Basics of
Photography
by Christopher Haslego
Understanding light is one of the very basic principles of
learning to be a photographer. When you have a group of people in front of you
with smiling faces ready for you to say 'cheese' or if you are taking a shot of
a scenic area, the most important consideration is the light factor. Light
controls the type of exposure and therefore the quality of the photo is
dependent on the quality of the light on your subject and the amount of light
that impacts on the film or digital sensor when you click. Controlling the
amount of light is a good pre-occupation in the mind of a photographer keen to
get a good shot. It should be one of the key considerations.
The word 'exposure' is a very important word in the lexicon of
both amateur and professional photographers and is based on the understanding
of light in creating good photographs.
--If there is too much light,
the photo will look overly bright and over exposed.
--A happy group of
people will not look as vibrant if there was inadequate light when you took the
picture.
--Bright sunlight can create shadows under the
eyes.
--Poor lighting may not bring out the colors in the scene to
maximum effect
There are a few basics that you can apply to circumvent
poor picture quality due to unfavorable light conditions:
--Change the
position from which you take the shot
--Change the light if clicking
indoors
--Use the flash
The use of the flash can be a boon when
you operate in different light conditions. If you have an overcast sky, the
flash in your camera will serve the purpose of letting some light into the
image that you are trying to capture and brightening it up. The flash also
works to your advantage when your subject is not too close but slightly away
from you. But you have to check the 'flash range' of your camera in your
manual. The flash works best when your subject is within a recommended range
that is usually at least 4 ft and generally not more than 10 ft.
Most
simple cameras have an automatic flash. Slightly better models will have
settings for fill-flash. The concept of fill flash revolves around filling
light in areas of a picture that may turn out dark or shadowed. Fill-flash has
the ability to balance the amount of light on different parts of a subject to
ensure that the exposure is adequately bright. For instance, a portion of a
person's face may appear shadowed and the fill-flash setting can help iron out
this problem.
The angle of light is another important consideration.
You have to pay attention to the direction from which light falls on your
subject and there are several approaches in manipulating the angle of light to
improve the visual appeal of a picture.
Sideways lighting: Light from
the side is used to creates depth in the picture and is considered one of the
best ways to use light if you are taking a portrait photograph.
Light
from the top: This is a method used to brighten up most of the scene but does
not work as well when you take a photograph of a person. It tends to create
shadows on the lower half of the face when the lighting is high.
Light
from behind your subject: This strategy is sometimes used by photographers to
amplify the impact of the picture. It can create a halo like effect; it can add
artistic shadows and can also create a striking contrast between the subject
and the background if used effectively. When you use a 'back light' it is
recommended that the fill-flash settings on your camera are also adjusted in
order to avoid shadows in your photograph.
The second issue in
photography is the aesthetics of the picture. Aesthetics is the creativity and
attention to detail that you bring to your photograph. It is the most
interesting part of photography since it is almost like a visual equivalent of
composing a poem or writing a story. Aesthetics requires the use of visual
skills to compose and deliver a pleasing, eye-catching and captivating image.
It is a type of vision that you have for your photograph in terms of look and
appeal.
Aesthetics requires a good eye for detail. The following
factors have to borne in mind in creating an aesthetically appealing
photograph:
Background
--Periphery
--Distance from
subject
--Changing the direction of your camera based on picture
dimensions
--Objects impinging on the picture
--Avoiding too many
elements
Each of these factors that go into aesthetics are described and
explained below-
-->Background
The background in a photograph
requires much consideration. It influences the manner in which your subject is
portrayed in the photograph. Depending on your choice of background, your
subject will be shown to effect or may be overshadowed. The background also
makes the difference between a boring and an interesting photograph. The
colors, the type of background and the context add to the vibrancy of the
photo.
-->Perphery
A common problem among beginners in
photography is not paying attention to whether the image is being captured
fully. When you view your subject through the viewfinder, you may think you
have clicked a person from head to shoulder or from head to toe in a full shot.
But when the actual photograph is processed, the top of your subject's head or
part of the hair may be missing! Or, if you did not center your subject when
you composed the shot through your viewfinder, a part of the shoulder or hand
may be lost into the edges of the photo. You need to concentrate when you view
your subject through your camera before you click, in order to get the picture
exactly the way you want it.
-->Distance from Subject
The
distance from a subject is another critical aspect in getting a good picture.
You want to see facial expression, not a mass of faces when you take a
photograph. To do this, you have to be at a suitable close distance from your
subject. On the other hand, when you click pictures of a campus, the distance
that you click from can give you a wide view and take in a lot more of the
scene. To take close up pictures of flowers or crystal or any decorative item,
you have to move into close range and use suitable lenses to achieve the right
magnification.
-->Changing the Direction of Your Camera Based on the
Picture
Many a time you may not be able to capture the subject in it's
entirety in the conventional horizontal position in which the camera is usually
held. You can easily change the direction. Hold the camera vertically and then
view your subject. You will be able to capture more of a longish subject like a
tall monument, a full-length picture of a child, and so on.
