BASIC

PHOTOGRAPHY
Crafted with Expertise by RakkyRakesh
BASIC
PHOTOGRAPHY
Crafted with Expertise by Rakky Rakesh
What are the main types of cameras used for photography?
• Compact Cameras (Point and shoot camera)
• DSLR Cameras.
• Mirrorless Cameras.
• Action cameras
• Smartphone cameras
Fish-eye lens
A fisheye lens is an ultra-wide-angle lens that can take
in a full 180 degree radius around it.
Fisheye lenses are so named because they distort an
image’s field of view, making even a room in a house
look like a bubble.

Wide-angle lens
Wide-angle lens have small focal lengths (18-30mm)
and are useful when you are trying to capture
broader area.
Wide-angle lens used for Landscape, architecture

Standard/Prime Lens
The standard lens has a fixed focal length used for
Street, travel, portrait (35mm,50mm, 85mm, 105mm)
Zoom lenses
Zooms use a series of lenses to allow different focal
lengths from a single lens, making them more flexible
but not as fast.
Heavier than prime lenses.

Telephoto Lenses
Telephoto lenses are a type of zoom lens with multiple
focal points. These types of lenses are great for
isolating a subject that is far away.

Macro Lenses
This type of camera lens is used to create very close-
up, macro photographs. They have a unique design
that allows them to produce sharp images at
extremely close range.
How to hold a Camera
DX and FX Formats Compared

The DX and FX formats use different crops, resulting

in different picture angles (and magnifications) with
lenses of identical focal lengths.

Subject Magnification

DX format: high FX format: low

(about 1.5× FX format) A Nikon DX sensor (left), Nikon FX sensor
(right).
CAMERA SETTINGS

• When you first get a camera, the various menus and settings can be overwhelming. each camera
brand has its own design and terminology. However, there are a few essential setup steps to
consider for all cameras, which will help ensure you're ready to start shooting effectively.

• Let’s go through those individually.

IMAGE QUALITY

Choosing Image Quality to take a picture depends on your skill.

• If you are a beginner, it's recommended to save photos in highest

quality JPEG format. This format allows you to focus on learning
photography without worrying about image processing and much
editing.

• If you require more clarity and details, choose RAW format, which
allows the images to be left unprocessed by the camera.

• The image need to be edited with software like photoshop,

Lightroom or Capture one.

• Disadvantage is that the file size is 10 times larger than your

JPEG images. You will need additional or larger memory cards
METADATA

• Each photo you take includes metadata, which

records details about the exposure.

• Reading the metadata later can tell you a great deal

about the photographs you’ve taken.

• If you ever want to go back and try to reproduce it or

troubleshoot ones that went wrong, this data can be
very useful.

• Most cameras available in the market have the option

to add your own copyright in the metadata.
The Science Behind Your Camera

• A camera consists of two main parts: the Looking through Viewfinder

body and the lens. The body handles

image capture and processing, while the
lens focuses the image onto the
camera's sensor.

• In a DSLR, light enters through the lens,

and when you're not shooting, a mirror
reflects the light through a prism to the
eyepiece, allowing you to see the image
as the lens sees it.
Taking a Photo

Mirror flipping when taking a picture

with a DSLR Camera

• When you press the shutter button, the

mirror in a DSLR flips up, the lens
adjusts to the selected aperture, and the
shutter opens to expose the sensor to
light, capturing the image. The camera
then saves the photo, the mirror returns
to position, and the process resets.
Mirrorless Camera

• If you have a Mirrorless camera, they work a little differently. They do not have a moving mirror
system.

• The viewfinder gives a live feed of exactly what the image sensor is processing. This allows you to
see things like Depth Of Field, Exposure, White Balance and more, before you even take the
photograph.

• When you press the button of a Mirrorless camera, the lens adjusts to the chosen aperture, the
shutter opens, and the image file is saved to your Memory Card.
Importance of Exposure

• Exposure is the amount of light that reaches the sensor

• Two things that control Exposure are

1. Intensity of light

2. Duration of recording
How to find the ideal/right exposure ?

When nothing is blown out (highlights) or lost in shadow in an image, it has achieved correct exposure

• Be true to the colors in the • Over exposed image • Under exposed image
scene would mean Image too would mean Image too
bright dark
Mode Dial (Exposure Modes)
Exposure Modes

Exposure
modes Aperture Shutter ISO

P AUTO AUTO MANUAL

S AUTO MANUAL MANUAL

A MANUAL AUTO MANUAL

M MANUAL MANUAL MANUAL

 Auto: A “point-and-shoot” mode in which the camera sets
exposure and hue

 P Programmed auto: The camera sets shutter speed and

aperture for optimal exposure.

 S Shutter-priority auto: You choose the shutter speed; The

camera selects the aperture for best results. Use to freeze or
blur motion.

 A Aperture-priority auto: You choose the aperture; the camera

selects the shutter speed for best results. Use to blur
backgrounds or bring both foreground and background into
focus.

