Digital Photography

For beginners
Week 4

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In this session:

! Construc<ve Cri<que
! Manual Mode
! The Exposure Triangle
! Aperture
! ShuGer Speed
! ISO
! Depth of Field
! Assignment 4

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Shoo<ng in Manual Mode

Most cameras have a few dierent shoo<ng modes such as Automa<c, Aperture Priority
(A or Av), ShuGer Priority (S or Tv), and Program. Its not uncommon for people to take a
majority of their photos in Automa<c mode since it generally does a good job of geVng
decent results, though more advanced photographers will oWen use Aperture or ShuGer
Priority. Shoo<ng in Manual, however, might seem in<mida<ng and highly complex but
once you understand a few basics it starts to make a lot more sense. Certainly you should
have a working understanding of the three components of the exposure triangle: shuGer,
aperture, and ISO.

But in order to get the most out of your camera you will need to know how to use a
simple, but incredibly powerful, tool that func<ons as the glue that binds everything
together: the light meter.

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Nestled quietly at the boGom of your cameras viewnder or Live View display is a small
block of lines or bullets accompanied by a few numbers. You might also have no<ced a
liGle triangle moving back and forth, or some ver<cal hash marks appearing and
disappearing from <me to <me, in a fashion that seems nonsensical or completely
random. If these numbers and symbols make no sense at all, dont worry, you are not
alone. It can be a bit confusing to understand the light meter at rst. But once you get
the fundamentals you will probably nd yourself growing much more condent in
understanding how photography works. Maybe youll even venture out of Automa<c
and into Manual for the sheer amount of control you are able to have over your photos.

Before I get into the niGy griGy of the light meter itself, I want you to take a look at it in
rela<on to the other data shown in your cameras viewnder. Note that this diagram is
highly simplied and your viewnder might look slightly dierent, or include other
informa<on, but all cameras (except some point-and-shoots) include the elements
shown here.

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In this example the cameras shuGer is set at 1/90 of a second, the lens aperture is f/
4.8, and the ISO is 400. The light meter is a readout that shows whether these values
are going to result in a photo that is properly exposed that is, a photo that is neither
too light or too dark. The small triangle hovering over the zero in the light meter
shows that the exposure is correct, and when the shuGer buGon is pressed the
picture will look ne.
To get a properly exposed photo you are essen<ally trying to re-create what your eye
already sees.

Alterna<vely, you can take a shot in Auto mode, write down the seVngs your camera
chose, take a look at the image in your viewing screen and then make any
adjustments you think are needed, i.e. underexposed, overexposed and to change the
depth of eld.

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The Exposure Triangle
The exposure triangle is a common way of associa<ng the three variables
that determine the exposure of a photograph: aperture, shuGer speed,
and ISO. One must balance all three of these to achieve a desired result,
an adjustment of one requiring adjustments of at least one of the others.

They do not only aect exposure, but are also the largest determiners of the global
appearance of an image, the 3 combined variables = EV (Exposure Value).
Any change in any one of the three elements will have a measurable and specic impact on
how the remaining two elements react to expose the lm frame or image sensor and how
the image ul<mately looks. For example, if you increase the f-stop, you decrease the size of
the lens diaphragm thus reducing the amount of light hiVng the image sensor, but also
increasing the DOF (depth of eld) in the nal image. Reducing the shuGer speed aects
how mo<on is captured, in that this can cause the background or subject to become blurry.
However, reducing shuGer speed (keeping the shuGer open longer) also increases the
amount of light hiVng the image sensor, so everything is brighter. Increasing the ISO, allows
for shoo<ng in lower light situa<ons, but you increase the amount of digital noise inherent
in the photo. It is impossible to make an independent change in one of the elements and not
obtain an opposite eect in how the other elements aect the image, and ul<mately change
the EV.

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Aperture
The focal length of the lens you use, combined with the aperture seVng, determines
how the camera sees whatever you point it at. This has profound implica<ons for
composi<on. Lets look at them one by one.

Selec<ve focus and Bokeh

Selec<ve focus occurs when you focus on your subject, and use a wide aperture to make
the background go out of focus. Bokeh is the blurred parts of your photo. It originates
from the Japanese word boke, and has come into use because we dont have a word in
English for it. There are several factors that aect Bokeh.

