What do you want to know about photography?

[jdesigns]

I've done a thread like this in the past, and I figure it's time to do another one.

What do you want to know about photography? Are you unsure about some terms, or need help understanding your camera? We can help!

There are many of us here at NewBeetle.Org that have quite a bit of experience, and most of us are happy to share our knowledge.

I have been shooting images since 1988. Of course back then it was just for fun. I got more into it in 1992 after joining the U.S. Navy. I figured it would be a great way to document my travels and share the experiences with friends and family.

I started getting paid for my photography in 2003 when I started doing freelance for the local college, and still do small jobs even today.

My wife and I started a Photography & Design business in 2006 and specialize in Weddings, Portraits, and event photography as well as Graphic Design.



What do you want to know?

[hestersu]

Justin - what a great thread. I've spent years doing photography but using film cameras. I've switched to digital cameras now and have a Canon 20D which I love. I also have a Canon PowerShot S800. I'm struggling with focal length. I understood my old 35mm lens but I can't seem to get the hang of my 28mm lens on my 20D.

Can you explain, in simple terms, focal length in a digital world? Or point me at a website that can get me over my digital block.

[jdesigns]

Of course Su!

As with most consumer DSLR sensors, your 20D sensor is physically smaller than a traditional 35mm film frame. Canon DSLR's have a "Crop Factor" of 1.6X, and my Nikon's have a 1.5X crop factor. So what ever lens you have, you must multiply the focal length by 1.6X to get the equivalent 35mm focal length.

So your 28mm lens becomes a 45mm lens because of the 1.6X crop factor. If you have a 200mm lens, it becomes a 320mm lens.

Make sense?


Here is a link with samples: Digital SLR crop factor

[Evanrude]

Woooo.. I'm going to have to keep an eye on this thread because photography rocks. I'm really enjoying my new Canon 40D. But I really wish I could afford to wrap my paws around a Nikon 5D or a D3 (the full frame dslrs). But, hey, my 40D is a good learning tool and cost a pretty penny.. I'll move up in the camera world later.

[jdesigns]

Originally Posted by Evanrude

W But I really wish I could afford to wrap my paws around a Nikon 5D or a D3 (the full frame dslrs).

What is a Nikon 5D? Or did you mean the D700 full frame DSLR?

[CoriBug]

My Nikon drives me crazy. It's your basic digital camera, not sure of the model number. It takes outside photos ok, but it's weird inside. For example, I was inside a sports arena Monday and almost every picture turned out blurry or dark!! I tried it on different settings and I couldn't seem to get it right. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks

[Evanrude]

Originally Posted by jdesigns

What is a Nikon 5D? Or did you mean the D700 full frame DSLR?

Naaaaaaah. Sure D700 would be nice. It was a combination of only 3 hours sleep in 2 days, and the fact I was stressed from class


I mean Canon Eos 5D full frame, or the Nikon D700.

I'm not a *complete* goober

[Evanrude]

Originally Posted by CoriBug

My Nikon drives me crazy. It's your basic digital camera, not sure of the model number. It takes outside photos ok, but it's weird inside. For example, I was inside a sports arena Monday and almost every picture turned out blurry or dark!! I tried it on different settings and I couldn't seem to get it right. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks

The model number should be either on the bottom of the body, or right on the front in print.

But, without knowing what model.. it is hard to say what settings can be changed. Most cameras let you change the ISO you are shooting at.. so if you have to, you can always switch to a higher speed iso, like, instead of shooting at iso 100 (great for bright lights and sunny days) you'd want to switch the iso to like iso 400 or iso 800 (they will possibly make the image a bit grainier, but they will be brighter.

Also, you can usually change the exposure time. In brighter light the camera will usually shoot at 1/1000ths of a second or 1/800th, 1/500th... etc. But when in a darker area that's kinda "iffy" on lighting... you could increase the shutter speed to like 1/60th or 1/100th. Anything slower than a 1/60th (i.e. 1/30th, 1/15th, 1 second, 2 seconds) will require a tripod. Then you can get pictures in lower light without blurring the image.

