1. Digital Photography Basics

2. Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work.
- Martin Parr

3. Photography is all about capturing light
Photography is all about capturing light. In order to make a photograph that we can see, we have to control both the amount of light that is exposed to a photosensitive surface, be it film or a digital sensor, and also control the sensitivity of that surface to the light. Exposure can be defined as the amount of light that falls onto the camera's light-sensitive surface. In any given scene, regardless if there is natural or artificial light being emitted, there is a measurable amount of light that illuminates your subject. This amount of light varies due to four basic factors: intensity, duration, distance between light source and subject, and modifications to the light.

4. Digital cameras and traditional cameras are very much alike in many respects. The biggest difference is the way images are captured.
With traditional films, they are captured on silver-based film.
With digital cameras, they are captured on solid-state devices called image sensors.
This class is about digital cameras and the photographs they can capture. Understanding the end product, the digital photograph, is a good place to begin understanding the entire digital photography process.

5. Pixels—Dots Digital photographs are made up of tiny squares called picture elements—or just pixels. Like the impressionists who painted wonderful scenes with small dabs of paint, your computer and printer can use these tiny pixels to display or print photographs. To do so, the computer divides the screen or printed page into a grid containing hundreds of thousands or millions of of pixels. The computer or printer then uses the values stored in the digital photograph's file to specify the brightness and color of each pixel in this grid—a form of painting by number. Controlling, or addressing a grid of individual pixels in this way is called bit mapping and digital images are called bit-maps.

6. Image Size and Number of Pixels

The quality of a digital image, whether printed or displayed on a screen, depends in part on the number of pixels used to create the image (sometimes referred to as resolution). More pixels add detail to an image, sharpen edges, and increase resolution.

If you enlarge any digital image enough, the pixels will begin to show—an effect called pixelization. This is not unlike traditional silver-based prints where grain begins to show when prints are enlarged past a certain point.

8. DPI means Dots Per Inch and tells the number of printed points (dots) per inch.
The size of a digital photograph is specified in one of two ways—by its dimensions in pixels or by the total number of pixels it contains. For example, the same image can be said to have 1600 * 1200 pixels (where "*" is pronounced "by" as in "1600 by 1200"), or to contain 1.92 million pixels (1600 multiplied by 1200).

9. Unlike traditional cameras that use film to store an image, digital cameras use a solid-state device called an image sensor. These fingernail-sized silicon chips now contain millions of photosensitive diodes called photosites. Each of these photosites records the intensity or brightness of the light that falls on it. The brightness recorded by each photosite is then stored as a set of numbers that can then be used to set the color and brightness of dots on the screen or ink on the printed page to reconstruct the image. The image sensor in cameras has an impact on the quality of images. In film cameras it's the film you choose that gives photographs distinctive colors and tones. With digital cameras, the "film" is permanently part of the camera so buying a digital camera is in part like selecting a film to use. Like film, different image sensors render colors differently, have different amounts of "grain," different sensitivities to light, and so on.

10. The Anatomy of a Digital Camera
A digital camera contains hundreds of parts.
It is important to understand the most essential parts of the camera as you begin to explore its many features.
Keep your camera manual, it will come in handy! If you have questions about the way your camera works – bring your camera AND manual to class!

11. Definitions of the Basic Parts of a Digital Camera
Lens - This part of the digital compact camera consists of several layers of lenses of varying properties providing zoom, focusing, and distortion correction. These lenses are mechanically interconnected and adjustment is controlled electronically by the camera's body.
Aperture - Every camera has an aperture. Sometimes fixed but usually adjustable, the aperture is a hole that varies in size to control the amount of light falling on the sensor.
Shutter - Exposes the film or digital sensor to light projected from the lens of your camera for a given duration. This can be anywhere from 1/4000 seconds to 30 seconds, depending on your camera.

12. Shutter Release Button - This is the "trigger" of the camera
Shutter Release Button - This is the "trigger" of the camera. In most cameras, a half-press activates and locks the auto-focus, and a full press captures an image. The shutter also defines how long light will fall on the sensor within the camera.
View Finder/LCD Screen - The LCD screen on digital cameras allows images to be viewed immediately after they are taken, so adjustments can be made to improve your shots straight away.
Mode Dial - A mode dial or camera dial is a dial used on digital cameras to change the camera's mode. On point-and-shoot cameras which support modes a range of scene types is offered.

