubject is on the left side of thecomposition having him or her facethe right is better, and vice versa.

✦ Avoid mergers. A merger is whenan element from the backgroundappears to be a part of the subject,like the snapshot of granny at thepark that looks like she has a treegrowing out of the top of her head.

✦ Try not to cut through the jointof a limb. When composing orcropping your picture, it’s best notto end the frame on a joint, suchas an elbow or a knee. This can be unsettling to the viewer.

✦ Avoid having bright spots orunnecessary details near theedge. Having anything bright ordetailed near the edge of theframe will draw the viewer’s eyeaway from the subject and out ofthe image.

✦ Avoid placing the horizon orstrong horizontal or verticallines in the center of the compo-sition. This cuts the image in halfand makes it hard for the viewer todecide which half of the image isimportant.

✦ Separate the subject from thebackground. Make sure the back-ground doesn’t have colors or tex-tures similar to the subject. Ifnecessary, try shooting from differ-ent angles, or use a shallow depthof field to achieve separation.

✦ Fill the frame. Try to make thesubject the most dominant part ofthe image. Avoid having lots ofempty space around the subjectunless it’s essential to making thephotograph work.

✦ Use odd numbers. When photo-graphing multiple subjects, oddnumbers seem to work best.

These are just a few of the hundreds ofguidelines out there. Remember, these arenot hard-and-fast rules, just simple pointersthat can help you create interesting andamazing images.


10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 83

10_383124 ch04.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 84

55C H A P T E RSelecting andUsing Lenses

Although your D60 may have come with a kit lens — the18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR — one advantage to owning a

digital SLR camera is the ability to change out lenses to fit thespecific photographic style or scene that you want to capture.After a while you may find that the kit lens doesn’t meet yourneeds and you want to upgrade. Nikon dSLR owners havequite a few lenses from which to choose, all of which benefitfrom Nikon’s expertise in the field of lens manufacturing.

Arguably the most important part of the camera is the lens,especially when using a camera with a high resolution like the10-megapixel D60. The high-resolution imaging sensors canmagnify any flaws in the lens, such as scratches or chromaticaberration.

If you decide to upgrade your kit lens — or you just want toadd to your lens collection — there are literally hundreds ofoptions from which to choose. You have a lot to considerwhen purchasing a lens; whether it’s a zoom or prime lens, awide-angle or telephoto lens, or any of the numerous otheroptions. This chapter gives you a head start on knowing whatkind of lens you want before you actually start looking.

Deciphering Nikon’s Lens CodesWhen shopping for lenses, you may notice all sorts of strangeletter designations in the lens name. For example, the kit lensis the Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX. So, what do allthose letters mean? Here’s a simple list deciphering all of theperplexing designations.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Deciphering Nikon’slens codes

Kit lenses

Wide-angle lenses

Normal lenses

Telephoto lenses

Macro lenses

Using VR lenses

Extending the range of any lens

Filters

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 85

✦ AI/AIS. These are auto-indexinglenses that automatically adjust theaperture diaphragm down whenthe Shutter button is pressed. Alllenses made after 1977 are AIlenses. These are all manual focuslenses. The D60 light meter doesnot function with these lenses.

✦ E. These lenses were Nikon’sbudget series lenses made to gowith the lower-end film cameras:the EM, FG, and FG-20. Althoughthese lenses are compact and areoften constructed with plasticparts, some of these lenses, espe-cially the 50mm f/1.8, are of quitegood quality and can be bought fornext to nothing. These lenses arealso manual focus only. The D60light meter does not function withthese lenses.

✦ D. Lenses with this designationconvey distance information to thecamera to aid in metering forexposure and flash. Most D lensesdo not autofocus with the D60, butall they do allow the D60’s meterto function perfectly.

✦ G. These are newer lenses that lacka manually adjustable aperturering. The aperture must be set onthe camera body. G lenses alsoconvey distance information.

✦ AF, AF-D, AF-I, and AF-S. All ofthese denote that the lens is anautofocus lens. The D is for dis-tance, the I stands for internalfocus, and the S is for Silent Wave(more on this later). AF and AF-Dlenses are focused by using ascrew type drive motor that is typi-cally found inside the camera body.In order to give the D60 a morecompact body size the AF motordrive was left out of the camera.

This means that all standard AFand AF-D lenses must be focusedmanually. All of Nikon’s AF lenseshave a CPU built in. The CPUallows the lens to communicatedirectly with the camera body. Thisallows the camera’s light meter towork with these lenses and youcan use any of the exposuremodes. The AF-S lenses have theAF motor built in to the lenses,focus silently, and work perfectlywith the D60 allowing all featuresto be utilized.

To date, Nikon offers almost 30AF-S lenses that offer full func-tionality for your D60. Theselenses range from a super-wide12-24mm zoom lens all the wayup to a 600mm super-telephotolens. Most of the AF-S lenses arezoom lenses, but Nikon doesoffer a few fixed-focal-lengthlenses. These fixed-focal–length,or prime, lenses are mostly inthe telephoto to super-telephotorange with the one exceptionbeing the 60mm macro lens.

✦ DX. This lets you know the lenswas designed for use only on adigital camera with an APS-C-sizedsensor (all Nikon dSLRs, with theexception of the D3). If you try touse a DX lens on a film camera,severe vignetting in the image areaoccurs.

✦ VR. This code denotes the lens isequipped with Nikon’s VibrationReduction system. VR shifts thelens elements to counteract cam-era shake when shooting at slowershutter speeds. This technologyalso helps when shooting withlong lenses that can magnify cam-era shake and cause blurring evenat faster shutter speeds.

Note


11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 86

✦ ED. This indicates that some of theglass in the lens is Extra LowDispersion, which means the lensis less prone to lens flare and chro-matic aberrations than lenses with-out this type of glass.

✦ Micro. Even though they arelabeled as micro, these are Nikon’smacro lenses.

✦ IF. IF stands for Internal Focus. Thefocusing mechanism is inside thelens, so the lens doesn’t changelength and the front of the lensdoesn’t rotate when focusing. Thisfeature is useful when you don’twant the front of the lens to move;for example, when you use apolarizing filter. The internal focusmechanism also allows for fasterfocusing.

With the D60 you can usealmost every Nikon lens madesince about 1977, although withmost older lenses you have lim-ited functionality. You can alsouse some of the earlier lenses,known now as pre-AI, but mostneed some modifications towork with the D60.

Kit LensesThe Nikon D60 comes paired with Nikon’snew 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX lens.This lens covers the most commonly usedfocal lengths for everyday photography. The18mm setting covers the wide-angle range,and zooming all the way out to 55mm givesyou a moderate telephoto setting allowingyou to get close-up photos of subjects thatmay not be very close. Nikon also offers aD60 kit with two lenses, the 18-55mm anda 55-200mm f/4-5.6 AF-S DX VR. The

55-200mm lens allows you a goodmedium-to-long telephoto range to reallypull those far-off subjects closer.

For the first time ever, Nikon has added aVibration Reduction (VR) lens to one of theentry-level camera kits. This feature allowsyou to handhold the camera at slower shut-ter speeds without worrying about imageblur that can be caused by camera shake.

This lens has received many good reviews.The optics give you sharp images with goodcontrast when stopped down a bit. Whenshooting wide open the images can appeara little soft around the corners.

Although Nikon offers many very high-qual-ity professional lenses, the D60 kit lensesare very good performers for their pricerange and they offer some advantageswhen paired with the D60 that even someof Nikon’s more-expensive lenses don’t.

✦ Low cost. The 18-55mm VR lenscosts less than $200 while the55-200mm VR lens comes in atjust around $250. The 18-200mmVR lens retails for around $750.Buying both the18-55mm and55-200mm VR lenses can save youaround $300!

✦ Superior image quality. Theselenses are very high quality for theprice. They offer aspherical lenselements, which help to eliminatedistortion, and Nikon’s SuperIntegrated Coating on the lenshelps to ensure accurate color andreduce lens flare. These lenseshave been praised by professionaland amateur reviewers alike. Theyare uncommonly sharp for a lensat this price range.

Tip

Chapter 5 ✦ Selecting and Using Lenses 87

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 87

✦ Compact size. Being designedspecifically for dSLR cameras, theselenses are small in size and super-light. They are great lenses foreveryday use or long trips whereyou don’t want a lot or gear weigh-ing you down.

✦ VR. Vibration Reduction is a veryhandy feature especially whenworking in low-light situations orwhen using a long focal length. Itcan allow you to handhold yourcamera at slower shutter speedsthan you can with standard lenses.

Nikon is by no means the onlymanufacturer of lenses. Manycompanies make lenses specifi-cally to fit the Nikon, includingTamron, Sigma, and Tokina, toname a few.

Understanding zoomlensesA zoom lens is a lens that has multiple opti-cal elements that move within the lens bodyto allow it to change focal length and there-fore, field of view, which is how much of thescene you can see at any given focal length.

One of the main advantages of the zoomlens is its versatility. You can attach one lensto your camera and use it in a wide varietyof situations. Gone is the need for con-stantly changing out lenses, which reducesthe exposure of your camera’s image sensorto dust and debris.

There are a few considerations when buyingzoom lenses (or upgrading from one youalready have).

Variable apertureOne of the major issues when buying con-sumer-level lenses such as the 18-55mm VRlens is that it has a variable aperture, whichmeans as you zoom in on something theaperture of the lens gets smaller allowingless light to reach the sensor, thus increas-ing your shutter speed. In daylight orbrightly lit situations this may not be a fac-tor, but when shooting in low light this canbe a drawback. Although the VR helps whenshooting relatively still subjects, movingsubjects in low light will be blurred. If youdo a lot of low-light shooting of moving sub-jects, such as concert photography, you maywant to look into getting a zoom lens with awider aperture such as f/2.8. These are fastaperture pro lenses and usually cost quite abit more than your standard consumerzoom lens. The lens I use most when pho-tographing action in low light is the Nikkor17-55mm f/2.8, this lens allows me to usean ISO of about 800 (keeping the noise lev-els low) and relatively fast shutter speeds tofreeze the motion of the subject. To keepthe same shutter speed while using the18-55mm VR you would need to boost yourISO up to 3200 (Hi-1), which can add quitea bit of noise to your image. What it boilsdown to is how much action shooting youmay do in low light.

Depth of fieldAnother consideration when buying a zoomlens is depth of field. For example, the18-55mm lens gives you more depth of fieldat all focal lengths than a lens with a wideraperture. If you are shooting landscapes thismay not be a problem, but getting into por-trait photography you may want a shallowerdepth of field, therefore a lens with a wideraperture is probably what you want.

Note


11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 88

QualityIn order to make consumer lenses like the18-55mm VR and the 55-200mm VR afford-able, Nikon makes them mostly out of acomposite plastic. Although the build qualityis pretty good, the higher-end lenses havemetal lens mounts and some have metalalloy lens bodies. This allows them to be alot more durable in the long run, especially ifyou are rough on your gear like I sometimesam. Conversely, the plastic bodies of theconsumer lenses are much smaller andlighter than their pro-level counterparts. Thisis a great feature when traveling or if youwant to pack light. If I’m going on a trip,more often than not I’ll just grab my D60 kitand go. It’s more compact and much lighterthan my other cameras and lenses and Iappreciate the small size.

The range of the zoom lens has vastlyimproved over the years. Nikon makes an18-200mm zoom lens, which is an amazingrange that almost makes it unnecessary toever take your lens off. Of course, a zoom

range like this comes with a few drawbacks.For example, the lens has a maximum aper-ture of f/3.5 at the 18mm setting (which isnot bad) but a maximum of f/5.6 at the200mm setting (which is very slow). Nikonmakes up for the slow aperture by addingVibration Reduction, which allows you tohandhold the camera at much slower shut-ter speeds.

Understanding primelensesBefore zoom lenses were available, the onlyoption a photographer had was using aprime lens, which is also called a fixed-focal-length lens. Because each lens is fixed at acertain focal length, when the photographerwants to change the angle of view, he has toeither physically move farther away from orcloser to the subject or swap out the lenswith one that has a focal length more suitedto the range.

One might say, “Well, if I can buy one zoomlens that encompasses the same range asfour or five prime lenses, then why botherwith prime lenses?” While this may soundlogical, there are a lot of reasons why youmight choose a prime lens over a zoom lens.

In the past, prime lenses were far superiorto zoom lenses. While this is no longer thecase, prime lenses can still offer someadvantages over zoom lenses. For example,prime lenses don’t require as many lens ele-ments (pieces of glass) as zoom lenses do,and this means prime lenses are almost


Figure courtesy of Nikon, Inc.

5.1 The Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IFAF-S DX Super-zoom lens

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 89

always sharper than zoom lenses. The dif-ferences in optical quality are not as notice-able as they were in the past, but withdigital camera resolutions getting higher,the differences are definitely becomingmore noticeable.

The most important features of the primelens are the fact that they can have a fastermaximum aperture, they are generally farlighter, and cost much less. The standardprime lenses aren’t very long, so the maxi-mum aperture can be faster than with zoomlenses. Prime lenses in standard focallengths also require fewer lens elementsand moving parts, so the weight can be keptdown considerably; and because there arefewer elements, the overall cost of produc-tion is less, therefore you pay less.

One of the most widely sought-after primelenses is the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8. This lens isa must-have for anyone wanting to delveinto the portraiture aspect of photography.The very wide aperture of this lens allowsyou to blur out the background of theimage, making the subject stand out. Themost popular portrait lens for the film cam-era was the 85mm f/1.8, so the 50mmessentially replaces that for the digital DX-format cameras. One great thing about the

Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 is that you can find itnew for just over $100 and used for lessthan $100. The other great thing about thislens is it is one of the sharpest lenses youcan buy for your camera, and you can besure to capture an amazing amount ofdetail. This lens is not only great for por-traits, but for still life and many other typesof photography, especially in low light.Unfortunately, due to the D60’s lack of afocus motor drive this lens can only befocused manually. If manual focusing isn’t aconcern this may be a great (and inexpen-sive) lens to add to your kit.

As discussed earlier in the chapter the NikonD60 can only autofocus when an AF-S lensis attached to the camera. At this time Nikononly offers a limited number of AF-S primelenses and they tend to be somewhatexpensive and have longer focal-lengths.Currently the AF-S prime lens lineup con-sists of the 60mm macro lens, the 105mmVR macro, 200mm, 300mm, 400mm,500mm, and 600mm telephoto lenses.

Third-party lensesThere are a number of different manufactur-ers that offer lenses to fit Nikon camerabodies, but only one that makes fully func-tional lenses for the D60. Sigma, a companythat manufactures both cameras and lenses,offers some great lenses that can be usedwith your D60. These lenses are designatedas HSM, which stands for Hyper-SonicMotor. This is similar technology to Nikon’sAF-S Silent Wave technology, so the cameraretains its ability to autofocus. It offers a30mm f/1.4 and a 50mm f/1.4 prime lens,which is great for most applications. Sigmaalso offers a wide selection of zoom lensesthat are equipped with the HSM motor.These third-party lenses are often less


Photo courtesy of Nikon, Inc.

5.2 The Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G AF-S fixed-focal-length macro prime lens

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 90

expensive than the comparable Nikonlenses, many of which are similar in bothbuild and image quality. If you’re looking fora good lens on a budget, this is an option

worth looking into. Currently, I have a Sigma17-35mm f/2.8-4 HSM lens that works greatwith my D60.


Crop Factor

Crop factor is a ratio that describes the size of a camera’s imaging area as comparedto another format; in the case of SLR cameras the reference format is 35mm film.

SLR camera lenses were designed around the 35mm film format. Photographers uselenses of a certain focal length to provide a specific field of view. The field of view,also called the angle of view, is the amount of the scene that is captured in the image.This is usually described in degrees; for example, a 16mm lens when used on a35mm camera captures almost 180 degrees horizontally of the scene, which is quitea bit. Conversely, when using a 300mm focal length the field of view is reduced tomere 6.5 degrees horizontal, which is a very small part of the scene. Until digital SLRscame along, this field of view was consistent from camera to camera because all SLRsused 35mm film, which had an image area of 24 × 36mm. The sensors on dSLRs canbe expensive to manufacture. To keep costs down, the sensor was made smaller thana frame of 35mm film. The lenses that are used with dSLRs have the same focallength as always, but because the sensor doesn’t have the same amount of area asthe film, the field of view is effectively decreased. This causes the lens to provide thefield of view of a longer focal length when compared to 35mm film images.

Continued

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 91

Wide-Angle LensesWide-angle lenses, as the name implies,provide a very wide angle of view of thescene you are photographing. Wide-anglelenses are great for photographing a varietyof subjects, but they really excel in subjectssuch as landscapes and group portraitswhere you need to capture a large area.

Wide-angle lenses also provide a greaterdepth of field than normal and telephotolenses, so if you are photographing a land-scape in which everything needs to be infocus, then you want to use a wide-anglelens.

For more information on depthof field, see Chapter 4.

Another benefit to using wide-angle lensesis they work well for shooting in low lightbecause you can use a longer shutter speedwith less worry about camera shake blurring your photos. Wide-angle lenses alsocome in handy in a tight situation, such asphotographing in a small room, becausethey do capture a wide area so you can getvery close to your subject.

Most of the wide-angle lenses commonlyavailable on the market today are wide-anglezoom lenses. The lenses that are available


Continued

Fortunately, the digital sensors in Nikon cameras are a uniform size, supplying a stan-dard you can use to determine how much the field of view is reduced on a dSLR. Thedigital sensors in Nikon cameras have a 1.5X crop factor, which means that to deter-mine the equivalent focal length of a 35mm camera you simply have to multiply thefocal length of the lens by 1.5. Therefore a 28mm lens on a dSLR actually provides anangle of coverage similar to a 42mm lens, a 50mm is equivalent to a75mm, and so on.

When dSLRs were first introduced all lenses were based on 35mm format film. Thecrop factor effectively reduced the coverage of these lenses, causing ultra-wide-anglelenses to act like wide angles, wide-angle lenses performed like normal lenses, nor-mal lenses provided the same coverage as short telephotos, and so on. Camera andlens manufacturers went to work creating specific lenses for dSLRs with digital sen-sors. These lenses are known as DX format. The focal lengths of these lenses wereshortened to fill the gap so as to allow true super-wide-angle lenses. These DX-for-mat lenses were also redesigned to cast a smaller image inside the camera so thatthe lenses could actually be made smaller and use less glass than conventionallenses.

There is an upside to this crop factor. Lenses with longer focal lengths now provide abit of extra reach. A lens set at 200mm now provides the same amount of coverageas a 300mm lens, which can be a great advantage for sports and wildlife photogra-phy or when you simply can’t get close to your subject.

The figure shows the field of view captured on a frame of film with a 17mm lens. Thearea inside the green box shows the field of view captured on a digital sensor withthe crop factor of 1.5 using the same 17mm lens.

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 92

with full functionality for the D60 are theNikkor AF-S 12-24mm f/4, the Sigma12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 HSM, and the Sigma10-20mm f/4-5.6 HSM. These lenses aredesigned to be rectilinear, which meansadditional lens elements are built in to the

lens to correct the distortion that is commonwith wide-angle lenses; this way, the linesnear the edges of the frame appear straight.

Some lens manufacturers also offer super-wide-angle fisheye lenses. The Nikkor10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye lens provides an angle


5.3 The image on the top was taken with a wide-angle zoom settingof 17mm, and the image on the bottom used a moderate telephotozoom setting of 50mm.

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 93


of coverage of 180 degrees. A fisheye lens isnot rectilinear, so the image is distorted(resembling what a fish may see when look-ing out of a fishbowl), and the lines at theedges of the frame appear bowed out andvery exaggerated. Sigma also offers two fish-eye lenses that can be used with the D60:the 10mm f/2.8 fisheye and the 4.5mmf/2.8 circular fisheye. The 4.5mm lens pro-vides a complete 180-degree view of thescene, but does not provide full coverage ofthe camera’s sensor. This gives you a circularimage with black edges around it.

Some of the drawbacks to wide-anglelenses can be obvious distortion (called bar-rel distortion) at the edges of the frame, andvignetting, or the darkening of the cornersof the image. These problems tend to bemore pronounced in the lower-pricedlenses, and most of these problems can befixed in post-processing using software suchas Adobe Photoshop.

Another possible drawback to using a wide-angle lens is the potential for perspectivedistortion. This happens when the lens istoo close to the subject causing certain

5.5 Wide-angle perspective distortion canalso be used creatively.

5.4 An imagetaken with acircular fisheyelens. Note thedistortion at thecorners of theimage.

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 94


parts of the image to appear too large whileother parts appear too small. This is espe-cially evident with close-up portraits inwhich the subject’s nose can appear hugeand the face looks distorted. On the otherhand, perspective distortion can be usedcreatively, allowing you to show an everydayobject with a different point of view.Perspective distortion is not limited to wide-angle lenses, but the effect is much morenoticeable when using them. Perspectivedistortion is not caused by the lens, but bythe viewpoint.

I don’t find the drawbacks to be much of aproblem when using wide-angle lenses. Iactually like to use them to my advantage.With perspective distortion, I get low andshoot up at a subject, or get up high andshoot down, and I find that a lot of timesadding the distortion can make a mundane,everyday subject more interesting.Additionally, the vignetting issue can also beused to your advantage. Sometimes, thedarkening of the corners in the image candraw the viewer’s eye into the frame, plac-ing emphasis on the subject. I sometimesadd a slight vignette to my images in post-processing anyway, so having the cameralens provide it for me actually saves time!

Normal LensesA normal lens approximates the field ofview of the human eye. In the past, with35mm film cameras, the normal lens focallength was 50mm. dSLR cameras have asensor that is smaller than a frame of 35mmfilm, so the normal lens focal length hasshortened to a range from 28 to 35mm toaccommodate for the smaller sensor size.

Normal lenses are very versatile and can beused in a variety of shooting situations.Everything from landscapes to portraits canbe photographed using a normal lens withvery good results.

Most cameras today usually come equippedwith a zoom lens that encompasses a wide-angle to short telephoto zoom range (suchas the D60’s 18-55mm) that has the normalfocal length somewhere in between thewide and telephoto settings, but a good 28or 35mm prime lens can be found relativelyinexpensively. And, either of these primelenses is lighter and usually has a faster aper-ture than a common zoom lens. Therefore,one of these lenses can be very useful if youneed to pack light or if you are shooting inlow-light conditions.

Telephoto LensesTelephoto lenses have very long focallengths and are used to get close-up photosof distant subjects. These lenses provide avery narrow field of view and are handy

5.6 Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM lens

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 95


5.7 A portrait shot with a telephoto lens

when trying to focus on the details of a sub-ject. Telephoto lenses have a much shal-lower depth of field than wide-angle andnormal lenses and can be used effectively toblur out background details to isolate thesubject. The telephoto range starts at 50mm(being a short telephoto) all the way up to600mm on the long telephoto range. Themost common focal lengths for consumertelephoto zoom lenses are 50-200mm or70-300mm.

Telephoto lenses are commonly used forsubjects such as sports and wildlife photog-raphy to bring the subject closer. The shal-low depth of field available makes themone of the top choices for photographingportraits as well.

One important thing to remember abouttelephoto lenses is that they not only magnify

the subject, they also magnify any movementthe camera makes. This means at long focallengths such as 200mm any small move-ment you make is more apparent. Even aslight shaking of the hands is noticeablewhen looking through the viewfinder. For thisreason you need to use a faster shutterspeed when shooting with a telephoto lens.

As with wide-angle lenses, telephoto lenseshave their own set of quirks, such as per-spective distortion. As you may haveguessed, telephoto perspective distortion isthe opposite of the wide-angle variety.Because everything in the photo is so faraway with a telephoto lens, the lens tendsto compress the image. Compressioncauses the background to look too closeto the foreground. Of course, this effectcan also be used creatively. For example,compression can flatten out the features of

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 96


5.8 Although these mountains are miles apart, the compression from the lens makes themlook like they are stacked right on top of each other.

a model, resulting in a pleasing effect.Compression is another reason why pho-tographers often use a telephoto lens forportrait photography.

A standard telephoto zoom lens usually hasa range of about 70-200mm. If you want tozoom in close to a subject that is very faraway, you may need an even longer lens.These super-telephoto lenses can act liketelescopes, really bringing the subject inclose. These long lenses range from about300mm up to about 800mm. Almost allsuper-telephoto lenses are prime lenses,and they are very heavy, bulky, and expen-sive. A lot of these super-telephoto lensesare a little slower than your normal tele-photo zoom lens, usually having a maxi-mum aperture of about f/4 or smaller.

Macro LensesA macro lens is a special-purpose lens usedin macro and close-up photography. Themacro lens allows you to have a closerfocusing distance than regular lenses, whichin turn allows you get more magnificationof your subject, revealing small details thatwould otherwise be lost. True macro lensesoffer a magnification ratio of 1:1; that is, theimage projected onto the sensor throughthe lens is the exact same size as the actualobject being photographed. Some lower-priced macro lenses offer a 1:2 magnifica-tion ratio, which is half the size of theoriginal object.

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 97


Lens Distortion

When dealing with any kind of lenses you eventually have to deal with optical dis-tortion. The lenses you attach to your camera are a complex system of optics withmany different lens elements that are used to give a certain field of view. Without get-ting into the technical details of how a lens works, just know that the lens elementsbend or refract the light manipulating it to magnify it (in the case of a telephoto) ormaking it look farther away (in the case of wide-angle lenses). With all of this light,bending going on, lenses can distort the image-making it look different than the orig-inal subject.

Each type of lens has its own different kind of distortion. For example, wide-anglelenses suffer from what is known as barrel distortion. Barrel distortion is character-ized by the image being sort of rounded out near the edges of the frame. You can seein the following figure that the parallel lines at the edge of the image bulge outward.

Telephoto lenses suffer from the opposite problem, which is referred to as pincusiondistortion. This type of distortion is characterized by the edges of the frame appear-ing to be pinched in toward the center, as you can see in the figure with the parallellines at the edge of the frame bending toward the center.

Both types of distortion are more noticeable near the extreme edges of the frame.Almost all lenses manufactured today are rectilinear, which means that there areadditional lens elements built into the lens that rectify, or fix, the curved lines. Inwide-angle lenses these elements are sometimes referred to as aspherical. Althoughthese lens elements are designed to counteract the curvature, no lens design is per-fect, so there will always be some lens distortion, although it is usually minimal.

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 98


5.9 A shot taken with a 50mm macro lens with a magnification ratioof 4:1 or 4X the original size

Fisheye lenses are lenses that have not been corrected for any type of distortion andthe images appear curved or spherical.

Most lens distortion is only noticeable when photographing subjects that have a lotof straight lines, especially near the edges of the frame, so lens distortion is notalways a problem. However for those times when you may be photographing imageswith a lot of straight lines and distortion may be noticeable, some image-editing pro-grams such as Nikon Capture NX and Photoshop CS3 have tools that allow you to cor-rect for the distortion.

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 99

A major concern with a macro lens is thedepth of field. When focusing at such aclose distance, the depth of field becomesvery shallow. Because of this it is advisableto use a small aperture to maximize yourdepth of field and ensure everything is infocus. Of course, as with any downside, theshallow depth of field can also be used cre-atively. For example, you can use it to isolatea detail in the subject.

Macro lenses come in a variety of differentfocal lengths, with the most common beingabout 60mm. Some macro lenses have substantially longer focal lengths, whichallow more distance to be put between thelens and the subject. This comes in handywhen the subject needs to be lit with anadditional light source. A lens that is veryclose to the subject while focusing can getin the way of the light source causing ashadow to be cast on it.

When buying a macro lens, there are a fewthings you may want to consider: How oftenare you going to use the lens? Can it beused for other purposes? Do you need auto-

focus? Because newer dedicated macrolenses can be pricey, you may want to con-sider some cheaper alternatives.

Know is that it’s not absolutely necessary tohave an AF lens. When shooting very closeup, the depth of focus is very small, so allyou need to do is move slightly closer or far-ther away to achieve focus. This makes anAF lens a bit unnecessary. You can findplenty of older Nikon MF macro lenses thatare very inexpensive with superb lens qual-ity and sharpness.

Some other manufacturers alsomake very good-quality MFmacro lenses. The lens I use is a50mm f/4 Macro-Takumarmade for early Pentax screw-mount camera bodies. I boughtthis lens for next to nothing, andI found an inexpensive adapterthat allows it to fit the Nikon F-mount. The great thing aboutthis lens is that it’s super-sharpand allows me to focus closeenough to get a 4:1 magnifica-tion ratio, which is 4X life size.

Note


Lens Quality and Image Quality

Depending on what the output of your image is, you may want to spend some extramoney on quality lenses to be sure your images look as good as they can; otherwise,you may as well be shooting with a lower-resolution camera. Budget-priced lensessuch as the Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 VR and the Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6 VR canshow a lower image quality due to the lower quality of the lens elements. If you’regoing to be making large prints with your images you will definitely benefit from thehigher-quality glass in the more expensive lenses. On the other hand, if your imagesare only going to be viewed on a computer monitor or you won’t be making printsmuch larger than 8 × 10, then you may not have the need for the higher-quality prolenses unless you have a need for the faster apertures.

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 100

Using VR LensesNikon has an impressive list of lenses offer-ing Vibration Reduction, including the18-55mm and 55-200mm kit lenses that areavailable with the D60. This VR technologyis used to combat image blur caused bycamera shake that occurs, especially whenhandholding the camera at long focallengths. The VR function works by detectingthe motion of the lens and shifting the inter-nal lens elements. This allows you to shootup to 3 stops slower than you would nor-mally. If you’re an old hand at photography,you probably know this rule of thumb: Toget a reasonably sharp photo when hand-holding the camera, use a shutter speedthat corresponds to the reciprocal of thelens’s focal length. In simpler terms, whenshooting at a 200mm zoom setting, yourshutter speed should be at least 1/200 sec-ond. When shooting with a wider setting,such as 28mm, you can safely handhold ataround 1/30 second. Of course, this is just aguideline; some people are naturally stead-ier than others and can get sharp shots atslower speeds. With VR enabled, you should

be able to get a reasonably sharp image ata 200mm setting with a shutter speed ofaround 1/30 second.

Although the VR feature is good for provid-ing some extra latitude when shooting withlow light, it’s not made to replace a fastshutter speed. To get a good, sharp photowhen shooting action, you need to have afast shutter speed to freeze the action.Remember, when shooting in low light theVR only compensates for camera movement,so if your subject moves even slightly theimage will be blurry.

Another thing to consider with the VR fea-ture is that the lens’s motion sensor mayovercompensate when panning, causing theimage to actually be blurrier. So, in situa-tions where you need to pan with the sub-ject, you may need to switch off the VR. TheVR function also slows down the AF a bit, sowhen catching the action is very important,you may want to keep this in mind as well.

While VR is a great advancement in lenstechnology, few things can replace a goodexposure and a solid monopod or tripod fora sharp image.



5.10 The Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 ED-IF AFS with VR

11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 101

Extending the Rangeof Any LensThere are several ways to extend the rangeof the lenses you already own — fromextending the focal length to focusing closerto magnifying the image. Buying a few ofthese accessories can effectively add to yourlens arsenal without actually adding newlenses.

TeleconvertersIn some cases, you may need a lens that hasa longer focal length than the lenses youown. You may want a 600mm lens to reallyget close to a far-away subject, but youdon’t necessarily want to spend the moneyon an expensive 600mm prime lens.Fortunately, Nikon, as well as some otherlens manufacturers, offer teleconverters. Ateleconverter attaches to your camerabetween the lens and the camera body andextends the focal length giving you extrazoom and magnification. There are differentsizes of teleconverters; Nikon offers 1.4X,1.7X, and 2X models. Other manufacturersoffer different sizes including and up to 3X.