But try and find the model # of the camera and we can find the settings for you and give a better idea of what to change.

Also, the camera usually has pre-set modes as well as full auto modes. If you are on Auto you can't change the settings. You'd have to be on Manual to do that, or something like Aperature priority or Shutter priority.

[jdesigns]

Originally Posted by Evanrude

The model number should be either on the bottom of the body, or right on the front in print. ...........

Good explanation, though I think I need to clarify something. Shooting higher ISO digital images will NOT result in a grainy image. Since the digital image does not use light sensitive Silver particles as film does, it can not produce Grain. It will however be Noisy. Noise is caused by the camera's computer amplifying the low amount of light "seen" by the sensor. (Think of it in terms of an audio signal. If you have a weak audio signal, you have to turn up the volume to hear it. Of course that results in static or hissing. Same concept with digital images.)

I know I am being picky, but I just wanted to be clear about terms.

Originally Posted by CoriBug

My Nikon drives me crazy. It's your basic digital camera, not sure of the model number. It takes outside photos ok, but it's weird inside. For example, I was inside a sports arena Monday and almost every picture turned out blurry or dark!! I tried it on different settings and I couldn't seem to get it right. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks

Stephen did a good job with the settings. One thing he did not mention is distance and flash. Most sports arenas and gyms are notoriously bad for photography.

How far were you from the action? A typical P&S (Point & Shoot) digital camera flash is effective at an average of 10-20 feet (which is calulated at ISO 100. By using a higher ISO speed, you will increase the distance the flash is effective.)

[xscribe]

If I had a thing I would like to learn photography wise it would be composition. I would like to make my pictures interesting.

[jdesigns]

That is certainly a loaded question! What kinds of subjects do you enjoy shooting? I've shot most kinds of things like portraits, sports, commercial, architecture, events, weddings, super close up, action, landscape, etc.....

I would start you off by recommending the "Rule of Thirds." Imagine that you have a tic-tac-toe grid in your viewfinder. Figure out what you want your subject to be, and put it where any of those lines cross. This generally will create images with greater interest.

If your subject is horizontal, shoot normal. If the subject is vertical, like a person or tree, turn the camera vertically! This tip really helps get away from "dead space" surrounding a image of a person.

A good way to learn composition is to look through magazines dedicated to the subjects you enjoy or want to shoot. Look at where the subject is placed in the frame. Figure out how the photographer "focused," (or led your eye) on the subject. For example, did they used something to create a frame around the subject like tree branches, a doorway, or anything else between the shooter and the subject that creates a frame. Other compositional hints would be things like leading lines (think a person standing a little distance away on railroad tracks. The tracks catch the viewers interest and lead your eyes toward the person.)

Lighting can be used as a compositional tool as well. Your eye naturally sees the brightest, sharpest or most colorful part of the image first. Use that to your advantage to lead the viewer to your subject!

All of these "rules" are meant to be broken as well! Generally, it's a poorly composed portrait if the person is close to the edge of the frame and looking out of the image rather than into. Of course, depending on your subject, it could make a really stunning portrait as well.

Let me know what types of things you shoot and I can give you more detailed ideas!

[xscribe]

I like to shoot all sorts of things. People, animals, buildings, cars, landscapes, etc. Most of the things I shoot are spur of the moment unplanned stuff. I might go somewhere and not shoot a single frame or take hundreds of pictures.
I like your info on the rule of thirds I think that can come in handy. Right now I use it a little since the digital camera I have has a button that puts a grid on the screen for better compositions. Thanks
r.

[jdesigns]

You are welcome! Glad to help!

[squeebug]

any tips for real estate photography other than a super wide angle lense aroung 16-24mm?

[callisto9]

I am now in a four-week(end) class about photography. It'll be a good start, but it's only 2 hours a week, so I know I'll need to do some research on the side.

The thing I still struggle with most is fstop, or aperture. And really, if you want to use all the elements together - fstop, shutter speed, white balance, ISO - how do you DO that? Or do most photographers just focus on using one element (ISO or aperture, etc.) and "auto" the rest of the features?