13. Flash - Is an artificial source of extremely intense light that can be added to photos shot with a digital camera. The flash fires just before the photo is snapped, giving the lens and image sensor plenty of light with which to record the digital image.
Sensor - The image sensor inside a digital camera consists of millions of pixel sensors, each of which includes a photo detector. As light enters the camera through the lens, it strikes the sensor, which causes each photo detector to accumulate an electric charge based on the amount of light that strikes it. The digital camera then converts the charge to pixels that make up the photo.

14. You should work in Camera RAW for all assignments.
Image Capture File Formats:
JPEG: is a compression format that allows a much larger digital file to become compressed into a much smaller sized file. When a JPEG is least compressed (larger file size) very little pixel “artifacts” can be seen by the naked eye. However, if a JPEG is highly compressed (smaller file size) pixel “artifacts” will be present, destroying the visual integrity of an image. If you NEED to shoot in JPEG format because of memory card limitations only do so at the largest (highest or best) JPEG setting.
Camera RAW: is also known as the “digital negative” format. Working in Camera RAW allows the photographer to manipulate white balance, various tonal adjustments, etc. within Photoshop as the RAW image is being processed. The JPEG format does NOT—JPEGS are shot with standard settings that cannot be manipulated after they are captured. Working in Camera RAW allows the photographer to carefully evaluate the image before committing to these settings while shooting and allows for greater creative control in post-production.
You should work in Camera RAW for all assignments.

15. Generic Mode Dial for Digital Cameras
Actual dials may have more
or fewer settings depending
upon the camera you are using.
IN THIS CLASS WE WILL SHOOT
ON “M” (manual).
(DON’T DO IT)

16. PHOTOGRAPHY IS ABOUT LIGHT. Controlling Light
OK, now that we know how the amount of light can be altered, we need to assign a quantitative value to light so that we can measure its intensity, adjust our camera settings accordingly, and then adjust them further to brighten or darken an image. It is this image adjustment that leads us to the mathematical concept of "exposure value" or EV; sometimes referred to as "stops.”
The intensity of light is its luminance but, even with a number assigned to luminance, we really aren't interested in quantifying that because cameras can capture images in all kinds of light, or even in darkness.
What we do care about is setting a baseline so that when we change camera settings we are aware of how the changes will affect the exposure and how to compensate, if compensation is desired.

17. Controlling Light
The goal in creating an exposure is to allow a specific amount of light into your camera and lens to capture your subject in a way that matches your artistic vision.
So, what you want to do is set up your camera and lens to allow the correct (for you) amount of light into the system to create the image you want.
In order to control this light, you have the ability to control three separate settings inside the camera.
There are two ways to control the amount of light that enters the camera and exposes the photosensitive surface (aperture and shutter speed) and one way to control the sensitivity of that surface (ISO).

18. One way to simplify this idea is to compare the camera to certain elements of the human eye. Aperture functions like the eye's iris that opens and constricts the diameter of its opening to limit the amount of light allowed into the eye. Shutter speed is similar to blinking, except the eyelid is usually open when we are awake. However, if you can imagine your eyelids opening momentarily to capture a single image before closing, that is like a camera's shutter. And, finally, ISO is similar to the sensitivity of the rods and cones at the back of the eye. It is important to know that in almost every camera that has a variable aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, there is a way to manually control these settings. Learning how and when to adjust these settings can help improve your photography, as it will give you more control over your images.

19. Light's journey through the camera lens to the sensor

21. Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst" – Henri Cartier-Bresson

25. Getting Started: ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture Tutorial: TEDED Have you ever looked at your camera and wondered what all of those buttons actually do? In this class you will learn what those buttons mean and how to use them to your advantage. For manual photography, the aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity can all be manipulated to get just the right amount of light. This short video will go over some basics, such as ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed : three essential components that will help you to obtain the best exposure when making your photographs.

