Photography Requirements
1. Explain how the following elements and terms affect the quality of a picture:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Light -- natural light/ambient, flash
Exposure -- aperture (f-stops), shutter speed, depth of field
Composition -- rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, depth
Angle of view
Stopping action
2. Explain the basic parts and operation of a film camera or digital camera.
Explain how an exposure is made when you take a picture.
3. Discuss with your counselor the differences between a film camera and a digital
camera. Describe how computer software allows you to make adjustments to a
digital photograph after it is taken.
Photography Requirements
1. Do ONE of the following:
a. Produce a picture story using the photojournalistic technique of documenting an
event. Share your plan with your counselor and get your counselor's input and
approval before you proceed. Then, using either a film camera or a digital camera,
produce your approved picture story. Process your images and select eight to 12
images that best tell your story. Arrange your images in order, then mount the prints
on a poster board. If you are using digital images, you may create a slide show on
your computer or produce printouts for your poster board. Share your picture story
with your counselor.
b. Choose a topic that interests you to photograph for an exhibit or display. Get your
counselor's approval, then photograph (digital or film) your topic. Process your
images. Choose 20 of your favorite images and mount them on poster board. Share
your display with your counselor. If you are using digital images, you may create a
slide show on your computer or produce printouts for your poster board.
2. Discuss with your counselor the career opportunities in photography. Pick one
that interests you and explain how to prepare for such a career. Discuss with
your counselor the education and training such a career would require.
Objectives
 Basic photography terms
 Digital camera technology
 Understand your camera
 Take photographs
 Download images
 Editing digital photographs
 Display photographs (web,
email, printing)
 Careers
What is a good image?
 In Focus
 Proper Exposure
 Pleasing to the viewer
Basics of Digital Photography
 Compose: This is the creative
or artistic part.
 Arrange all of the elements of
the picture within the frame or
viewfinder hopefully to produce
what should be a pleasing
composition.
 Expose: This is the scientific
and mechanical part .
 Capture the image through the
lens of the camera and preserve
the image for posterity.
Basics of Digital Photography
It’s all about the light!
Basics of Digital Photography
 Natural light (sunlight)
 Ambient (light in this room)
 Flash
It’s all about the Light!
Flash
 Camera Flash.
 Why do we use it?
 Fill Flash.
 Main Light.
 Stop Action.
Flash
 Flash Mode
 For dim light or for “filling
in” backlit pictures.
 Most cameras default to auto
flash, but you need to know
how to manually turn the flash
off or on for special
conditions.
 Turn off the flash when it will
be useless.

For example, photographing a
person far away under dim light
conditions.
ISO International Standards Organization
 ISO is the film or digital sensors “sensitivity” to the light
entering.
 Each stop in ISO will double or halve the sensitivity
 Examples of full stops are: 100, 200, 400 or 800
Lower ISO = less sensitive
Higher ISO = more sensitive
Shutter Speed
 Shutter speed is how long the shutter is open and
is indicated in fractions of a second.
 Examples of full stops are: 1/125, 1/250, 1/500 or 1/1000
 Faster shutter speeds = less light
 slower shutter speeds = more light
 Rough guidelines for the following outdoor lighting
condition @ ISO 400 – f/8
 Sunny day outdoors — 1/2000 sec
 Hazy bright day — 1/1000 sec
 Bright cloudy day without shadows — 1/500 sec
 Overcast day, or open shade on a sunny day — 1/250 sec
 A heavily overcast day Deep shade — 1/125 sec
 Woods on an bright overcast day — 1/60 sec
 Before a thunderstorm or a heavily overcast day — 1/30 sec
Aperture
 Aperture is the size of the lens opening and is
referred to as an “f stop”.
 Higher values represent a smaller aperture, lower values
represent a larger aperture
 Examples of full stops are: f2, f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11 or f16
 Smaller aperture = less light
 Larger aperture = more light
Aperture and Shutter Speed
 Aperture and shutter
speed interact to
give a correct
exposure.
 There is a balance
between the two.
These settings would give
about the same exposure:
Shutter Speed + Aperture = Exposure
 Shutter speed and aperture interact to produce good
exposure.
 Auto Exposure is usually the default and can be
overridden on some cameras by setting the camera to:
 Aperture-priority auto: The user sets the aperture and the
camera sets the speed.
 Shutter-priority auto: The user sets shutter speed and
the camera sets the aperture.
 Manual: The user sets both speed and aperture.
Depth of Field -DOF
Depth of Field -DOF
 If the exposure is made with a
wide aperture ( like F2.8 ), then
objects farther away from the
subject are thrown farther out of
focus.
 This effect is referred to as
“depth of field”.
 If the aperture is small (like F22)
then objects in the background
and foreground will appear
sharper.
White Balance
 White balance adjusts the white color
quality of your image.