Teleconverters are a great option for extend-ing the focal length of some of your lenses.Being small in size, they don’t take up muchroom in your camera bag and they aren’tnearly as expensive as buying a whole newlens.

There are some drawbacks to using telecon-verters. With the extended range you gain infocal length, you lose some light. The tele-converter effectively makes your lens any-where from 1 to 3 stops slower than

normal. The 1.4X teleconverter causes youto lose 1 stop of light, while using a 3Xmodel causes you to lose a very noticeable3 stops of light. This causes your f/2.8 lensto function with an effective f/8 aperture.While this may not be a problem during abright, sunny day, in a low-light conditionyou could run into some problems.

Additionally, the AF systems on most cam-eras need a specific amount of light to func-tion. Attaching a teleconverter to a lens witha maximum aperture of less than f/2.8 cancause the AF function to not work properlyor to not work at all.

Finally, with the inclusion of additional lenselements and the longer focal length, tele-converters cause you to lose some sharp-ness in your image. The higher-pricedteleconverters like the ones offered byNikon give you sharper overall images thanthe lower-priced teleconverters offered bythird-party manufacturers. Teleconvertersare available in both AF and MF versions.

Not all teleconverters work withall lenses and some lenses can-not work with a teleconverter atall. Additionally some telecon-verters can cause damage tothe lens or camera if usedimproperly. Check with a rep-utable camera shop beforeusing a teleconverter.

Extension tubesExtension tubes are mounted between thecamera and the lens like a teleconverter, butthey function completely differently. Whilethe teleconverter allows you to increase thefocal length of your lens, an extension tubesimply moves the lens farther from the


11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 102

image sensor. Extension tubes give you acloser focusing distance so your lens can getmore magnification of the subject, making itpossible to take macro photos with a regu-lar lens and giving you increased magnifica-tion when used with a macro lens.

Like teleconverters, adding an extensiontube effectively reduces your maximumaperture and you lose some light. Unliketeleconverters, extension tubes have nooptical elements in them; they are simplyopen tubes. Additionally, extension tubesare offered in both AF and MF options.

FiltersFilters provide a wide range of effects; somefilters add a color tint to the photographwhile others neutralize a colorcast (forexample, you might use a filter to compen-sate for the color of a tungsten light bulb).Other filters block certain wavelengths oflight or add a special effect, such as a starpattern in the highlight areas of a photo-graph. Many traditional photo filters cannow be replicated using Photoshop or someother image-editing software. However, afew filters cannot be replicated with soft-ware, such as the following:

For more info on white balance,see Chapter 2.

✦ UV (ultraviolet) filters. This is byfar the most common filter foundon camera lenses these days. UVfilters block UV light resulting in asharper image. These filters canalso reduce the effect of atmos-pheric haze in landscape photos ofdistant subjects. Most people also

use these filters to protect the frontelement of the lens from gettingscratched or damaged. To be fair,there are those people who doubtthe validity of using these filtersbecause, at lower elevations, UVlight is not abundant enough toadversely affect the image. In addi-tion, the sensors on dSLR camerasusually already have some sort ofUV filter built in. Some people alsoclaim that putting a lower-qualityglass filter on an expensive lenslessens the quality of the images. Ihave a UV filter on almost all of mylenses for protection. Ultimately,the decision is yours.

✦ ND (neutral density) filters. Thisis another commonly used filter.This filter reduces the amount oflight that reaches the sensor with-out changing the color. It is used toprevent blown-out highlightscaused by extremely bright lightingconditions, such as when you’re ata beach with white sand on abright sunny day. These filters canalso be used to slow down yourshutter speed when you need along exposure, there is too muchlight on the subject, and reducingthe ISO is out of the question. Youcan also use these filters toincrease the shutter speed and usea wider aperture to achieve a shal-low depth of field. ND filters nor-mally come in three versions:ND-2, which absorbs 1 stop oflight; ND-4, which absorbs 2 stopsof light; and ND-8, which absorbs3 stops of light. You can also findan ND-400 filter, which effectivelyreduces the amount of light by 9stops.


11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 103

✦ Polarizing filters. When light isreflected off any surface, it tends toscatter randomly, and the polariz-ing filter takes these random scat-tered light rays and makes themdirectional, thereby reducing oreven eliminating the glare fromreflective surfaces. Polarizing filtersare almost invaluable when photo-graphing landscapes; they can cutdown the atmospheric haze andadd contrast to the image. Its effecton skies is most evident; the use ofa polarizer will increase the con-trast between the clouds and thesky. Many people also use thepolarizer as a type of ND filterbecause it reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor byapproximately one and a halfstops.

When purchasing a polarizer foryour camera, be sure to buy acircular polarizer because a lin-ear polarizer may cause yourcamera’s AF and metering notto function properly.

✦ IR (infrared) filters. These filtersblock almost the entire visible lightspectrum allowing only infraredlight that is invisible to the nakedeye to pass through to the sensor.The resulting images are very ethe-real, dreamlike, and often surreal.In infrared photography, the skiesare very dark and vegetation glowsa ghostly white. Because almost allof the light is being blocked, IRphotography requires long shutterspeeds and a tripod.

For more in-depth information onIR photography, see Chapter 7.

This is just a list of the most common anduseful filters. There are many more types offilters available (warming filters, cooling fil-ters, star filters, and so on). A quick searchon the Web will yield many more results.


11_383124 ch05.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 104

66C H A P T E RWorking withLight

The word photography stems from two Greek words:photos, meaning light; and graphos, meaning to write or

draw, literally light-drawing. The most important factor in pho-tography is light; without it, your camera is rendered useless.You need light to make the exposure that results in an image.

Not only is light necessary to make an exposure, it also hasdifferent qualities that can impact the outcome of your image.Light can be soft and diffuse, or it can be hard and directional.Light can also have an impact on the color of your images; dif-ferent light sources emit light at different temperatures, whichchanges the colorcast of the image.

When there is not enough light to capture the image you’reafter, or if the available light isn’t suitable for your needs, youcan employ alternative sources of light, such as flash, toachieve the effect you want.

The ability to control light is a crucial step toward being ableto make images that look exactly how you want them to. Inthis chapter, I explain some of the different types of light andhow to modify them to suit your needs.

Lighting EssentialsTo get your images to appear exactly as you want them, youneed to know a few things about light — how it reacts, its spe-cific properties, and even how to control it to make it suit yourneeds. This section touches on some of the basic propertiesof light.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Lighting Essentials

Natural light

Flash basics

Nikon CLS andSpeedlights

Bounce flash

Studio strobes

Continuous lighting

Light modifiers

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 105

Quality of lightLighting is the essence of photography. Notonly does it create the image, it sets thetone and the mood of the photograph. Itcan accentuate features and enhance thedetail, or it can soften the subject, creating aserene mood. Quality of light can be a mis-leading term; it not only means good-qual-ity light, but it can also describe some of theunwanted attributes. In the broad scope ofthings, there are two basic qualities of light:hard light and soft light.

Hard lightHard light comes from a single bright sourceand is very directional: for example, photo-graphing in midday open sunlight — the sun

is your single, bright source. The shadowsare very distinct, and the image has highcontrast and a wide tonal range. Using hardlight can be effective when you want to high-light textures in your subject. Hard light isalso very good at creating a dramatic portraitand is especially effective in black and white.

Because hard light is directional and there ishigh contrast associated with its use, youwant to be very careful with the position ofthe light source. The placement of the lightaffects where the shadows fall, and in high-contrast images, shadow placement canmake or break an image.


6.1 I used hard light in this image to create a dramatic mood.

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 106

Soft lightSoft light is very diffuse and comes from abroad source or is reflected onto the subject.The resulting images are very soft with less-noticeable differences between the shadowsand the highlights. With a soft-light image,the lighting seems to be coming from morethan one direction, and it is often hard to pin-point from which direction the light is com-ing. With soft light, the texture of objects isless apparent and some of the detail is lost.

Soft light is very good for portraits and mosteveryday subjects. Soft light is also flatteringto most subjects, but it can sometimes lackthe depth and drama that you may need foryour image.

There are quite a few ways to achieve softlight; the most common way is to take yoursubject out of the direct light by putting it inthe shade, such as under trees, a porch, or anoverhang when outside. Inside you can cre-ate a soft light source by using indirect light-ing, bouncing flash of off a ceiling or wall, orthe most simple and greatly effective way, toplace your subject near a window that allowssunlight to filter in, also known as windowlighting.

Metering lightThe first thing you need to know before youactually press the Shutter Release buttonand take the picture is the camera settingnecessary to get the proper exposure.Although there are ways to figure the properexposure in your head, such as using theSunny 16 Rule (explained later in the chap-ter), when using the D60 you don’t need tofigure it out yourself. Fortunately, your D60is equipped with a very accurate, state-of-the-art light meter built right in.

The D60 metering system is what is knownas a TTL system. TTL is short for through thelens, meaning the light measured is actuallycoming through the lens. The reason thissystem works so well is the sensor thatmeasures the light is measuring the exactamount of light reaching the sensor. Thistakes into account the amount of light losttraveling down the barrel of the lens andthrough the glass of the lens.

For more information on theD60 metering system and thedifferent options, see Chapter 2.

Chapter 6 ✦ Working with Light 107

6.2 This soft-light portrait of Melissa wastaken by placing her in the shade of a treeto reduce the contrast of the bright afternoonsun—creating soft light in an otherwise hardlight situation.

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 107

Natural LightBy far the easiest type of light to find, natu-ral light is sometimes the most difficult towork with. Natural light, because it comesfrom the sun, is often unpredictable andcan change from minute to minute. A lot oftimes I hear people say, “Wow, it’s such anice, sunny day; what a perfect day to takepictures.” Unfortunately, this is often not thecase. A bright day when the sun is high inthe sky presents many obstacles. First, youhave serious contrast issues on a sun-drenched day. Oftentimes, the digital sen-sor doesn’t have the latitude to capture the

whole scene effectively. For example, it isnearly impossible to capture detail in theshadows of your subject while keeping thehighlights from blowing out or going com-pletely white.

Fortunately, if you want to use natural light,it isn’t necessary to stand in direct sunlightat noon. You can get desirable lightingeffects when working with natural light inmany ways. Here are a few examples:

✦ Use fill flash. You can use theflash as a secondary light source(not as your main light) to fill inthe shadows and reduce contrast.


Sunny 16 Rule

The Sunny 16 Rule is a guide to achieving proper exposure outdoors without the aidof a light meter. Since the D60 light meter doesn’t function when using older Manualfocus lenses, I decided to include this here just in case anyone might want to usethese types of lenses as I sometimes do. This is a very tried-and-true method of esti-mating exposure without the aid of a light meter. The name of the rule is derived fromthe aperture you should use when photographing outdoors on a sunny day, which isf/16. The shutter speed is equal to the nearest reciprocal of the ISO speed. For exam-ple, if you are using ISO 100, your shutter speed should be around 1/125 second atf/16 give or take a 1/3 of a stop. For ISO 200, you change your shutter speed toaround 1/250 at f/16.

So, what if the day isn’t bright and sunny? In that case, you just open up the aperture.The following is a table showing the settings to use for different outside lighting conditions.

AAppeerrttuurree LLiigghhttiinngg SShhaaddoowwss

f/16 Sunny Hard, well-defined shadows

f/11 Slightly overcast Distinct shadows with soft edges

f/8 Overcast Very soft, diffused shadows

f/5.6 Dark clouds / heavy overcast No shadows

f/4 Sunrise / sunset N/A

In addition to these settings, you can also use equivalent exposures. For example, youcan use f/11 on a sunny day by raising your shutter speed by 1 full stop (from 1/125second to 1/250 second, for example). You can even use f/2.8 at 1/4000 second.

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 108

✦ Try window lighting. Believe it ornot, one of the best ways to usenatural light is to go indoors.Seating your model next to a win-dow provides a beautiful soft lightthat is very flattering. A lot of pro-fessional food photographers alsouse window light. It can be used tolight almost any subject softly andevenly.

✦ Find some shade. The shade of atree or the overhang of an awningor porch can block the bright sun-light while giving you plenty of dif-fuse light with which to light yoursubject.

✦ Take advantage of the clouds. Acloudy day softens the light, allow-ing you to take portraits outsidewithout worrying about harshshadows and too much contrast.Even if it’s only partly cloudy, youcan wait for a cloud to pass overthe sun before taking your shot.

✦ Use a modifier. Use a reflector toreduce the shadows or a diffusionpanel to block the direct sun fromyour subject.

Flash BasicsThe Nikon D60 not only has a built-in flashfor quick use in low-light situations, it is alsocompatible with additional accessory flashescalled Speedlights, which are much morepowerful and versatile than the smaller built-in flash. These are dedicated flash units,meaning they are built specifically for usewith the Nikon camera system and offermuch more functionality than a nondedi-cated flash, which is a flash made by a third-party manufacturer. Nikon flashes— bothbuilt-in and accessory — use i-TTL flashmetering allowing the flash to operate auto-matically, resulting in a perfect exposurewithout the user having to do any calculations.

If you are new to using a flash, especiallyaccessory Speedlights, exposure can seemconfusing when you first attempt to use it.There are a lot of settings you need to knowto get excellent results from your flash, andthere are different formulas to use to get theright exposure. If you are using yourSpeedlight in the i-TTL mode, all of the cal-culations you would otherwise do manually


6.3 A portrait using natural light from awindow

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 109

are done for you. But it’s always good toknow how to achieve the same results if youdidn’t have the technology to rely on and sothat you understand how the to work withthe numbers. When you know these calcu-lations, you can use any flash and get excel-lent results.

Using the built-in flashThe D60’s built-in flash is a handy little flashthat’s great for taking casual snapshots.Although it lacks the versatility of the biggerexternal flashes, the built-in flash is alwaysthere when you need it and requires noextra batteries because it is powered by thecamera’s battery. Activate it by pressing theflash pop-up button on the top left of thecamera (as you would hold it for shooting)near the built-in flash.

The built-in flash is set to be used in i-TTLmode by default (i-TTL appears as TTL in themenu), although you can choose to set it to be used in Manual mode (you set theoutput).

It can also be used with all of the differentsync modes your camera offers: front cur-tain sync, rear curtain sync, slow sync, andred-eye reduction. To change the sync modepress the flash pop-up / Flash mode button.Rotate the Command dial while pressingthe Flash mode button to change the mode.The selected mode can be seen in theShooting information display on the LCD.

Pop-up flash diffusersThe best piece of advice that I can offer toyou about using the built-in flash is to buy apop-up flash diffuser. These handy little


6.4 Shots with and without a pop-up flash diffuser

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 110

devices soften the output of the built-inflash giving your images a much morepleasing look. Using one of these diffuserswhenever you use the built-in flash will giveeven random snapshots a more profes-sional look. Pop-up flash diffusers are avail-able from a wide variety of sources andrange in price from $5-$20. A popular dif-fuser is the Gary Fong Puffer, which retailsfor about $20. This is a very effective model,but you can find diffusers that are very sim-ilar on eBay for about one-third of the priceof the Gary Fong model. The pop-up flashdiffuser that I use is the LumiQuest softscreen, which I picked up at my local cam-era shop for around $12. The reason I preferthis diffuser is that it folds flat and it fits rightin my pocket when I’m not using it. Onething to be aware of when using a flash dif-fuser is that it will reduce your flash outputby about 1 stop. When shooting i-TTL thecamera automatically adjusts for it, butwhen using the flash in Manual mode youwill need to add an extra stop of light.

I can honestly say that whenever I have mycamera the LumiQuest soft screen is in mypocket. If you plan on doing any amount ofphotography using the built-in Speedlight,buying a pop-up flash diffuser will be thebest money you ever spent. Your images willlook much better than if you use straightflash.

Flash exposure modesFlashes have different modes in which theycan operate. These modes determine howthe flash receives the information on how toset the exposure.

i-TTLThe D60 determines the proper flash expo-sure automatically by using Nikon’s propri-etary i-TTL system. The camera gets most ofthe metering information from a series oflight pulses emitted from the Speedlight;these pulses of light are called preflashessince they fire before that actual flash that isused for the exposure. These preflashes areemitted almost simultaneously with theactual flash so it almost looks as if the flashhas only fired once. The camera also usesdata from the lens, such as distance infor-mation and f-stop values, to help determinethe proper flash exposure.

Additionally, there are two separate types ofi-TTL flash metering available when usingthe D60:

✦ Standard i-TTL flash. WithStandard i-TTL flash the cameradetermines the exposure for thesubject only, not taking the back-ground lighting into account.

✦ i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash (BL).When using the i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash mode, the camera attemptsto balance the light from the flashwith the ambient light to producea more natural-looking image.

When using the D60’s built-in flash, thedefault mode is the i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flashmode. To switch the flash to Standard i-TTL,the camera must be switched to Spotmetering.


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 111

ManualSetting your Speedlight (either the built-inor accessory) to full Manual mode requiresyou to adjust the flash output yourself. Thebest way to figure out the settings is byusing a handheld light meter or by using aformula with the Guide Number (GN) ofyour built-in flash (the D60 has a GN of 43ft (13 m) at ISO 100) , aperture, and dis-tance. If one of these elements changes,another one must be changed proportion-ally to keep the exposure consistent.

The built-in flash is adjusted manually in theCustom Settings menu (CSM-14). The flashoutput is set in increments relating to thepower of the flash. The settings range fromFull power down to 1/32 (Full, 1/2, 1/4,1/8, 1/16, and 1/32). Each of these settingsdenotes 1 full stop of light, for example 1/2is 1 stop less than Full power, 1/4 is 1stopless than 1/2, and so on.

✦ Guide Number. This is a numericvalue that represents the amount oflight emitted by the built-in flash.The GN changes with the ISO sensi-tivity to which your camera is set, so the GN at ISO 400 isgreater than the GN of the sameSpeedlight when set to ISO 100(because of the increased sensitivity

of the sensor). For a complete list-ing of the built-in flash’s GNs, seeTable 6.1.

✦ Aperture. This is your f-stop, andas you already know, the wider theaperture is, the more light that fallson the sensor. Using a wider aper-ture allows you to use a lowerpower setting (such as 1/4 whenin Manual mode) on your flash.

✦ Distance. The third element in theflash exposure equation is the dis-tance from the light source to thesubject. The closer the light is toyour subject, the more light falls onit. Conversely, the farther away thelight source is, the less illuminationyour subject receives. This is impor-tant because if you set your built-inflash to a certain output, you canstill achieve a proper exposure bymoving closer or farther away asneeded.

So, your formula is guide number/Distance= Aperture. Once you understand this basicformula, you can change this equation tofind out what you want to know specifically:For example, if you were using an accessorySpeedlight and you didn’t know its GN, use:

A × D = GN


Table 6.1Guide Numbers for the Built-In Flash

Guide Number (ft) Guide Number (m) ISO

43 13 100

56 17 200

78 24 400

112 34 800

156 48 160

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 112

You multiply your aperture by the distanceof the flash from the subject, which givesyou the approximate GN of the flash.

If you know your GN and have the approxi-mate distance to the subject, you can findout which aperture would work best:

GN / D = A

Conversely, if you know what aperture youwant to use and the GN, you can use thisversion of the formula to find out where toplace your subject:

GN / A = D

Flash sync modesFlash sync modes control how the flashoperates in conjunction with your D60.These modes allow you to choose when theflash fires, either at the beginning of theexposure or at the end, and they also allowyou to keep the shutter open for longerperiods enabling you to capture more ambi-ent light in low-light situations.

If you are using an accessorySpeedlight, such as the SB-800,SB-600, and so on, you shoulduse the same flash sync modes.

Sync speedBefore getting into the different sync modes,you need to understand sync speed. Thesync speed is the fastest shutter speed thatcan be used while achieving a full flashexposure. This means if you set your shutterspeed at a speed faster than the rated syncspeed of the camera, you don’t get a fullexposure and you end up with a partially

underexposed image. With the D60, youcan’t actually set the shutter speed abovethe rated sync speed of 1/200 when usingthe built-in Speedlight because the camerawon’t let you.

The reason for limited sync speeds is due tothe way the shutters in modern cameraswork. The shutter controls the amount oftime the light is allowed to reach the imag-ing sensor. All dSLR cameras have what iscalled a focal plane shutter. This term stemsfrom the fact that the shutter is locateddirectly in front of the focal plane, which isessentially on the sensor. The focal planeshutter has two shutter curtains that travelvertically in front of the sensor to control thetime the light can enter through the lens. Atslower shutter speeds, the front curtain cov-ering the sensor moves away, exposing thesensor to light for a set amount of time.When the exposure has been made, thesecond curtain then moves in to block thelight, thus ending the exposure.

To achieve a faster shutter speed, the sec-ond curtain of the shutter starts closingbefore the first curtain has exposed the sen-sor completely. This means the sensor isactually exposed by a slit that travels thelength of the sensor. This allows your cam-era to have extremely fast shutter speeds,but limits the flash sync speed to 1/200because the whole sensor must be exposedto the flash all at once to achieve a fullexposure. Because the entire sensor is onlyfully exposed up to 1/200 this is the ratedsync speed of the camera. If you were to setyour camera to a faster shutter speed whenusing flash you would see the rear shuttercurtain blocking the sensor in your image.

Note


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 113

Front-curtain syncFront-curtain sync is the default sync modefor your camera. With front-curtain sync theflash is fired as soon as the shutter’s frontcurtain has fully opened. This mode workswell with most general flash applications.

One thing that needs mentioning aboutfront-curtain sync is that although it workswell when using relatively fast shutterspeeds, when the shutter is slowed down(also known as dragging the shutter whendoing flash photography), especially whenphotographing moving subjects, it causesyour images to have an unnatural-lookingblur in front of them caused by the ambientlight recording the moving subject.

When doing flash photography at slowspeeds your camera is actually recordingtwo exposures, the flash exposure and the

ambient light. When using a fast shutterspeed the ambient light usually isn’t brightenough to have an effect on the image.When the shutter speed is slowed downsubstantially this allows the ambient light tobe recorded to the sensor, causing what isknown as ghosting. Ghosting is a partialexposure that is usually fairly transparentlooking on the image.

This ghosting causes a trail to appear infront of the subject because the flashfreezes the initial movement of the subject.So, because the subject is still moving, theambient light records it as a blur whichshows in front of the subject creating theillusion that it’s moving backward. To coun-teract this problem there is a setting calledrear-curtain sync, which is explained later inthis section.


6.5 Shot using front-curtain sync with a shutter speed of 1 second. Notice that the flashfreezes the hand at the beginning of the exposure and the trail from the ambient lightexposure appears in the front causing the hand to look like it’s moving backward.

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 114


6.6 A picture taken with flash in a dark setting without slow sync. Notice the darkbackground and the bright subject.

Red-eye reductionYou’ve all seen red-eye in a picture at onetime or another — that unnatural red glareemanating from a subject’s eyes, which iscaused by light from the flash reflecting offthe retina. Fortunately, the D60 offers aRed-eye reduction flash mode. When thismode is activated, the camera turns on theAF-assist illuminator, which causes thepupils of the subject’s eyes to contract. Thisstops the light from the flash from reflectingoff of the retina and reduces or eliminatesthe red-eye effect. This mode is for usewhen taking portraits or snapshots of people or pets when there is little lightavailable.

Slow syncSometimes when using a flash at nightespecially when the background is verydark, the subject is lit but appears as if in ablack hole. Slow sync helps take care of thisproblem. When used in slow-sync mode,the camera allows you to set a longer shut-ter speed (up to 30 seconds) to capture theambient light of the background. Thisallows your subject to be lit as well as thebackground, so you can achieve a more nat-ural-looking photograph.

When using slow sync, be surethe subject stays still for thewhole exposure to avoid ghosting.

Slow sync can be used in con-junction with red-eye reductionfor night portraits.

Note

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 115

Rear-curtain syncWhen using rear-curtain sync the camerafires the flash just before the rear curtain ofthe shutter starts moving. This mode is use-ful when taking flash photographs of mov-ing subjects. Rear-curtain sync allows you to

more accurately portray the motion of thesubject by causing a motion blur trailbehind the subject rather than out in front,as is the case with front-curtain sync. Rear-curtain sync is most often used in conjunc-tion with slow sync.


6.7 A picture taken using slow sync flash. Notice how the subject and background aremore evenly exposed. There is also slight ghosting from the movement of the model.

6.8 Shot using rearcurtain sync with ashutter speed of 1second. Notice thatthe flash freezes thehand at the end ofthe exposure andthe trail from theambient lightexposure appearsbehind the handcausing it to looklike it’s movingforward.

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 116

Flash ExposureCompensationWhen photographing subjects using flashthere may be times when the flash causesyour principal subject to appear too light ortoo dark. This usually occurs in difficult light-ing situations, especially when using TTLmetering, where your camera’s meter canget fooled into thinking the subject needsmore or less light than it actually does. Thiscan happen when the background is verybright or very dark, or when the subject isoff in the distance or very small in the frame.

Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) allowsyou to manually adjust the flash outputwhile still retaining TTL readings so yourflash exposure is at least in the ballpark.With the D60 you can vary the output ofyour built-in flash’s TTL setting from -3 EV to+1 EV in 1/3 stop settings. This means ifyour flash exposure is too bright, then youcan adjust it down to 3 full stops under theoriginal setting. Or, if the image seemsunderexposed or too dark, you can adjust itto be brighter by 1 full stop.

The FEC is adjusted on the D60 by simulta-neously pressing the Flash button and theExposure compensation button while rotat-ing the Command dial. Rotating theCommand dial to the right gives you lessexposure while rotating it to the left givesyou more exposure.


6.9 A series of images using FEC

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 117

Fill flashFill flash is a handy flash technique thatallows you to use your built-in flash as a sec-ondary light source to fill in the shadowsrather than as the main light source, hencethe term fill flash. Fill flash is used mainly inoutdoor photography when the sun is verybright, creating deep shadows and brighthighlights that result in an image with veryhigh contrast and a wide tonal range. Usingfill flash allows you to reduce the contrast ofthe image by filling in the dark shadows, thusallowing you to see more detail in the image.

You also may want to use fill flash when yoursubject is backlit (lit from behind). When thesubject is backlit, the camera’s meter auto-matically tries to expose for the brightest partof the image which is behind your subject.This results in a properly exposed back-ground while your subject is underexposedand dark. On the other hand, if you use thespot meter to obtain the proper exposure onyour subject, then the background will beoverexposed and blown out. The ideal thingis to use fill flash to provide an amount oflight on your subject that is just about equalto the ambient light of the background. Thisbrings sufficient detail to both the subjectand the background resulting in a properlyand evenly exposed image.

All of Nikon’s dSLR cameras offer i-TTL BL(Nikon calls this Balanced Fill Flash) or, inlaymen’s terms, automatic fill flash, with thebuilt-in flash. This is a very handy featurebecause it allows you to concentrate oncomposition and not have to worry aboutyour flash settings. If you decide that youdon’t want to use the i-TTL BL option youcan set the camera’s metering mode to Spotmetering.

i-TTL BL is also available whenusing an accessory NikonSpeedlight. The camera auto-matically sets the flash to do fillflash as long as you’re not inSpot metering mode.

Of course, if you’d rather control your flashmanually you can still do fill flash. It’s actu-ally a pretty simple process that can vastlyimprove your images when used in the rightsituations.

To execute a manual fill flash, follow thesesteps:

1. Use the camera’s light meter todetermine the proper exposurefor the background or ambientlight. A typical exposure for asunny day is 1/250 second at f/16with an ISO of 200. Be sure not toset the shutter speed higher thanthe rated sync speed of 1/200.

2. Determine the flash exposure.Using the GN / D = A formula, findthe setting that you need to prop-erly expose the subject with theflash.

3. Reduce the flash output.Reducing the flash output by about1 stop allows the flash exposure tobe less noticeable while filling inthe shadows or lighting your backlitsubject. This makes your imageslook more natural as if a flash didn’t light them, which is the ultimate goal when attempting fillflash.

Note


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 118


6.10 A picture taken without fill flash

6.11 A picture taken with fill flash

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 119

Nikon CLS andSpeedlightsSpeedlights are Nikon’s line of flashes.These flashes are amazing accessories toadd to your kit. Most of the new NikonSpeedlights allow full wireless control of theflashes. Currently, Nikon offers three shoe-mounted flashes — the SB-800, SB-600, SB-400 — along with two macro lighting ringflash setups — the R1 or R1C1. All currentNikon Speedlights are part of the NikonCreative Lighting System (CLS).

The CLS is a system designed to enable youto take Nikon Speedlights off of the cameraand attach them to stands, so you can posi-tion the Speedlights wherever you want andcontrol the direction of light to make thesubject appear exactly how you want. TheNikon CLS enables you to achieve more cre-ative lighting scenarios, similar to what atypical professional photographer would dowith expensive and much larger studiostrobes. All of this can be done wirelesslywith the benefit of full i-TTL metering. Totake advantage of the Nikon CLS, all youneed is the D60 and an SB-800 or SU-800as a commander and at least one SB-800 orSB-600 for use as a remote flash.

SpeedlightsNikon offers a few dedicated accessorySpeedlights. These Speedlights offer moreflexibility and power than you can get withjust the built-in flash. With these largeraccessory flashes you have the option ofrotating and tilting the flash heads for morebouncing options and you can even usethem off camera with the right combinationof equipment. Here is a quick overview ofsome of the flashes Nikon offers.

For more information on NikonSpeedlights and CLS see theNikon Creative Lighting SystemDigital Field Guide, also pub-lished by Wiley.

✦ SB-800 Speedlight. This is thetop-of-the-line Nikon Speedlight. Itcan be used as a flash and as acommander to control up to threegroups of external Speedlights onfour channels. You can also set it towork as a remote flash for off-cam-era applications. The SB-800 has abuilt-in AF-Illuminator to assist inachieving focus in low light. It has apowerful GN of 174 at ISO 200 andcan be used to photograph sub-jects up to 66 feet away.



6.12 The SB-800

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 120

✦ SB-600 Speedlight. The SB-600 isthe SB-800’s little brother. Thisflash has fewer features than itsbigger sibling but has almost every-thing you need. This Speedlightcan be used on the camera as wellas off-camera by setting it up foruse as a remote. Like the SB-800,the SB-600 also has a built-in AFIlluminator. It cannot, however, beused as a commander to controloff-camera flash units. The SB-600has a GN of 138 at ISO 200 andcan be used to photograph sub-jects up to 60 feet away.

Speedlight shooting distancesare approximate; actual dis-tance depends on the subject,environment, focal length, andaperture.

✦ SB-400 Speedlight. The SB-400 isNikon’s entry-level Speedlight. It canonly be used in the i-TTL/i-TTL BLmode. One nice feature that it doeshave is a horizontally tilting flashhead. For such a small flash the SB-400 has a decent GN of 98 at ISO200 and can be used to photographsubjects at up to 50 feet away.

The SB-400 does not work wire-lessly with the Creative LightingSystem. It only works when con-nected to the camera hot-shoeor an off-camera hot-shoe cord.

✦ SU-800 Speedlight commander.The SU-800 is a wirelessSpeedlight commander that usesinfrared technology to communi-cate wirelessly with off-cameraSpeedlights. You can control anunlimited amount of Speedlightsset for up to three groups. Thisallows you to control three differ-ent banks of lights adjusting themto different output levels, whichgives you greater control of yourlighting. The SU-800 can controlthe groups of Speedlights on fourchannels in case you are shootingnear someone using another SU-800 eliminating the chance ofanother photographer’s SU-800setting off your remoteSpeedlights.