I can't imagine setting up ALL those settings all the time. Is that what the pros do?

Maybe this question is too broad...

[CrazyJames]

Originally Posted by callisto9

I am now in a four-week(end) class about photography. It'll be a good start, but it's only 2 hours a week, so I know I'll need to do some research on the side.

The thing I still struggle with most is fstop, or aperture. And really, if you want to use all the elements together - fstop, shutter speed, white balance, ISO - how do you DO that? Or do most photographers just focus on using one element (ISO or aperture, etc.) and "auto" the rest of the features?

I can't imagine setting up ALL those settings all the time. Is that what the pros do?

Maybe this question is too broad...

Forgive my noobish response.

But I think most photographers will set their whitebalance, iso, shutter speed at the begining of the photo shoot before their subjects arive or before they start taking pictures.

All those are pretty dependant on each other...

Lets see what JDesigns has to say

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by CrazyJames

Forgive my noobish response.

But I think most photographers will set their whitebalance, iso, shutter speed at the begining of the photo shoot before their subjects arive or before they start taking pictures.

All those are pretty dependant on each other...

Lets see what JDesigns has to say

Not a noobish response at all.

[jdesigns]

Originally Posted by callisto9

I am now in a four-week(end) class about photography. It'll be a good start, but it's only 2 hours a week, so I know I'll need to do some research on the side.

The thing I still struggle with most is f-stop, or aperture. And really, if you want to use all the elements together - f-stop, shutter speed, white balance, ISO - how do you DO that? Or do most photographers just focus on using one element (ISO or aperture, etc.) and "auto" the rest of the features?

I can't imagine setting up ALL those settings all the time. Is that what the pros do?

Maybe this question is too broad...

Once you finally get it, I guarentee you will smack yourself in the face and say Duh! Well, maybe not, but I think it would be funny if you did!

The three major factors in an exposure is your Shutter speed, Aperture (Aka f-stop) and your ISO.

Shutter speed is how long your film or digital sensor is exposed to light. For example, 1/125th of a second is a pretty short time, whereas 1/20th is a longer time. Basic, right? Of course!

Aperture, also well known as your f-stop. (Get you minds out of the gutter people!) This is how big the hole is that lets light into your sensor or film. The bigger the number, the smaller the hole. Example: f/2.8 is pretty big, where as f/22 is small. You will probably hear people talk about stops, this is what they are refering to. Again, basic. (I'll throw you for a loop later!)

ISO, which stands for International Organization for Standardization, is the sensors or films sensitivity to light. I'm sure you have heard of "Film Speed," which is the same thing. In the days of Film, you would hear people talk about ISO and ASA (American Standards Association). These are the same thing. So your ISO will determine how sensitive to light your sensor or film is. The smaller the number, like ISO 100, the less sensitive the sensor is to light. That means you need MORE light to make a good exposure than you would if you chose ISO 400. Digital ISO ranges from 100-25,600 (Only the Nikon D3 is capable of ISO 25,600 right now) The common DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera usually has an ISO of 200-1600 or so. The higher the ISO the more noise you have. Noise is what looks like weird off color spots in the image. In film it would refered to as Grain. However Noise is NOT as pleasing as grain! Generally speaking, the lower the ISO, the better color and contrast you get.

White balance has nothing to do with exposure! It does have a lot to do with the overall color of your image.

Now that you have an understanding of what these terms are.

Your question Erin is how do you put all these together to make a good exposure. (At least that is what I think you are asking, eh?)

It boils down to how you want your photo to look. My first decision to make is how much depth of field do I want. Depth of field? (Here is that loop!) That would be the parts of the image you want in sharp focus. If you want everything to be in focus for a landscape, you choose a smaller f-stop. (Remember, f-stops are backwards, the bigger the number, like f/22, the more of your image will be in focus!) If you have a lens with a maximum f-stop (Think backwards!) of f/2.8, you can have very little of the subject in focus!