26. Graphic representation of apertures at different f-stops
Aperture Aperture is the physical opening of the lens iris or diaphragm, which controls how much light reaches the image sensor. Aperture is regulated by a diaphragm made of overlapping blades that can be adjusted to vary the size of the opening through which light passes. Like the pupil in your eye, the aperture diaphragm opens and constricts to control the amount of light passing through the lens. In order to facilitate a properly exposed photograph, we need to quantify the size of the opening so that we can mathematically incorporate this opening into our calculation for exposure+. Luckily, especially if you have my math skills, this has been done for us already!
Graphic representation of apertures at different f-stops

27. Diaphragm blades open and close to determine the size of the aperture

28. Opening up” the lens aperture one full stop (example: f5
Opening up” the lens aperture one full stop (example: f5.6 to f4) lets in twice as much light. “Stopping down” lens aperture one full stop (example: f4 to f5.6) lets in half as much light. Smaller apertures (example: f22) create deeper depth of field and require a longer exposure or shutter speed (less light reaches the sensor). Larger apertures (example: f2.8) yield a shallow depth of field and require a shorter exposure or shutter speed (more light reaches the sensor).

29. Aperture

30. APERTURE IN A NUTSHELL

31. Shutter Speed Shutter speed controls how long the shutter is actually open when recording an image to the sensor. The longer the shutter is open the more light reaches the sensor (longer exposure). The shorter the shutter is open the less light reaches the sensor (shutter exposure).

32. Shutter speed is simply a measure of TIME that the shutter is open
Shutter speed is simply a measure of TIME that the shutter is open. The longer the shutter is open, the more light comes through. Freezing movement of a fast moving subject such as a car requires a fast shutter speed. (example: 1/500) Conversely, to create light trails or movement in a photographic image, a slower shutter speed is required (example: ¼ second). Unlike the blades of the aperture diaphragm that just constrict to a small opening, these blades close all the way until there is no light coming through the shutter. The shutters are designed to open and close extremely fast so that the center of the image does not see an appreciably greater amount of light than the edges.

33. Shutter speeds are listed as whole seconds or as fractions of a second
Shutter speeds are listed as whole seconds or as fractions of a second. Slow shutter speeds allow movement to be imaged across the photograph. A slow shutter speed will allow moving cars, runners, animals, etc., to change position inside the duration of the image. This movement will show on the photograph as motion blur and can be a really great creative element in a photograph. Low-light and nighttime photography dictate a slow shutter speed to allow enough photons to reach the sensor or film. The camera is usually stabilized by a tripod, and shutter speeds of great lengths can capture images in very dark places or even trace the stars streaking across the night sky as the Earth rotates. Fast shutter speeds are used in the opposite fashion—to freeze action versus letting it blur across a photograph. Speeding cars, diving swimmers, racing animals, mischievous kids, and more can all be frozen in time with a fast shutter speed.

34. I If you stand on a sidewalk and stare straight ahead and a car goes past you at 40 miles per hour, a few feet in front of you, it will go through your field of view in a very short amount of time—probably a fraction of a second. If you look out to the horizon and another car going 40 miles per hour is passing you, 4 miles into the distance, you will see that car, going the same speed as the one before it, for a much longer amount of time.

36. SHUTTER SPEED IN A SHORT VIDEO
SHUTTER SPEED GIF
SHUTTER SPEED IN A SHORT VIDEO

37. ISO
We compared aperture to the eye's iris that opens and constricts the diameter of its opening to limit the amount of light allowed into the eye. Shutter speed is akin to the duration of time your eye is open to admit the light. ISO is similar to the sensitivity of the rods and cones at the rear of the human eye. ISO, which stands for International Standards Organization, is a measure of the sensitivity of film or a digital sensor to light. ISO determines the camera’s image sensor light sensitivity. Setting your ISO at a higher setting such as 1600 will allow you to use faster shutter speed and/or smaller aperture settings but will increase noise levels in your image, especially within shadow detail. Conversely, a lower ISO setting yields less noise but limits shutter speed/aperture combinations especially when hand holding your camera. Ideally, it is best to photograph at the lowest 1SO setting available for your camera model—100 or 200 and not above 400. Only resort to higher ISO settings when absolutely necessary such as indoor low light conditions or when you want to create a grainy photographic look. Noise artifacts are especially troublesome in shadow detail of darkly lit scenes.

