INTRODUCTION

A camera may look easy to use, but is one of the most difficult technologies to handle. Compact cameras may be easy to handle with automatic built-in settings, but a 'DSLR' ( DIGITAL SINGLE LENS REFLEX ) may be a wee bit difficult to use with as there are many settings and you may have to work with it on the manual mode.  This small guide will help lead you to becoming a pro. 

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COMPOSITION

WHY DO YOU LIKE A PHOTO SO MUCH?

  It's not you who likes the picture its your eye. A photo is  a photo when there is composition.

COMPOSITION

Composition is about creating the picture, the photographer decides what's in it and what is left out. Think of the photo as a prized trophy,

 and we need to put it to the best use possible. Through the rules of composition we make the viewer take an extra glance at it. 

The term 'composition' means 'putting together'.

SUBJECT, PREDICATE AND BACKGROUND

We can divide the objects in a photograph into three main groups:

  • Subject: This is the most important element of the photo and it should be clear to the viewer as to what it is. Many photos lack a subject and can be displeasing to the eye.
  • Predicate: This is a completing or competing element to the subject. We should try to make sure that the predicate doesn't 'steal the show' from the subject, and it should contribute details about the subject to provide a different angle or perspective on the subject.
  • Background: The background is just as important as the subject. the background can take an ordinary photo and make it great. The background should complement the subject while not stealing attention from it.

WHAT THE EYE LIKES?

The eye is drawn to three things (A,B,C):

  • Accurately sharp elements -  If the whole background is blurry and the subject is sharp and not blurry.
  • Bright elements - If the whole picture is dark except one bright object.
  • Colourful elements - If the whole picture is black and white and there is one coloured object.

FOCUSING

There are four focusing modes:

  1. Infinite Focus:  When the objects are far enough from the camera focus can be set manually or automatically to infinite. This mode is used to capture a long distance sharp and clearly.
  2. Manual Focus: Using this mode the photographer has to manually do corrections be moving a focus ring in the lens or pressing the in and out buttons.
  3. Single Focus Mode:  When using this method the camera is put into manual focus. The camera will automatically focus on an object when the shutter button is pressed.
  4. Continuous Auto Focus: Once the shutter button is pressed and as long as it is held half way down the camera continuously focuses on the object in the photo. This method is very useful when the object is moving as it will detect the moving object and corrct the focus as it moves.

PHOTOGRAPHY CONCEPTS

APERTURE

  • The aperture is a diaphragm; its main purpose is to determine how much light enters the camera. The F number (reverse ratio) represent sit.
  • The pattern is: bigger the aperture'd diameter, smaller the F number. 
  • The common stops are: F/1 F/1.4 F/2 F/2.8 F/4 F/5.6 F/8 F/11 F/16 F/22 F/32 F/45 F/64

SHUTTER SPEED

In photography, shutter speed is a common term to discuss the exposure time, the effective length of time the shutter is open; the total exposure is propotional to this exposure time, or duration of light reaching the film. 

ISO

International Standard Organisation (ISO). The sensor's sensitivity is actually the amount of amplification of the signal from the sensor. Every sensor has a base sensitivity in which it provides the 'cleanest' photo, and increase in that sensitivity will shorten the exposure time and give lots of noise and jitter to the photo. In low light conditions it's recommended to use a higher ISO, but in general lower ISO is recommended for avoiding this 'noise'.

Low ISO can produce less noise than a higher ISO. ( This can also depend on the AMOUNT OF LIGHT )

UNDERSTANDING PHOTOGRAPHY

This table will help the photographer understand at what size the picture will be perfect and with what resolution.

        Eg: With a 10+ mega pixel camera the best quality size will be 13x17 inches with a resolution of 25x45 in.

CHOOSING THE BEST CAMERA 

When you need to find a camera which needs to suit you you can ponder over these question which can act as a self assessment.

  •  What type of photography will you be doing? (portraits, landscapes, macro, sports)
  • In what conditions will you be photographing in? (indoors, outdoors, low light, bright light)
  • Will you be staying in automatic mode or understanding the art of photography through manual mode?
  • What experience do have with camera's?
  • What type of features are you looking for?
  • What is your budget?

 
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