Introduction to Photography

What is a photograph?

• A frozen moment in time• A 're-presentation' • A photograph tells a story, evokes an emotion

or triggers something in the viewers mind or a combination of these

“A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion. There no such thing as inaccuracy in a photograph All photos are accurate none of them is the truth." 

 – Richard Avendon

To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability.  Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.”

- Michael Fried

This theory stuff is great but I don't know how to work this camera lark....To really take great photos we need to get used to working in manual (M) mode. For this we'll need to know about:

• Shutter speeds• Apertures• The exposure triangle• Depth of field• How to use/manipulate light• How to work a light meter

The Digital SLR body

Playback

Zoom in

Zoom out

Shutter speed dial

Delete

Hotshoe mount Adjustment for impaired vision

Flash mode button

Exposure Bracketing

Focus modes (2 functions)

Mode dial

Lens controls (focusing & vibration reduction)

Mode Dial

Hot shoe

Exposure compensation

Metering

Off/On - Shutter button

Aperture dial

Shooting mode

SettingsScreen

Shutter speed

Aperture value

Flash settings

No of shots remaning

White balance setting

Format you're shooting in

Metering

Focus setting

2:09

General settings

• ISO wants to be as low as possible. –Studio always 100 or whatever is lowest on your camera–In daylight the same maybe up a little if it is cloudy–Night time varies depending what lights are available. 400 is a good starting point

•Think about the movement of your subject, adjust your shutter and aperture to compensate for this and don’t forget you can pan (move the camera with the subject) to keep them sharp and the background blurred

Let's look at some examples of different exposure techniques

Steve Smailes – www.drivenvisionmedia.co.uk

Steve Smailes – www.drivenvisionmedia.co.uk

Steve Smailes – www.drivenvisionmedia.co.uk

 

 

Steve Smailes – www.drivenvisionmedia.co.uk

Steve Smailes – www.drivenvisionmedia.co.uk

Steve Smailes – www.drivenvisionmedia.co.uk