38. When digital photography entered the fray, the ISO developed speed standards for digital sensors. Thankfully, they assigned the same number system to the digital sensors as they did to the film standards. If you never shot film, you probably are not concerned that the ISO is spoken in the same language, but for those transitioning from film to digital, it is a welcome convenience. A film with an ISO of 200 is half as sensitive to light as the same film with an ISO rating of 400. Double the ISO, double the sensitivity. Half the ISO, half the sensitivity. Easy peasy (sort of…but you’ll get it….just keep using your camera and learning its functions.

41. With digital sensors, when we adjust ISO, we are not changing the size of the pixel, but we are increasing its sensitivity electronically by, in layman's terms, increasing the voltage to the sensor. The unfortunate side effect of this is called noise. The higher the ISO, the more digital noise is introduced into your image. Camera manufacturers, while seemingly always adding megapixels to their new cameras, are constantly trying to reduce the amount of noise at a given ISO.

42. Depth of Field
Example of deep depth of field
Depth of field is the area of focus within an image from foreground to background. Shallow depth of field (less area in focus) is achieved by using a larger aperture (example: f 2.8). Deeper depth of field (more area in focus) is achieved by using a smaller aperture (example: f 22).
Depth of field should be used as a conscious and creative decision by the photographer to create a center of interest within the image, blur out a distracting background, or to bring both foreground and background subjects into sharp focus.
DEPTH OF FIELD IN 45 SECONDS.

44. So far we have discussed how, in order to control the amount of light striking a (piece of film or) digital sensor, there are two physical controls that we can utilize —aperture and shutter speed. We can further control the sensitivity of the sensor by adjusting the ISO on a digital camera (or by getting a roll of film of a different ISO). We also briefly covered depth of field. So, let's make this all practical by looking at a few photographic scenarios where these ideas are conveyed, visually.

45. A wide aperture and shallow depth of field blurs the New York City skyline in this portrait.

46. A wide aperture and shallow depth of field

47. SMALL APERTURE/wide depth of field – PHOTO BY GRACIELA ITURBIDE

48. SMALL APERTURE/wide depth of field – PHOTO BY ELLIOT ERWITT

49. Wide aperture and small (shallow) depth of field (blurring the city around John Lennon – Photo by Bob Gruen

50. Small aperture and deep depth of field (focusing the city around John Lennon – Photo by Bob Gruen

55. Fast shutter speed

57. Slow shutter speed

59. list=UUJ2CMGw35yb3BZieF60_rWA&t=48&v=YZPuc3HV5O8
7 TIPS
list=UUJ2CMGw35yb3BZieF60_rWA&t=48&v=YZPuc3HV5O8

60. Assignment 1: Documented Walk/Walk About
Walkabout: A spontaneous journey through the wilderness of one's choosing in an effort to satisfy a need to be elsewhere, the craving for the open road, that space over the horizon...yes... something like that...and also, the intention for your first assignment.

61. Assignment 1: Documented Walk/Walkabout
Document a walk in an environment (urban,  suburban, rural, wild) of your choice through a series of photographs. Five (5) is the minimum amount of photographs that I want to see for this assignment and twelve (12) is the maximum.
Examine both the minute and the monumental things you encounter. Document your observations about the space you are moving through. If its a place you typically frequent, try to closely observe the things you might always move past and not ponder. If its a place you never have gone to before or haven’t in a while – the possibilities are often endless for newfound sights.
This walk-based assignment could be a space you walk through everyday, or somewhere that you specifically choose to go to for this assignment.

62. Assignment 1: Documented Walk/Walkabout Continued….
Your photographs should be shot, edited and ready to be presented to the class on September 28th (our third class) via slide show or other type of digital presentation such as Powerpoint.
Please remember to give your Documented Walk a title.
LASTLY,  I highly suggest you document your walk before our next class session (September 21) so that you have some in-class lab time to open up the photographs in Bridge for editing and to apply basic corrections in Photoshop.
Take advantage of our in-class lab hours, they will only help you do well in this class.

63. LASTLY: The images from your walk should attempt to incorporate the usage of shutter speed.

64. The images from your walk should attempt to incorporate the usage of aperture.

65. One more reminder on aperture:

66. You don't take a photograph, you make it. – Ansel Adams