Note



6.13 The SB-600


6.14 The SB-400

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 121

✦ R1 / R1C1 Macro flash. The R1set consists of a ring that attachesto the lens and SBR-200 Speed-lights that attach to the ring. Ringlights are used in close-up andmacro photography to provide alight that is direct or on-axis to thesubject. This helps to achieve nice,even, shadowless lighting, which

can be difficult to do when thelens is close to the subject. TheSBR-200 Speedlights can bemoved around the ring to providedifferent lighting patterns to high-light texture. The R1C1 kit comeswith an SU-800 wireless com-mander, which is the only differ-ence between it and the R1.



6.16 The R1C1 asset up on a D200

Image courtesy ofNikon, Inc.

6.15 The SU-800front and back

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 122

Understanding the Nikon CLSThe Nikon CLS is basically a communicationsystem that allows the camera, the com-mander, and the slaves to share informationregarding exposure.

A commander, which is also called a master,is what controls external Speedlights. Thecommander can be either the SU-800 wire-less Speedlight commander or the SB-800Speedlight Commander which can be set toCommander mode. Slaves, which are some-times referred to as remote units, are theexternal flash units controlled remotely by acommander. Communications between thecommander and the slaves are accom-plished by using pulse modulation. Pulsemodulation is a term that means the com-manding Speedlight fires rapid bursts of lightin a specific order. The pulses of light, alsoknown as monitor preflashes or simply pre-flashes, are used to convey information tothe remote groups of slaves, which interpretthe bursts of light as coded information.

Triggering the commander sets off the pre-flashes, which tell the other Speedlights inthe system when and at what power to fire.

This is how CLS happens in a nutshell:

1. The commander unit sends outinstructions to the slave groups tofire a series of monitor preflashesto determine the exposure level.The camera’s i-TTL metering sensorreads the preflashes from all of theremote groups and also takes areading of the ambient light.

2. The camera tells the commanderunit the proper exposure readingsfor each group of remoteSpeedlights. When the shutter isreleased, the commander, via pulsemodulation, relays the informationto each group of slave Speedlights.

3. The slaves then fire at the outputspecified by the camera’s i-TTLmeter, and the shutter closes.

All of these calculations are done veryquickly as soon as you press the ShutterRelease button. It almost appears as if theflash just fires once. There is virtually nowaiting for the camera and the Speedlightsto do the calculations.

Given the ease of use and the portability ofthe Nikon CLS, I highly recommend pur-chasing at least one SB-800 or SB-600Speedlight to add to your camera setup.Adding a commander (either an SU-800 orSB-800) and another Speedlight (or two orthree!) can give you the creative freedom ofoff-camera lighting. With this system youcan produce almost any type of lighting pat-tern you want. It can definitely get you onthe road to creating more professional-looking images.



6.17 An SBR-200

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 123

Bounce FlashOne of the easiest ways to improve yourflash pictures, especially snapshots, is toemploy the use of bounce flash. Bounceflash is a technique in which the light fromthe flash unit is bounced off of the ceiling oroff of a wall onto the subject in order to dif-fuse the light, resulting in a more diffusedand evenly lit image. To do this your flashmust have a swiveling/tilting head. Mostflashes made within the last 10 years havethis feature, but some may not.

Bouncing the flashWhen you attempt bounce flash you want toget as much light from the flash onto yoursubject as you can. To do this you need tofirst look at the placement of the subject andadjust the angle of the flash head appropri-ately. Consider the height of the ceiling ordistance from the surface you intend tobounce the light from to the subject.

Unfortunately, not all ceilings are useful forbouncing flash. For example, the ceiling inmy studio is corrugated metal with ironcrossbeams. If I attempted to bounce flashfrom a ceiling like that, it would make littleor no difference to the image because thelight won’t reflect evenly and will scatter inall directions. In a situation where the ceil-ing is not usable, you can position the sub-ject next to a wall and swivel the flash headin the direction of the wall and bounce itfrom there. To bounce the flash at the cor-rect angle, remember the angle of incidenceequals the angle of reflection.

You want to aim the flash head at such anangle that the flash isn’t going to bounce inbehind the subject resulting in a poorly litsubject. You want to be sure that the light isbounced so that it falls onto your subject.

When the subject is very close to you, youneed to have your flash head positioned ata more obtuse angle than when the subjectis farther away. I recommend positioningthe subject at least 10 feet away and settingthe angle of the flash head at 45 degrees fora typical height ceiling of about 8 to 10 feet.

An important pitfall to be aware of whenbouncing flash is that the reflected lightpicks up and transmits the color of the sur-face from which it is bounced. This means ifyou bounce light off of a red surface yoursubject will have a reddish tint to it. The bestway to deal with this is to avoid bouncinglight off of surfaces that are brightly colored;your best bet is to stick with bouncing lightfrom a neutral-colored surface. White sur-faces tend to work the best because theyreflect more light and don’t add any color.Neutral gray surfaces also work wellalthough you can lose a little light due tothe lessened reflectivity of the darker color.

Unfortunately, you can’t dobounce flash with the D60’sbuilt-in flash; you need anexternal Speedlight such as anSB-800,SB- 600, or SB-400.

Bounce cardsSometimes you may find yourself in the sit-uation where you can’t use the ceiling orwall to bounce from, you may not be near awall, the ceiling is just too high, or as in thecase of my studio, the ceiling is just not con-ducive to bouncing. Never fear! There arequite a few options available to you — manycompanies make devices that attach to yourflash to redirect the light, and for mere pen-nies you can make one for yourself. Thesegadgets are usually referred to as bouncecards, although many of them don’t looklike cards at all.

Note


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 124

The company LumiQuest is the foremostmanufacturer of bouncing devices. They’vebeen manufacturing these tools for 20 yearsand they work quite well. I’ve been usingone for years now and find them to be verygood. They have a variety of different prod-ucts for use in different situations. Most ofthese products fold up flat and are easy tostow in your camera bag.

Another great product is the Sto-Fen Omni-bounce. This product fits right on top of youraccessory flash head and diffuses the flash.It’s small so it doesn’t take up too muchroom in your camera bag. The Nikon SB-800Speedlight actually comes with a similardevice called the SW-10H diffusion dome.

The SB-800 also has a built-in bounce cardthat helps redirect some of the bouncedback-light into your subject to help givecatchlights to a person’s eyes and to fill insome shadows that can be caused frombouncing off of the ceiling. This is just a tinywhite card that slides out from the top ofthe SB-800 flash head.

Probably the least-expensive bounce cardyou can get is one that you make yourself.Take an index card and attach it to the top ofyour flash head with a rubber band. Voîla! Abounce card that costs almost nothing! Thisworks almost as well as the more-expensiveoptions. Of course there are a lot of otherways to make DIY bounce cards. A quicksearch on the Internet reveals quite a fewideas, some simple, some more complex.


6.18 A picture taken with straight flash 6.19 A picture taken with bounced flash

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 125

Studio StrobesAlthough the Nikon CLS allows you com-plete wireless control over lighting, it can besomewhat limited. The Speedlights aresmall, versatile, and portable, but they arelimited in range, power, and options foraccessories. Sometimes, there is no otheroption than to use a studio strobe, espe-cially when lighting large subjects or whenyou need specific accessories to modify thelight in a certain way. A studio strobe has amuch higher GN than a shoe-mountedSpeedlight, which means more power.Studio strobes run on AC power instead ofbatteries, which means faster recycle timesbetween flashes. Also, many different acces-sories and light modifiers are available forstudio strobes.

There are two different types of studiostrobes: standard pack and head and mono-lights. Standard pack and head strobes havea separate power pack and flash heads thatare controlled centrally from the powerpack. Monolights are flash heads that have apower pack built in and are adjusted indi-vidually at each head. Mono-lights tend to

be lower in power than standard strobes,but they are also more portable and lessexpensive. For simplicity’s sake here on outI refer to both types just as strobes.

One of the downsides to using studio strobesis that you lose the advantage of i-TTL flashmetering. Studio strobes are fired from a hot-shoe PC sync device such as the WeinSafeSync or the Nikon AS-15 (or a wirelesstriggering device such as a Pocket Wizardwireless transmitter), which only tells theflash when to fire, not at what output level.All of the strobe settings have to be calcu-lated by you, the photographer. Of course,there are flash meters, which are designed toread the output of the strobe to give you areading of the proper exposure. And you canalways use the handy GN / D = A formula todetermine the proper exposure.

One of the plus sides of using studio strobesis the continuous modeling light. Becausethe strobes are only lit for a fraction of a sec-ond, studio strobes are equipped with aconstant light source (called a modelinglight) that allows you to see where the lightis falling on the subject.


Firing Your Studio Strobes

You can’t use studio lighting setups completely wirelessly because you have to plugthe lights in for power, and in the case of pack and head strobes, you have to not onlyplug in the power pack, but the flash heads have to be connected to the power pack,also. For the most part studio strobes are fired via a sync cord, which connects to theD60 via a hot-shoe sync device such as the Wein SafeSync. This is the easiest andmost affordable way of firing your studio flashes. The SafeSync is a small device thatfits into the hot shoe of your camera. On the front of the device is a PC sync termi-nal. No, PC sync doesn’t allow you to sync your camera with your personal computer.PC stands for Prontor-Compur, which were companies that built shutters for camerasin the early days of photography. The PC sync terminal allows you to connect yourcamera to an external flash via a sync cord. When the Shutter Release button ispressed a small amount of voltage is sent through the sync cord telling the flash whento fire. The Wein SafeSync also has built-in electronics that protect your camera fromany voltage surges coming from the flash, which could potentially fry your camera’scircuitry. Nikon also makes a similar device, the Nikon AS-15 sync terminal adaptor.

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 126

Continuous LightingContinuous lighting is just what it soundslike: a light source that is constant. It is byfar the easiest type of lighting to work with.Unlike natural lighting, continuous lightingis consistent and predictable. Even whenusing a strobe with modeling lights, yousometimes have to estimate what the finallighting will look like. Continuous lighting is“what you see is what you get.” With contin-uous lighting, you can see the actual effectsthe lighting has on your subjects, and youcan modify and change the lighting beforeyou even press the Shutter Release button.

Continuous lights, also known as hot lightsbecause of the heat they can emit, are anaffordable alternative to using studiostrobes. Because the light is constant andconsistent, the learning curve is also less

steep. With strobes, you need to experimentwith the exposure or use a flash meter. Withcontinuous lights, the D60’s Matrix metercan be used to yield good results.

As with other lighting systems, continuouslights have a lot of different options. Hereare a few of the more common types:

✦ Incandescent. Incandescent ortungsten lights are the most com-mon type of lights. This is the typeof lamp that was invented byThomas Edison. Your typical lightbulb is a tungsten lamp. With tung-sten lamps, an electrical current isrun through a tungsten filament,heating it and causing it to emitlight. This type of continuous light-ing is the source of the name “hotlights.”


Most mono-lights also have a built-in optical slave that allows the flash to be triggeredby another flash or even a near invisible infrared triggering device. Most studio strobepower packs can also be fitted with an optical slave. This allows you some freedomfrom the wires that connect your camera to the main flash unit.

More and more photographers these days are using radio slaves. Radio slaves use aradio signal to trigger the strobes to flash when the shutter is released. Unlike theoptical slave, the radio slave is not limited to “seeing” another flash to trigger it to fire.Radio slaves can also fire from a longer distance away and can even work frombehind walls and around corners. Radio slave units have two parts: the transmitterand the receiver. The transmitter is attached to the camera and tells the receiver,which is connected to the strobe, to fire when the Shutter button is pressed. Somenewer radio units are transceivers, being able to function as a transmitter or a receiver(not at the same time of course), but you still need at least two of them to operate.Radio slaves work very well and free you up from being directly attached to yourlights, but they can be very high priced. There are a few different manufacturers ofradio slaves but the most well known is Pocket Wizard. They are fairly pricey, but theyare built well and are extremely reliable. Recently, there has been a proliferation ofradio slave transmitters and receivers on eBay that are priced very low. I can’t attestto how well they work, but a lot of folks on the Internet seem to like them. At around$30 for a kit with one receiver and one transmitter, you won’t be losing much if theydon’t work well. Currently, I use the Smith Victor RTK4 radio triggers that I bought foraround $80. I bought this set because I am familiar with the Smith Victor product lineand I own a few Smith Victor mono-lights. They work well and I feel confident recommending them.

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 127

✦ Halogen. Halogen lights, which aremuch brighter than typical tung-sten lights, are actually very similar.Halogen lights are considered atype of incandescent light. Halogenlights also employ a tungsten fila-ment, but have a halogen vaporadded to the gas inside the lamp.The color temperature of halogenlamps is higher than the color tem-perature of standard tungstenlamps.

✦ Fluorescent. Fluorescent lighting,which most of us are familiar with,is everywhere these days. You findit in most office buildings, stores,and even in your own house. In afluorescent lamp, electrical energyis used to change a small amountof mercury into a gas. The elec-trons collide with the mercury gasatoms causing them to releasephotons, which in turn cause thephosphor coating inside the lampto glow. Because this reactiondoesn’t create much heat, fluores-cent lamps are much cooler andenergy efficient than tungsten andhalogen lamps.

✦ HMI. HMI, or HydrargyrumMedium-Arc Iodide lamps, areprobably the most expensive typeof continuous lighting. This is thetype of lamp used by the motionpicture industry because of its con-sistent color temperature and thefact that it runs cooler than a tung-sten lamp with the same powerrating. These lamps operate byreleasing an arc of electricity in anatmosphere of mercury vapor andhalogenides.

Incandescent andhalogenAlthough incandescent and halogen lightshave the advantages of making it easier tosee what you’re dealing with and costingless, there are quite a few drawbacks tousing these lights for serious photographywork. First, they are hot. When a model hasto sit under lamps for any length of time, hewill get hot and start to sweat. This is also aproblem with food photography. It cancause your food to change consistency oreven to sweat; for example, cheese that hasbeen refrigerated. On the other hand, it canhelp keep hot food looking fresh and hot.

The second drawback to using incandescentlights is that although they appear to be verybright to you and your subject, they actuallyproduce less light than a standard flash unit.For example, a 200-watt tungsten light and a200-watt-second strobe both have a ratingof 200 watts so they should be equallybright, right? Wrong. Because the flash dis-charges all 200 watts of energy in a fractionof a second, the flash is actually much, muchbrighter. Why does this matter? Becausewhen you need a fast shutter speed or asmall aperture, the strobe can give it to youmuch easier. An SB-600 gives you about 30watt-seconds of light at full power. To get anequivalent amount of light at the maximumsync speed of 1/200 second from a tungstenlight, you would need a 7500-watt lamp! Ofcourse, if you don’t need to use a fast shut-ter speed, then you can use one 30-wattlight bulb for a 1-second exposure or a 60-watt lamp for a 1/2-second exposure.


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 128

Some other disadvantages of using incan-descent lights include the following:

✦ Color temperature inconsis-tency. The color temperature ofthe lamps changes as your house-hold current varies and as thelamps get more and more use. Thecolor temperature may be inconsis-tent from manufacturer to manu-facturer and may even vary withinthe same types of bulbs.

✦ Light modifiers are more expen-sive. Because continuous lights arehot, modifiers such as softboxesneed to be made to withstand theheat, which makes them moreexpensive than the standard equip-ment that are for use with strobes.

✦ Short lamp life. Incandescentlights tend to have a shorter lifethan flash tubes, so you’ll have toreplace them more often.

Although incandescent lights have quite afew disadvantages, they are by far the mostaffordable type of lights you can buy. Manyphotographers who are starting out useinexpensive work lights that can be boughtat any hardware store for less than $10.These lights use a standard light bulb andoften have a reflector to direct the light; theyalso come with a clamp you can use toattach them to a stand or anything else youhave handy that might be stable.

Halogen work lamps, also readily availableat any hardware store, have the advantage ofa higher light output than a standard light,generally speaking. The downside is they arevery hot, and the larger lights can be a bitunwieldy. You also may have to come upwith some creative ways to get the lights inthe position you want them. Some halogenwork lamps come complete with a tripodstand. If you can afford it, I’d recommend

buying these; they’re easier to set up andless of an aggravation in the long run. Thesingle halogen work lamps that are usuallydesigned to sit on a table or some other sup-port are easily available for less than $20; thedouble halogen work lamps with two 500-watt lights and a 6-foot tripod stand are usu-ally available for less than $40.

If you’re really serious about lighting withhot lights, you may want to invest in a pho-tographic hot light kit. These kits are widelyavailable from any photography or videostore. They usually come with lights, lightstands, and sometimes with light modifierssuch as umbrellas or softboxes for diffusingthe light for a softer look. The kits can be rel-atively inexpensive, with two lights, twostands, and two umbrellas for around $100.Or you can buy much more elaborate setupsranging in price up to $2,000. I’ve searchedall over the Internet for these kits and havefound the best deals are on eBay.

FluorescentFluorescent lights have a lot of advantagesover incandescent lights; they run at muchlower temperatures and use much less elec-tricity than standard incandescent lights.Fluorescent lights are also a much softerlight source than incandescent lights.

In the past, fluorescent lights weren’t con-sidered viable for photographic applicationsbecause they cast a sickly green light on thesubject. Today, most fluorescent lamps thatare made for use in photography are colorcorrected to match both daylight and incan-descent lights. Also, with the white balancebeing adjustable in the camera or inPhotoshop with RAW files, using fluores-cents has become much easier because youdon’t have to worry about color-correctingfilters and special films.


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 129

These days, because more people are usingfluorescent lights, light modifiers are morereadily available. They allow you to controlthe light to make it softer or harder anddirectional or diffused.

Fluorescent light kits are easily availablethrough most photography stores andonline. These kits are a little more expensivethan the incandescent light kits — an averagekit with two light stands, reflectors, andbulbs costs about $160. Fluorescent kitsaren’t usually equipped with umbrellas orsoftboxes because the light is already fairlysoft. You can buy these kinds of accessoriesand there are kits available that come withsoftboxes and umbrellas, although the kitsare significantly higher in price.

Unfortunately there aren’t many low-costalternatives to buying a fluorescent light kit.The only real option is to use the clamp lightmentioned in the section about incandes-cent light and fit it with a fluorescent bulbthat has a standard bulb base on it. Thesetypes of fluorescent bulbs are easily avail-able at any store that sells light bulbs.

HMI This type of continuous light is mainly usedin the motion picture industry. HMI lampsburn extremely bright and are much moreefficient than standard incandescent, halo-gen, or fluorescent lights. The light emittedis equal in color temperature to that of daylight.

Although I include them here for generalinformation, these kits are usually too cost-prohibitive for use in most average still-pho-tography applications. A one-light kit with a24-watt light can start at over $1,000. An18,000-watt kit can cost more than $30,000!

Light ModifiersLight modifiers do exactly what their namesays they do: They modify light. When youset up a photographic shot, in essence, youare building a scene using light. For someimages you may want a hard light that isvery directional; for others a soft, diffusedlight works better. Light modifiers allow youto control the light so you can direct itwhere you need it, give it the quality theimage calls for, and even add color or tex-ture to the image.

UmbrellasThe most common type of light modifier isthe umbrella. Photographic umbrellas arecoated with a material to maximize reflectiv-ity. They are used to diffuse and soften thelight emitted from the light source, whetherit’s continuous or strobe lighting. There arethree types of umbrellas to choose from:

✦ Standard. The most common typeof umbrella has black outside withthe inside coated with a reflectivematerial that is usually silver orgold in color. Standard umbrellasare designed so you point the lightsource into the umbrella andbounce the light onto the subject,resulting in a nondirectional softlight source.

✦ Shoot-through. Some umbrellasare manufactured out of a one-piece translucent silvery nylon thatenables you to shoot through theumbrella like a softbox. You canalso use shoot-through umbrellasto bounce the light as previouslymentioned.


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 130

✦ Convertible. This umbrella has asilver or gold lining on the insideand a removable black cover onthe outside. Convertible umbrellascan be used to bounce light or asa shoot-through when the outsidecovering is removed.

Photographic umbrellas come in varioussizes, usually ranging from 27 inches all theway up to 121⁄2 feet. The size you use isdependent on the size of the subject andthe degree of coverage you want. For stan-dard headshots, portraits, and small tomedium products, umbrellas ranging from27 inches to about 40 inches supply plentyof coverage. For full-length portraits andlarger products, a larger umbrella is gener-ally recommended.

The larger the umbrella is, the softer thelight falling on the subject from the lightsource. It is also the case that the larger theumbrella is, the less light you have falling onyour subject. Generally, the small tomedium umbrellas lose about a stop and ahalf to 2 stops of light. Larger umbrellasgenerally lose 2 or more stops of lightbecause the light is being spread out over alarger area.

Smaller umbrellas tend to have a muchmore directional light than larger umbrellas.With all umbrellas, the closer your umbrellais to the subject, the more diffuse the light is.

Choosing the right umbrella is a matter ofpersonal preference. Some items to keep inmind when choosing your umbrella includethe type, size, and portability. You also wantto consider how they work with your light

source. For example, regular and convertibleumbrellas return more light to the subjectwhen light is bounced from them, whichcan be advantageous, especially if you areusing a Speedlight, which has less powerthan a studio strobe. Also, the less energythe Speedlight has to output, the more bat-tery power you save. On the other hand,shoot-through umbrellas lose more lightthrough the back when bouncing, but theyare generally more affordable than convert-ible umbrellas.


6.20 A Speedlight with a standard umbrella

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 131

SoftboxesSoftboxes, as with umbrellas, are used todiffuse and soften the light of a strobe orcontinuous light to create a more pleasinglight source. Softboxes range in size fromsmall, 6-inch boxes that you mount directlyonto your Speedlight, to large boxes thatusually mount directly to a studio strobe.

The reason you may want to invest in a soft-box rather than an umbrella for your studiois that softboxes provide a more consistentand controllable light than umbrellas do.Softboxes are closed around the light source,thereby preventing unwanted light frombouncing back onto your subject. The diffu-sion material makes it so there is less of achance of creating hotspots on your subject.A hotspot is an overly bright spot usuallycaused by bright or uneven lighting.

Softboxes are generally made for use withstudio strobes, although special heat-resist-ant softboxes are made for use with hotlights. Softboxes attach to the light sourcewith a device called a speedring. Speedringsare specific to the type of lights to whichthey are meant to attach. If you are using astandard hot-shoe flash as your light source,some companies, such as Chimera (www.chimeralighting.com), manufacture a typeof speedring that mounts directly to the lightstand and allows you to attach one or moreSpeedlights to the light stand as well. Youmount the speedring to the stand, attachthe softbox to the speedring, attach theSpeedlight with the flash head pointed intothe softbox, and you’re ready to go.

Softboxes are available in a multitude ofshapes and sizes ranging from squares andrectangles to ovals and octagons. Mostphotographers use the standard square or

rectangular softboxes. However, some pho-tographers prefer to use oval or octagonalsoftboxes for the way they mimic umbrellasand give a more pleasing round shape tothe catchlights in the subject’s eyes. This ismostly a matter or personal preference. Iusually use a medium-sized, rectangularsoftbox.

As with umbrellas, the size of the softboxyou need to use depends on the subjectyou are photographing. Softboxes can betaken apart and folded up conveniently, andmost of them come with a storage bag thatcan be used to transport them.

Diffusion panelsA diffusion panel is basically a frame madeout of PVC pipe with reflective nylonstretched over it. Diffusion panels functionin much the same way as a softbox.


6.21 A softbox

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 132

Diffusion panels are usually about 6 feet talland have a base that allows it to stand upwithout the need of a light stand. The diffu-sion panel is placed in front of the subject.Your light source is then placed behind thediffusion panel. You can move the lightcloser to the diffusion panel for more direc-tional light or farther away for a softer andmore even light. For a full-length portrait ora larger subject, you can place two or morelights behind the panel allowing you toachieve greater coverage with your lights.

You can use a diffusion panel as a reflector,bouncing the light from your light source onto the subject. Diffusion panels can be pur-chased at most major camera stores at afraction of the price of a good softbox. ThePVC frame can be disassembled easily andpacked away into a small bag for storage orfor transport to and from location.

If you’re feeling crafty, a diffu-sion panel can be made fromitems easily found in your localhardware and fabric store.There are numerous sites on theInternet that offer advice onhow to construct one.

Other light modifiersThere are many different types of light mod-ifiers. The main types — umbrellas, softboxes,and diffusion panels — serve to diffuse thelight by effectively increasing the size of thelight source, thereby reducing contrast. Inaddition to softboxes and such, other typesof light modifiers are worth your considera-tion, such as barn doors and snoots. Theseare also used to control the direction of thelight to make it appear stronger or to focus iton a specific area of the subject. The follow-ing list includes some of the more-commontools photographers use to direct the lightfrom the light source.

✦ Parabolic reflectors. Most lightsources come equipped with a par-abolic reflector. These reflectorsusually range in size from 6 to 10inches in circumference althoughyou can buy larger ones. Without areflector, the light from the barebulb, whether it’s a flash tube oran incandescent, would scatter andlack direction resulting in the lossof usable light. The reflectorfocuses the light into a more spe-cific area actually increasing theamount of usable light by 1 or 2stops. Parabolic reflectors are com-monly used in conjunction withother light modifiers includingumbrellas, barn doors, and grids.When using an umbrella, a reflec-tor is always used to direct thelight into the umbrella, which dif-fuses the light. Using only a reflec-tor gives the light a very hardquality that results in a lot of contrast.

Tip


6.22 A diffusion panel

12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 133

✦ Barn doors. Barn doors are usedto control the direction of light andto block stray light from enteringthe lens, which can result in lensflare. Blocking the light is alsoknown as flagging. Barn doors arenormally attached to the reflectorand come in two types — 4-leaf and2-leaf. Barn doors consist of panelsthat are attached to hinges. Thesehinges allow you to open andclose the doors to let light out orkeep it in. Typically, barn doors areused when you want a hard lightsource to shine on a specific areaof the subject but you don’t wantany stray light striking other partsof the subject or the camera lens.

✦ Grids. Grids, also known as gridspots or honeycombs, are used tocreate a light similar to a spotlight.A grid is a round disc with a hon-eycomb-shaped screen inside of it.When the light shines through it, itis focused to a particular degree,giving you a tight circle of lightwith a distinct fall-off at the edges.There are different types of gridsthat control the spread of light.They run from a 5-degree grid to a60-degree grid. The 5-degree gridhas very small holes and is deepso the light is focused down to asmall bright spot. The higher thedegree of the grid spot, the morespread out the spot becomes.Grids are great to use as hair lightsand to add a spot of light on thebackground to help the subjectstand out.

✦ Snoots. A snoot is another devicethat creates a spotlight-like effectsimilar to the grid spot. A snoot isshaped like a funnel and it kind ofworks that way, too, funneling lightinto a specific area of the scene.The snoot usually has a brighterspot effect than a grid does.

✦ Reflector. This type of reflectordoesn’t directly modify the lightcoming from the light source, but it is used to reflect light onto thesubject. Reflectors are usuallywhite or silver although some canbe gold. Professional reflectors areusually round or oval disks with awire frame that can be easilyfolded up to a smaller size. Youcan make your own reflector byusing white foam board availableat any art supply store and at somephotography stores. You can usethe board as-is or cover it with sil-ver or gold foil. In a pinch, almostanything white or silver, such as alid from a styrofoam cooler or evena white T-shirt, will work.

✦ Gobos. A gobo can be anythingthat “goes between” the lightsource and the subject or back-ground, often to create a pattern or simulate a specific light source,such as a window. They are usuallyattached to a stand and placed afew feet in front of the light source.A common technique in film noir-type photography is to placeVenetian blinds between a light andthe background to simulate sunlightshining through the blinds of theoffice window of a private eye.Gobos can be made or purchasedfrom a photographic supply house.


12_383124 ch06.qxp 6/4/08 10:07 AM Page 134

77C H A P T E RReal WorldApplications

This chapter covers a few of the many different types andstyles of photography that you might want to try. Each

different subject you photograph has certain caveats that youmust be aware of.

In each section, I provide different samples of the photo-graphic technique along with some helpful pointers andexamples of the types of aperture, shutter speed, ISO settings,and lenses that could be used with the specific subject matter.

If you are not new to photography, this section offers somedifferent insights to old subjects, perhaps inspiring you to cre-ate new and more exciting images.

Abstract PhotographyFor the most part, when you photograph something, you areconcerned with showing the subject clearly. When photo-graphing a portrait, you try to represent the face or somerevealing aspect of the person; when shooting a landscape,you try to show what’s in the environment, be it trees, moun-tains, or a skyline. However, when shooting abstract photo-graphy, you are working with the idea of the subject, ratherthan an absolute subject.

In abstract photography, the subject is less important than theactual composition. When attempting abstract photography,you want to try to bring out the essence of what you’re photographing.

There are no hard-and-fast rules to photography, and this iseven truer in abstract photography. With this type of photogra-phy, you may be attempting to show the texture or color ofsomething. What the actual object is isn’t necessarily important.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Abstract photography

Action and sportsphotography

Architecturalphotography

Child photography

Concert photography

Flower and plantphotography

Landscapephotography

Light trail and fireworksphotography

Macro photography

Night photography

Pet photography

Portrait photography

Still-life and productphotography

Travel photography

Wildlife photography

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 135

An abstract photograph should give theviewer a different perspective of the subjectthan a normally composed photographwould. There are a few hardliners who saythat if you can recognize the subject then it’snot truly abstract. To that, I say: Abstractphotography (or any abstract art) can bebroken down into two types — objective andnonobjective. Objective abstract art presentssomething that can be recognized, but itpresents it in an unusual way. Nonobjectiveabstract art takes the subject and breaks itdown to a base element such as lines,forms, colors, and texture.

InspirationAlmost anything can be used to create anabstract photograph. It can be a close-up ofthe texture of tree bark or the skin of anorange. Look for objects with bright colorsor interesting textures.

Many structures have interesting lines andshapes. Cars can have interesting lines. Keepan eye out for patterns. Patterns can be any-where — on the side of a building or the sur-face of a rock. Evening shadows often createdynamic patterns with the added benefit ofthe rich colors of the sunset.


7.1 Bones. This is a photo of an artinstallation where there were thousands of cow bones suspended from the ceiling. I used a very large aperture to capture theambient light and to create a shallow depthof field. Shot with a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8lens, ISO 400 at f/1.8 for 1/80 second.

7.2 Gateway in Blue. This is a photo of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. Ispecifically stood underneath the arch andshot up at it using the sky as a backdrop togive it an abstract quality. I used a wide-angle setting to maximize perspectivedistortion. Shot with a Tokina 19-35mmf/3.5-4.5 lens zoomed to 19mm, ISO 200 at f/8 for 1/200 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 136

Abstract photography practice

Chapter 7 ✦ Real World Applications 137

7.3 White Sands photographed at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico

Table 7.1Taking Abstract Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: Figure 7.3 is a study of a sand dune taken at WhiteSands National Monument in New Mexico. What caught my eye in thisscene was the leading line at the crest of the dune that separated thesmooth side of the dune from the side with all of the randomlytextured patterns.

On Your Own: Abstract photo opportunities can exist in even the mostmundane subjects; take a closer look at things to find some interestingaspects.

Lighting Practice Picture: I chose to shoot at an angle where the sun wassidelighting the windblown sand dune so that there was a distinctcontrast from one side of the ridge to the other.

On Your Own: Try to find ways to use the lighting to your advantage.Finding the delicate interplay between shadows and highlights can giveyour images the added dynamic you need.

Continued

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 137

Abstract photography tips✦ Keep your eyes open. Always be

on the lookout for interesting pat-terns, repeating lines, or strangetextures.

✦ Don’t be afraid to experiment.Sometimes something as minor aschanging the white balance settingcan change the whole image.Sometimes the wrong setting maybe the right one for the image.


Table 7.1 (continued)Lens Practice Picture: Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 zoomed to 50mm.