 Digital cameras usually have adjustable
white balance settings for electronic
flash, shade, sunlight, fluorescent
lighting and tungsten lighting.
 Most cameras default to “auto” white
balance and some cameras allow it to
be set separately.
The Rule of Thirds
 Place important elements of the composition where the
lines intersect.
Framing
Draw attention to
center/foreground
Contrast
Contrast adds interest
by emphasizing
difference in tone,
color texture, size
Leading Lines
Lead the
viewer’s
eyes
Balance
Symmetrical
balance – divides
image into distinct
zones.
Backgrounds
Add or distract from
subject.
Backgrounds
Add or distract from
subject.
Camera Angles
Try different angles
Camera Angles
Basic Camera Shots
The Amount of Scene
Stopping Action
 When shooting fast-
moving animals such as
birds in flight, you may
want a shutter speed as
high as 1/1250th of a
second to freeze your
subject.
 Proper technique in
stabilizing your camera
can go a long way.
Time Lapse Photography
Time Lapse Photography
A higher shutter
speed and ISO
can be set for
stopping action.
Macro
 Macro refers to a digital camera function that takes “close-up”
pictures—images of objects that are only a few inches away.
 Most digital cameras have a macro setting and take good
macro pictures because of the inherent design of digital
cameras.
Cameras and How They Work
Other Settings
 Camera settings (language, auto-off, etc.)
 Timer (so the photographer can be in the
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picture)
Metering (how the camera decides on
brightness)
Continuous shooting (camera shoots as
fast as it can)
Best Shot Selector (multiple shots at
different settings)
Saturation Control (controlling color
intensity)
Image Sharpening (electronic
improvement of shot)
Etc.
Equipment
 Camera
 Operating manual!
 Batteries/power cord. Use NiMH batteries.
 Extra storage (memory cards)
 Computer interface cable
 Optional: lens, Camera bag, tripod, flash, UV filter,
etc.
Digital Camera
Features and Terminology
 You don’t need to know
terminology or your
camera’s features, you can
just shoot “auto” and hope
for the best.
OR!
 If you understand your
camera and have experience
using it’s features, you will
take better pictures.
Understanding Your Camera
 What are your camera’s
abilities and limitations?
 What features does it
have?
 You need to read and
understand your Camera’s
operating manual!
 You need to have
experience shooting
pictures and studying the
results.
Pixels
 A pixel is a contraction of the term Picture Element.
 Digital images are made up of small squares, just like a tile
mosaic on your kitchen or bathroom wall.
 Though a digital photograph looks smooth and continuous
just like a regular photograph, it's actually composed of
millions of tiny squares as shown below.
 On the left the full image, on the right the area in the red
square magnified to show individual pixels.
Megapixel
 A megapixel is equal to 1
millions pixels.
 How many megapixels a
camera shoots at indicates
the maximum size and/or
detail of a digital picture.
 Generally, more pixels are
better (and cost more), but
it is not only factor that
should be considered when
choosing a camera.
Image Size
 Refers to the dimensions of the
image, measured in pixels.
 Pictures taken at smaller sizes
require less memory and are
suitable for distribution by
email or on the web.
 Conversely, the larger the
image, the larger the size at
which it can be printed or
displayed without loosing
quality (becoming “grainy”).
Image Size
Image Size
Pixels
Print Size (@300dpi)
3264 x 2448
8MP
11” x 14”
2592 x 1944
5MP
8½” x 6½”
2048 x 1536
3MP
7” x 5”
1600 x 1200
2MP
5” x 4”
1280 x 960
1MP
4” x 3”
640 x 480
.5MP
Email and Web
File Types
 JPEG (JPG): The most common format.
 This is a compression format that can be saved at various
qualities.
 TIFF: A “loss-less” compression format of a higher
quality that is better for very high quality prints but
has larger file size.
 RAW: Actual image from the camera sensor
Practice with Your Camera
 The best way to take good pictures
is to take a lot of them and to
experiment with your camera.
 Understand your camera settings.
 Take pictures and do tests:
 Take the same picture several times while changing the settings
for each shot.
 Then compare the result.
 What settings work best under what conditions?
 What are the characteristics of your camera?
 Digital pictures are FREE until you print them!
Practice with Your Camera
Transferring Pictures
Most cameras use a USB cable that connects
the camera to the computer.
Storyboard
Photographic Display
Careera in Photography
 Wildlife Photography
 Nature and wildlife is one
of the primary subjects of
photography today.
 The natural beauty that
surrounds us in the form
of landscapes, plants, and
wildlife is a compelling
subject to capture in still
images.
 There is something deeply compelling about wading in an
Alaskan stream with Brown Bears and documenting their
beauty and behavior.
Careers in Photography
Portrait Photography
Careers in Photography
Media and Sports Photography
Careers in Photography
Products and Advertising Photography
The End