1. CAMERA BASICS
Visual Literacy

2. FILM vs. DIGITAL Film Cameras: Chemical process
Press a button to open the aperture to let in light that causes reactions to take place in the chemicals on the film.

3. FILM vs. DIGITAL Digital Cameras: Electronic process
Still press a button to open aperture to let in light, but the light is turned into electrical signals.

4. DSLR vs. SMARTPHONE
DSLR (digitial single-lens reflex): The image sensor in a DSLR is up to 50 times bigger than the one in a smartphone.) If you want professional photos with maximum quality, try mastering manual controls on a DSLR.

5. DSLR vs. SMARTPHONE
Smartphone: If you primarily want to share photos via Internet, you can produce fine photos with a smartphone once you understand the basics of composition and lighting. (Various sites rate these among the smartphones for photography: iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Huawei, Sony Xperia X, HTC.)
NOTE: You can adapt your Smartphone to perform more like a DSLR. Stay tuned.

6. LENSES
FOCAL LENGTH
The technical answer: Distance between the image chip in a digital camera and the point where the light rays intersect inside the lens.
The practical answer: Focal length tells us how much of the scene is captured in the picture.
The lower the number (i.e. 10mm), the wider the view.
The higher the number (i.e. 100mm) the narrower the view.

7. LENSES
Wide Angle Lens: Focal length less than 35 mm (Many smartphones have focal lengths about 35 mm.)

8. LENSES
Normal or Standard Lens: Focal length about 35 mm to 70 mm. (These lenses see about what we see with the naked eye.)

9. LENSES
Telephoto Lens: Focal length of more than 70 mm. (Wildlife and sports photographers use lenses longer than 300 mm.)
Sigma mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens

10. Exposure: Controlling the amount of light entering the camera
F-stop (SIZE of the aperture)

11. Exposure: Controlling the amount of light entering the camera
Shutter Speed (TIME the aperture is open)

12. Exposure: Controlling the amount of light entering the camera
ISO* (Sensitivity of sensor to light)
*International Standards Organization

13. Exposure: Controlling the amount of light entering the camera
Meter Readings: How F-stops, shutter speed and ISO work together to deliver exposure you want.