On Your Own: You can use any type of lens to make an abstract image.Using wide angles can add strange distortions, or coming in close canfocus on a minute detail.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I chose Aperture Priority to control the depth of field.I used Spot metering to be sure that some shadow detail was retained.I captured the image in RAW to be able to adjust the white balance inpost-processing.

On Your Own: Controlling your aperture is key in focusing on thedetails in the image. You may want to use a wide aperture to blurunwanted elements from the background or a small aperture to besure that the whole scene is in sharp focus.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 250 at f/10 for 1.6 seconds. I chose a smallaperture to ensure that all of the details were in focus from the front ofthe frame to the back.

On Your Own: Your settings can vary widely depending on your subjectmatter and lighting. With a relatively still subject you can use longershutter speeds; when your subject is moving, be sure to use a fastershutter speed to freeze any motion.

Accessories I used a tripod to achieve a sharp focus during the rather longexposure.

Action and SportsPhotographyAction and sports photography is just whatit sounds like, although it doesn’t necessar-ily mean your subject is engaging in sometype of sport. It can be any activity thatinvolves fast movement, such as your childriding his bike down the street or someonerunning across the beach. Shooting any typeof action can be tricky to even seasoned

pros because you need to be sure to shootat a fast-enough shutter speed to freeze themovement of your subject.

Although the relatively speedy frame rate of3 fps of the D60 comes in handy whenshooting action and sports, often the bestapproach with shooting action is to getfamiliar with the movement of the subject,learn when the action is at its peak, andthen take your shot.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 138

You can employ a number of different tech-niques to decrease motion blur on yoursubject. The most commonly used tech-nique is panning. Panning is following themoving subject with your camera lens. Withthis method, it is as if the subject is notmoving at all because your camera is mov-ing with it. When done correctly, the subjectshould be in sharp focus while the motionblurs the background. This effect is great forcreating the illusion of motion. While pan-ning, you can sometimes use a slower shut-ter speed to exaggerate the effect of thebackground blur. Panning can be a very dif-ficult technique to master and requires a lotof practice, but the results are worth theeffort.

Using flash for action/sports photography isnot always necessary or advisable. Some-times you are so far away from the actionyour flash won’t be effective or you may bein a situation where flash is not allowed. Inthese cases, just make sure you have a fast-enough shutter speed to freeze the motion.You can either use a wider aperture orhigher ISO setting to be sure you get theproper shutter speed.

When using the panning tech-nique be sure to switch the VRfunction on your lens to off.When switched to on, the VRattempts to compensate for thesideways movement of the cam-era resulting in a blurry image.


7.4 Along with panning, I used Shutter Priority mode to control the shutter speed to freezethe motion of this car that was racing by at Memphis Motorsports Park while keeping theshutter speed slow enough to catch some motion blur. Shot on a monopod with a Nikkor80-200mm f/2.8 lens zoomed to 200mm, ISO 100 at f/6.3 for 1/320 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 139

Consider using a monopod,which is a one-legged support,when trying the panning tech-nique. Monopods help keep thecamera steady while allowingthe photographer more freedomof movement than a tripod.

InspirationWhen looking for action scenes to shoot, Itend to gravitate toward the more excitingand edgy events. You may find you favormore low-key action events, but regardless

of what appeals to you, just keep your eyesopen. Nearly everywhere you look there issome kind of action taking place.

Go to the local parks and sporting events.Almost every weekend there is a soccertournament at the school across the streetfrom my studio. I often go there just to prac-tice getting action shots. Check your localnewspapers for sporting events. Often thelocal skateboard shops and bike shops havecontests. I try to take pictures of people hav-ing fun doing what they love to do.

Tip


7.5 Skateboarder Joe pulls a backside grind in an abandoned backyard pool. I used a fastshutter speed to freeze the action. Shot with a Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 lens zoomed to34mm, ISO 100 at f/5.6 for 1/800 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 140

Action and sports photography practice


Table 7.2Taking Action and Sports Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: Figure 7.6 was captured when I was photographing amixed martial arts tournament. I was always fascinated by the strengthand stamina of these fighters. I converted the shot to black and whitein Photoshop to give it a nostalgic feel similar to old boxing photosfrom the 1950s.

On Your Own: Sporting events are a great place to find exciting actionshots. Securing an unobstructed view of the action is one of the hardestparts when photographing sporting events. Try to show up early tostake out the best spot.

Lighting Practice Picture: Because using flash was prohibited at this event, myonly source of light was the spotlights lighting up the ring.

On Your Own: When photographing an outdoor sporting event, if at allpossible, try to keep the sun at your back so that your subject is lit fromthe front. When photographing indoors you may consider investing in alens with a wider aperture.

Lens Practice Picture: I used a Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 zoomed to 86mm.

On Your Own: Depending on how far you have to be from yoursubject, you may want to use a telephoto lens in order to get closer tothe action. If you can get right up to the action, using a wide-angle lenscan also work.

Continued

7.6 King of Kombat Mixed Martial Arts tournament

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 141

Action and sportsphotography tips✦ Practice panning. Panning can be

a difficult technique to master, butpractice makes perfect. The moretime you spend practicing this, thebetter you (and your images) willget.

✦ Pay attention to your surround-ings. Often when concentrating ongetting the shot, you can forgetthat there are things going onaround you. When photographing

sporting events, be sure to remem-ber that there may be balls flyingaround or athletes on the move.It’s better to miss a shot than toget hurt in the process of trying toget the shot.

✦ Know the sport. In order to beable to effectively capture a defini-tive shot, you need to be familiarwith the sport, its rules, and theebb and flow of the action. Beingable to predict where the actionwill peak gets you better shotsthan hoping that you will luck intoa shot.


Table 7.2 (continued)Camera Settings Practice Picture: My camera was set to Aperture Priority mode. The

fights took place inside of a caged ring; I needed to be sure to use thewidest aperture possible to render the fence nearly invisible by having ashallow depth of field.

On Your Own: When photographing action, setting your shutter speedis usually the key to capturing the image properly. Whether you want tostop motion by using a fast shutter speed or blur the background usinga slower shutter speed and panning with your subject, you want to beable to control the shutter speed in Shutter Priority mode. In someinstances, such as this one it was necessary to switch to AperturePriority. Remember to be flexible because all shooting scenarios are notequal.

Exposure Practice Picture: 1/500 at f/3.5, ISO 800. I used a relatively high ISOto be sure to have a fast-enough shutter speed. I also set the camera toSpot meter because the exposure on the fighters was all I wasconcerned about.

On Your Own: Try to use the fastest shutter speed you can to stopmotion. If the light is dim, you may need to bump up your ISO in orderto achieve a fast shutter speed.

Accessories Using a monopod can help keep your images sharp when shootingaction shots.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 142

ArchitecturalPhotographyBuildings and structures surround us, andmany architects pour their hearts and soulsinto designing buildings that are interestingto the casual observer. This may be whyarchitectural photography is so popular.

Despite the fact that buildings are such famil-iar, everyday sights, photographing them canbe technically challenging—especially whenyou’re taking pictures of large or extremelytall buildings. A number of different prob-lems can arise, the main one being perspec-tive distortion. Perspective distortion is when

the closest part of the subject appears irreg-ularly large and the farthest part of the sub-ject appears abnormally small. Think aboutstanding at the bottom of a skyscraper andlooking straight up to the top.

Professional architectural photographershave special cameras that allow them tocorrect for the distortion. Unfortunately, youcan’t make these types of adjustments in adSLR camera. You have to either fix theimage using software or work with the per-spective distortion to make a dynamic andinteresting image.


7.7 Austin City Hall, Austin, Texas. Because this building is new and modern looking, I usedperspective distortion in my favor to accentuate the converging lines of the building. Usinga tripod that sits just a few inches off the ground to shoot up at the building and a fairlywide angle of 18mm gave the image plenty of distortion, which makes it more interesting.A long shutter speed allowed the moving clouds to create a surreal blur in the sky. Shotwith a Nikkor 18-55mm VR lens. ISO 200 at f/9 for 10 seconds.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 143

InspirationBecause buildings and architecture are allaround us, there are limitless possibilities toshoot. Try looking for buildings with archi-tectural features that you may enjoy, such as

art deco, Gothic, or modern. The buildingdoesn’t necessarily have to be in tip-topcondition. Sometimes photographing abuilding in a state of disrepair can give youan excellent image.


Copyright and Permission

In most places, you don’t need permission to photograph a building as long as it’s aplace to which the public has free access. If you are on private property, you shoulddefinitely request permission to photograph before you start. If you are inside a build-ing, it is generally a good idea to ask permission before photographing as well.

Due to recent tightening of security policies, a lot of photographers have beenapproached by security and/or police, so it’s a good idea to check the local laws in thecity where you are photographing to know what rights you have as a photographer.

For the most part, copyright laws allow photography of any building on “permanentpublic display.” Although the architect of the structure may own the copyright of thedesign, it usually does not carry over to photographs of the building. There are excep-tions to this, so again, check local laws, especially if you plan on selling your images.

7.8 City of Austin Power Plant, Austin, Texas. I specifically chose awide-angle setting to fit the building in the frame. I used a Nikkor18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens set to 18mm, ISO 100 at f/9 for 1/250second, Active D-Lighting ON. I used a small aperture to ensure thateverything in the photo was sharp.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 144

Architectural photography practice


7.9 Barsana Dham

Table 7.3Taking Architectural Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.9, I photographed the Barsana DhamHindu temple located near Austin, Texas. I decided to photograph thisbuilding because it is so dissimilar from other architecture in Austin.

On Your Own: Buildings are literally everywhere, but that doesn’t meanyou have to photograph a huge skyscraper or giant structure. Even asmall bungalow can make an interesting architectural photograph.

Lighting Practice Picture: This picture was shot in the afternoon so the buildingwas lit entirely by the sun.

On Your Own: When shooting during the day, be sure the sun is facingthe side of the building you’re photographing to ensure a good exposure.Shooting a backlit building can cause the sky to blow out when thebuilding is properly exposed, or when the sky is properly exposed thebuilding will appear too dark. Night is also a fantastic time to takearchitectural shots because architects and landscape designers often uselighting to create an entirely different look to a building at night.

Continued

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 145

Architecturalphotography tips✦ Shoot from a distance. When tak-

ing pictures of tall buildings andskyscrapers try not to take yourphotograph too close to the baseof the building. The perspectivedistortion can make the structurelook abnormal.

✦ Avoid backlighting. If the buildingyou are photographing is backlityou will lose detail in the structureand the background will appeartoo bright. Try to take your picturewhen the sun is shining on thepart of the building you want tophotograph.


Table 7.3 (continued)Lens Practice Picture: For this photo, I used the Nikkor 18-55mm VR kit

lens zoomed to 18mm to be able to fit this rather large building in theframe.

On Your Own: Generally, a wide-angle lens setting is used for close-uparchitectural shots; when you can put some distance between you andthe structure you can zoom in a bit. A good wide-to-short telephotolens like the 18-55mm is a good choice to cover most architecturalshots.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: My camera was set to Aperture Priority and Matrixmetering. I chose these settings because I knew the bright sky wouldfool the meter into underexposing the shadow on the building. Matrixmetering takes the whole scene into account and adjusts the exposureso that you have less of a chance for blown-out highlights in a brightsky. I also had the Active D-Lighting on and set to high to reduce someof the contrast caused by the bright midday sun.

On Your Own: Oftentimes when shooting static objects like buildingsyou can set up your camera and use the built-in light meter todetermine your settings and adjust them as you see fit. Be sure to takeinto consideration the light source, especially when photographing atnight.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 100 at f/5 for 1/800 second.

On Your Own: Achieving a good depth of field is important inarchitectural photography so using a rather small aperture is usuallyadvisable. Keep your ISO low for the best image quality.

Accessories A tripod is one of the best tools you can use for architectural photo-graphy. Even in fairly bright sunlight, using a small aperture cansometimes make for slow shutter speeds. A tripod keeps your imagessharp.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 146

✦ Be aware of lens distortion.Different lenses can introduce dis-tortion. Wide-angle lenses oftensuffer from barrel distortion thatcan cause the straight lines of thestructure that are near the edge of

the frame to appear bowed out.Either avoid placing straight linesnear the edge of the frame or besure to correct for the distortion inpost-processing.


Child PhotographyKids grow up fast, and having a photo-graphic chronicle of them doing that grow-ing up is great. For a number of people thisis one of the main reasons they buy a cam-era. Most first-time parents buy a compactdigital camera, then realizing the limitations,they upgrade to a dSLR, and then beforethey know it they’re hooked not only onphotographing their children, but on pho-tography in general.

One of the greatest challenges when photo-graphing children is that they seem to neverstop moving, and you have to be on yourtoes to catch those fleeting moments whenthey are at their best. Child photography isone-third action photography, one-thirdportrait photography, and one-third luck!

When trying to set up a shot with children asthe subjects, one of the first things you wantto consider is the environment. This is veryimportant, as you want the child to be com-fortable, and you want to have a nice back-ground that doesn’t compete with thesubject for attention. Often the child’s bed-room can be the perfect place. The child isin his own environment, and there are likelyto be toys he can play with and that you canuse as props. Another great place is outside,either in the child’s own backyard or, evenbetter, at a scenic park where there is play-ground equipment to explore.

One of the most important things toremember when photographing children isthat they are amazingly perceptive to moodsand emotions. They can easily tell when youare getting frustrated, so if things aren’texactly working out the way you plannedand you’re getting a bit irritable, it may be agood time to take a break. The best way toget great pictures is to make sure everyoneinvolved is having fun.

7.10 This shot of Hunter was taken in hisaunt’s yard; I used a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8lens, ISO 400 at f/2.8 for 1/100 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 147

InspirationHaving children or grandchildren of yourown is inspiration enough to want to take amillion photographs of them. However, if

you don’t have children of your own, maybeyou have a niece or nephew or perhaps youjust enjoy capturing children’s youthfulenthusiasm.


Child photography practice

7.12 Aurora

7.11 This is acandid portraittaken using softevening lightshining through awindow next tothe subject. I useda Nikkor 17-55mmf/2.8 lens. Shot atISO 800 at f/2.8for 1/80 second,set to Childportrait DVP mode.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 148


Table 7.4Taking Children’s Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: A friend and her daughter stopped by my studio oneafternoon and we decided to do an impromptu photo shoot at therailroad tracks nearby as shown in figure 7.12.

On Your Own: Try to find an interesting location to add a fun elementto your photo. Playgrounds or places where the child can interact withthe surroundings can be fun.

Lighting Practice Picture: The late-afternoon sun provided the lighting for thisshot.

On Your Own: Shooting outdoors in the late afternoon or earlymorning can give your images a nice, golden light. Shooting during theafternoon when the sun is fully bright is not recommended because itcan cause images with a lot of contrast and deep shadows. Also try toavoid posing your subject directly facing the sun as this can cause theeyes to squint.

Lens Practice Picture: Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 zoomed to 38mm.

On Your Own: Using a longer focal length can help compress thefeatures of the person you’re shooting. Shooting with a wide-angle lenscan cause the features of your subject to appear distorted especiallywhen used close up.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: My camera was set to Aperture Priority, Matrixmetering, Auto white balance.

On Your Own: As with most portraits you’ll want to set your camera toAperture Priority so you can control how much depth of field you have.Matrix or Center-weighted metering usually works well for children’sportraits. Child portrait mode works well, although I prefer to controlmost of the settings myself.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/1000 second.

On Your Own: Expect pretty fast shutter speeds when shootingoutdoors while using a wide aperture. You definitely want to use thelowest ISO possible.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 149

Child photography tips✦ Have patience. Sometimes it may

take quite a bit of photographingto get the image you’re after. Don’tget discouraged if it doesn’t turnout right away.

✦ Have some props handy. Afavorite toy or stuffed animal canadd a personal touch to the photo-graph as well as keep the childoccupied.

✦ Bring along some sweets.Sometimes a little bit of a treat candry up tears or just keep kids fromgetting bored.


ConcertPhotographyConcert photography can be a particularlydifficult endeavor, but it’s also extremelyrewarding, especially if you’re a music fan.Getting that quintessential shot of their

favorite performer is the reason why manyphotographers do this type of photography.Unfortunately to get “the” shot, sometimesyou have to fight a crowd and risk gettingdrinks spilled on your camera. Of course, ifyou’re like me, the type of person who likesto get into the fray, this is great fun.

7.13 Popular New Orleans musician Duke Robichaux at the DBA, New Orleans, Louisiana.Shot using a Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 lens zoomed to 35mm, ISO 3200 at f/4 for 1/13second, Spot metered, Exposure compensation +0.3.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 150

I strongly suggest that you makesure to keep good earplugshandy if you plan to do much ofthis type of photography.

Some photographers are staunchly againstusing flash at concerts, preferring to shootwith the available light. I like to use someflash at times, as I find that the stage lightscan oversaturate the performer, resulting inloss of detail. Another downside to shootingwith available light is you need to use highISO settings to get a shutter speed fastenough to stop action. Typically you need toshoot anywhere from ISO 800 to 3200,which can result in noisy images and theloss of image detail. Fortunately, the D60excels in high ISO performance so this is notas much of an issue as it was in the pastwith earlier dSLR cameras.

Some venues or performers donot allow flash photography atall. In this situation, just try touse the lowest ISO you canwhile still maintaining a fast-enough shutter speed.

InspirationA good way to get started with concert pho-tography is to find out when a favorite bandor performer is playing and bring your cam-era. Smaller clubs are usually better places totake good close-up photos simply becauseyou are more likely to have closer access tothe performers. Most local bands, perform-ers, and regional touring acts don’t mind hav-ing their photos taken. You can also offer toe-mail the performers some images to useon their Web site. This is beneficial for boththem and you, as lots of people will see yourphotos.

NoteTip


7.14 Professional skateboarder and lead singer of the U.S. Bombs,Duane Peters. I didn’t want to use on-camera flash so I opted for awide aperture and high ISO to get a fast enough shutter speed tofreeze the action and counteract against camera shake. Shot with aNikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 lens zoomed to 50mm. ISO 3200 at f/2.8 for1/320 second. Spot metered to expose for the singer.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 151

Concert photography practice


7.15 The JFA at the Red 7 in Austin, Texas

Table 7.5Taking Concert Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.15, I was photographing the seminalearly-1980s skate-rock band JFA playing at a local Austin club, Red 7.

On Your Own: Smaller venues can offer the most intimate or in-your-face photo ops. Often you can get closer to the stage and the band,giving your images an up-close and personal feel.

Lighting Practice Picture: Because the stage lighting at the venue was dim atbest, I used an SB-800 Speedlight to provide most of the lighting forthe exposure. The Flash mode was set to Rear/Slow sync to capturesome motion blur.

On Your Own: Concert lighting can be very tricky depending on thevenue. Some venues have bright stage lights, while some can be verydim. Make a few test shots to determine if the lighting is bright enough.Sometimes I like to mix it up, taking shots with and without flash.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 152


Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 zoomed to 17mm. This is mygo-to lens for almost everything. It works well for smaller venuesallowing you a wide-angle view for close-up shots as well as a smallamount of zoom for when you’re farther away. The fast, constant f/2.8aperture allows you to work with available light even when the lightingis quite dim.

On Your Own: For small venues a good wide-angle to short telephotoworks well. For larger venues or concerts where you’re farther awayfrom the stage you may need to use a longer telephoto lens, but yourflash will be of little use. When photographing large concert events Ibring both a 17-55mm f/2.8 and an 80-200mm f/2.8 lens with a 2Xteleconverter just in case I need some extra reach.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I used Aperture Priority mode to ensure that my lenswas wide open to capture enough light. I also had the camera set torecord the images in JPEG Fine and the camera Optimize image was setto Monochrome Black & White. I chose to use this setting to emulatethe early concert photography work of Glen E. Friedman. Friedmancovered the burgeoning California skateboarding and punk rock scenein the late 1970s and early ‘80s. He shot mainly black and white, andhe captured the frenetic energy and reckless abandon of the musiciansof that era.

On Your Own: Aperture Priority mode is a good place to start to besure that you have as much light reaching the sensor as possible. UsingSpot metering is often a good choice, especially if the performers areon a dark stage with spotlights shining on them. This prevents thecamera from trying to expose for the mostly dark areas behind theperformers, which can cause your shutter speed to be too slow. Usingflash setting to Matrix metering can help keep the ambient light andthe light from the flash balanced.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 800 at f/2.8 for 1/10 second.

On Your Own: Because the lighting is often dark at concert eventsmore often than not you’ll have to crank up the ISO. When shootingabove 1600, choosing the Black & White option can help your imagesbecause much of the noise is chrominance noise (color). Most of thetime you’ll find yourself shooting wide-open apertures. Using a fastshutter speed is recommended although when using flash you canbring the shutter speed down a bit, allowing the bright flash to freezeyour subject while allowing some of the ambient light to fill in theshadow areas.

Accessories An off-shoe camera cord such as Nikon’s SC-29 can help to get yourflash off of your camera.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 153

Concert photography tips✦ Experiment. Don’t be afraid to try

different settings and long expo-sures. Slow Sync flash enables youto capture much of the ambientlight while freezing the subjectwith the short, bright flash.

✦ Call the venue before you go. Besure to call the venue to ensurethat you are able to bring yourcamera in.

✦ Bring earplugs. Protect your hear-ing. After spending countless hoursin clubs without hearing protec-tion, my hearing is less than per-fect. You don’t want to lose yourhearing. Trust me.

✦ Take your Speedlight off of yourcamera. If you’re using one of theNikon accessory flashes, such asthe SB-800 or SB-600, invest in anoff-camera through-the-lens (TTL)hot-shoe sync cord such as theNikon SC-29 TTL cord. When you’redown in the crowd, yourSpeedlight is very vulnerable. Theshoe mount is not the sturdiestpart of the flash. Not only is usingthe Speedlight off-camera safer,but you also gain more control ofthe light direction by holding it inyour hand. This reinforces my sug-gestion to experiment — move theSpeedlight around; hold it high;hold it low; or bounce it. This isdigital, and it doesn’t cost a thingto experiment.


Flower and PlantPhotographyOne of the great things about photograph-ing plants and flowers, as opposed to otherliving things, is that you have almost unlim-ited control with them. If they are potted orcut, you can place them wherever you want,trim off any excess foliage, sit them under ahot lighting setup, and you never hear themcomplain.

Some other great things about photograph-ing plants and flowers are the almost unlim-ited variety of colors and textures you canfind them in. From reds and blues to purplesand yellows, the color combinations arealmost infinite. Plants and flowers are abun-

dant, whether purchased or wild, so there isno shortage of subjects. Even in the dead ofwinter, you can find plants to take photos of.They don’t have to be in bloom to have aninteresting texture or tone. Sometimes thebest images of trees are taken after theyhave shed all of their foliage.

Flower and plant photography also offers agreat way to show off your macro skills.Flowers especially seem to look great whenphotographed close up.

You don’t have to limit flower and plantphotography to the outdoors. You can easilygo to the local florist and pick up a bouquetof flowers, set them up, and take photos ofthem. After you’re done, you can give themto someone special as an added bonus!

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 154

InspirationWalk around and look at the interesting col-ors of the local flora. Pay close attention tothe way the light interacts with differentplants. A lot of the time, it is undesirable tohave a backlit subject, but the light comingthrough a transparent flower petal can adda different quality of beauty to an alreadybeautiful flower.

It can also be fun to make your own floralarrangements, experimenting with differentcolor combinations and compositions.Taking a trip and talking to a florist can giveyou some ideas of which plants and flowerswork best together.


7.16 Poppy. Shot with a Nikkor 18-55mm VR lens zoomed to 55mm, ISO 100 at f/6.5 for1/1000 second. Close-up DVP mode.

7.17 I was having breakfast at a local coffee shop one morning and decided that this vase fullof flowers would make a nice shot. I positioned the vase and myself to eliminate distractingbackground features. The shot was lit by the ambient light in the room. Shot with a Sigma17-35mm f/2.8-4 lens set to 30mm, ISO 800 at f/4 for 1/15 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 155


Infrared Photography

Infrared photography, commonly known as IR photography, uses invisible (to the naked eye) near infrared light to create the image. Although you can’t seeinfrared light, The CCD sensors in most cameras are very sensitive to this type of light.IR light can have a detrimental effect on the standard images you create using visiblelight. For that reason Nikon installs an IR blocking filter in front of the sensor.Unfortunately, this means that IR photography with the D60 can be quite difficult.This isn’t to say that it’s impossible, but it takes very long exposure times and for thisreason it’s absolutely necessary to use a tripod when attempting IR photography withthe D60.

In order to capture an IR image you first need to block visible light from reaching thesensor. An IR filter is used to do this. The most commonly used filter is the Hoya R72,which blocks out all wavelengths of visible light that fall below 720 nanometers (nm).The nanometer is the measurement used to determine the wavelength of light. Thewavelengths of visible light fall between around 400 and 700nm, so at 720nm thelight is just about beyond the reach of our eyes. There are a couple of importantthings to remember when taking IR photos with your D60:

✦ Compose the shot with the filter off of the lens. After you compose theshot you then must focus before placing the filter on the lens. Focusing canbe a little tricky. Because IR light doesn’t focus at the same point as visiblelight, you must make some adjustments. The best way to do this is to focusthe camera, take a shot, adjust the focus a little, take another shot, andrepeat, using the image review to check focus.

✦ Use the Manual exposure mode. When using one of the auto exposuremodes (P, S, or A), the camera’s meter will underexpose, so using manualexposure is necessary. This is another area in which you need to experimentto find the right setting.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 156


Your infrared image will appear mostly red or deep magenta, so there are some stepsthat you may need to take to get your image to appear the way you want it.Traditionally, most infrared photography has been done in black and white, but youcan also do some post-processing to produce what is known as a false-color infraredimage. You can also use the Black and White Optimize image setting with decentresults.

Typically, when IR photography is done in black and white the resulting image hasvegetation that turns white (living plants reflect a lot of IR) while the sky is usuallydarkened, sometimes almost black. With false-color infrared you can get a myriad ofdifferent colors depending on your post-processing technique.

The bottom line is the D60 is not the ideal camera for attempting IR photography, butit can be done. More information and many tutorials can be found online. If you wantto get serious about IR photography your best bet is to purchase a camera that isknown to have a relatively weak IR blocking filter such as the D70, or there are com-panies that will modify a camera by removing the IR blocking filter. However, remov-ing the filter voids the warranty of the camera.

Flower and plant photography practice

7.18 Succulent with complementary colors

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 157


Table 7.6Taking Flower and Plant Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: While having my morning tea I noticed the colors ofthis succulent that I bought at a local roadside stand. I thoughtcomplementary colors of the plant would work out well, but it wasn’tuntil I previewed the image on the LCD that I noticed the additionalcomplementary colors of blue and orange in the background.

On Your Own: Using complementary colors such as green/purple andblue/orange can add interest to your images.

Lighting Practice Picture: This picture was taken on the shady side of myhouse in the morning. The shade provided a nice diffuse light to allowthe colors to come through without a lot of contrast.

On Your Own: Oftentimes, natural light is the best thing for lightingplants and flowers. Even if it’s a house plant, you can take it outsideand set it in the sun.

Lens Practice Picture: Macro-Takumar 50mm f/4 with a Nikon F-mountadaptor.

On Your Own: Macro lenses often work well with smaller plants.Additionally a lens with a wide zoom range can offer you quite a bit ofcompositional leeway, allowing you a wide-angle view or zoomed in toisolate a specific detail.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I set the camera to Manual because the lens I wasusing was a manual focus lens. I had to estimate the exposure usingthe Sunny 16 rule because this was a non-CPU lens and the camera’smeter does not work with these types of lenses.

On Your Own: Be sure to pay attention to the differences between theshadows and the highlights and expose the image so that everythingretains detail. You may want Aperture Priority to be able to control yourdepth of field or use the Close-up DVP mode.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 200 at f/5.6 for 1/60 second. The lighting herewasn’t very bright so I raised the ISO to 200 to get a fast-enoughshutter speed to eliminate any blur from camera shake.

On Your Own: Keep an eye on your camera exposure settings whenshooting and adjust your ISO accordingly if the shutter speed isn’t fastenough to get the right exposure.

Accessories You may not always be shooting in bright sunlight so a tripod can comein handy if the lighting is dim and your shutter speed drops below anacceptable limit for handheld shooting.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 158


Flower and plantphotography tips✦ Shoot from different angles.

Shooting straight down on a flowerseems like the obvious thing to do,but sometimes shooting from theside or even from below can add acompelling perspective to theimage.

✦ Try different backgrounds.Photographing a flower with a darkbackground can give you an imagewith a completely different feelthan photographing that sameflower with a light background.

✦ Try using complementary colors.Adding different flowers with com-plementary colors to your composi-tion can add a little interest to yourimage. Adding a splash of yellowinto a primarily purple compositioncan make the image pop.

LandscapePhotographyWith landscape photography, the intent is torepresent a specific scene from a certainviewpoint. For the most part, animals andpeople aren’t included in the compositionso the focus is solely on the view.

Landscape photography can incorporateany type of environment — desert scenes,mountains, lakes, forests, skylines, or justabout any terrain. You can take landscapephotos just about anywhere, and one nicething about them is that you can return tothe same spot, even as little as a couple ofhours later, and the scene will look differentaccording to the position of the sun and thequality of the light. You can also return tothe same scene months later and find acompletely different scene due to thechange in seasons.

There are three distinct styles of landscapephotography:

✦ Representational. This is astraight landscape; the “what yousee is what you get” approach. Thisis not to say that this is a simplesnapshot; it requires great atten-tion to details such as composition,lighting, and weather.

✦ Impressionistic. With this type oflandscape photo, the image looksless real due to filters or specialphotographic techniques such aslong exposures. These techniquescan give the image a mysterious orotherworldly quality.

✦ Abstract. With this type of land-scape photo, the image may ormay not resemble the actual sub-ject. The compositional elementsof shape and form are moreimportant than an actual represen-tation of the scene.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 159


7.19 Rocky Mountains, Colorado. For this shot, I used a small f-stop to get a deep depth offield. I Spot metered a bright spot in the clouds and used Active D-Lighting to avoid ablown-out sky. Shot with a Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR lens zoomed to 155mm, ISO 200at f/16 for 1/250 second.

One of the most important parts of captur-ing a good landscape image is knowingabout quality of light. Simply defined, qual-ity of light is the way the light interacts withthe subject. There are many different termsto define the various qualities of light, suchas soft or diffused light, hard light, and soon, but for the purposes of landscape pho-tography, the most important part is know-ing how the light interacts with thelandscape at certain times of day.

For the most part, the best time to photo-graph a landscape is just after the sun risesand right before the sun sets. The sunlight atthose times of day is refracted by the atmos-phere and bounces off of low-lying clouds,resulting in a sunlight color that is different,and more pleasing to the eye, than it is athigh noon. This time of day is often referredto as the golden hour by photographers dueto the color and quality of the light at thistime.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 160


This isn’t to say you can’t take a good land-scape photo at high noon; you absolutelycan. Sometimes, especially when you’re onvacation, you don’t have a choice aboutwhen to take the photo, so by all meanstake one. If there is a particularly beautifullocation that you have easy access to, spendsome time and watch how the light reactswith the terrain.

InspirationThere are many breathtaking vistas every-where you look. Even in the middle of alarge city, you can go to a park and find asuitable subject for a landscape. Rememberthat a landscape doesn’t have to be a spec-tacular scene with awesome natural forceslike mountains; it can be a pond, or a smallwaterfall. Even a simple wheat field canmake a great landscape photo.

7.20 This landscape shot is actually a detail of the roots of some great trees growing nearHamilton pool, just outside Austin, Texas. Shot with a Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 lenszoomed to 17mm. ISO f/10 for 1/40 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 161

Landscape photography practice


7.21 A field of wildflowers

Table 7.7Taking Landscape Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.21, I was taking a stroll through a naturepreserve just south of Austin. I came across this field of wildflowers andwanted to capture the vivid colors of the flowers in the scene.

