Basic Photography Techniques

1. What does C.E.L.L. stand for?

• Composition, exposure, lens, light

2. What are the 4 composition rules?

• Unclutter the picture, zoom in.

• Put subject off center (rule of thirds)

• Use of frames, lines, and diagonals

• Dramatic perspective

3. What is exposure?

• Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO

4. What is the Aperture of a camera and how does it affect the depth of field?

• Opening a lens through which light passes. Affects depth of field (range of distance in focus).

5. What happens to the aperture in Portrait mode (F.5.6)?

• In a portrait, shallower Depth of Field will isolate your subject from distracting backgrounds

6. What happens to the aperture in Landscape mode (F22)?

• As much of the photograph in sharp focus as possible

7. What are the benefits using a larger aperture (F1.8-F3.5)?

• Allows you to shoot more often with just natural lighting → helps to reduce harsh shadows and red-eye caused by flash.

• Allows more light to pass through, the camera will be able to choose a slightly higher shutter speed → helps to reduce motion blur.

• Helps to reduce "depth-of-field“ (for effect) giving it a shallow depth of field..

8. How do you take blur-free "action" photographs?

• To capture blur-free "action" photographs, you need to make sure the camera is using a high shutter speed.

• Less light gets through to the imager as shutter speed is increased, thus difficult to use higher shutter speeds in lower light situations.

• Alternatives: Allow more light to pass through the lens (larger aperture setting), the other is to increase the ISO.

9. What is ISO?

• ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. The lower the number, the less sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain. The the lowest setting possible to avoid noise/grain.

10. In order to avoid noise do you set your ISO at a low or high number?

• Set at the lowest setting the lowest number possible.

11. What ISO do you use for...

• Outside on a sunny day? - 100, 200

• Overcast, evening, or darkened room? - range of 400 to 800

• Night time or low light? - 1600

12. What’s the difference between a wide angle and telephoto lens?

• Wide-angle lenses allow more of a picture to be captured (need focal point) while telephoto lenses tighten the scene and isolate the subject (but affect the depth of field & increase camera shake)

13. What are the 3 principles of light?

• Avoid using flash even for night shots.

• Side lighting instead of front or overhead lighting

• Use fill-in flash for backlit situations or overhead sun