Aperture
The wider the aperture, the less depth-of-eld there is, and the more Bokeh you get.
Photographers that like to use selec<ve focus buy prime lenses, as they have oWen wider
maximum aperture seVngs than zooms.
But, you can s<ll obtain nice Bokeh with zooms, if you pay aGen<on to the following
points.

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Camera to subject distance
The closer you are to the subject the less depth-of-eld there is. This is a useful <p if you
have a zoom lens with a limited maximum aperture (such as an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit
lens). Just set the focal length to longest available seVng, the aperture to its widest
seVng, and move in as close as you can. Youll be surprised by what you can achieve.

Bokeh in a night shot Bokeh in a daylight shot

Subject to background distance

The more distance there is between subject and background, the more out of focus the
background will get, at any given aperture seVng.
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Quality of light
Light aects Bokeh. SoW light (like that on an overcast day) produces smooth, even Bokeh.
Sunlight or reec<ons, create a dierent type of Bokeh with more texture.

The aperture blades of the lens

The more blades the lens has, the rounder the shape of the aperture, and the smoother
the quality of the Bokeh. Less expensive lenses tend to have fewer aperture blades, and
may not produce the same quality of Bokeh as beGer ones.

Other op<cal characteris<cs of the lens

Some lenses, such as the Helios 58mm f/2 lens, have op<cal characteris<cs (or more
likely, aws) that produce a certain type of Bokeh. Lensbaby is a company that makes
lenses that produce a specic type of Bokeh.

More about Lenses next week.

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ShuGer Speed
In photography, shuGer speed or exposure <me is the length of <me when the lm or
digital sensor inside the camera is exposed to light, also when a camera's shuGer is open
when taking a photograph.[1] The amount of light that reaches the lm or image sensor is
propor<onal to the exposure <me. 1/500th of a second will let half as much light in as
1/250th.
One of the most important choices you make when taking a photograph is deciding what
shuGer speed to use. The shuGer speed controls how much light comes into your
camera, and how mo<on is recorded.
A faster shuGer speed will freeze ac<on and slower shuGer speeds can create a blur. Both
choices can produce great pictures. You will have the opportunity to prac<ce seVng your
camera on dierent shuGer speeds, and seeing how each
aects mo<on in your images during your
assignment for week 6.
To get started, set your camera on manual
mode, and do a few test shots to check
your exposure.

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ShuGer Speed

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ISO
In very basic terms, ISO is the level of sensi<vity of your camera to available light. The
lower the ISO number, the less sensi<ve it is to the light, while a higher ISO number
increases the sensi<vity of your camera. The component within your camera that can
change sensi<vity is called image sensor or simply sensor. It is the most important
(and most expensive) part of a camera and it is responsible for gathering light and
transforming it into an image. With increased sensi<vity, your camera sensor can
capture images in low-light environments without having to use a ash. But higher
sensi<vity comes at an expense it adds grain or noise to the pictures.

Every camera has something called Base ISO, which is typically the lowest ISO number
of the sensor that can produce the highest image quality, without adding noise to the
picture. On most of the new Nikon cameras such as Nikon D5100, the base ISO is
typically 200, while most Canon digital cameras have the base ISO of 100. So, op<mally,
you should always try to s<ck to the base ISO to get the highest image quality. However,
it is not always possible to do so, especially when working in low-light condi<ons.

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ISO
Typically, ISO numbers start from 100-200 (Base ISO) and increment in value in
geometric progression (power of two). So, the ISO sequence is: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600,
3200, 6400 and etc. The important thing to understand, is that each step between the
numbers eec<vely doubles the sensi<vity of the sensor. So, ISO 200 is twice more
sensi<ve than ISO 100, while ISO 400 is twice more sensi<ve than ISO 200. This makes
ISO 400 four <mes more sensi<ve to light than ISO 100, and ISO 1600 sixteen <mes
more sensi<ve to light than ISO 100, so on and so forth. What does it mean when a
sensor is sixteen <mes more sensi<ve to light? It means that it needs sixteen <mes less
<me to capture an image!