On Your Own: Landscapes are all around you. You can find somefantastic scenery at a nearby park or nature preserve. Find a compellingsight and shoot it.

Lighting Practice Picture: This photo was shot at high noon, which is notusually the best time for shooting landscapes. I got down low and shotup at the scene to capture the darker undersides of the flowers and tomake the overhead sunlight appear more directional.

On Your Own: Lighting can make or break a landscape photograph. Ifthe lighting is flat it can make the photo seem uninteresting andwithout character. Often, the best time to shoot a landscape is earlymorning or evening. When not shooting sunset or sunrise landscapeskeep your back to the sun to avoid overexposed skies andunderexposed land areas.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 162


Lens Practice Picture: Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR zoomed to 55mm.

On Your Own: The general rule of thumb when shooting landscapes isthe wider the better. More often than not you want to catch a largearea in your photograph; however, you can mix it up as I did in figure7.21 making it more focused on the details of the scene. Keep an openmind and a keen eye when setting up landscape shots.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: My camera was set to Aperture Priority because Iwanted to use a medium aperture to keep most of the flowers in thescene in focus while allowing the tree line in the back to appear softer.I chose Spot metering and I metered on the brightest part of the sky toensure I would capture all of the colors of the sky without blowing outthe highlights.

On Your Own: For landscapes, you want to be in control of theaperture to keep a deep focus so Aperture Priority works great. Whenphotographing directly into the sun like this, spot metering ispreferable, but when the lighting is more even, Matrix metering worksgreat. Landscape DVP mode works great on most subjects, but in alow-light scene like this the meter can be fooled causing you to getblown-out highlights instead of capturing the color of the sunset.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 100 at f/5.6 for 1/400 second. Exposurecompensation set to +0.3 to capture detail in the tree.

On Your Own: As usual, use a low ISO for better resolution. Usesmaller apertures to increase depth of field (here I was shooting at arelatively wide setting due to the decreasing light). Often, shutterspeeds will be longer due to the smaller f-stops.

Accessories A tripod can be a great help when those shutter speeds get really long.

Landscape photographytips✦ Bring a tripod. When you’re pho-

tographing landscapes, especiallyearly in the morning or at sunset,the exposure time may be quitelong. A tripod can help keep yourlandscapes in sharp focus.

✦ Scout out locations. Keep youreyes open; even when you’re driv-ing around you may see somethinginteresting.

✦ Be prepared. If you’re out hikinglooking for landscape shots don’tforget to bring the essentials suchas water and a couple of snacks.It’s also a good idea to be familiarwith the area you’re in, or at thevery least bring a map.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 163

Light Trail andFireworksPhotographyOne of the most fun types of photography iscapturing light trails. You can capture someamazing and surreal images. Fireworks pho-tography is exciting, and while it is simple intheory, getting the timing right can be a bigchallenge. You need a sharp eye and a goodear to know when the fireworks have been

launched so you can be sure to have thecamera shutter open before the fireworksexplode with a burst of color.

Light trail photography, while different thanfireworks photography, shares the sametype of camera settings. You need a veryslow shutter speed and usually a fairly smallaperture. I find that shooting in AperturePriority mode usually gives long enoughshutter speeds to capture a light trail as longas the scene is fairly dark.


7.22 For this shot, I snapped a long exposure while simply holding the camera in my hand.Shot with a Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 lens zoomed to 17mm, ISO 200 at f/8 for 3 seconds.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 164


InspirationA tripod is the one thing that is almost essen-tial when you’re doing any photographyusing long shutter speeds. If you try to hand-hold your camera with an 8-second expo-sure, your image will be nothing but a blurrymess. Of course, sometimes a handheld bluris exactly the effect you’re looking for.

When photographing fireworks, I find thatusing the Bulb setting in Manual modeworks the best. The Bulb setting opens theshutter when the Shutter Release button ispressed and the shutter remains open aslong as the button remains pressed. Whenthe button is released the shutter closes.

The first thing you want to do is figure outwhere the fireworks are going to “bloom.”Set your camera on the tripod and aim it inthe right direction. For the most part, you’regoing to need a wide-angle lens to be sureto get everything in the frame; unless youare very far away, you shouldn’t need tozoom in. When the firework is launched,press the Shutter Release button and hold itdown until the firework explodes. When thebloom is over, release the Shutter Releasebutton to close the shutter and end theexposure.

When using the Bulb mode, your best bet isto get some sort of remote shutter release,such as the Nikon ML-L3 remote release.

7.23 This long exposure light trail shot was taken of an art installation in the front of theCOSI building in Columbus, Ohio. While the shutter was open, I rotated the camera tocreate the light trails. Taken with a Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 lens zoomed to 12mm. ISO 200 atf/10 for 2 seconds.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 165


Light trail and fireworks photography practice

7.24 A tree completely wrapped in lights, with zoom

Table 7.8Taking Light Trail and Fireworks Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.24, I was hanging around one of thefunky neighborhoods in south Austin and I saw this tree that someonehad completely wrapped in lights. I thought it would be an interestingeffect to zoom in the lens while making a long exposure.

On Your Own: Of course, the winter holidays are a great time to finddisplays of lights, but you can also find many types of lights in anydowntown area or places that have lots of neon signage, such as LasVegas or Times Square.

Lighting Practice Picture: The exposure was only 1/2 second, so the lightsthemselves provided all the lighting in the photo.

On Your Own: You want to rely on the lights you are photographing;using an outside light source such as flash diminishes the impact andsaturation of the lights.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 166


Lens Practice Picture: Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6. For this shot I started withthe zoom set to 17mm and zoomed in while the exposure was beingmade. This gives the illusion of the lights zooming right at you.

On Your Own: Almost any type of lens will do, but a nice wide-anglezoom is best. With light trail photography, the blur is the essence of theshot. Moving the camera around and zooming the lens in and out cangive you interesting effects.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I shot this in Aperture Priority mode. I chose thismode because the light levels were varying and when choosing one setshutter speed I reviewed some of my photos in the camera anddiscovered that some of my photos were underexposed. UsingAperture Priority mode, I adjusted the aperture until I got the desiredshutter speed. This way I was assured to have a good exposure. UsingMatrix metering allowed the camera to meter for both the light anddark areas of the image. Spot or Center-weighted doesn’t generallywork well for this type of photo because the lights are very bright andthe dark areas are very dark. This causes the camera to severelyoverexpose or underexpose the lights depending on where the spot is.

On Your Own: Any one of the modes can work depending on thesituation. Programmed Auto can work pretty reliably for this type ofphoto.


On Your Own: Low ISO settings and long exposure times are crucial forthis type of photography.

Light trail and fireworksphotography tips✦ Be patient. Sometimes you will

have to take many photos beforeyou get one you like. It can be atrial-and-error process to find theexposure that works.

✦ Look for multicolored lights.Bright lights of different colors canadd more interest to your images.

✦ Get there early. To get a goodspot for the fireworks, show up alittle early to stake out a spot.

✦ Use a remote shutter releasecord. Using a remote release canreduce camera shake when thecamera is mounted on the tripodfor long exposures.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 167

Macro PhotographyMacro photography is easily my favoritetype of photography. Sometimes you cantake the most mundane object and give it acompletely different perspective just bymoving in close. Ordinary objects canbecome alien landscapes. Insects take on anew personality when you can see thestrange details of their faces, especially theirmultifaceted eyes.

Technically, macro photography can be diffi-cult. The closer you get to an object, the lessdepth of field you get, and it can be difficultto maintain focus. When your lens is lessthan an inch from the face of a bug, justbreathing in is sometimes enough to losefocus on the area that you want to capture(or scare the bug off). For this reason, youusually want to use the smallest apertureyou can (depending on the lighting situa-tion) and still maintain focus. I say “usually”because a shallow depth of field can also bevery useful in bringing attention to a specificdetail.

When shooting extremely closeup, the lens may obscure thelight from the built-in flash,resulting in a dark area on thebottom of the images.

One of the best things about macro photog-raphy is that you aren’t limited to shootingin one type of location. You can do this typeof photography indoors or out. Even on arainy day, you can find something in yourhouse to photograph. It can be a piece offruit, a trinket, a coin, or even your dog’snose (if the dog sits still for you).

Macro photography requires special lensesor filters to allow you to get closer to yoursubject. Most lens manufacturers offerlenses that are designed specifically for thispurpose. These macro lenses give you areproduction ratio of 1:1, which means thatthe image projected onto the sensor isexactly the same size as the physical sub-ject. Some other lenses that can be used todo macro photography are actually tele-photo lenses. Although you can’t actually


Painting with Light

When doing long exposures in low-light situations you can often use a little bit ofexternal light to add dimension, color, or to bring out some details in your subject.This technique is called painting with light. You can fire a handheld Speedlight orshine a flashlight on dark areas that aren’t receiving enough ambient light.

When using this technique you want to be sure to use a low-power light so as not tooverlight your subject, thus causing it to look like a flash exposure.

For example, when photographing figure 7.30, the statue was coming out too darkdue to the fact there wasn’t as much ambient light falling on the subject as there wasbeing captured from the city skyline. To bring out some detail in the stature I broughtout an SB-600 set to Manual. I dialed in a flash setting of 1/32. This added a littleshine to the statue.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 168


7.25 Acanthocephala declivis. To capture this shot I didn’t use any special lens. I simplyused my Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR kit lens zoomed all the way out to 200mm. I shot ata higher ISO of 400 to be sure to get a high-enough shutter speed of 1/125 to counteractany camera shake. I also had VR turned on to further stabilize the shot. I used a relativelywide aperture of 5.6 to blur out some distracting elements in the background.

get close to the subject with a telephoto theextra zoom gives you a close-up perspec-tive. Telephoto lenses usually have a repro-duction ratio of 1:4, or one-quarter size.

An inexpensive alternative to macro lensesare close-up filters. A close-up filter is like amagnifying glass for your lens. It screwsonto the end of your lens and allows you toget closer to your subject. There are a vari-ety of different magnifications, and they canbe stacked or screwed together to increasethe magnification even more. Using close-up filters can reduce the sharpness of yourimages because the quality of the glass isn’tquite as good as the glass of the lens ele-ments. This reduction in sharpness becomesmore obvious when stacking filters.

Reversing rings are adapters that have a lensmount on one side and filter threads on theother. The filter threads are screwed into thefront of a normal lens like a filter, and youattach the lens mount to the camera body.The lens is then mounted to the camerabackward. This allows you to closely focuson your subject. One thing to be careful ofwhen using reversing rings is damaging therear element of your lens; special careshould be taken when using one of these.Not all lenses work well with reversing rings.The best lenses to use are fixed focal-lengthlenses that have aperture rings for adjustingthe f-stop. Zoom lenses simply do not workwell, nor do lenses that have no aperturecontrol.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 169


A very good alternative to expensive autofo-cus macro lenses is to find an older manual-focus macro lens. These lenses can befound for much less money than AF lenses.You can also check into lenses from othercamera companies. The lens I use for macrophotography most often was actually madefor older Pentax screw-mount (M42) cam-era bodies. I found an adapter on eBay thatallows you to attach M42 lenses to Nikon F-mount cameras. The lens and adaptertogether cost me less than $50. The lensallows me to get a 4:1 magnification, whichis 4X life size.

InspirationMy favorite subjects for macro photographyare insects. I go to parks and wanderaround, keeping my eyes open for strangebugs. Parks are also a great place to takemacro pictures of flowers. Although flowersare easily the most common subjects formacro photography enthusiasts, by nomeans are they the only subjects you cantake pictures of. Many normal, everydayobjects can become interesting whenviewed up close.

7.26 Mississippi sales tax token. For this composite shot (I shot both sides of the coin andcombined them in Photoshop), I used a Nikon SC-29 off-camera TTL cord to get the flashoff of the camera to get more even lighting. I used an SB-600 mounted on a light standwith a flash diffuser to soften the light. I aimed the flash directly down at the token at theleft side of the camera. The lens was a Macro-Taumar 50mm f/4. I shot ISO 200 at f/11 for1/60 second. Both the camera and flash were set to Manual mode.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 170


7.27 Water drop

Macro photography practice

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 171


Table 7.9Taking Macro Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For the tricky shot in 7.27 I wanted to capture a high-speed exposure of a water drop. Setting the camera to a long shutterspeed, I used a flash to freeze the action. The camera was set up on atripod and the shutter was released using the Nikon ML-L3 wirelessremote. All of the lights in my studio were out to cut down on anyambient light exposure.

On Your Own: You can find plenty of interesting macro subjects; justlook around. It’s a good idea to always have your macro lens or close-up filters in your camera bag because you never know when you mayrun across interesting subjects for a macro shot.

Lighting Practice Picture: The lighting was provided by an SB-800 Speedlightwith a blue filter attached. After I released the shutter, I used aneyedropper to drop the water into a clear glass cup full of water. When Ianticipated the drop hitting the water I pressed the test fire button onthe flash to fire it. I was holding the flash in my hand just to the leftfront of the cup.

On Your Own: When setting up the lighting for a shot like this I usuallystart out with the flash in Manual mode at 1/16 power and adjust theexposure accordingly after making a few test shots.

Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8. This lens doesn’t autofocuswith the D60 which is precisely why I chose it. I manually focused onthe edge of the glass and used a small aperture to achieve enoughdepth of field to get the drop in focus.

On Your Own: A good macro lens can be invaluable to get nice, sharpimages. Using close-up filters or extension tubes can also be a goodoption.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I used Manual exposure settings because I needed toset a long shutter speed to perform all of the necessary maneuvers ofusing the eyedropper and firing the flash by hand. The flash was alsoset manually using trial and error; the final setting ended up being 1/16power at the ISO 100 f/16 setting.

On Your Own: If you are using an AF lens, it’s best to set it to theManual focus setting to avoid the camera refocusing on the wrong area. Using Manual settings allows you more control over the exposure.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 172


Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 200 at f/13 for 4 seconds. I used a long shutterspeed with a small aperture. The long shutter speed allowed me todrop the water and fire the flash; the small aperture gave me enoughdepth of field to keep the drop in sharp focus and also allowed me tokeep the ambient light exposure to a minimum. The short duration ofthe flash in the dim light allows the flash to act as a fast shutter speedfreezing the water droplet in midair.

On Your Own: Your exposure may vary depending on the lightingsituation. Using a small f-stop is recommended for maximum depth offield and keeping out ambient light.

Accessories Close-up filters or a telephoto lens can be used instead of a dedicatedmacro lens. A tripod can be a good tool to have when photographingmacro subjects because focusing close up to a subject tends toexaggerate camera shake.

Macro photography tips✦ Use the self-timer. When using a

tripod, use the self-timer to makesure the camera isn’t shaking frompressing the Shutter Release button.

✦ Use a low ISO. Because macroand close-up photography focuseson details, use a low ISO to get thebest resolution.

✦ Use a remote shutter release. Ifusing a tripod, using a remoteshutter release can also helpreduce blur from camera shake.

Night PhotographyTaking photographs at night brings a wholedifferent set of challenges that are not pres-ent when you take pictures during the day.The exposures become significantly longer,making it difficult to handhold your cameraand get sharp images. Your first instinct maybe to use the flash to add light to the scene,but as soon as you do this, the image losesits nighttime charm. It ends up looking likea photograph taken with a flash in the dark.In other words, it looks like a snapshot.

When taking photos at night, you want tostrive to capture the glowing lights and thedelicate interplay between light and dark.

The best way to achieve this is to use a tri-pod and a longer exposure. This allows youto capture the image keeping your subjectsin sharp focus even with the long exposuresthat are often necessary.

Flash can be used effectively at night forportraits. You don’t necessarily want to useit as your main light; as a matter of fact youalmost never want to use it as your mainlight. Ideally, you want a good balance offlash and ambient light. To get this effect, setyour flash to the Slow Sync or the Rear/SlowSync setting. This allows longer exposuresso the ambient light is sufficiently recordedwhile the flash adds a nice bright “pop” tofreeze the subject for sharp focus.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 173


7.28 New Orleans skyline from the French Market. I used a long shutter speed to get aglass-like appearance to the water. Shot with a Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens zoomedto 18mm, ISO 100 at f/2.5 for 2 seconds.

7.29 I took this shot of a sign for an interesting New Orleans bar. I liked the funky colorsand the retro feel of the photo. Taken with a Sigma 17-35 f/2.8-4 lens set to 17mm, ISO3200 at f/2.8 for 1/1000 second.

InspirationWhen I look for scenes to photograph atnight, I try to think of subjects that have a lotof color that can be accented by the long

exposures. City skylines, downtown areas,and other places with lots of neon or otherbrightly colored lights are very good subjectmatter for this type of photography.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 174

Night photography practice


7.30 The Lucky Lounge and the Frost Bank building

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 175


Table 7.10Taking Night Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: Figure 7.30 is a photo of the sign outside the LuckyLounge night club in downtown Austin, behind the sign is one ofAustin’s most well-known buildings, the Frost Bank building.

On Your Own: Skylines and neon lights make great night pictures. Thelights at night are often brightly colored and long exposures can makethem super-saturated.

Lighting Practice Picture: For this shot the lighting is ambient.

On Your Own: For the most part, ambient lighting is all you need. Ifthere are some details in the foreground you want to bring out, you canuse a low-powered flash pop to paint some light into the scene.

Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR zoomed to 17mm.

On Your Own: Any lens will do for night photography. It just dependson your subject matter. Sometimes a lens with a wider aperture cangive a little bit more light allowing for a faster shutter in case it’snecessary to handhold your camera. A VR lens is great for night shotswith still subjects.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: To get this shot I used the Aperture Priority mode.Because there are many different light sources in this shot I recordedthe image in RAW mode so I could adjust the white balance manuallyin post-processing until I got the effect that I liked the most. Thecamera white balance was set to Auto.

On Your Own: When photographing a scene with multiple lightsources it’s best to shoot RAW so you can adjust the white balance inpost-processing to suit your particular taste.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 3200 at f/2.8 for 1/6 second. For this particularimage, I chose a wide aperture to get a fast-enough shutter speed tohandhold the camera while using VR and to get a shallow depth offield to throw the building in the background slightly out of focus.

On Your Own: For night shots, long exposures are the norm. Extremelylong exposures can sometimes bring unexpected results (like motionblur). These results may not always be desired, so open your f-stop toget a faster shutter speed if you need it.

Accessories A tripod is a great tool for shooting photos at night. The ML-L3 wirelessremote can also be handy for reducing camera shake when using longshutter speeds and a tripod.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 176


Night photography tips✦ Bring a tripod. Without a tripod,

the long exposure times will causeyour photos to be blurry.

✦ Use the self-timer. Pressing theShutter Release button when thecamera is on the tripod oftencauses the camera to shake

enough to blur your image. Usingthe self-timer gives the camera andtripod enough time to steady soyour images come out sharp.

✦ Try using slow sync flash. Ifusing flash is an absolute must, tryusing slow sync to capture some of the ambient light in the background.

7.31 This is a quick shot of Henrietta, a Boston terrier, while she was visiting her friend Migs(the Japanese Chin in the background). I specifically used a wide-angle setting on the lensto get a distorted look. Because the lighting was very low, even using ISO 3200, I used aslow shutter speed, switched on the VR, and was able to capture a good sharp shot. Shotusing the Nikkor 18-55 VR lens set to 18mm, ISO 3200 at f/4.5 for 1/10 second.

Pet PhotographyPhotographing pets is something every petowner likes to do (I’ve got hundreds of pic-tures of my dog on my hard drive). The mostdifficult aspect about pet photography isgetting the animal to sit or stand still.Whether you’re creating an animal portrait

or just taking some snapshots of your petplaying, patience is a good trait to have.

If your pet is fairly calm and well trained,using a studio-type setting is entirely possi-ble. If you have trained your pet to sit andwait for a treat it can be easy to snap a for-mal portrait. Some pets such as snakes or

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 177

rodents may be more difficult to pose. Inthese types of situations it’s good to havesomeone on hand to help you out.

Some of my most popular pictures are theones I have taken of my dog just doing hernormal dog things: sitting and waiting for atreat, yawning, or jumping around. The bestphotos of pets often are those that capturetheir personality, and this isn’t necessarilyachieved by sitting them in front of studiolights.

InspirationAnimals and pets are an inspiration in andof themselves. If you don’t have a pet your-self, you likely have friends or relatives whohave one they would be happy to let youphotograph. Go to the park and find peopleplaying with their dogs. Lots of people havepets so it shouldn’t be hard to find one.


7.32 I shot a photo of this great English bulldog while at one of themany dog parks in Austin, Texas. It took a few shots and somecoaxing to get him to look directly at me as there were a lot of dogsaround distracting him. I got down fairly low in order to show himmore on his level rather than looking down at him. Shot with aNikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 lens set to 55mm, ISO 400 at f/2.8 for 1/500second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 178


Pet photography practice

Table 7.11Taking Pet Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.33, I wanted to do a studio-type shot ofHenrietta, but I wasn’t at my studio with my backgrounds so I decidedto use my stained concrete floors as a pseudo backdrop.

On Your Own: Odd or unusual angles often make the most interestingshots. Keep an eye on your background. Distracting elements can takethe focus off of your subject.

Lighting Practice Picture: I was going more for a studio look for this shot so Iused an SB-800 Speedlight to trigger an off-camera SB-600 that I hadset on a chair. I used the Nikon SW-10H diffusion dome that came withthe SB-800 to soften the light.

On Your Own: Using off-camera flash can give your pet portraits aprofessional look, although using natural light is also great for shootingpets. Using natural light allows you to concentrate on the compositionwithout worrying about your lighting setup.

Continued

7.33 Henrietta posing for a portrait

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 179

Pet photography tips✦ Be patient. Animals aren’t always

the best subjects; they can beunpredictable and uncooperative.Have patience and shoot plenty ofpictures. You never know whatyou’re going to get.

✦ Bring some treats. Sometimesanimals can be coaxed to dothings with a little bribe.

✦ Get low. Because we’re used tolooking down at most animals, wetend to shoot down at them. Getdown low and shoot from the ani-mal’s perspective. This can makeyour picture much more interesting.

✦ Use Red-Eye Reduction. If youare going to use the flash, usingRed-Eye Reduction is a must,although sometimes it doesn’tcompletely remove the glare. Usingoff-camera flash or a flash diffusercan often help reduce the red-eyeeffect.


Table 7.11 (continued)Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 28-70 f/2.8 set to 70mm.

On Your Own: Although the 28-70 works fine for these types of shots,a good wide-angle to short telephoto lens like the 18-55mm isinvaluable for pet photography. This type of lens allows you thefreedom to try many different compositions, from wide-angle shots toclose-ups.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I chose Aperture Priority for this shot to use arelatively wide aperture to throw the background out of focus a bit. Iused the Matrix metering to be sure that both the subject and thebackground were both nicely exposed.

On Your Own: Programmed Auto can work fine when photographingpets. It frees you from worrying about the exposure and allows you toconcentrate on dealing with the animal.


On Your Own: Your exposures may vary depending on the setting thatyour subject is in. Using a wide aperture can help blur out distractingbackground details. A fast shutter speed can also help to keep yoursubject sharp in case of any movement.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 180


Portrait PhotographyPortrait photography can be one of the eas-iest or one of the most challenging types ofphotography. Almost anyone with a cameracan do it, yet it can be a complicatedendeavor. Sometimes simply pointing acamera at someone and snapping a picturecan create an interesting portrait; othertimes elaborate lighting setups may beneeded to create a mood or to add dramato your subject.

A portrait, simply stated, is the likeness of aperson — usually the subject’s face —whether it is a drawing, a painting, or a pho-tograph. A good portrait should go furtherthan that. It should go beyond simply show-ing your subject’s likeness and delve a bitdeeper, hopefully revealing some of yoursubject’s character or emotion also.

You have lots of things to think about whenyou set out to do a portrait. The first thing toponder (after you’ve found your subject, ofcourse) is the setting. The setting is thebackground and surroundings, the placewhere you shoot the photograph. You needto decide what kind of mood you want toevoke. For example, if you’re looking to cre-ate a somber mood with a serious model,you may want to try a dark background. Forsomething more festive, you may need abackground with a bright color or multiplecolors. Your subject may also have someideas about how they want the image toturn out. Keep an open mind and be readyto try some other ideas that you may havenot considered.

There are many different ways to evoke acertain mood or ambiance in a portraitimage. Lighting and background are theprincipal ways to achieve an effect, butthere are other ways. Shooting the image inblack and white can give your portrait anevocative feel to it. You can shoot yourimage so that the colors are more vivid giv-ing your photo a live, vibrant feeling, or youcan tone the colors down for a more ethe-real look.

Studio considerationsStudio portraits are essentially indoor por-traits, except that with studio portraits thelighting and background are controlled to amuch greater extent. The studio portrait isentirely dependent on the lighting andbackground to set the tone of the image.

The most important part of a studio settingis the lighting setup. Directionality and toneare a big part of studio lighting, and closeattention must be paid to both. There arequite a few things to keep in mind whensetting up for a studio portrait. A few thingsto consider:

✦ What kind of tone are you look-ing for? Do you want the portraitto be bright and playful or somberand moody? These elements mustbe considered, and the appropriatelighting and background must beset up.

✦ Do you want to use props?Sometimes having a prop in theshot can add interest to an other-wise bland portrait.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 181


✦ What kind of background isbest for your shot? The back-ground is crucial to the moodand/or setting of the shot. Forexample, when shooting a high-key portrait you must have abright, colored background. Youcan also use props in the back-ground to evoke a feeling or spe-cific place. One photographer Iknow went so far as to build walls,complete with windows, inside hisstudio. He then set up a couch,end tables, and lamps to create a1970s-style motel room for a seriesof photographs he was shootingfor assignment.

✦ What type of lighting willachieve your mood? Do you wanthard or soft light? Do you need tolight the background?

Studio portraits require the most thoughtand planning of all the different types ofportraits. This type of photography alsorequires the most equipment; lights, stands,reflectors, backgrounds, and props are just afew of the things you may need.

For more information on lightingand accessories, see Chapter 4.

CandidSometimes the best portraits can be takenin available light when the subject isn’t nec-essarily aware of the photographer. This isknown as candid portrait photography.Many photojournalists use this approach toportraiture.

7.34 I shot this candid portrait of mixed martial arts fighter Lane Yarborough during a breakin the action. Shot with a Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens set to 80mm, ISO 800 at f/3.5 for1/180 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 182

The main difference between candid por-trait photography and standard portraits iscontrol. Candid portraits are most often shotin available light with little interactionbetween the subject and photographer. Youmust be on your toes and ready for any-thing. Portraits in the studio are usuallycarefully planned with the photographerusing certain settings to achieve an effect.Candid portrait photographers often have to“shoot from the hip,” figuratively speaking.

Although you can use a flash when doingcandid photography you run the risk ofattracting the attention of your subject,therefore ruining the spontaneity of themoment. So if you’re going to use a flashyou better get it right the first time for theopportunity probably won’t be there again.

Using an automatic setting such asProgrammed Auto can help you focus ongetting the shot rather than worrying aboutthe settings.

IndoorWhen shooting portraits indoors, moreoften than not there isn’t enough light tomake a correct exposure without using flashor some sort of other additional lighting.Although the built-in flash on the D60sometimes works very well, especially out-doors, I find that when I try to use it for anindoor portrait, the person ends up lookinglike a deer caught in headlights. This type oflighting is very unnatural looking and does-n’t lend itself well for portraiture. It worksfine for snapshots, but your goal here is toget beyond taking snapshots and move upto making quality images. If you absolutelymust use the built-in flash, using a flash dif-fuser greatly improves your images.

The easiest way to achieve a more natural-looking portrait indoors is to move yoursubject close to a window. This gives youmore light to work with and the windowacts as a diffuser, softening the light and giv-ing your subject a nice glow.


7.35 Cassiday with very directional and hardlight. I placed an SB-800 Speedlight off tocamera left aimed directly at her with nodiffuser. When I was setting up this shot Irealized that I only brought one SB-800Speedlight (the D60 built-in flash does notfunction as a wireless commander). The SB-800 can be triggered by another flash(SU-4 mode). I set the built-in flash toManual mode at the lowest power setting. Iblocked the light just allowing enough flashto trigger the off-camera SB-800, achievinga sort of wireless flash with the D60’s built-in flash after all.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 183

Another easy way to get nice portrait light-ing indoors is to use an additional lightsource, as I did for figure 7.35. A goodsource of additional lighting is one of theNikon Speedlights. As with the built-in flash,photographing your subject with theSpeedlight pointed straight at him or her isunadvisable. When using one of the shoe-mounted Speedlights, the best bet is tobounce the flash off the ceiling or a nearbywall to soften the flash. Ideally, use the flashoff-camera, utilizing the wireless capabilitiesof the Nikon’s Speedlights or simply using aSC-29 off-camera TTL flash cord.

OutdoorWhen you shoot portraits outdoors, theproblems that you encounter are usually theexact opposite of the problems you havewhen you shoot indoors. The light tends tobe too bright, causing the shadows on yoursubject to be too dark. This results in animage with too much contrast.

In order to combat this contrast problem,you can use your flash. I know that thissounds counterintuitive; you’re probablythinking, “If I have too much light, whyshould I add more?” Using the flash in thebright sunlight fills in the dark shadows,resulting in a more evenly exposed image.This technique is known as fill-flash.

Another way to combat images that have toomuch contrast when you’re shooting out-doors is to have someone hold a diffusionpanel over your model or move your modelinto a shaded area such as under a tree or aporch. This helps block the direct sunlight,providing you with a nice soft light for yourportrait. Using a reflector to direct some lightinto the shadow areas of the face worksreally well also.

For more information on fill-flash see Chapter 4. For moreinformation on diffusion panelssee Chapter 6.


7.36 For this outdoor portrait, I placed Mikeunder the shadow of a nearby bridge toblock the harsh afternoon sun. I used anSB-600 set to iTTL-BL to provide fill-flash to give an even exposure between thebackground and the subject. Thecombination of wide aperture and longerfocal length makes the background a nicesoft indistinct blur of color. Shot with aNikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 lens zoomed to70mm, ISO 100 at f/2.8 for 1/640 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 184


Portrait photography practice

7.37 Inne in a 1940s-style Hollywood pose

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 185


Table 7.12Taking Portrait Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.37, my model Inne and I wanted to do ashoot reminiscent of a 1940s Hollywood starlet.

On Your Own: You can find inspiration in many different areas; lookinto the past for some interesting ideas. Portraits can portray manydifferent moods from somber to happy. Try to bring out some of yoursubject’s personality.

Lighting Practice Picture: For this shot, I used a 200-watt-second studio strobeset up to the right of the camera. The strobe was bounced into a 36-inch standard umbrella to soften the light.

On Your Own: There are a lot of different studio lighting techniques. Ifind that using softboxes and umbrellas gives softer lighting causing thesubject’s skin to appear smoother. This allows me to spend less timeon post-process retouching. The Internet has many different resourcesfor learning about studio lighting.

Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 zoomed to 26mm. I used awider angle than I normally would to add a different perspective to thisshot.

On Your Own: When shooting portraits, it’s generally advisable to use a longer focal length to avoid the perspective distortion common withwide-angle lenses. Wide-angle lenses, especially when used close up,can cause the subject’s features to appear distorted. For example, thenose can appear too large while the ears will seem too small.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I used Manual exposure mode for this and all of theshots that I take using studio strobes. I preset the camera’s whitebalance using a grey.

On Your Own: When shooting natural light portraits, Aperture Prioritymode is the preferred setting. This gives you the option to control thedepth of field. Be sure to set your white balance to the proper lightsource. When using external studio strobes use Manual exposure to setyour shutter speed to the sync speed of the camera and to choose youraperture. It is also a good idea to set a custom white balance to matchthe strobes.