 M (Manual): You control both shutter speed and aperture. Set

shutter speed to “bulb” or “time” for long time-exposures.

 U1, U2, U3 User settings modes: Assign frequently-used

settings to these positions for quick recall.
Controlling Exposure / Exposure Adjustment

• We can adjust exposure by changing

1. The aperture

2. The shutter speed

3. The ISO number

• These three settings are vital to achieving a properly exposed photograph.

• The adjustments will depend upon the subject and the available light.
Aperture

• Aperture is the size of

the hole through which
the light reaches the
sensor

• The size is given by the ‘f

number’ (e.g. f8,f11,etc)

• Each number represents

half as much light as the
pervious one
Depth of Field (DOF)

Depth of field refers to how much of your photograph is in focus.

It’s the distance between the closest object in focus and the farthest object in focus.
Shutter Speed

• Shutter speed is a measurement of the time the shutter is open, shown in seconds or
fractions of a second:1 s, 1/2 s, 1/4 s … 1/250 s, 1/ 500 s, etc.

• for more light the shutter is open for longer time

• for less light the shutter is open for shorter time
ISO

• ISO controls the sensitivity of the sensor to light.

• In terms of image quality, A low ISO value means your image will be darker and have
less grain (or noise). A high ISO number means your image will be brighter and have
more grain
• Each ISO setting is twice as sensitive as the previous one. For example: ISO 200 is
twice as sensitive as ISO 100
• Smaller ISO setting = less sensitivity

‘ISO’ means ‘International Standards Organization’ and the numbers refer back to the sensitivity (or ‘speed’) of the photographic film that
was used before the digital age.
Exposure Triangle
Exposure settings

• If needed, we can achieve the same exposure by using different combinations of the 3 exposure
settings:

• For example, at ISO100 on a sunny day, a typical exposure might be 1/125th of a second at f8.

• But we could also use half the size of aperture for twice as long, which is 1/64th of a second at f11.

• Or twice the size of aperture for half as long, which is 1/250th of a second at f5.6.

• In each of these examples, the total amount of light reaching the sensor is the same.
White Balance
White balance determines how accurate are the colors of your
photograph. The color temperature scale used for light is the Kelvin
Scale.

• Auto – In this mode, your camera will calculate what is considered

the correct color temperature based on what it sees.

• Daylight – Use this mode when you are shooting in under the
midday sun during a clear sunny day.

• Cloudy – A cloudy day produces a slightly cooler colour than typical

sunlight, so the Cloudy WB warms up the tone.

• Shade – Just like a cloudy day, a shady area cools the colors in the
environment, so the Shade WB settings will add back the warmth.
• Tungsten – Use this mode when your primary lighting source is
your standard incandescent light bulb. This light source is pretty
warm, so the WB setting will cool down your colors.

• Fluorescent – When you are shooting under fluorescent lighting,

use this WB to warm up the color slightly and correct the greenish
hue caused by this type of lighting.
Because nowadays there are several variations of fluorescent lights,

• Flash – When you are using a speedlight to fill in area, use this mode
to warm up the flash a bit.
 Focus Mode

• Auto-servo AF (AF-A) : Camera selects "Single-servo AF" or "Continuous-servo AF" in accord

with shooting conditions and subject movement.

• Single-servo AF (AF-S): For stationary subjects. Camera focuses when shutter-release

button is pressed halfway; focus locks when camera focuses.

• Continuous-servo AF(AF-C): For moving subjects. Focus does not lock when shutter-release
button is pressed halfway. AF-assist illuminator does not light.

• Manual focus (MF): Camera does not focus automatically in manual focus mode. Choose
when focusing manually or when camera can not focus using autofocus.
AF-Area Mode (Viewfinder Photography)

The area of the frame that the camera will use for autofocus is shown by focus points in the
viewfinder. Photographers can choose where the camera will focus by choosing a focus point. The
selection can be made by the photographer or left up to the camera. The setting that determines
how the focus point is selected is called AF-area mode. You can choose from auto-area AF, single-
point AF, dynamic-area AF, and 3D-tracking. These AF-area modes are described below.

• Single-point AF: The camera focuses on the subject in the selected focus point.

• Dynamic-area AF: If the subject briefly leaves the selected focus point, the camera will
focus based on information from surrounding focus points. Choose the number of focus
points from 9, 21, and 39.

• 3D-tracking: If the composition is changed after the camera has focused, the camera
will automatically track the subject and choose a new focus point, making it easier to
change the composition when using autofocus.

• Auto-area AF: The camera automatically selects the focus point containing the subject
Metering
Metering is used to measure the brightness of the subject. The
camera optimizes exposure by adjusting shutter speed, aperture
(f-number), and ISO sensitivity according to the brightness of the
subject, which is measured using the camera's built-in metering
sensor.
Matrix Metering

Matrix metering ensures a balance between light and dark areas.

(Suited to most situations)

(Red grid represents center metering area.)

Center-weighted Metering

Exposure is set correctly for the center of the frame.

(Red circle represents center metering area.)