-->Objects Impinging on the Picture
At times there are
certain objects in a scene that seem to almost invade into the picture. For
instance, if you take a picture of a group of your friends on a street, chances
are that a street sign may gain prominence in the photograph unbidden and may
seem to sprout out of the head of one of your friends in the photograph. Or the
light fixtures in your living room may find a place in the picture and appear
in the form an unseemly blob in your photo. And the tough part is, when you
take the shot you may not be aware of this because the eye is focused on the
people in the picture.
-->Avoiding Too Many Elements
A
picture cluttered with too many objects may detract from the actual subject.
For instance, a wide view of a room in which your subject is sitting may create
a photo in which too many objects vie for attention. If the person in the
picture is your main target then narrow down and concentrate mostly on clicking
the subject. While a good background adds value to a picture, too much
paraphernalia could take the attention away from the main subject. Your picture
may be focused and the lighting may be good but there is so much going on in
the picture that it becomes aesthetically lacking and maybe even a little
jarring.
Besides Light and Aesthetics, the third issue in photography
basics refers to 'focusing' the picture. Getting the right focus is the
difference between a blurred image and a sharp image. If you have an auto focus
camera, the camera will do the job for you. This is available in most basic
models. You can also achieve focus manually in other cameras using the
mechanism to adjust the focus and to lock the focus on the subject before you
click.
To achieve the right focus, it is important to decide on the
artistic elements of the final picture. There are areas of a scene that you may
want sharper and clearer. For instance, when you photograph a famous monument,
you may want the building as well as the blue sky against which it is
silhouetted to be crystal clear. If you are photographing a camel in a desert,
you might want the camel to be clear and a slightly hazy/blurred effect of the
surrounding sand. If you are taking a shot of a room containing a priceless
vase, when you look through your viewfinder, you want the finer details of the
intricate patterns on the vase to be clearer than other objects in its
vicinity. So, it's also a question of the portion or key part of your picture
your focus is really on.
This area that you identify for your focus is
referred to as the 'depth of field'. You can lock the focus on the depth of
field that you choose. You can control the focus and depth of field depending
on your objectives for different shots.
The basics of photography are
better applied when you put into perspective the capabilities of the camera
model that you use or plan to purchase. Simple point and shoot cameras require
minimal knowledge in operating them. They are easy to use and have the bare
minimum controls. The user has to just compose and aim the shot on the subject
and presses the shutter button. 'Click' and the job is done. The camera handles
its functions automatically.
For those of you who want to work with a
slightly more sophisticated camera, you have the option of a Single Lens Reflex
camera popularly called the SLR system. This type of camera is available in
both 35mm film format as well as digital format. Digital cameras have no film
but the image is captured on an image sensor and stored in photo memory.
Digital cameras in general provide superior picture quality. The internal
system of the SLR camera is made up of angled prisms and mirrors that actually
work like a lens when you click. But you have a few things to learn about this
camera system before you can achieve better light exposure, sharpness and good
focus. While it is imperative that you study the instruction manual of your SLR
camera system thoroughly to understand the features and functioning, given here
are some of the features and a brief explanation on how these features can help
you in achieving the right exposure.
-->Additional Lenses for Close
Up Shots
An additional feature in an SLR camera that makes it far
superior to a simple 'point and shoot' camera is the ability to use add-on
lenses. When you attempt to take a close up shot of objects in nature like a
flower or a butterfly, you might want a very high level of clarity. You can add
power to your camera by attaching an additional lens onto your camera lens for
greater magnification of your subject. These supplementary lenses are available
at reasonable prices in different powers like +2, +3 and so on.
You can
also look for a model with an optical zoom lens that gives you the flexibility
of variable focal length and a range of lens options within a single zoom
lens.
-->Shutter Speed
The shutter in your camera lets light
in during a shot and keeps light out at other times. When the shutter opens for
an exposure, light is allowed to impact on the film or image sensor. If you set
a slow shutter speed, more light impacts on the sensor and affects the type of
exposure. When you use a faster shutter speeds your picture is sharper and
clearer. There is a maximum shutter speed that is available to you in your
camera system. The shutter speed is set at a fraction of a second- for
instance, 1/1000th of a second. It could also be 1/2000th or even the
much-preferred higher speed of 1/4000th of a second that is available in
certain models. Professional use models boast of even higher shutter speed of
1/6000th or 1/8000th of a second. If you want to freeze action such as in
sports, you require fast shutter speeds.
There are many more features
that when used effectively can add value to the impact of your photographs.
Most 35mm SLR cameras have a TTL viewfinder. TTL stands for 'through the lens'
metering system. This device has the ability to measure (on a scale) the amount
of light impacting the film. Using this device is the key to control the
exposure and get the right amount of light in order to capture a proper image.
You can also use a tripod with your SLR camera. A tripod is your answer to
achieving the right exposure in a close up shot and in low light conditions. It
holds the camera steady, helps in focusing and ensures a sharper picture even
when shutter speed is slow.
The guidelines discussed here on the basics
of photography and the additional features of the SLR system, will not only get
you started but also help you avoid the common mistakes that many budding
photographers make. Study your manual thoroughly for insights and ideas.
Learning photography requires patience and the ability to constantly experiment
and teach yourself through a process of trial and error.
About the Author
The author, Chris Haslego, is founder of
http://www.cameramanualstore.com, the internet's foremost
source of camera manuals. With over 4000+ camera manuals available from all
major manufacturers
Article Source:
http://www.bigarticles.com