On Your Own: When using studio strobes, shooting at or near the syncspeed is recommended. Using a wide aperture is common to drawattention to the subject and blur out the background, but be sure thatyour aperture is small enough to get your whole subject’s face in focus.

Accessories I used a Wein Safe-Sync hot shoe PC terminal to trigger the strobes.Using a reflector can help bounce some light into shadow areas.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 186

Portrait photography tips✦ Plan some poses. Take a look at

some photos in fashion magazinesor even on the Internet and findsome poses that you like. Havethese in mind when photographingyour models.

✦ Have some extra outfits. Askyour model to bring a variety ofclothes. This way you can get somedifferent looks during one shoot.


Still-life and ProductPhotographyIn still-life and product photography, light-ing is the key to making the image work.You can set a tone using creative lighting toconvey the feeling of the subject. You canalso use lighting to show texture, color, andform to turn a dull image into a great one.

When practicing for product shots or exper-imenting with a still life, you obviously needto locate something to photograph. It canbe one object or a collection of objects.Remember, if you are shooting a collectiontry to keep within a particular theme so theimage has a feeling of continuity. Start bydeciding which object you want to have asthe main subject, and then place the otherobjects around it, paying close attention tothe balance of the composition.

The background is another important con-sideration when photographing products orstill-life scenes. Having an uncluttered back-ground that showcases your subject is oftenbest, although you may want to show theparticular item in a scene, such as photo-graphing a piece of fruit on a cutting boardwith a knife in a kitchen.

7.38 The lighting situation was difficult withtwo distinct color temperatures, one fromthe tungsten lights of the room, the otherfrom the daylight filtering in through thewindows, so I shot the image in RAW so Icould manipulate the white balance in post-processing. At ISO 1600 my shutter speedwas relatively slow so I used the VR feature.Shot with a Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VRlens set to 20mm, ISO 1600 at f/3.8 for 1/5second Exposure compensation +0.7.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 187

Diffused lighting is often the best in thistype of photography. You don’t want harshshadows to make your image look like youshot it with a flash. The idea is to light it soit doesn’t look as if it was lit. You can usehard directional lighting to highlight any tex-ture that your subject may have, but youwant the lighting to come from off-camera.If you use on-camera flash using a diffuser isalmost absolutely necessary.

Even with diffusion, the shadow areas needsome filling in. You can do this by using asecond light as fill or by using a fill card. A fillcard is a piece of white foam board or posterboard used to bounce some light from themain light back into the shadows, lighteningthem a bit. When using two or more lights,

be sure that your fill light isn’t too bright, or itcan cause you to have two shadows.Remember, the key to good lighting is toemulate the natural lighting of the sun.

InspirationWhen searching for subjects for a still-lifeshot, try using some personal items. Someideas are objects such as jewelry orwatches, a collection of trinkets you boughton vacation, or even seashells you broughthome from the beach. If you’re interested incooking, try photographing some dishes youhave prepared. Fruits and vegetables arealways good subjects, especially when theyhave vivid colors or interesting textures.


7.39 Sushi is one of my favorite subjects for still-life photography. To light this setup I usedan SB-600 connected to the camera using a Nikon SC-29 off-camera TTL cord. I held theflash above the sushi slightly to the left to give the shot some texture and shadows. Ispecifically chose a wide-open aperture to draw attention to the centerpiece of sushiallowing the others to go out of focus while retaining some color and definition to addinterest to the shot. Shot with a Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 lens set to 55mm. Spot metered,ISO 200 at f/2.8 for 1/60 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 188


Table 7.13Taking Still-life Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.40, I set out to take a picture of my road-worn Fender Telecaster. Its battle-scarred appearance makes it aninteresting subject for a still life. I chose to photograph this on a blackbackground in order to allow the guitar to stand out.

On Your Own: Simple arrangements work best for still-life photos.Cramming too many objects into the composition can leave it lookingcluttered. Keep it simple.

Continued

7.40 Fender Telecaster

Still-life and product photography practice

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 189


Table 7.13 (continued)Lighting Practice Picture: For this shot, I used two older SB-26 Speedlights at

camera left that were mounted on stands and fired through shoot-through umbrellas to soften the light. One flash was positioned low tolight the body of the guitar and the other was set up a little higher tolight the neck. I wanted to keep this a low-key shot to emphasize theguitar so the background was deliberately left unlit. I fired theSpeedlights by linking one of the flashes to the camera with a PC synccord and a Wein Safe-Sync; a built-in optical slave triggered the secondflash.

On Your Own: You don’t need expensive studio strobes to achieveprofessional lighting results. These older Speedlights are a fraction ofthe cost of studio strobes and work very well when photographingsmall-to medium-sized setups.

Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 set to 55mm.

On Your Own: A normal to medium telephoto focal length isrecommended to reduce the perspective distortion that can occurwhen shooting close up. This is a common problem when using wide-angle lenses. For smaller objects, using a macro lens or a telephoto lenscan work well.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: Once again, as with most of my studio shots, I usedManual exposure. When shooting with studio flash the only option is to set the shutter speed and aperture and adjust the lights to fit mychosen settings. When using Nikon CLS (SB-800 commander and SB-600 remotes) I use Aperture Priority to control my depth of field.

On Your Own: Be sure to adjust your white balance settings to matchyour light source. Shooting in RAW can also help you to fine-tune yourwhite balance and exposure in post-processing.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 200 at f/7.1 for 1/60 second. For this shot, I firstset the shutter speed to 1/60 (the normal flash-sync speed). I then setaperture to f/8 so I would be sure to carry enough depth of field; theshot was then a little dark so I opened up the aperture a little more toget just the right exposure.

On Your Own: Manual exposure is the best choice if using studiostrobes, but if you’re taking advantage of the Nikon CLS using a NikonSpeedlight setup you can just as easily shoot in one of the auto modessuch as Programmed Auto, Shutter Priority, or Aperture Priority.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 190

Still-life and productphotography tips✦ Keep it simple. Don’t try to pack

too many objects into your compo-sition. Having too many objects forthe eye to focus on can lead to aconfusing image.

✦ Use items with bold colors anddynamic shapes. Bright colors and

shapes can be eye-catching andadd interest to your composition.

✦ Vary your light output. Whenusing more than one light on thesubject, You can also use one as afill light with lower power to add alittle depth to the subject by creat-ing subtle shadows and variedtones.


Travel PhotographyTraveling can provide you with the opportu-nity to take some of your most interestingphotos. Foreign locations can be truly inspir-ing. Filled with strange and wonderful peo-ple and scenes they can fuel your creativity,but don’t forget that there are many travel

opportunities right in your own backyard.Domestic travel can be just as compelling asforeign travel.

Travel photography doesn’t just includephoto-taking. One of the most importantaspects about this type of photographystarts before you even leave for your trip —

Photo ©Julian Humphries (http://flickr.com/photos/austintexas/)

7.41 Rue Damrémont, Paris, France. This is a perfect example of travel and streetphotography. This shot shows the Paris nightlife coming alive just after sunset. The ratherslow shutter speed blurs the people giving you a sense of motion while the rest of thescene is in sharp focus. Shot with a Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens zoomed to 18mm, ISO800 at f/3.5 for 1/25 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 191

packing. Most people who have traveledextensively know that packing light is a must.Lugging around every piece of cameraequipment you have can be physicallyexhausting. Take only what you need, butdon’t leave any essentials behind. Manytimes you can cover all of your bases byusing smaller pieces of gear. If I’m going ona short hike often I use the smaller55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR lens rather than bring-ing along a huge 70-200 f/2.8 VR. I may losea couple of stops of light, but I save myselfsome space and weight. It’s the small thingsthat can make a big difference. If it’s in yourbudget the 18-200mm VR lens makes anexcellent travel lens encompassing a widerange of focal lengths in one compact lens.

InspirationUncommon architecture, people, and land-scape features are just a few of the thingsyou may find on your ventures. Most of thetopics covered in this chapter can be relatedto your travel photography, from abstracts tolandscapes to wildlife photos. The mostimportant part about travel photography isto use your images to not only rememberwhat the place looked like, but also to con-vey the feeling of the locale. For example,when in a foreign place a few shots of thelocal people can remind you of the culturaldifferences that exist in some areas of theworld or even just regional differences.


7.42 View from Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar, Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. With mostof the recent shots of New Orleans centering on the destruction from the hurricane, Iwanted to show New Orleans in a different light. This view just struck me as wholly “NewOrleanian.” Shot with a Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens zoomed to 55mm, ISO 100 atf/5.6 for 1/800 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 192

Travel photography practice


Table 7.14Taking Travel Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: Figure 7.43 is a shot of the statue honoring thesoldiers who fought for Texas independence. In the background is therotunda of the capitol building. Although I didn’t have to travel far totake this picture, Austin is the capital of Texas and is a travel destinationfor many people from here and abroad. My attempt was to show a littlebit about the spirit of Texas.

On Your Own: Try to capture the feeling and spirit that exists indifferent places of the world. You can also take a series of images to tella story about your travels.

Continued

7.43 Texas State Capitol

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 193

Travel photography tips✦ Keep your gear close. When trav-

eling, especially abroad, keep aclose eye on your gear. Manythieves target camera gear becauseit’s fairly expensive and smallenough to grab and make a quickgetaway.

✦ Bring plenty of memory. There’snothing worse than missing aonce-in-a-lifetime shot becauseyou ran out of space on your SDcard. It’s also a good idea to bringalong a few memory cards. It canbe better to have four 2GB cardsas opposed to one 8GB card incase your card fails or malfunc-tions. It’s best not to have all ofyour eggs in one basket.


Table 7.14 (continued)Lighting Practice Picture: This was shot just after sunset, using only the light

that was provided by the fading sun. I first metered on the rotunda ofthe capitol to capture the color of it and the sky allowing the statue tofall mostly in dark shadow for dramatic effect. I locked the exposurethen recomposed the shot-locking focus on the statue.

On Your Own: A lot of the time when traveling you don’t have the timeto wait for the ideal lighting conditions to come along so you may haveto make do with what you have. You can also try to plan your trip sothat you arrive at your destination when the lighting is likely to be ideal.

Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 zoomed to 50mm. I used afairly long setting in order to create a close, frame-filling crop.

On Your Own: Use a wide-angle setting to capture vistas or you canchoose to zoom in to focus on smaller details. Having a zoom lens thatgoes from a wide-angle to a short telephoto is almost a necessity whentraveling. This type of lens is very versatile and can be used to coveralmost any type of scene you encounter.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I used Aperture Priority mode to control the depth offield. The image was shot in RAW so I could be sure to adjust the whitebalance to my preference later in post-processing.

On Your Own: Shooting in RAW can give you a little insurance in caseyour camera doesn’t record the white balance or exposure exactly asyou want it.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 400 at f/2.8 for 1/50 second. I also set theExposure compensation to –0.7EV in order keep the statue lookingdark and giving the background colors more saturation. The aperturewas opened wider to give the capitol a softer appearance.

On Your Own: Underexposing a bit when photographing areas withboth light and dark areas can give your colors deeper saturation andcan give your image a more dramatic feel.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 194

✦ Do some research on your desti-nation. Knowing what type ofscenery to expect can help you todecide what kind of equipment topack. For example, if you know

you’ll be shooting mostly land-scapes, a wide-angle lens will beneeded. If you’re going to be shoot-ing a lot of indoor subjects you mayneed a fast lens or a tripod.


WildlifePhotographyPhotographing wildlife is a fun and reward-ing pastime that can also be intensely frus-trating. If you know what you want tophotograph, it can mean standing out in thefreezing cold or blazing heat for hours on

end, waiting for the right animal to showup. But when you get that one shot you’vebeen waiting for, it’s well worth it.

Wildlife can be found at many differentplaces: zoos, wildlife preserves, and animalsanctuaries, as well as out in the wild. One ofthe easiest ways to capture wildlife photos isto be where you know the animals are.

7.44 Armadillo, Canyon of the Eagles State Park, Texas. While I didn’tsee any eagles this day, I did spot this armadillo foraging for food.When he saw me he popped up his head just log enough to snapthis picture. Shot with a Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR lens set to92mm, ISO 400 at f/5.6 at 1/60 second, VR on.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 195

Wildlife photography is another one ofthose areas of photography where people’sopinions differ on whether or not youshould use flash. I tend not to use flash toavoid scaring off the animals. But, as withany type of photography, there are circum-stances in which you might want to use aflash, such as if the animal is backlit and youwant to bring out some detail.

Opportunities to take wildlife pictures canoccur when you’re hiking in the wilderness,or maybe when you’re sitting out on yourback porch enjoying the sunset. With a littleperseverance and luck, you can get somegreat wildlife images, just like the ones yousee in National Geographic.

InspirationYou can go to wildlife reserves, a zoo, or evenyour backyard to find wildlife. I tend to go theeasy route, focusing on places where I’mpretty sure to find what I’m looking for. Forexample, while driving through Louisiana, Isaw a sign that advertised an alligator swamptour. I was pretty sure I’d see some alligatorsif I went. And even though I’d missed the lasttour, there were still plenty of alligators there.

Even in the city or urban areas, you may beable to find wildlife, such as songbirdsperched on a power line or hawks in treesnear roadsides. A lot of cities have largerparks where you can find squirrels or othersmaller animals as well. For example, I’vephotographed the animals at a park nearmy studio where you can see peacocks andarmadillos running around.


7.45 Alligator, Irish Bayou, Louisiana. Shot with a Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 lens zoomed to200mm. ISO 200 at f/2.8 for 1/500 second.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 196

Wildlife photography practice


7.46 Geese

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 197


Table 7.15Taking Wildlife Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: I stopped to take a swamp tour in the AtchafalayaBasin. I missed the tour but I continued to wander around the areahoping to catch a glimpse of some alligators. I happened to see the twogeese in Figure 7.46 posturing. I lifted my camera and did somemaneuvering to create this symmetrically patterned composition.

On Your Own: You can go to state parks or wildlife preserves to tryyour hand at photographing wildlife if you are interested in more thanwhat you might find in an urban backyard. If you aren’t successful inyour hunt, at least you can enjoy a hike.

Lighting Practice Picture: The golden light that often occurs before sunset litthese birds giving them a bit of a golden glow.

On Your Own: Wild animals aren’t often inclined to cooperate with youby being in the perfect lighting at all times, so you should basically takewhat you can get. Don’t miss out on a shot because the lighting is lessthan ideal. However, going out in search of wildlife near sunrise orsunset should help you to catch those animals in some nice light.

Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 zoomed to 200mm.

On Your Own: A long telephoto lens is almost an absolute necessitywhen it comes to photographing wild animals. Geese are known to bequite aggressive and had I gotten too close I probably wouldn’t havebeen able to capture them in this perfect pose.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: This shot was taken using Aperture Priority. I choseAperture Priority to select a wide aperture to blur out the distractingelements of the swamp boats in the background. It was captured inRAW, and Matrix metering was used.

On Your Own: When shooting with a long lens it is often best to useShutter Priority to be sure that you have a fast-enough shutter speed to counteract any camera shake (remember that longer focal lengthssuffer from camera shake due to the extreme magnification). You maywant to choose Aperture Priority to control your depth of field. Spotmetering can also be a good choice, allowing you to be sure that thesubject is properly exposed. Shooting in RAW can give you a littlelatitude in post-processing if the lighting isn’t exactly right.


On Your Own: Because the sun was just starting to go down, therewasn’t quite enough light so I adjusted the ISO up a bit. A shutterspeed of 1/250 second is just about the minimum you can get awaywith when handholding the camera at this focal length.

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 198

Wildlife photography tips✦ Use a telephoto lens. This allows

you to remain inconspicuous tothe animal, enabling you to catch itacting naturally.

✦ Seize an opportunity. Even if youdon’t have the lens zoomed to theright focal length for capturingwildlife, snap a few shots anyhow.You can always crop them later ifthey aren’t perfect. It’s better to getthe shot than not.

✦ Be patient. It may take a fewhours, or even a few trips, to theoutdoors before you have thechance to see any wild animals.Keep the faith; it will happen eventually.

✦ Keep an eye on the background.When photographing animals at azoo, keep an eye out for cages andother things that look man-made —and avoid them. It’s best to try tomake the animal look like it’s inthe wild by finding an angle thatshows foliage and other naturalfeatures.


13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 199

13_383124 ch07.qxp 6/4/08 9:37 AM Page 200

88C H A P T E RViewing,Downloading,and theRetouchMenu

You can use the D60’s large, bright 2.5-inch, 230,000-dot VGA LCD monitor to view your images and then,

use the in-camera editing features that allow you to savesome time in post-processing and give you the option to fine-tune your images for printing without ever having to down-load your images to a computer. Nikon also offers some newoptions on the D60 that have not been available on othercameras, such as the ability to make a stop-motion movie thatyou can view on your computer or share on the Internet viaYouTube or the new Flickr video.

Viewing Your ImagesThe Nikon D60 offers two ways to view your images while theSD card is still inserted in the camera. You can view theimages directly on the LCD monitor on the camera or you canhook your camera up to a standard TV using the Nikon EG-D100 video cable that’s available separately from Nikon.Nikon used to supply these cables with all of its cameras butfor some reason chose not to include it with the D60 kit. Youcan find the EG-D100 cable at most camera shops or onlinefor around $10.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Chapter

Viewing your images

Downloading images

The Retouch menu

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 201

When viewing through an external devicesuch as a TV, the view is the same as wouldnormally be displayed on the LCD monitor.The camera’s buttons and dials functionexactly the same.

Before connecting the camera to your tele-vision you need to set the Video Out mode.There are two different types of video inter-face, NTSC and PAL. These modes controlhow the electronic signal is processed. InNTSC mode, the likely setting if you are inNorth or South America, 30 frames aretransmitted each second with each framebeing made up of 525 scan lines. PAL mode,used mainly in Europe and Asia, transmits25 frames per second with each framemade up of 625 scan lines.

While it may never be important to you,knowing this is important if you travel muchbecause these video modes are used in dif-ferent parts of the world. If you are locatedin North America, you want to leave theVideo mode set to NTSC. If you happen tobe located overseas or you are going totravel overseas, you should set the Videomode to PAL. If you’re unsure to whetheryour TV accepts NTSC or PAL, check theowner’s manual of your TV.

To change the Video mode from the defaultsetting:

1. Turn the camera on.

2. Press the Menu button.

3. Use the multiselector button tohighlight the Setup menu.

4. Use the multiselector to high-light Video mode, and thenpress the OK button.

5. Use the multiselector to high-light NTSC (or PAL).

6. Press the OK button to save thesettings.

For more information on play-ing back images, see Chapter 3.

To connect your camera to a standard TV:

1. Turn the camera off. This helpsprevent damage to your camera’selectronics from static electricity.

2. Open the connector cover. Theconnector cover is on the left sideof the camera when the lens is fac-ing away from you.

3. Plug the EG-D100 video cableinto the Video Out jack. This isthe connection at the top. Notethat this Nikon cable is availableseparately.

4. Connect the EG-D100 videocable to the input jack of yourtelevision or VCR.

5. Set your TV to the video chan-nel. This may differ depending onyour TV. See the owner’s manual ifyou are unsure.

6. Turn on the camera and pressthe Playback button. Yourimages appear on the TV screen,beginning with the most recentlytaken.

DownloadingImagesAfter you finish taking your pictures you’reprobably going to want to download themto your computer for further image editingand tweaking, or so you can post them tothe Web or send them off to your friendsand family.


14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 202

Downloading your images is a fairly simpleprocess, and there are a couple of differentways to this. The most common way is toremove the SD card from the camera andinsert it into a card reader that is connectedto your computer. The other option is to usethe USB cable supplied with the D60 andconnect the camera directly to the com-puter. Either option works just as well as theother, and it’s mostly a personal preference.

Using Nikon TransferThere is a CD included inside the box withyour D60. In addition to Nikon Transfer onthe CD there is also Nikon’s image-editingand viewing software, Nikon View. You canuse Nikon View to do most basic editing ofyour photos such as contrast adjustmentsand red-eye removal.

After installing Nikon Transfer, as soon asyour D60 is connected to the computer andturned on the application launches automat-ically (some operating systems may differ).By default, Nikon Transfer is set up to createa new folder named Nikon Transfer whereyour images will be saved. Transfer alsoautomatically creates a numbered subfoldereach time new images are downloaded.

There are a number of different tabs in theNikon Transfer main window that allow youto specify how Nikon Transfer deals withyour files.

SourceThe first tab is the Source tab. This allowsyou to set what type of media NikonTransfer searches for. Clicking the Search For

Chapter 8 ✦ Viewing, Downloading, and the Retouch Menu 203

8.1 The source tab in Nikon Transfer

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 203

drop-down menu allows you to set the pro-gram to recognize when a camera isattached or a removable disk has been con-nected. Both of these options can also beset at the same time. Choosing the cameraoption allows the program to recognize onlywhen a camera has been connected. Whenusing an external card reader you want toset the removable disk option.

Embedded InfoThis tab allows you to attach text informa-tion into the EXIF data of your image. EXIFstands for exchangeable image file. EXIFdata is embedded into your image file andhas information such as the date and time,

camera make and model, white balance set-tings, shutter speed and aperture, exposureand flash modes, as well as other informa-tion. The EXIF data can be read using pro-grams such as Adobe Bridge as well asother image-editing software. Some photosharing Web sites, such as Flickr.com, alsoallow you to view the EXIF data on imagesthat are uploaded.

You can add all sorts of different informa-tion using the Embedded Info feature; adescription of the photo, a title, your nameand address, copyright information, and thelocation that the image was taken. You canalso save a number of presets for saving dif-ferent information.


8.2 The Embedded Info editing screen

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 204

Primary DestinationThis allows you to choose where yourimages are downloaded. You can browseyour hard drive to choose a specific destina-tion or you can leave it at the default. Thereis also an option that allows you to cus-tomize the folder-naming sequence thatNikon Transfer employs.

Backup DestinationThis tab allows you to automatically back upyour images when transferring them. Backingup your images to an external hard drive is agood idea in case of a computer or hard drivefailure. This feature works in much the sameway as the Primary Destination tab.


8.3 Primary Destination tab in Nikon Transfer.

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 205

PreferencesThis tab allows you to customize how theprogram works and what it does with thefiles after transferring them. You can choosefrom a number of different options:

✦ Launch automatically when deviceis attached.

✦ Disconnect automatically aftertransfer.

✦ Shut down computer automaticallyafter transfer.

✦ Quit Nikon Transfer automaticallyafter transfer.

✦ Synchronize camera date and timeto computer when camera is connected.

✦ Transfer new photos only.

✦ Delete original files after transfer.

✦ Open destination folder with otherapplication after transfer.


8.4 Backup Destination tab in Nikon Transfer

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 206

Transferring your imagesAfter everything is set the way you want it,transferring your images is a very simpleprocess. All of the images on the memorycard are displayed as thumbnails in theNikon Transfer window. Below the thumb-nail is the image filename and a check boxthat can be checked or unchecked. Simplyclick in the box to select the image. Whenthe check mark appears in the box, theimage is set to be transferred; if the box isempty, the image is not copied. After youselect all of the images you want to transfer,simply click Start Transfer, which is locatedon the bottom right-hand side of the win-dow. The images are copied to the specifieddestination.

The Retouch MenuThe Nikon D60 has a very handy Retouchmenu. These in-camera editing options makeit simple for you to print straight from thecamera without downloading it to your com-puter or using any image-editing software.

One great feature of using the Retouchmenu is that the camera saves theretouched image as a copy so you don’t losethe original image. This can be beneficial ifyou decide that you would rather edit thephoto on your computer or if you simplyaren’t happy with the outcome. There aretwo ways to access the Retouch menu.


8.5 Preferences tab in Nikon Transfer

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 207

The first and quickest method:

1. Press the Play button to enterPlayback mode. Your mostrecently taken image appears onthe LCD screen.

2. Use the multiselector to reviewyour images. When you see animage you want to retouch pressthe OK button to display theRetouch menu options.

3. Use the multiselector to high-light the Retouch option youwant to use. Depending on theRetouch option you choose, youmay have to select additional settings.

4. Make adjustments if necessary.

5. Press the OK button to save.

The second method:

1. Press the Menu button to viewmenu options.

2. Use the multiselector to scrolldown to the Retouch menu. It’sthe fifth menu down and appearsas an icon with a paintbrush.

3. Press the multiselector right,then use the multiselectorup/down to highlight theRetouch option you want to use.Depending on the Retouch optionyou select, you may have to selectadditional settings. After you selectyour option(s), thumbnails appear.

4. Use the multiselector to selectthe image to retouch, and thenpress the OK button.

5. Make the necessary adjustments.

6. Press the OK button to save.

There are a few options you can selectwhen using the Retouch menu. The optionsvary from cropping your image to adjustingthe color balance to taking red-eye out ofyour pictures.

Quick retouchThe Quick retouch option is the easiestoption. The camera automatically adjusts thecontrast and saturation making your imagebrighter and more colorful, perfect for print-ing straight from the camera or memorycard. In the event that your image is dark orbacklit the camera also automatically appliesD-Lighting to help bring out details in theshadow areas of your picture.

Once your image is selected for Quickretouch you can choose how much of theeffect is applied: High, Normal, or Low. The LCD monitor displays a side-by-side


Filter effectsMonochrome

Small picture

TrimRed-eye correctionD-LightingQuick retouch

RETOUCH MENU

NEF (RAW) processingImage overlay

Stop-motion movie

Small pictureFilter effectsMonochromeTrim

RETOUCH MENU

RAW

8.6 The Retouch menu options

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 208

comparison between the image as shot andretouched to give you a better idea of whatthe effect looks like.

After you decide how much of the effect youwant, press the OK button to save a copy ofthe retouched image or you can press thePlayback button to cancel without makingany changes to your picture.

D-LightingThis allows you to adjust the image bybrightening the shadows. This is not thesame as Active D-Lighting. D-Lighting uses acurves adjustment to help to bring outdetails in the shadow areas of an image.This option is for use with backlit subjects orimages that may be slightly underexposed.

1. With the D-Lighting optionselected from the Retouchmenu, use the multiselector tochoose a thumbnail and theZoom in button to get a closerlook at the image.

2. Press the OK button to choosethe image to retouch. Twothumbnails are displayed; one isthe original image, and the other isthe image with D-Lighting applied.

3. Use the multiselector up ordown to select the amount of D-Lighting: Low, Normal, orHigh. The results can be viewed inreal time and compared with theoriginal before saving.

4. Press the OK button to save thechanges. You can also press thePlayback button to cancel and theZoom in button to view the full-frame image.

Red-eye correctionThis option enables the camera to automat-ically correct for the red-eye effect that cansometimes be caused by using the flash onpictures taken of people or animals. Thisoption is only available on photos taken withflash. When choosing images to retouchfrom the Playback menu by pressing the OKbutton during preview, this option is grayedout and cannot be selected if the cameradetects that a flash was not used. Whenattempting to choose an image directly fromthe Retouch menu, a message is displayedstating that this image cannot be used.

Once an image is selected, press the OKbutton; the camera then automatically cor-rects the red-eye and saves a copy of theimage to your SD card.

If an image is selected that flash was usedon but there is no red-eye present, the cam-era displays a message stating that red-eyeis not detected in the image and noretouching is done.


D-Lighting

High

SaveOKCancel Zoom

8.7 The D-Lighting option

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 209

TrimThis option allows you to crop your image toremove distracting elements or to allow youto crop closer to the subject.

1. With the Trim option selectedfrom the Retouch menu, use themultiselector to choose athumbnail.

2. Press the OK button to choosethe image to trim.

3. Use the Zoom in and Zoom outbuttons to adjust the size of thecrop. This allows you to cropcloser in or farther out, dependingon your needs.

4. Use the multiselector to movethe crop around the image soyou can center the crop on thepart of the image that you thinkis most important.

5. When you are happy with thecrop you have selected, pressthe OK button to save a copy ofyour cropped image. You canalso press the Playback button toreturn to the main menu withoutsaving.

MonochromeThis option allows you to make a copy ofyour color image in a monochrome format.There are three options:

✦ Black-and-white. This changesyour image to shades of black,white, and gray.

✦ Sepia. This gives your image thelook of a black-and-white photothat has been sepia toned. Sepiatoning is a traditional photographicprocess that gives the photo a reddish-brown tint.

✦ Cyanotype. This option gives yourphotos a blue or cyan tint.Cyanotypes are a form of process-ing film-based photographicimages.


8.9 An image converted to black and white

8.10 An image converted to sepia

SaveOK

1280x960

Cancel

8.8 Using the in-camera crop (Trim) option

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 210

When selecting the Sepia or Cyanotypeoptions you can use the multiselector upand down buttons to adjust the lightness ordarkness of the effect. Press the OK buttonto save a copy of the image or press thePlayback button to cancel without saving.

Filter effectsFilter effects allow you to simulate theeffects of using certain filters over your lensto subtly modify the colors of your image.There are seven filter effects available:

✦ Skylight. A skylight filter is used toabsorb some of the UV rays emit-ted by the sun. The UV rays cangive your image a slightly bluishtint. Using the skylight filter effectcauses your image to be less blue.

✦ Warm filter. A warming filter addsa little orange to your image togive it a warmer hue. This filtereffect can sometimes be usefulwhen using flash because flash cansometimes cause your images tofeel a little too cool.

✦ Red intensifier. This adds a redcolorcast to your image. You canuse the multiselector up/down tolighten or darken the effect.

✦ Green intensifier. This adds agreen colorcast to your image. Youcan use the multiselector up/downto lighten or darken the effect.

✦ Blue intensifier. This adds a bluecolorcast to your image. You canuse the multiselector up/down tolighten or darken the effect.

✦ Cross screen. This effect simulatesthe use of a star filter. A star filtercreates a star-shaped pattern onthe bright highlights in your image.If your image doesn’t have anybright highlights the effect is notapparent. Once an image isselected from the cross screen filteryou see a submenu with a fewoptions that you can adjust. Youcan choose the number of pointson the stars: 4, 6, or 8. You canalso choose the amount; there arethree settings, which give youmore or less stars. You can choosethree angle settings, which controlthe angle at which the star is tilted.You also have three settings thatcontrol the length of the points onthe stars.

✦ Color balance. Although this reallyisn’t a filter effect, you can use theColor balance option to create acopy of an image on which youhave adjusted the color balance.Using this option, you can use themultiselector to add a color tint toyour image. You can use this effectto neutralize an existing color tintor to add a color tint for artisticpurposes.

Press the multiselector up toincrease the amount of green,down to increase the amount ofmagenta, left to add blue, and rightto add amber.


8.11 An image converted to cyanotype

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 211

A color chart and color histogramsare displayed along with an imagepreview so you can see how thecolor balance affects your image.When you are satisfied with yourimage, press the OK button to savea copy.

After choosing the desired filter effect, pressthe OK button to save a copy of your imagewith the effect added.

Small pictureThis is a handy option that allows you tomake a copy of your images that are asmaller size. These smaller pictures are moresuitable for e-mailing to friends and family.

1. The first thing you need to dowhen creating a small picture isto select the Choose size optionfrom the Small picture sub-menu. You have three sizes tochoose from: 640 × 480, 320 ×240, or 160 × 120.

2. After deciding what size youwant your small picture copiesto be, go to the Select pictureoption. When the Select pictureoption is selected the LCD displaysthumbnails of all of the images inthe current folder. Scroll throughyour images using the multiselec-tor left and right.

3. Select or deselect images usingthe multiselector up and down.You can select as many images asyou have on your memory card.


