Intro to Photography Getting the basics

The meaning of the word “Photography” Originates from two Greek words -Photo>meaning light -Graphy>meaning draw

Parts of the camera

What is a shutter & shutter speed? The shutter is a device in the camera body (like a door) that opens and closes to control THE LENGTH OF TIME light is allowed to reach the digital sensor. Shutter speed is the set LENGTH OF TIME light is allowed to reach the digital sensor. It is the amount of time the Shutter is open.

Shutter Speeds Controls the amount of time the shutter stays open, thus affecting the amount of time the image sensor “sees” the image Expressed as fractions: 1/60 1” 1/ /1000 4

Shutter speed is measured in seconds – or in most cases fractions of seconds. The bigger the denominator the faster the speed (ie 1/1000 is much faster than 1/30). In most cases you’ll probably be using shutter speeds of 1/60th of a second or faster. This is because anything slower than this is very difficult to use without getting camera shake. Camera shake is when your camera is moving while the shutter is open and results in blur in your photos. If you’re using a slow shutter speed (anything slower than 1/60) you will need to either use a tripod or some some type of image stabilization (more and more cameras are coming with this built in). Shutter speeds available to you on your camera will usually double (approximately) with each setting. As a result you’ll usually have the options for the following shutter speeds – 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8 etc. This ‘doubling’ is handy to keep in mind as aperture settings also double the amount of light that is let in – as a result increasing shutter speed by one stop and decreasing aperture by one stop should give you similar exposure levels. Some cameras also give you the option for very slow shutter speeds that are not fractions of seconds but are measured in seconds (for example 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds etc), written as 1”, 2”,etc... These are used in very low light situations, when you’re going after special effects and/or when you’re trying to capture a lot of movement in a shot. Some cameras also give you the option to shoot in ‘B’ (or ‘Bulb’) mode. Bulb mode lets you keep the shutter open for as long as you hold it down.

Slow vs. Fast Shutter Speeds Light Painting Light painting examplesLight painting examples Panning Panning examplesPanning examples Action Photos Fast Shutter examplesFast Shutter examples

Adjusting/Controlling the Shutter Speeds TV (time value) = Shutter Priority Mode S (shutter)= Shutter Priority Mode You set the shutter speed, the camera controls the Aperture/Depth of Field

Aperture, Settings or F Stops Aperture = an opening in the lens which functions much like the eye, thus controlling the amount of light let in to the camera

Adjusting/Controlling the Aperture AV(aperture value) = Aperture Priority Mode You set the aperture, the camera controls the shutter speed/length of time

Comparable pairings Aperture and shutter speed work together to capture any image F F 1/125 F 1/500 Are the same in terms of how much light is let in to the camera

The B setting bulb Shutter stays open When might you use this feature?

Your first decision: shutter speed (action) and aperture (DOF) Decide what control makes the most sense first, depending on the subject and effect you want to convey 1/1000 is a very fast shutter speed and will require more light (full sunshine) and will freeze fast action 1/4 is a slower shutter and will capture movement. Less light is needed. (motion blur) 1/8 or 1/30, can follow a moving subject and make the subject appear to be moving (panning)

Your first decision: shutter speed (action) and aperture (DOF)

Deciding on shutter speed and aperture- You choose. Remember there is a correlation between shutter speed and aperture

Helpful guide

Film/Digital ISO ISO (film speed) = How sensitive your camera is to light (International Organization for Standardization) Standards are usually (from fast to slow) 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, and fast film= very sensitive to any light 800,1600,3200, etc… requires less light to expose, but gets “grainy” the higher the ISO -slow film= little sensitivity to light 50, 100, etc… requires much more light to expose, but has excellent clarity

Film/Digital ISO Remember it like this: Low ISO(50) = perfect for SUNNY days because it is not light sensitive, therefore will not be blown out from all of the sunlight High ISO(1600) = perfect for DARK rooms because it makes your camera very sensitive to light, therefore allowing better shots in low light situations

The visible difference

Exposure: Putting it all together

Film vs. digital Same concept. Different science.

How your digital camera works Let’s watch again.