When to increase ISO

ISO Speed Example: You should increase the ISO when there is not enough
ISO 100 1 second light for the camera to be able to quickly capture an
ISO 200 1/2 of a second image. Any<me you shoot indoors without a ash, set
ISO 400 1/4 of a second your ISO to a higher number to be able to capture the
ISO 800 1/8 of a second moment without introducing blur to the image. Other
ISO 1600 1/16 of a second cases where you might want to increase ISO are when
ISO 3200 1/32 of a second you need to get ultra-fast shots, like motorsports. But
before increasing the ISO, you should think if it is OK for
you to introduce noise to the image.
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Below is an example of how you can shoot a subject with the same exposure using 3
dierent camera seVngs.

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Depth of Field
You may have heard the term depth of eld (DoF), but if you are new to photography
you may not yet be taking advantage of how DoF can enhance your photos. A basic
deni<on of depth of eld is: the zone of acceptable sharpness within a photo that will
appear in focus. In every picture there is a certain area of your image in front of, and
behind the subject that will appear in focus.

This zone will vary from photo to photo. Some images may have very small zones of
focus which is called shallow depth of eld. Others may have a very large zone of focus
which is called deep depth of eld. Three main factors that will aect how you control
the depth of eld of your images are: aperture (f-stop), distance from the subject to the
camera, and focal length of the lens on your camera. Here are some explana<ons and
answers to other common ques<ons concerning depth of eld.

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How does Aperture control DoF?
Aperture refers to the access given to light from the lens to the camera sensors. The
size of your aperture (the diameter of the hole through which light enters the camera)
controls the amount of light entering your lens. Using the aperture (f-stop) of your lens
is the simplest way to control your depth of eld as you set up your shot.
Large aperture = Small f-number = Shallow (small) depth of eld
Small aperture = Larger f-number = Deeper (larger) depth of eld
It may be easier to remember this simple concept: The lower your f-number, the
smaller your depth of eld. Likewise, the higher your f-number, the larger your depth of
eld. For example, using a seVng of f/2.8 will produce a very shallow depth of eld
while f/11 will produce a deeper DoF.

How does distance control depth of eld?

The closer your subject is to the camera, the shallower your depth of eld becomes.
Therefore, moving further away from your subject will deepen your depth of eld.

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How does the focal length of a lens control depth of eld?
Focal Length refers to the capability of a lens to magnify the image of a distant subject.
This can get complicated, but the simple answer is that the longer you set your focal
length the shallower the depth of eld. Example: Your subject is 10 meters (33 feet)
away, using a focal length of 50mm at f/4; your depth of eld range would be from 7.5
-14.7 meters (24.6-48 feet) for a total DoF of 7.2 meters (23.6 feet). If you zoom into
100mm from the same spot, the depth of eld changes to 9.2-10.9m (30.1-35.8) for
a total of 1.7m (5.7) of depth of eld. But if you move to 20m (66) away from your
subject using the 100mm lens, your depth of eld is almost the same as it would be at
10 meters using a 50mm lens.

How can you determine depth of eld?

There are several on-line sites that will provide depth of eld charts for your camera and
lenses. Also, there are a number of apps available for smart phone users that can
calculate it for you while youre in the eld. Most cameras have a DoF preview buGon
which will give you a preview as you look through the eye piece. (This is probably the
easiest and most under-u<lized method.) Using this buGon may cause your image to
appear darker as you view it through the eye piece, but not to worry. Your image will be
properly exposed as long as you have the correct exposure seVngs.

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Assignment 4
Shadows
A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is
blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-
dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it.
The cross sec<on of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhoueGe,
or a reverse projec<on of the object blocking the light.

In photography, which is essen<ally recording paGerns of light,

shade, and colour, "highlights" and "shadows" are the
brightest and darkest parts, respec<vely, of a scene or image.
Photographic exposure must be adjusted (unless special
eects are wanted) to allow the lm or sensor, which has
limited dynamic range, to record detail in the highlights
without them being washed out, and in the shadows without
their becoming undieren<ated black areas.

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Shadows

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