OKOKCancel8.12 Color chart and histograms using theColor balance option

8.13 Cross screen filter before (left) and after (right)

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 212

4. Press the OK button to makethe copies when all of theimages that you want to make asmall copy of are selected.

Image overlayThis option allows you to combine two RAWimages and save them as one. This menuoption can only be accessed by entering theRetouch menu using the Menu button (thelonger route); you cannot access this optionby pressing the OK button when in Playbackmode.

To use this option you musthave at least two RAW imagessaved to your memory card.This option is not available foruse with JPEG images.

To use this option, follow these steps:

1. Press the Menu button to viewthe menu options.

2. Use the multiselector to scrolldown to the Retouch menu, andpress the multiselector right toenter the Retouch menu.

3. Use the multiselector up/downto highlight Image overlay.

4. Press the multiselector right.This displays the Image overlaymenu.

5. Press the OK button to viewRAW image thumbnails. Use themultiselector to highlight the firstRAW image to be used in the over-lay. Press the OK button to select it.

6. Adjust the exposure of Image 1pressing the multiselector up ordown. Press the OK button whenthe image is adjusted to your liking.

7. Press the multiselector right toswitch to Image 2.

8. Press the OK button to viewRAW image thumbnails. Use themultiselector to highlight the sec-ond RAW image to be used in theoverlay. Press the OK button toselect it.

9. Adjust the exposure of Image 2by pressing the multiselector upor down. Press the OK buttonwhen the image is adjusted toyour liking.

10. Press the multiselector right tohighlight the Preview window.

11. Press the multiselector up ordown to highlight Overlay topreview the image, or use themultiselector to highlight Saveto save the image without previewing.

NEF (RAW) ProcessingThis option allows you to do some basicediting to images saved in the RAW formatwithout downloading them to a computerand using image-editing software. Thisoption is limited in its function, but it allowsyou to fine-tune your image more preciselywhen printing straight from the camera ormemory card.

Note


Image overlay

Preview

OverlaySave

Image 1

x 1 . 0

RAW

Image 2

x 1 . 0

RAW

SelectZoom OK

8.14 Image overlay screen

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 213

You can save a copy of your image in JPEGformat. You can choose the image qualityand size at which the copy is saved, you canadjust the white balance settings, fine-tunethe Exposure compensation, and select anOptimize image setting to be applied.

To apply RAW processing, follow thesesteps:

1. Enter the NEF (RAW) Processingmenu through the Retouchmenu. Press the OK button toview thumbnails of the imagestored on your card. Only imagessaved in RAW format are displayed.

2. Use the multiselector left andright to scroll through thethumbnails and press the OKbutton to select the highlightedimage. This displays a dialogscreen with the image adjustmentsubmenu located to the right ofthe image you have selected.

3. Use the multiselector up/downto highlight the adjustment youwant to make. You can set thefollowing:

• Image quality

• Image size

• White balance

• Exposure compensation

• Optimize image

EXE (the last item on the list) actu-ally sets the changes and saves acopy of the image in JPEG formatat the size and quality that youhave selected. The camera defaultsaves the image as a Large, FineJPEG. You can also use the Zoomin button to view a full-screen preview.

4. When you have made youradjustments use the multiselec-tor to highlight EXE and pressthe OK button to save changes,or press the Playback button tocancel without saving.

For more information on ImageSize, Quality, White balance,and Exposure compensationsee Chapter 2.

Stop-motion movieThis option allows you to link together up to100 images to be shown in a series andsaved as a movie (AVI) file. Stop motion isused in animation to make still objectsappear as if they are moving, similar to car-toon animation. Basically how it works isyou take a shot of an object, move it slightly,take another shot, and so on. After theseimages are linked and played, the still objectappears to move. The effect is sort of acrude, jerky animation. I don’t find the needto use this option very often, but if you havesome time and patience I’m sure you couldput together some very interesting shortmovies.


NEF (RAW) processing

Image quality

OKOKCancel Zoom

AUTO

EXE

FINE

0

8.15 NEF (RAW) processing menu screen

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 214

Some other ways to use this feature wouldbe to shoot an action sequence such as askateboarder jumping a ramp and link ittogether to show the motion or even to puttogether a quick slide show of randomimages from your memory card. Followthese steps:

1. After shooting a sequence ofimages, go to the Stop-motionmovies option in the Retouchmenu and press the OK button.This brings you to a menu screenthat gives you the options ofCreate movie, Frame size, andFrame rate.

2. Select Frame size. This allows youto choose how large the stillframes in your movie are. Thechoices are:

• 640 × 480. This option storesyour images at 640 pixels x 480pixels. This is a suitable size forviewing on a small TV or com-puter monitor. This optionresults in a rather large file size.

• 320 × 240. This option is moresuitable for posting to your Website or to a site that hosts videosuch as YouTube or Flickr.

• 160 × 120. This gives you thesmallest file size and is suitablefor e-mailing.

3. After you set your frame size,use the multiselector to scrolldown to Frame rate and pressthe OK button. This gives you theoptions for the frame rate. Theframe rate, given in frames per sec-ond (fps), is how many still imagesare shown per second. There arefour options:

• 15 fps. This is the highestoption and generally speaking15 fps is about the minimumacceptable frame rate you canuse before your movie appearsjerky.

• 10 fps. This shows you tenimages per second and appearssomewhat jerky.

• 6 fps. This shows you siximages per second. The videoappears very jerky.

• 3 fps. This shows three imagesper second.

4. After you choose your framesize and rate use the multiselec-tor to scroll up to Create movieand press the OK button. Thisbrings you to a menu screenwhere you choose a starting imageand a stopping image for yourmovie.

5. Using the multiselector, choosethe image you want to start onand press the OK button toselect it.


Frame size

640 X 480

15 fps

Frame rate

Create movie

Stop-motion movie

8.16 Choosing the frame rate and size

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 215

6. Using the multiselector, choosethe image you want to stop onand press the OK button.

7. If you are happy with yourchoices, press the OK buttonagain to save or use the multiselector button to highlightEdit, and then Press OK to makenew choices.

8. After you save your startingpoint you are shown yet anothermenu. There are four options:

• Save. This option allows you toinstantly save the stop-motionmove file to your memory card.

• Preview. This allows you toview the stop-motion movie onyour LCD monitor before savingto the memory card.

• Frame rate. This allows you toadjust the frame rate as before:15 fps, 10 fps, 6 fps, or 3 fps.

• Edit. This allows you to changethe starting and ending frame aswell as to choose to not showcertain frames in the middle. Tochoose not to show middleframes select the Middle frame

option then use the multi-selector left and right to scrollthrough the thumbnails. Use themultiselector up and down toset the images to be shown ornot. A small check mark appearsin the images to be shown; deselecting the image deletes itfrom playback (but not from thememory card).

Before and afterThis option allows you to view a side-by-side comparison of the retouched imageand the original copy of the image. Thisoption can only be accessed by selecting animage that has been retouched.

To use this option, follow these steps:

1. Press the Play button and usethe multiselector to choose theretouched image to view.

2. Press the OK button to displaythe Retouch menu.

3. Use the multiselector to high-light Before and after, and thenpress the OK button.


Create movie

EditFrame ratePreviewSave OK

8.18 Create movie menu

Starting image

0/70fps

Stop-motion movie

Edit Save

OKOKZoom

21

8.17 Choosing the start and stop frame

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 216

4. Use the multiselector to high-light either the original orretouched image. You can thenuse the Zoom in button to viewcloser.

5. Press the Play button to exit theBefore and after comparisonand return to Playback mode.


Before and after

Monochrome

DoneMove

_DSC1993. NEFRAW FINE

_CSC2012. JPG

Zoom

8.19 Before and after comparison screen

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 217

14_383124 ch08.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 218

Appendixes

IIIIIIP A R T

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Part

Appendix AAccessories

Appendix BOnline Resources

Glossary

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

15_383124 pp03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 219

15_383124 pp03.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 220

AAA P P E N D I XAccessories

There are a number of accessories and additional equip-ment available for the Nikon D60. Ranging from batter-

ies and flashes to tripods and camera bags, these accessoriescan enhance your shooting experience by providing you withoptions that aren’t immediately available with the purchase ofthe camera alone.

Wireless Remote ControlNikon offers the ML-L3 wireless remote control. This inexpen-sive little gadget is available for less than $20 and allows youto wirelessly focus and release the camera’s shutter. This is agreat feature for doing self-portraits or for hopping into groupportraits. You can also use this device to make sure you don’tshake your camera when you have it set up on a tripod fordoing long exposure photography.

EG-D100 Video CableThis cable available from Nikon allows you to connect yourcamera to a standard television for playback or editing your images in camera.

Eye-FiThe Nikon D60 is the first camera to be “Eye-Fi connected.” Eye-Fi is a company that makes an SD memory card that has a built-in wireless transmitter. Using an Eye-Fi card, you can wirelesslytransfer your images from the camera to your computer. Whenyou insert the Eye-Fi card into the D60, the camera recognizes

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

In This Appendix

Wireless RemoteControl

EG-D100 Video Cable

Eye-Fi

Tripods

Camera bags and cases

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

16_383124 bapp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 221

that the card ispresent and auto-matically adjuststhe power manage-ment settings sothat image trans-fers aren’t inter-rupted. At around$100 for a 2GBcard, this is a prettygood deal to makeyour camera Wi-Fienabled.

Tripods One of the most important accessories youcan have for your camera, whether you’re aprofessional or a hobbyist, is a tripod. Thetripod allows you to get sharper images byeliminating the shake caused by handhold-ing the camera in low-light situations. A tri-pod can also allow you to use a lower ISO,thereby reducing the camera noise andresulting in an image with better resolution.

There are literally hundreds of types oftripods available, ranging in size from lessthan 6 inches to one that extends all theway up to 6 feet or more. In general, theheavier the tripod is, the better it is at keep-ing the camera steady. The D60 is not a veryheavy camera, but if you happen to be usinga heavy lens like the Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8,I recommend purchasing a heavy-duty tri-pod; otherwise, the weight of the cameracan cause the tripod to shake, leaving youright back where you started with a shakycamera. Of course if you’re only using thelightweight kit lens a smaller tripod willprobably suffice.

There are many different features availableon tripods, but the features to considerinclude:

✦ Height. This is an important fea-ture. The tripod should be the rightheight for the specific applicationfor which you are using it. If youare shooting landscapes most ofthe time and you are 6 feet tall,using a 4-foot-tall tripod forces youto bend over to look into theviewfinder to compose your image.This may not be the optimal-sizetripod for you.

✦ Head. Tripods have several differ-ent types of heads. The most com-mon type of head is the pan/tilthead. This type of head allows youto rotate, or pan, with a movingsubject and also allows you to tiltthe camera for angled or verticalshots. The other common type ofhead on a tripod is the ball head.The ball head is the most versatile.It can tilt and rotate quickly intonearly any position.

✦ Plate. The plate attaches the cam-era to the tripod. The D60 has athreaded socket on the bottom.Tripods have a type of bolt thatscrews into these sockets, and thisbolt is on the plate. Most decenttripods have what is called a quickrelease plate. You can remove aquick release plate from the tripodand attach it to the camera, andthen reattach it to the tripod with alocking mechanism. If you’re goingto be taking the camera on and offof the tripod frequently, this is themost time-efficient type of plate touse.

222 Part III ✦ Appendixes

Photo courtesy of Eye-Fi

AA.1 2GB Eye-Fiwireless SD card

16_383124 bapp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 222

The other type of plate, which is onsome inexpensive tripods, is thestandard type of plate. This plate isattached directly to the head of thetripod. It still has the screw boltthat attaches the camera to theplate, but it is much more time-consuming to use when you planto take the camera on and off alot. You must screw the camera tothe plate every time you want touse the tripod, and you mustunscrew it when you want toremove it from the tripod.

When to use a tripodThere are many situations when using a tri-pod is ideal, and the most obvious is whenit’s dark or lighting is poor. However, using atripod even when there is ample light canhelp keep your image sharp. The followingare just a few ideas of when you may wantto use a tripod:

✦ When the light is low. Your cam-era needs a longer shutter speedto get the proper exposure if thereisn’t much available light. Theproblem is, when the shutterspeed gets longer, you need stead-ier hands to get sharp exposures.Attaching your camera to a tripodeliminates camera shake.

✦ When the camera is zoomed in.When you are using a long focal-length lens, the shaking of yourhands is more exaggerated due tothe higher magnification of thescene and can cause your imagesto be blurry, even in moderatelight.

✦ When shooting landscapes.Landscape shots, especially whenyou’re using the Landscape scenemode, require a smaller apertureto get maximum depth of field toensure that the whole scene is infocus. When the camera is using asmaller aperture, the shutter speedcan be long enough to suffer fromcamera shake, even when the dayis bright.

✦ When shooting close up. Whenthe camera is very close to a sub-ject, camera shake can also bemagnified. When you’re shootingclose-ups or macro shots, it mayalso be preferable to use a smalleraperture to increase depth of field,thus lengthening the shutter speed.

Which tripod is right for you?Considering there are so many differenttypes of tripods, choosing one can be adaunting experience. There are many differ-ent features and functions available in a tri-pod; here are some things to think aboutwhen you’re looking into purchasing one:

✦ Price. Tripods can range in pricefrom as little as $5 to as muchas $500 or more. Obviously, themore a tripod costs, the more features and stability it’s going tohave. Look closely at your needswhen deciding what price level tofocus on.

Appendix A ✦ Accessories 223

16_383124 bapp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 223

✦ Features. There are dozens of dif-ferent features available in anygiven tripod. Some tripods have aquick-release plate, some have a ball head, some are small, andsome are large. Again, you need to decide what your specific needs are.

✦ Weight. This can be very importantfactor when deciding which tripodto purchase. If you are going to usethe tripod mostly in your home, aheavy tripod may not be a prob-lem. On the other hand, if you planon hiking, a 7-pound tripod can bean encumbrance after awhile.Some manufacturers make tripodsthat are made out of carbon fiber.While these tripods are very stable,they are also extremely lightweight.On the downside, carbon fibertripods are also very expensive.

Camera Bags and CasesAnother important accessory to consider isthe bag or carrying case you choose for yourcamera. These can provide protection notonly from the elements but also fromimpact. Camera bags and cases exist for anykind of use you can imagine, from simplecases to prevent scratches to elaborate cam-era bags that can hold everything you mayneed for a week’s vacation. Some of the bagand case types available include:

✦ Hard cases. These are the types of cases to get if you travel a lot,especially if you check your cameragear when flying. The Pelicanbrand of hard cases are watertight,

crushproof, and dustproof. They areunconditionally guaranteed forever.If you are hard on your cameras ordo a lot of outdoors activities, youcan’t go wrong with these. Recently,Pelican has started to offer softcamera bags; obviously they aren’twaterproof and crushproof, but theyare excellent bags, nonetheless.

✦ Shoulder bags. These are thestandard camera bags you can findat any camera shop. They come ina multitude of sizes to fit almostany amount of equipment you cancarry. Reputable makers includeTamrac, Domke, and Lowepro.Look them up on the Web toperuse the various styles and sizes.

✦ Backpacks. Some camera casesare made to be worn on your back just like a standard backpack.These also come in different sizesand styles, and some even offerlaptop-carrying capabilities. Thetype of camera backpack I usewhen traveling is a Naneu ProAlpha. It’s designed to look like a military pack, so thieves don’tknow you’re carrying cameraequipment. When traveling, I usu-ally pack it up with two NikondSLR camera bodies, two NikonCoolpix cameras, a wide-anglezoom, a long telephoto, three orfour prime lenses, two Speedlights,a reflector disk, a 12-inch ApplePowerBook, and all of the plugs,batteries, and other accessoriesthat go along with my gear. And,with all that equipment packedaway, there is space left over for a lunch. Lowepro and Tamrac also make some very excellentbackpacks.


16_383124 bapp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 224

Appendix A ✦ Accessories 225

✦ Messenger bags. Recently, morecamera-bag manufacturers havestarted to offer messenger bags,which resemble the types of bagsthat a bike messenger uses. Theyhave one strap that goes over yourshoulder and across your chest.The bag sits on your back like abackpack. The good thing aboutthese bags is that you can just grab

them and pull them around to thefront for easy access to your gear.With a backpack, you have to takeit off to get to your camera. I alsohave one of these for when I’mtraveling light. My messenger bagis the Echo made by NaneuPro.

Image courtesy of NaneuPro

AA.3 NaneuPro Echo messenger bag

Image courtesy of NaneuPro

AA.2 NaneuPro Alpha camera backpack

16_383124 bapp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 225


Monopods

An option you may want to consider is a monopod in addition to a tripod. A mono-pod connects to the camera the same way as a tripod, but it only has one leg.Monopods are excellent for shooting sports and action with long lenses because theyallow you the freedom to move along with support to keep your camera steady. Thefigure here shows a photographer using a monopod to photograph racecars.

Photo © Destry Jaimes — nine2fivephotography.com

16_383124 bapp01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 226

BBA P P E N D I XOnlineResources

A lot of valuable information is available on the Internetfor photographers. This appendix serves as a guide to

some of the resources on the Internet that can help you learnmore about the Nikon D60 and photography in general, aswell as help you discover photo-sharing sites and online photography magazines.

Informational Web SitesWith the amount of information on the Web, sometimes it isdifficult to know where to begin looking. The following are afew sites I suggest you start with when you want to find reli-able information about your Nikon D60 or about photographyin general.

Nikonusa.comNikonusa.com gives you access to the technical specificationsfor Nikon Speedlights, cameras, lenses, and accessories. Youcan also find firmware updates here should they becomeavailable. You can find the Web site at http://nikonusa.com.

Nikonions.orgNikonions.org is a forum where you can post questions and discussion topics for other Nikon users on a range of photography-related topics. You can find the Web site at www.nikonions.org.

17_383124 bapp02.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 227

Photo.netPhoto.net is a large site containing resourceslike equipment reviews, forums on a varietyof topics, and tutorials. If you are looking forspecific photography-related informationand aren’t sure where to look, this is a greatplace to start. You can find the Web site athttp://photo.net.

DP ReviewOne of my favorite sites, this Web site offersin depth reviews of almost every cameraand lens released, from simple point-and-shoot cameras to high-end medium formatdigital cameras, and everything in between.You can find them at http://dpreview.com.

Photo-Sharing andCritiquing SitesIn the past few years there have been quitea few Web sites pop up that allow you toshare your photos with friends and family aswell as with other photographers. Thesesites allow you to interact with other pho-tographers around the world to share ideas,find out where you went wrong, and getideas on how to improve the quality of yourimages. These Web sites can provide youwith an invaluable learning opportunity.

Flickr.comFlickr.com is a site for posting your photosfor others to see. The users range from ama-teurs to professionals, and there are groupsdedicated to specific areas, including theNikon D60. You can find the Web site athttp://flickr.com.

Photoworkshop.comPhotoworkshop.com is an interactive com-munity that allows you to participate incompetitions with other photographers byproviding assignments as well as giving youa forum to receive feedback on your images.You can find the Web site at http://photoworkshop.com.

ShotAddict.comShotAddict.com is a photography site thatprovides photo galleries, product reviews,contests, and discussion forums. You canfind the Web site at http://shotaddict.com.

Online PhotographyMagazinesSome photography magazines also haveWeb sites that offer photography articles, andthey often post information that isn’t foundin the pages of the magazine. The followingis a list of a few photography magazines’Web sites.

Communication Artshttp://commarts.com

Digital Photo Prohttp://digitalphotopro.com

Digital Photographerhttp://digiphotomag.com

Outdoor Photographerhttp://outdoorphotographer.com


17_383124 bapp02.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 228

Photo District Newshttp://pdnonline.com

Popular Photography & Imaginghttp://popphoto.com

Shutterbughttp://shutterbug.net

Appendix B ✦ Online Resources 229

17_383124 bapp02.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 229

17_383124 bapp02.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 230

Glossary

Active D-Lighting A setting in the camera that adjusts theexposure as the image is being taken and applies some tonecompensation to achieve a better dynamic range and to avoidoverexposed highlights and underexposed shadow areas. Thisis not to be confused with D-Lighting, which applies tonecompensation to shadow areas as the image is being saved.

AE (Auto-Exposure) A general-purpose shooting modewhere the camera selects the aperture and/or shutter speedaccording to the camera’s built-in light meter. See also ShutterPriority mode and Aperture Priority mode.

AE-L/AF-L A camera setting that lets you lock the currentmetered exposure and/or autofocus setting prior to taking aphoto. This allows you to meter an off-center subject and thenrecompose the shot while retaining the proper exposure forthe subject.

AF-assist illuminator An LED that emits light in low-light or low-contrast situations. The AF-assist illuminator providesenough light for the camera’s AF to work in low light.

ambient lighting Lighting that naturally exists in a scene.

angle of view The area of a scene that a lens can capture,determined by the focal length of the lens. Lenses withshorter focal lengths have wider angles of view than lenseswith longer focal lengths.

GLGLG L O S S A R Y

18_383124 bgloss.qxp 6/4/08 10:06 AM Page 231

aperture The designation for each step inthe aperture is called the f-stop. Thesmaller the f-stop (or f/number), the largerthe actual opening of the aperture; and the higher numbered f-stops designatesmaller apertures, letting in less light. Thef/number is the ratio of focal length toeffective aperture diameter.

Aperture Priority mode A camera settingwhere you choose the aperture, and thecamera automatically adjusts the shutterspeed according to the camera’s meteredreadings. Photographers often use AperturePriority mode to control depth of field.

aspect ratio The proportions of an imageas printed, displayed on a monitor, or cap-tured by a digital camera.

autofocus The ability of a camera to auto-matically determine the proper focus ofthe subject.

Automatic Autofocus (AF-A) A focusmode in which the camera decideswhether to use continuous or single AF.See also Continuous Autofocus (AF-C) andSingle Autofocus (AF-S).

backlighting A lighting effect producedwhen the main light source is locatedbehind the subject. You can use backlight-ing to create a silhouette effect or to illu-minate translucent objects. See alsofrontlighting and sidelighting.

bounce flash Pointing the flash head inan upward position or toward a wall sothat it bounces off another surface beforereaching the subject. This softens the lightilluminated off the subject. Bouncing thelight often eliminates shadows and pro-vides a smoother light for portraits.

bracketing A photographic technique inwhich you vary the exposure of your sub-ject over three or more frames. By doingthis you can ensure a proper exposure indifficult lighting situations where yourcamera’s meter can be fooled.

broad lighting A lighting effect createdwhen your main light is illuminating theside of the subject that is facing towardyou.

camera shake The movement of the cam-era, usually at slower shutter speeds,which produces a blurred image.

catchlight Highlights that appear in thesubject’s eyes as a result of the reflection ofthe light source. Catchlights are desirableas they give the subject’s eyes a look ofliveliness.

Center-weighted meter A light-measur-ing mode that emphasizes the area in themiddle of the frame when you’re calculat-ing the correct exposure for an image.



colored gel filters Colored translucent fil-ters that are placed over a flash head orlight to change the color of the light emit-ted on the subject. You can use coloredgels to create a colored hue of an image.Gels are often used to change the color ofa background when shooting portraits orstill life photos, by placing the gel over theflash head and firing the flash at the back-ground. Gels are also used to balance thecolor of a flash to match the color of theambient light in the scene.

compression Reducing the size of a file bydigital encoding, using fewer bits of infor-mation to represent the original. Somecompression schemes, such as JPEG, oper-ate by discarding some image information,while others, such as RAW with losslesscompression, preserve all the detail in theoriginal.

Continuous Autofocus (AF-C) A focusmode that allows the camera to maintainfocus on a moving subject.

contrast The range between the lightestand darkest tones in an image. A high-contrast image is one in which the shadesfall at the extremes of the range betweenwhite and black. In a low-contrast image,the tones are closer together.

D-Lighting A function within the camerathat can fix the underexposure that oftenoccurs in images that are backlit or in deepshadow.

dedicated flash An electronic flash unit,such as the Nikon SB-600, SB-800, or SB-400, designed to work with the auto-matic exposure features of a specific camera.

depth of field (DOF) The area within animage from the foreground to the back-ground that is acceptably sharp. DOF iscontrolled by manipulating the f-stop. Thelarger the f-stop (smaller number, largeropening) the shallower the DOF. Thesmaller the f-stop (larger number, smalleropening) the greater the depth of field.

diffuse lighting Soft, low-contrast lighting.

digital SLR (dSLR) A single-lens reflexcamera with interchangeable lenses and adigital image sensor.

exposure The amount of light allowed toreach the film or sensor, determined bythe intensity of the light, the amountadmitted by the aperture of the lens, andthe length of time determined by the shut-ter speed.

Exposure compensation The ability totake correctly exposed images by lettingyou adjust the exposure, typically in 1/3stops from the metered reading of the cam-era. This enables the photographer to makemanual adjustments to achieve desiredresults. Exposure compensation is usuallyused in conjunction with auto-exposuresettings.

exposure mode Camera settings that letthe photographer choose how the cameradetermines the exposure settings.

f-stop See aperture.

Glossary 233


fill-flash A lighting technique where theSpeedlight provides enough light to illumi-nate the subject in order to reduce shad-ows. Using a flash for outdoor portraitsoften brightens the subject in conditionswhere the camera meters light from abroader scene.

fill lighting In photography, the lightingused to illuminate shadows. Reflectors oradditional incandescent lighting or elec-tronic flash can be used to brighten shad-ows. One common technique outdoors isto use the camera’s flash as a fill.

flash An external light source that pro-duces an almost instant flash of light inorder to illuminate a scene.

Flash exposure compensation Adjustingthe flash output as compared to what thecamera’s meter sets the flash to. If imagesare too dark (underexposed), you can useFlash exposure compensation to increasethe flash output. If images are too bright(overexposed), you can use Flash exposurecompensation to reduce the flash output.

flash modes Modes that enable you tocontrol the output of the flash; some ofthese modes are red-eye reduction, rearsync, and slow sync.

front-curtain sync Front-curtain synccauses the flash to fire at the beginning ofthe exposure when the shutter is com-pletely open. This is the default setting. Seealso rear-curtain sync.

frontlighting The illumination comingfrom the direction of the camera. See alsobacklighting and sidelighting.

histogram A graphic representation of therange of tones in an image.

hot shoe A slot located on the top of thecamera where the flash connects. The hotshoe is considered hot because of its elec-tronic contacts, which allow communica-tion between the flash and the camera.

ISO sensitivity The ISO (InternationalOrganization for Standardization) settingon the camera indicates the light sensitivitysetting. Lower ISO settings provide better-quality images with less digital noise; how-ever, the lower the ISO setting, the moreexposure time is needed.

JPEG This is an image format that com-presses the image data from the camera toachieve a smaller file size. The compres-sion algorithm discards some of the detailwhen closing the image. Also referred toas a lossy file type. The D60 allows you tochoose different levels of compression;fine, normal, and basic.

Kelvin A unit of measurement of colortemperature based on a theoretical blackbody that glows a specific color whenheated to a certain temperature. The sun isapproximately 5500 K.

leading line An element in a compositionthat leads the viewer’s eye toward the subject.

lens flare An effect caused by stray lightreflecting off of the many glass elementsof a lens. Lens flare is generally avoided byshades on the lens. Sometimes lens flarecan be used creatively.



lighting ratio The proportion betweenthe amount of light falling on the subjectfrom the main light and the secondarylight.

macro lens A lens that provides the abilityto focus at a very close range, enablingextreme close-up photographs.

manual exposure Bypassing the camera’sinternal light meter settings in favor of set-ting the shutter and aperture manually.Manual exposure is beneficial in difficultlighting situations where the camera’smeter may not provide correct results.

Manual mode Manually setting the expo-sure on the camera.

Matrix metering A light-metering systemthat calculates exposure by measuring thelight from different areas of the scene anddetermines exposure by a series of com-plicated algorithms.

metering Measuring the amount of lightutilizing the camera’s internal light meter.

mirror lock-up A function of the camerathat allows the mirror, which reflects theimage to the viewfinder, to retract withoutthe shutter being released. This is done inorder to reduce vibration from the mirrormoving or to allow sensor cleaning (whenthe shutter is open).

NEF (Nikon Electronic File) The name ofNikon’s RAW file format.

noise Pixels with randomly distributedcolor values in a digital image that create agrainy look to a photograph. Noise in digi-tal photographs tends to be more pro-nounced with low-light conditions andlong exposures, particularly when you setyour camera to a higher ISO rating.

noise reduction A technology used todecrease the amount of random informa-tion in a digital picture, usually caused bylong exposures and high ISO settings.Noise reduction typically involves the cam-era automatically taking a secondblank/dark exposure at the same settingsthat contains only noise, and then usingthe blank photo’s information to cancelthe noise in the original picture.

pincushion distortion An aberration in alens in which the lines at the edges andsides of the image are bowed inward. Thisdistortion is usually found in longer focal-length (telephoto) lenses.

Programmed Auto (P) On the camera,the shutter speed and aperture are setautomatically when the subject is focused.

RAW An image file format that containsthe unprocessed camera data as it wascaptured. Using this format allows you tochange image parameters such as whitebalance saturation and sharpening afterthe image is downloaded. Processing RAWfiles such as Nikon’s NEF require specialsoftware, such Nikon’s Capture NX, AdobeCamera RAW (available in Photoshop),Adobe Lightroom, or a number of otherthird-party programs.

Glossary 235


rear-curtain sync Rear-curtain synccauses the flash to fire at the end of theexposure, an instant before the second, orrear, curtain of the focal plane shutterbegins to move. With slow shutter speeds,this feature can create a blur effect fromthe ambient light, showing as patterns thatfollow a moving subject with the subjectshown sharply frozen at the end of the blurtrail. This setting is usually used in conjunc-tion with longer shutter speeds. See alsofront-curtain sync.

red-eye An effect from flash photographythat appears to make a person’s eyes glowred, or an animal’s yellow or green. It’scaused by light bouncing from the retinaof the eye and is most noticeable in dimlylit situations (when the irises are wideopen), and when the electronic flash isclose to the lens and, therefore, prone toreflect the light directly back.

Red-Eye Reduction A flash mode con-trolled by a camera setting that is used toprevent the subject’s eyes from appearingred in color. The Speedlight fires multipleflashes just before the shutter is opened tocontract the pupils of the subject to lessenthe amount of light reflected from theretina.

S-curve A leading line that is shaped likethe letter S. See also leading line.

self-timer A mechanism that delays theopening of the shutter for some secondsafter the Shutter Release button has beenpressed.

short lighting When your main light is illu-minating the side of the subject that is fac-ing away from you.

shutter A mechanism that allows light topass to the sensor for a specified amountof time.

Shutter Priority mode In this cameramode, you set the desired shutter speed,and the camera automatically sets the aper-ture for you. Often used when shootingaction shots to freeze motion of the subjectwhen the camera is using fast shutterspeeds.

Shutter Release button When this buttonis pressed halfway the camera focuses,when the button is fully depressed thecamera takes the picture.

shutter speed The length of time the shut-ter is open to allow light to fall onto theimaging sensor. The shutter speed is meas-ured in seconds or more commonly, frac-tions of seconds.

sidelighting Illuminating the subject fromthe left or right. See also frontlighting andbacklighting.

Single Autofocus (AF-S) A focus modethat locks the focus on the subject whenthe Shutter button is half-pressed. Thisallows you to focus on the subject andrecompose the image without losing focusas long as the Shutter Release button ishalf-pressed.

slow sync A flash mode that allows thecamera’s shutter to stay open for a longertime to allow the ambient light to berecorded, resulting in the backgroundreceiving more exposure, which gives theimage a more natural appearance.



Speedlight A Nikon-specific term for itsflashes.

Spot meter A metering system in whichthe exposure is based on a small area of the image; usually the spot is linked to theAF point.

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) A typeof file storage format that has no compres-sion; therefore, no loss of image detail —often referred to as lossless. Because thedata is not compressed, TIFFs can be verylarge image files.