Make sense? Lets review....small f-stop (f/22) will make the image sharp throughout. Big f-stop (f/2.8) will have most of the image be blurry with a small amount of sharpness. I told you this is pretty easy!

Second decision I make is do I have a shutter speed that will capture what I want to make an image of? If you are shooting race cars, you will want a fast shutter speed like 1/2000th of a second which stops the movement of the car. If you want that beautiful milky looking water in a waterfall, you want a slower shutter speed like 1/20th of a second, which holds the shutter open longer and allowing the water to move during the exposure.

Are you following me? Two decisions down. The other one, ISO, will be dictated by the first two decisions, but will make a 3rd decision critical! (insert evil laugh!)

Let me walk you through an example. You are photographing Grandma in the shade of a tree in the backyard. It's sunny out, so it's pretty bright. First decision would be to choose an f-stop. I LOVE shallow depth of field where very little is in focus! I would choose a lens with a big f-stop like f/2.8. Decision two is shutter speed. Since Grandma doesn't move to fast anymore, you can use normal shutter speeds like 1/60th, 1/125th and 1/250th. Since it's sunny out, you can choose a slower ISO like ISO 200. Lastly, you can set your white balance to "shade."

More.....

[callisto9]

Thanks Justin. I guess what I always struggle with is what setting to use exactly. I mean, I know the basics of what each one means, but for instance, when you're shooting grandma under the tree (!), why choose 1/60 vs. 1/125 vs. 1/160, etc? How do you know which one to choose?

Also, and here's a mystery to me, why does Tv on my camera stand for shutter speed and Av stand for aperture?

We're having a "field trip" this weekend, so I'm going to experiment. I'm tired of taking most my photos on auto. At least the weather will be good!

[jdesigns]

Did that make sense?

Let me give another example. I shoot concerts for a couple of Seattle radio stations. These concerts are usually headlined by internationally known superstars. What are the things you DON'T want to happen? Blurry images, right? (Of course there can be "artistic" shots, but the general public wants to see the performers up close and personal, right? A lot of times the light show, while it appears to be bright, usually isn't conducive to higher shutter speeds to stop the people so they look sharp. Here is an instance where I would NOT decide on what f-stop to use first. I want higher shutter speeds. What dictates how fast I can set that shutter speed, and still get a good exposed image? If you guessed ISO, you would get a gold star. A higher ISO will be more sensitive to the lower light levels, which allows a faster shutter speed. Where does the F-stop come into play? The bigger f-stop you have, the more light you will let into the sensor. Do you see a pattern here yet? But, with bigger f-stops comes smaller depth of field, and more chances of not focusing on the performers eyes. It's almost a sin to have a image of someone without in focus eyes! (Of course there are situations where that would be prefered, but it's the photographers decision!) Back to the concert shooting. I usually shoot a concert using an ISO of 800 to 1600. I can do this because my Nikon's (I use a D2X and a D300) have very good sensors with great noise reduction. My f-stops usually range from f/2.8 to f/5.6 and shutter speeds of 1/125th or so. (For examples visit my Pbase site and check out the KISW "Pain in the Grass" and "Holiday Hangover Ball" shots as well as the KKWF shots. A lot of the shots in those folders have the EXIF data available. EXIF data will tell you things like shutter speed, ISO, Aperture, etc, so you can see what settings I had to shoot that particular shot!)

Lets recap! When shooting an image, before you even begin composing, you need to decide how you want your image to look by evaluating the scene. Is there lots of light? Do you want a lot of the image in focus? Is the subject moving? And on and on........

I shoot aperture priority 95% of the time. I like to control my depth of field to make the viewer look at what I want to show them. The other 5% is when the subject is moving and I use shutter priority mode. Most DLSR's have these modes: Aperture, Shutter, Program, and Manual. Aperture and Shutter priority should make sense now. Program mode is all automatic like a cheap point and shoot camera. Manual mode should also be self explanatory. You set your own Aperture (f-stop,) Shutter speed and ISO.

Now that I have put you all to sleep, any questions? I haven't even factored in lens selection!