Spot Metering

Exposure is set correctly for the portrait subject at the selected

focus point.

(Red circle represents center metering area.)

Flash mode

• AUTO: (Auto) : Flash pops up and fires automatically when lighting is poor or
subject is back-lit.

• (Red-eye reduction) : AF-assist lamp lights before flash fires, reducing "red
eye". Use for portraits.

• SLOW: (Slow sync) : Slow shutter speeds are used to capture background
lighting. Use for portraits that include night scenery.

• REAR: (Rear-curtain sync) Flash does not fire until just before shutter closes.
Creates the effect of a stream of light behind moving subjects.
If this icon is not displayed, the flash will fire when the shutter opens.
Hints and tips

• Fully automatic mode will usually produce a perfectly acceptable image but is the result exactly what
you wanted?

• In most situations where the subject is not moving much, such as landscapes and portraits, many
photographers prefer to use aperture priority mode. They set an aperture to control ‘depth of field’.
The shutter speed is unimportant until it becomes so slow that camera shake could affect
sharpness.

• If shutter speed is less than about 1/100th second, you may need to steady the camera on a tripod
or a hard surface such as a table, fence post, wall, etc. Alternatively, the camera may have
electronic stabilization, which can help up to a point, or select a higher ISO setting.

• Mobile phones and some cameras have a mode called ‘scene detection’ where you can choose the
type of subject such as sports, landscapes, portraits, etc or let the camera choose automatically.
Hints and tips

• Get to know how your camera or phone’s camera works by reading the instructions and becoming
familiar with the various controls and what the buttons on the screen actually do.

• Practice by taking pictures in different situations and trying out different settings.

• If you don’t like the result, there is always the ‘delete’ button!

• When you are happy operating your phone or camera, it’s time to start experimenting with
composition and the more artistic side of photography.

• Don’t forget that creating a picture that is pleasing to the viewer (whether that’s you, friends, family
or anyone) is massively more important than the kind of camera (or its age or cost) that you are
using!
Photo composition

• Composition in your shots can often be difficult. Photo composition is how a photographer arranges
visual elements within their frame. Everything might be on point—lighting, location, wardrobe,
styling, all of it. But if the composition’s off, it’s a deal breaker.

• To better understand photo compositions we have Rules of compositions. "The Rule Of Thirds" and
"Leading Lines“ are the most used and commonly known.
The ‘Rule of Thirds’

• This is where we imagine the

image to be divided into three
equal columns and rows.

• Parts of the subject may be

placed at the intersections, known
as the ‘thirds’, to give a more
pleasing effect.

Take a look at the following

examples.
 The ‘Rule of Thirds’

Which of the following images do you feel looks best?

 The ‘Rule of Thirds’

Which of the following images do you feel looks best?

The ‘Rule of Thirds’

• Here, you can see that the sun and the boat are on intersections often called “Hot Spots”

• Note how the horizon lies along the top third

Examples using the ‘Rule of Thirds’
Help using the ‘Rule of Thirds’

 Most cameras and phones can put grid lines on the sceen to help your composition:
With an iPhone go to Settings > Camera > Grid.
Try to find it on your camera or phone

 This is how it appears using the mobile app Snapseed

Symmetry

 Instead of ‘Thirds’, this photo uses ‘Symmetry’, which is where elements of the
image are ‘balanced’ either side of a vertical or horizontal centre line.
 Leading Lines

 Leading (or ‘Lead-In’) Lines are a compositional technique where you, the photographer, use features
in the scene to guide the viewer’s eye through the photograph.

Here, the photographer has used the path to take the viewer from the front of the image, though to
the tree…The leading line also continues beyond the tree along the horizon
Pattern

• Pattern photography utilizes elements

that are repeated. The repetition of
lines, shapes, tones or color can create
interesting images.
Leading Lines

 Leading Lines can often be found in nature

Leading Lines with People
Other Composition Guides
Perspective

 Taking a different viewpoint or changing the relationship between two (or more) objects within
the image can make a 2 - dimensional photograph feel like a 3 - dimensional scene.

Get down low Get up high Look up

Having Fun with Perspective

 Try something like this with a building or object near you: -

Take it away
As tall as the tower Hold it up
 Photo Editing

• Now you have taken your picture, you might want to alter or improve
it’s appearance.

• Using an editing app you can change the brightness, contrast or maybe the colour or just
re-frame part of the image to cut out things at the edges.

• Phones and cameras have built-in methods for basic editing.

• You can also consider a free or paid-for app or PC software that will allow you to do more.
 Photo Editing

 Photoshop may be the most well known but it is expensive and

takes a lot of time to learn but you can do almost anything in it to
change your picture

 GIMP is a free alternative

 Snapseed is a powerful editor for use in Mobile Phones

 There are many more apps to consider. Try out the free ones first.
Activity

• Creativity Exercise: Photograph A Day In Your Life

1. Explore Light
2. Capture Routines
3. Take Your Camera EVERYWHERE

Experiment!

Break the Rules

• Breaking The Rules of Composition in Photography