TTL (Through-the-Lens) A metering sys-tem where the light is measured directlythough the lens.

tungsten light The light from a standardhousehold lightbulb.

vanishing point The point at which paral-lel lines converge and seem to disappear.

Vibration Reduction (VR) A function ofthe lens in which the lens elements areshifted in order to reduce the effects ofcamera shake.

white balance Used to compensate forthe differences in color temperature com-mon in different light sources. For exam-ple, a typical tungsten lightbulb is veryyellow-orange, so the camera adds blue tothe image to ensure that the light lookslike standard white light.

Glossary 237



NUMBERS3D Color Matrix II, 32

Aabstract photography

abstract art, 136accessories, 138camera settings, 138exposure, 138inspiration for, 136landscape photography, 159lenses used in, 138lighting, 137overview, 135–136practice, 137–138setup, 137tips, 138

accessoriesabstract photography, 138action and sports photography, 142architectural photography, 146camera bags and cases, 224–225concert photography, 153EG-D100 video cable, 221Eye-Fi card, 221–222flower and plant photography, 158landscape photography, 163macro photography, 173monopods, 226night photography, 176portrait photography, 186still-life and product photography, 190tripods, 222–224wireless remote control, 221

action and sports photographyaccessories, 142camera settings, 142exposure, 142inspiration for, 140lenses used in, 96, 141lighting, 141overview, 138–139panning, 139practice, 141–142

setup, 141telephoto lens used for, 96tips, 142

Active D-Lighting, 12, 231Active D-Lighting indicator, 23Active D-Lighting option (Shooting menu),

56, 58Adobe RBG color space, 54, 55AE (auto-exposure), 231AE lock option (Custom Settings menu), 60AE-L/AF-L (auto exposure/autofocus lock),

4, 231AE-L/AF-L option (Custom Settings menu),

59–60AE-L/AF-L/Protect button, 15AF Area modes, 23, 38AF lenses, 86AF-A (Automatic Autofocus), 232AF-area mode option (Custom Settings

menu), 59AF-assist illuminator

defined, 231described, 18

AF-assist option (Custom Settings menu), 59AF-C (Continuous Autofocus), 37, 233AF-D lenses, 86AF-I lenses, 86AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, 3AF-S lens, 3, 86AI/AIS lenses, 86ambient lighting, 231angle of view, 231animal photography. See pet photography;

wildlife photographyaperture

defined, 232described, 74display, 22as element in flash exposure equation, 112

Aperture button, 12Aperture Priority mode

defined, 232described, 3, 30–31

aperture/f-stop display, 21

Index

20_383124 bindex.qxp 6/4/08 10:09 AM Page 239

240 Index ✦ A—C

architectural photographyaccessories, 146backlighting, avoiding, 146camera settings, 146copyright laws and, 144exposure, 146inspiration for, 144lens distortion and, 147lenses used in, 146lighting, 145overview, 143permission for taking, 144perspective distortion in, 143practice, 145–146setup, 145tips, 146–147

aspect ratio, 232Auto exposure/Autofocus lock (AE-L/AF-L), 4, 231Auto (flash off) mode, 2, 28Auto image rotation option (Setup menu), 66Auto ISO, 39–40Auto ISO indicator, 22Auto mode, 28, 37Auto off timers option (Custom Settings menu), 60auto setting, 42, 44Auto shooting information option (Setup menu), 64Auto shooting mode, 2auto-exposure (AE), 231autofocus, 3, 4, 232Automatic Autofocus (AF-A), 232automatic fill flash, 118AVI (movie) files, 214

Bback of the camera controls, 14–16background

for flower and plant photography, 159separating the subject from the, 83

backlightingin architectural photography, 146defined, 232fill flash used for backlighting subject, 118

backpacks, 224Backup Destination tab (Nikon Transfer), 205bags. See camera bags and casesball head tripods, 222barn doors, 134barrel distortion, 94, 98battery chamber cover, 19battery indicator, 22, 25Beep indicator, 25Beep option (Custom Settings menu), 58Before and after option (Retouch menu), 216–217black body radiator, 42

black-and-white, changing color images to, 210Black-and-white setting (Shooting menu), 53blocked-up shadow areas, 34blown-out highlights, 34blue intensifier filter, 211bottom of the camera controls, 18–19bounce cards, 124–125bounce flash

defined, 232described, 124–125

bracketingdefined, 232described, 35–37

broad lighting, 232buffer, 21built-in flash, 18, 110, 112–113Built-in flash option (Custom Settings menu), 60

Ccamera bags and cases

backpacks, 224hard cases, 224messenger bags, 225overview, 224shoulder bags, 224

camera settingsabstract photography, 138action and sports photography, 142architectural photography, 146child photography, 149concert photography, 153flower and plant photography, 158landscape photography, 163light trail and fireworks photography, 167macro photography, 172night photography, 176pet photography, 180portrait photography, 186still-life and product photography, 190travel photography, 194wildlife photography, 198

camera shake, 232candid portraits, 182–183cases. See camera bags and casescatchlight, 232center-weighted meter


Child mode, 2, 29child photography

camera settings, 149exposure, 149inspiration for, 148lenses used in, 149


Index ✦ C—D 241

lighting, 149overview, 147practice, 148–149setup, 149

chrominance, 40Clean image sensor option (Setup menu), 65Closest subject AF mode, 38close-up filters, 169Close-up mode, 2, 4, 29closeups, tripods for, 223cloudy setting, 43, 45, 109CLS (Creative Lighting System), 120, 123color

black-and-white, changing color images to, 210cyanotype, changing color images to, 210in flower and plant photography, 159sepia, changing color images to, 210

color balance filter, 211Color mode option (Custom setting submenu), 54color space, 54, 55color temperature, 41–42colored gel filters, 233command dial, 15commander, 123Communication Arts, 228composition, rules of, 76–82compression, 46–47, 96, 233concert photography

accessories, 153camera settings, 153exposure, 153inspiration, 151lenses used in, 153lighting, 152overview, 150–151practice, 152–153setup, 152tips, 154

Continuous Autofocus (AF-C), 37, 233continuous lighting

fluorescent lights, 128, 129–130halogen lights, 128–129HMI (Hydrargyrum Medium-Arc Iodide lamps),

128, 130incandescent lights, 127, 128overview, 127

Continuous release mode, 38contrast, 233convertible umbrellas, 131copyright laws and architectural photography, 144correcting distortion, 99cost of tripods, 223Creative Lighting System (CLS), 120, 123crop factor, 91–92cropping images, 210

cross screen filter, 211CSM/Setup menu, 61–62Custom setting (Shooting menu), 54–55Custom Settings menu (CSM)

AE lock option, 60AE-L/AF-L option, 59–60AF-area mode option, 59AF-assist option, 59Auto off timers option, 60Beep option, 58Built-in flash option, 60Date imprint option, 61Flash compensation option, 59Fn button option, 59Focus mode option, 58Image review option, 59ISO auto option, 59metering option, 59No memory card? option, 59overview, 58Rangefinder option, 61Release option, 59Remote on duration option, 61Reset option, 58Self-timer option, 61

cyanotype, changing color images to, 210

Ddata, viewing image, 5Data imprint indicator, 25Date imprint option (Custom Settings menu), 61dedicated flash


deep depth of field, 75Delayed remote mode, 39Delete button, 6, 15Delete option (Playback menu), 50–51deleting images

all images, 51with Delete button, 6, 15selected images, 50–51

depth of fielddeep depth of field, 75defined, 233macro lenses and, 100overview, 75–76shallow depth of field, 75telephoto lenses and, 95wide angle lenses and, 92

diffuse lightingdefined, 233for still-life and product photography, 188

diffusion panels, 132–133Digital Photo Pro, 228


Digital Photographer, 228Digital Print Order Format (DPOF), 52digital SLR (dSLR)

defined, 233lenses, 91–92

Digital Vari-Program modes, 2, 28–29Diopter adjustment control, 15direct sunlight setting, 43, 44distance as element in flash exposure equation, 112distortion

correcting, 99overview, 98–99telephoto lenses and, 97, 98types of, 98wide-angle lenses and, 94–95, 98

D-Lighting, 233D-Lighting option (Retouch menu), 67, 209downloading images

with Nikon Transfer, 203–207overview, 6–7, 202–203

DP Review, 228dragging the shutter, 114Dust off ref photo option (Setup menu), 66DX lenses, 86Dynamic-area AF mode, 38

EE lenses, 86ED lenses, 87edge of image, avoid having bright spots or

unnecessary details near the, 83editing in-camera, 6EG-D100 video cable, 201–202, 22118-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX lens, 87EL lock, 20Electronic analog exposure display/Exposure

compensation, 23Electronic analog exposure display/Exposure

compensation/Rangefinder, 21Embedded Info tab (Nikon Transfer), 204equivalent exposure, 30erasing images. See deleting imagesEXIF (exchangeable image file) data, 204exposure

abstract photography, 138action and sports photography, 142aperture, 74architectural photography, 146child photography, 149concert photography, 153defined, 233flower and plant photography, 158ISO setting, 73–74landscape photography, 163

light trail and fireworks photography, 167macro photography, 173night photography, 176overview, 71pet photography, 180portrait photography, 186shutter speed, 72–73still-life and product photography, 190travel photography, 194wildlife photography, 198

exposure compensationbracketing, 35–37defined, 233histograms, 33–35overview, 33

Exposure compensation indicator, 21Exposure compensation value, 23Exposure compensation/Aperture button, 12exposure modes

Aperture Priority, 30–31Auto, 28Auto (flash off), 28Child, 29Close-up, 29defined, 233Digital Vari-Program, 28–29for flash, 111–113Landscape, 28–29Manual, 31Night Portrait, 29overview, 27Portrait, 28Programmed Auto, 29–30Shutter Priority, 31Sports, 29

extension tubes, 102–103eye sensor, 14Eye-Fi card, 221–222

FFEC indicator, 21field of view, 91File no. sequence option (Setup menu), 65fill card, 188fill lighting, 234fill-flash

defined, 234for outdoor portraits, 184overview, 108, 118–119

Filter effects option (Retouch menu), 67, 211–212filters

blue intensifier, 211close-up, 169color balance, 211

242 Index ✦ D—F


cross screen, 211green intensifier, 211IR (infrared), 104ND (neutral density), 103overview, 103polarizing, 104red intensifier, 211skylight, 211UV (ultraviolet), 103warm, 211

fireworks photography. See light trail andfireworks photography

Firmware version option (Setup menu), 66fisheye lenses, 93–94flagging, 134flash. See also fill-flash

bounce, 124–125built-in, 18, 110, 112dedicated, 109, 233defined, 234exposure modes for, 111–113i-TTL, 111nondedicated, 109overview, 109–110pop-up flash diffusers, 110–111Speedlights, 109sync modes, 113–116

Flash compensation option (Custom Settingsmenu), 59

flash exposure compensationdefined, 234described, 23, 117

flash modes, 234Flash pop-up/Flash mode/Flash Exposure

compensation button, 16–17flash ready indicator, 21flash setting, 43, 45Flash sync mode, 23flexible program, 30flexible program indicator, 20Flickr, 228flower and plant photography

accessories, 158backgrounds for, 159camera settings, 158color, using complementary, 159exposure, 158inspiration, 155lenses used in, 158lighting, 158overview, 154practice, 157–158setup, 158tips, 159

fluorescent setting, 42, 44, 128, 129–130

Fn button option (Custom Settings menu), 59focal length indicators, 13focal plane mark, 12focal plane shutter, 113focus indicator, 20Focus mode option (Custom Settings menu), 58focus modes

Auto, 37Continuous AF (AF-C), 37Manual, 37overview, 23, 37Single AF (AF-S), 37

focus point display, 20Focus point display/AF-area mode, 25focus priority, 37focus ring, 13focusing

autofocus, 4overview, 3–4

Folders option (Setup menu), 65food photography, 128Format memory card option (Setup menu), 62frame, filling the, 83frame rate, 215frames per second (fps), 215framing the subject, 83freezing action, 73Friedman, Glen E. (concert photographer), 153front of the camera controls, 16–18front-curtain sync


frontlighting, 234f-stop numbers, 74

GG lenses, 86Gary Fong Puffer, 111ghosting, 114gobos, 134golden hour, 160green intensifier filter, 211grids, 134

Hhalogen lights, 128–129hard cases, 224hard light, 106heads for tripods, 222heat generated noise, 40height of tripods, 222Help indicator, 23high ISO noise, 40high-key image, 34

Index ✦ F—H 243


histogramdefined, 234described, 33–35

HMI (Hydrargyrum Medium-Arc Iodide lamps),128, 130

honeycombs, 134horizon in center of image, avoid placing, 83horizontal lines in center of image, avoid placing, 83hot lights. See continuous lightinghot shoe


hotspots, 132Hue adjustment option (Custom setting

submenu), 54

IIF lenses, 87Image comment option (Setup menu), 64Image overlay option (Retouch menu), 67, 213Image quality option (Shooting menu), 55Image review option (Custom Settings menu), 59Image sharpening option (Custom setting

submenu), 54Image size option (Shooting menu), 56impressionistic landscape photography, 159in-camera editing, 6incandescent setting, 42, 44, 127, 128indoor portraits, 183–184Information display format option (Setup menu),

62–63informational Web sites, 227–228infrared receiver, 18inspiration

abstract photography, 136action and sports photography, 140architectural photography, 144child photography, 148concert photography, 151flower and plant photography, 155landscape photography, 161light trail and fireworks photography, 165macro photography, 170night photography, 174pet photography, 178still-life and product photography, 188travel photography, 192wildlife photography, 196

IR (infrared) filters, 104IR (infrared) photography, 155–156ISO auto indicator, 25ISO auto option (Custom Settings menu), 59ISO sensitivity

defined, 234described, 23, 39–41

ISO sensitivity settings option (Shooting menu), 56ISO setting, 73–74i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash, 111i-TTL flash, 111

JJPEG

basic option, 55defined, 234described, 46fine option, 55normal option, 55

KK (thousands indicator for remaining exposures),

22, 23Kelvin


kit lenses, 87–88

LLandscape mode, 2, 28–29landscape photography

abstract landscape photography, 159accessories, 163camera settings, 163exposure, 163golden hour, 160impressionistic landscape photography, 159inspiration, 161lenses used in, 163lighting, 162overview, 159–161practice, 162–163quality of light in, 160representational landscape photography, 159setup, 162tips, 163tripods for, 163, 223

Language option (Setup menu), 64LCD brightness option (Setup menu), 64LCD (liquid crystal display), 14LCD monitor, viewing images on, 201–202leading line

defined, 234described, 81, 82

lens distortion and architectural photography, 147lens flare, 234Lens Focus mode selector, 18Lens release button, 17lenses

abstract photography, 138action and sports photography, 141architectural photography, 146

244 Index ✦ H—L


child photography, 149concert photography, 153dSLR, 91–92extension tubes, 102–103fisheye, 93–94flower and plant photography, 158image quality and, 100kit, 87–88landscape photography, 163light trail and fireworks photography, 167macro, 97, 100, 235macro photography, 168–169, 172night photography, 176Nikon, 85–87normal, 95pet photography, 180portrait photography, 186prime, 89–90rectilinear, 93, 98SLR, 91still-life and product photography, 190teleconverters, 102telephoto, 95–97third-party, 90–91travel photography, 194VR, 86, 87, 101wide-angle, 92–95wildlife photography, 198zoom, 88–89

light meter, 21light modifiers

barn doors, 134diffusion panels, 132–133gobos, 134grids, 134overview, 130parabolic reflectors, 133reflectors, 134snoots, 134softboxes, 132umbrellas, 130–131

light trail and fireworks photographycamera settings, 167exposure, 167inspiration, 165lenses used in, 167lighting, 166overview, 164practice, 166–167remote shutter release cord, using, 167setup, 166tips, 167tripod, using a, 165

lightingabstract photography, 137action and sports photography, 141ambient lighting, 231architectural photography, 145child photography, 149concert photography, 152continuous lighting, 127–130flower and plant photography, 158landscape photography, 162light trail and fireworks photography, 166macro photography, 172metering light, 107natural light, 108–109night photography, 176overview, 105pet photography, 179portrait photography, 186quality of light, 106–107still-life and product photography, 190Sunny 16 Rule, 108travel photography, 194TTL (through the lens) system for measuring

light, 107wildlife photography, 198

lighting ratio, 235liquid crystal display (LCD), 14low light, tripods for, 223low-key image, 34luminance, 40LumiQuest bounce cards, 125LumiQuest soft screen, 111

Mmacro lens

defined, 235described, 97, 100, 168–169, 172manual-focus, 170

macro photographyaccessories, 173camera settings, 172close-up filters, using, 169exposure, 173inspiration, 170lenses used in, 168–169, 172lighting, 172manual-focus macro lens, 170overview, 168–170practice, 171–173remote shutter release, using, 173self-timer, using, 173setup, 172tips, 173

magnifying images, 5manual exposure, 235

Index ✦ L—M 245


manual fill flash, 118Manual flash control indicator/Flash compensation

for optional Speedlight indicator, 25Manual mode

defined, 235described, 3, 31, 37flash in, adjusting, 112

manual-focus macro lens, 170matrix metering


Maximum Sensitivity setting, 40memory card access lamp, 16memory card slot cover, 19Menu button, 15, 49mergers, avoiding, 83messenger bags, 225metering, 107, 235metering modes

Center-weighted metering, 32Matrix metering, 32overview, 23, 32Spot metering, 32

Metering option (Custom Settings menu), 59Micro lenses, 87Minimum Shutter Speed setting, 40mirror lock-up, 235Mirror lock-up option (Setup menu), 65–66ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control, 39Mode dial, 12modifier, 109Monochrome option (Retouch menu), 67, 210–211mono-lights, 126, 127monopods, 226More vivid setting (Shooting menu), 53movie (AVI) files, 214multiple subjects, using odd number of, 83multiselector, 5

NNaneuPro, 224–225nanometer, 156natural light, 108–109ND (neutral density) filters, 103NEF (Nikon Electronic File), 235NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic option, 55NEF (RAW) option, 55NEF (RAW) processing option (Retouch menu), 67,

213–214night photography

accessories, 176camera settings, 176exposure, 176inspiration, 174

lenses used in, 176lighting, 176overview, 173practice, 175–176self-timer, using, 177setup, 176slow sync flash, using, 177tips, 177tripod, using, 177

Night Portrait mode, 2, 29Nikon lens codes

AF lenses, 86AF-D lenses, 86AF-I lenses, 86AF-S lenses, 86AI/AIS lenses, 86DX lenses, 86E lenses, 86ED lenses, 87G lenses, 86IF lenses, 87Micro lenses, 87VR lenses, 86

Nikon TransferBackup Destination tab, 205Embedded Info tab, 204overview, 203Preferences tab, 206–207Primary Destination tab, 205Source tab, 203–204transferring your images, 207

Nikonions, 227Nikonusa, 227No memory card? option (Custom Settings

menu), 59noise, 235noise reduction

defined, 235described, 40–41

Noise reduction option (Shooting menu), 56non-CPU lenses, 31nondedicated flash units, 109nonobjective abstract art, 136normal lenses, 95Normal setting (Shooting menu), 53NTSC standard, 64, 202Number of remaining exposures/Preset white

balance recording indicator/Capture modeindicator, 23

Oobjective abstract art, 136OK button, 6, 15

246 Index ✦ M—N


online resourcesCommunication Arts, 228Digital Photo Pro, 228Digital Photographer, 228DP Review, 228Flickr, 228informational Web sites, 227–228Nikonions, 227Nikonusa, 227Outdoor Photographer, 228Photo District News, 229photography magazines, 228–229Photo.net, 228photo-sharing and critiquing Web sites, 228Photoworkshop, 228Popular Photography & Imaging, 229ShotAddict, 228Shutterbug, 229

on/off switch, 1–2, 12Optimize image indicator, 25Optimize image option (Shooting menu)

Black-and-white setting, 53Custom setting, 54–55More vivid setting, 53Normal setting, 53overview, 53Portrait setting, 53Softer setting, 53Vivid setting, 53

out of image, avoid having subject looking, 83Outdoor Photographer, 228outdoor portraits, 184

Ppainting with light, 168PAL standard, 64, 202panning

in action and sports photography, 139described, 73, 101practicing, 142

pan/tilt head for tripods, 222parabolic reflectors, 133permission for taking architectural

photography, 144perspective distortion

in architectural photography, 143described, 94–95, 96

pet photographycamera settings, 180exposure, 180inspiration, 178lenses used in, 180lighting, 179

overview, 177–178practice, 179–180Red-Eye Reduction, using, 180setup, 179tips, 180

Photo District News, 229photography magazines, 228–229Photo.net, 228photo-sharing and critiquing Web sites, 228Photoworkshop, 228pincushion distortion


plant photography. See flower and plantphotography

plate for tripods, 222–223Playback button, 15Playback menu

Delete option, 50–51overview, 50Playback folder option, 51Print set (DPOF) option, 52Rotate tall option, 51Slide show option, 51Stop-motion movie option, 52

Playback mode, 4–6polarizing filters, 104Popular Photography & Imaging, 229pop-up flash diffusers, 110–111Portrait mode, 2, 28portrait photography

accessories, 186camera settings, 186candid portraits, 182–183exposure, 186indoor portraits, 183–184lenses used in, 186lighting, 186outdoor portraits, 184overview, 181practice, 185–186setup, 186soft light for, 107studio portraits, 181–182tips, 187

Portrait setting (Shooting menu), 53PRE setting, 43Predictive Focus Tracking, 37, 38Preferences tab (Nikon Transfer), 206–207Primary Destination tab (Nikon Transfer), 205prime lenses, 89–90Print set (DPOF) option (Playback menu), 52print sets, creating, 52

Index ✦ O—P 247


product photography. See still-life and productphotography

Programmed Auto (P)defined, 235described, 3, 29–30

Protect button, 5pulse modulation, 123

Qquality of image

described, 23and lens quality, 100

quality of lighthard light, 106in landscape photography, 160overview, 106–107soft light, 106

quick release plate, 222Quick response remote mode, 39Quick retouch option (Retouch menu), 67, 208–209Quick Settings display, 49–50

RR1 Macro flash, 122range of lens, extending, 102–103Rangefinder option (Custom Settings menu), 61RAW file


R1C1 Macro flash, 122rear-curtain sync


rectilinear lenses, 93, 98red intensifier filter, 211red-eye, 236Red-eye correction option (Retouch menu), 67, 209red-eye reduction

defined, 236described, 115in pet photography, 180

reflectors, 134release modes, 23, 38–39Release option (Custom Settings menu), 59release priority, 37remaining exposures, 21Remote on duration option (Custom Settings

menu), 61remote shutter release

light trail and fireworks photography, 167macro photography, 173

representational landscape photography, 159Reset option (Custom Settings menu), 58

Retouch menuBefore and after option, 216–217D-Lighting option, 67, 209Filter effects option, 67, 211–212Image overlay option, 67, 213Monochrome option, 67, 210–211NEF (RAW) processing option, 67, 213–214overview, 66, 207–208Quick retouch option, 67, 208–209Red-eye correction option, 67, 209Small picture option, 67, 212–213Stop-motion movie option, 67, 214–216Trim option, 67, 210

Rotate tall option (Playback menu), 51Rule of Thirds, 78–81rules of composition

leading lines, 81, 82overview, 76–77Rule of Thirds, 78–81S-curves, 81, 82simplicity, 78

SSaturation option (Custom setting submenu), 54saving images, 5SB-400 Speedlight, 120SB-600 Speedlight, 120SB-800 Speedlight, 120scene modes, 2s-curve

defined, 236described, 81, 82

SD card reader, downloading images from camerausing, 6–7

self-timerdefined, 236macro photography, 173night photography, 177

Self-timer mode, 39Self-timer option (Custom Settings menu), 61Self-timer/Function (Fn) button, 17sepia, changing color images to, 210setup

abstract photography, 137action and sports photography, 141architectural photography, 145child photography, 149concert photography, 152flower and plant photography, 158landscape photography, 162light trail and fireworks photography, 166macro photography, 172night photography, 176

248 Index ✦ P—S


pet photography, 179portrait photography, 186still-life and product photography, 189travel photography, 193wildlife photography, 198

Setup menuAuto image rotation option, 66Auto shooting information option, 64Clean image sensor option, 65CSM/Setup menu, 61–62Dust off ref photo option, 66File no. sequence option, 65Firmware version option, 66Folders option, 65Format memory card option, 62Image comment option, 64Information display format option, 62–63Language option, 64LCD brightness option, 64Mirror lock-up option, 65–66overview, 61Shooting information auto off option, 64Video mode option, 64World time option, 64

shade setting, 43, 45, 109shallow depth of field, 75Shooting info display

Active D-Lighting indicator, 23AF-area mode, 23Aperture display, 22Aperture (f- number), 22Battery indicator, 25Beep indicator, 25Data imprint indicator, 25Electronic analog exposure display/Exposure

compensation, 23Exposure compensation value, 23Flash exposure compensation, 23Flash sync mode, 23Focus mode, 23Focus point display/AF-area mode, 25Help indicator, 23Image quality, 23Image size, 23ISO auto indicator, 25ISO sensitivity, 23K (thousands indicator for remaining

exposures), 23Manual flash control indicator/Flash

compensation for optional Speedlightindicator, 25

Metering mode, 23Number of remaining exposures/Preset white

balance recording indicator/Capture modeindicator, 23

Optimize image indicator, 25overview, 22, 24Release mode, 23Shooting mode, 22Shutter speed, 22Shutter speed display, 22White balance mode, 23

Shooting information auto off option (Setupmenu), 64

Shooting menuActive D-Lighting option, 56, 58Image quality option, 55Image size option, 56ISO sensitivity settings option, 56Noise reduction option, 56Optimize image option, 53–55overview, 53White balance option, 56, 57

shooting mode, selecting a, 1–3shoot-through umbrellas, 130short lighting, 236ShotAddict, 228shoulder bags, 224shutter, 236shutter priority mode, 3, 31, 236shutter release button, 12, 38, 236shutter speed, 22, 72–73, 236shutter speed display, 22shutter speed display/noise reduction indicator, 21Shutterbug, 229sidelighting, 236sides of the camera controls, 18–19simplicity, 78Single Autofocus (AF-S), 37, 236single mode, 38Single-area AF mode, 38size of image

described, 23and quality, 45–47

skylight filter, 211slaves, 123Slide show option (Playback menu), 51slow sync, 115, 236SLR lenses, 91Small picture option (Retouch menu), 67, 212–213snoots, 134soft light, 106softboxes, 132Softer setting (Shooting menu), 53Source tab (Nikon Transfer), 203–204Speedlight, 109, 120–122, 237speedring, 132Sports mode, 2, 4, 29sports photography. See action and sports

photography

Index ✦ S 249


spot meter, 32, 237sRBG color space, 54, 55standard i-TTL flash, 111standard pack and head strobes, 126standard umbrellas, 130still-life and product photography

accessories, 190camera settings, 190diffused lighting for, 188exposure, 190inspiration, 188lenses used in, 190lighting, 190overview, 187–188practice, 189–190setup, 189tips, 191

Sto-Fen Omnibounce, 125Stop-motion movie option

Playback menu, 52Retouch menu, 67, 214–216

studio flash, 31studio portraits, 181–182studio strobes, 126–127SU-800 Speedlight, 120Sunny 16 Rule, 108sync modes, 113–116sync speed, 113

Tteleconverters, 102telephoto lens

described, 95–97for wildlife photography, 198, 199

television, connecting your camera to a standard, 202

thermal noise, 40third-party lenses, 90–913D Color Matrix II, 32thumbnails, viewing, 5Thumbnail/Zoom out button, 5Thumbnail/Zoom out/Help button, 16TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), 237time and date, setting, 64tips

abstract photography, 138action and sports photography, 142architectural photography, 146–147concert photography, 154flower and plant photography, 159landscape photography, 163light trail and fireworks photography, 167macro photography, 173night photography, 177

pet photography, 180portrait photography, 187still-life and product photography, 191travel photography, 194–195wildlife photography, 198

Tone compensation option (Custom settingsubmenu), 54

top of the camera controls, 12–13transferring your images, 207travel photography

camera settings, 194exposure, 194inspiration, 192lenses used in, 194lighting, 194overview, 191–192practice, 193–194setup, 193tips, 194–195

Trim option (Retouch menu), 67, 210tripod socket, 19tripods

ball head, 222choosing, 223–224for closeups, 223cost of, 223features in, 224heads for, 222height of, 222landscape photography, 163, 223light trail and fireworks photography, 165for low light, 223night photography, 177overview, 222pan/tilt head, 222plate for, 222–223weight of, 224when to use, 223for zoomed in shots, 223

TTL (through-the-lens)defined, 237described, 107

tungsten light, 237

Uumbrellas

choosing, 131convertible, 131overview, 130shoot-through, 130size of, 131standard, 130

USB cable, downloading images from camerausing, 6

250 Index ✦ S—U


USB port, 19UV (ultraviolet) filters, 103

Vvanishing point


variable aperture, 88vertical lines in center of image, avoid placing, 83vibration reduction (VR), 237Vibration Reduction (VR) lens, 86, 87, 101Vibration Reduction (VR) switch, 18Video mode option (Setup menu), 64video out connection, 19Video Out mode, 202viewfinder, 14viewfinder display

aperture/f-stop display, 21Auto ISO indicator, 22battery indicator, 22EL lock, 20Electronic analog exposure display/Exposure

compensation/Rangefinder, 21Exposure compsensation indicator, 21FEC indicator, 21flash ready indicator, 21flexible program indicator, 20focus indicator, 20focus point display, 20K (thousands indicator for remaining

exposures), 22overview, 19remaining exposures, 21shutter speed display/noise reduction

indicator, 21warning indicator, 21

viewing your images, 201–202vignetting, 94Vivid setting (Shooting menu), 53VR (Vibration Reduction) lens, 86, 87, 101VR (Vibration Reduction) switch, 18

Wwarm filter, 211warning indicator, 21weight of tripods, 224Wein SafeSync, 126Weston, Edward (photographer), 77white balance

defined, 237described, 41–45fine-tuning, 57mode, 23settings, 42–45

White balance option (Shooting menu), 56, 57wide-angle lenses, 92–95wildlife photography

camera settings, 198exposure, 198inspiration, 196lenses used in, 96, 198, 199lighting, 198overview, 195–196practice, 197–198setup, 198telephoto lens used in, 96, 198, 199tips, 198

window lighting, 109wireless remote control, 221World time option (Setup menu), 64

ZZoom in button, 5Zoom in/Info display/Quick settings button, 16zoom lenses

depth of field, 88overview, 88quality, 89variable aperture, 88

zoom ring, 13zoomed in shots, tripods for, 223

Index ✦ U—Z 251


Colorful, portable Digital Field Guides are packed with essential tips and techniques about your camera equipment, iPod, or

notebook. They go where you go; more than books—they’re gear.Each $19.99.

Also availableCanon EOS 30D Digital Field Guide • 978-0-470-05340-9

Digital Travel Photography Digital Field Guide • 978-0-471-79834-7Nikon D200 Digital Field Guide • 978-0-470-03748-5Nikon D50 Digital Field Guide • 978-0-471-78746-4

PowerBook and iBook Digital Field Guide • 978-0-7645-9680-3

Guides to go.

978-0-470-12051-4 978-0-470-11007-2 978-0-7645-9679-7

978-0-470-16853-0 978-0-470-12656-1 978-0-470-04528-2

Available wherever books are sold

Wiley and the Wiley logo are registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affi liates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

21_383124 badvert01.qxp 6/4/08 10:08 AM Page 252

Documents

Nikon D60 Digital Field Guide