Setting Icons and Abbreviations at a Glance
Scan this section for meanings of common camera abbreviations and
icons. These may vary by manufacturer. Consult your manual for the
specifics for your camera.
Metering
: Sports, action.
: Landscape, groups, wide depth of field.
: Macro, close-up shots of small subjects.
: Portraits, shallow depth of field.
: Nighttime shots.
: Flash attached.
Fully automatic (A or AUTO on some cameras). Camera makes all
selections: aperture, shutter, flash, white balance, etc. This mode is not
recommended unless a totally inexperienced student is using the camera.
M: Manual. Both aperture and shutter must be adjusted with aid from
camera’s meter.
P: Program. Camera will determine an average aperture and shutter speed.
Adjustments to aperture and shutter speed cannot be made. Other
camera variables may be adjusted.
AV: A perture Value (aperture priority). Some cameras may use A.
Photographer selects an aperture; camera determines corresponding
shutter speed.
TV: T imed Value (shutter priority). Some cameras may use S.
Photographer selects shutter speed; camera provides corresponding
aperture.
Resolution
L: Large size file (recommended). Some cameras may use F or Fine.
: Low compression (recommended).
Cameras vary widely on designations for resolution and compression.
Check your manual.
Focus
AF: Autofocus. Lens determines distance to subject and sets focus.
MF: Manual focus. Photographer must rotate lens barrel to find focus.
White Balance
AWB: Auto White Balance. The camera program selects the optimum white balance.
: Fluorescent lighting.
: Shade.
: Tungsten lighting. : Overcast daylight, cloudy.
: Daylight, bright sunlight.
: Flash.
Your camera may also offer other white balance options, or the ability to
create a custom white balance.
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7.1 Outdoor Sports: Daylight
These recommendations apply when shooting baseball, softball, soccer,
track and field, cross country, tennis, golf, field hockey, beach volleyball and
outdoor swimming.
Metering mode:
Beginner: Sports .
Experienced: TV, M.
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Lens:
D
ue to abundant light, your lens choices are unlimited. Telephoto
lenses help you get in close to the action. The larger the lens, however,
the faster your shutter speeds will need to be in order to avoid
blurring. A 200mm lens, for example, will blur the image at speeds
under 1/200 second. The formula for determining the slowest shutter
speed is: 1/(size of lens).
ISO:
1
00, 200 or 400. If you find, due to overcast skies or failing light, that
your shutter speeds are too slow at 100, switch to 200 or 400.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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Focus:
AF: Autofocus, in most situations.
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). Check to see that
White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
If your photos have a cold, blue cast, try switching to the daylight
setting ( ). If you are shooting in shaded areas, try the shade setting
( ). If the skies are overcast, switch to the overcast, cloudy setting ( ).
Flash:
U
nnecessary in most situations. When you are close to the subject
and there are harsh shadows, you might want to use the flash for fill.
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n Notes:
C
hoosing the shutter priority mode (TV) allows you to control blur.
Choose fast shutter speeds to stop the action (1/500, 1/1000) and
slow shutter speeds to create a motion blur (1/30, 1/60). Slower
speeds can be used with the camera mounted on a tripod. Panning
with the subject at slow shutter speeds will blur the background.
Don’t be afraid to experiment.
I f the light is particularly bright, you may need a lens hood to avoid
lens flare. A polarizing lens filter will also help to reduce glare,
especially with outdoor swimming events. When possible, keep the sun to your back or side.
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7.2 Outdoor Sports: Under Stadium Lights
These recommendations apply when shooting night football, night
soccer or night baseball games.
Metering mode:
Beginner: P or Sports
Experienced: TV, M.
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.
L ens:
Due to lower light in most stadiums, you may be limited to normal
and wide-angle lenses. If you have a faster mid-range telephoto lens
(80-135mm), these can be useful when light is good. Long telephoto
lenses (above 135mm) will tend to blur since you must shoot at
slower shutter speeds. If your school has purchased a fast (f/2.8)
telephoto lens, use it.
I f a telephoto lens is necessary, as it often is, shoot at higher ISO
setting, such as 1600 or 3200 and stay in front of the action. See ISO
notes below.
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ISO:
800, 1600, 3200. The longer the lens, the faster your ISO must be in
order to get faster shutter speeds. Beware, however, that faster ISOs,
such as 3200, can create a lot of noise, which makes the photos look
grainy. Sometimes this is unavoidable.
R
esolution and compression:
Highest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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). Check to see that
Focus:
AF: Autofocus, in most situations.
Switch to MF, manual focus, if poor lighting creates problems.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
You may want to experiment with tungsten (
stadium lights.
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n
) under some Flash:
A
flash may be used under certain circumstances (such as sideline
and crowd shots), but remember that most built-in flashes reach 20
to 30 feet at most. On a football field that equals to 10 yards or less.
In most cases, you are wasting batteries using a flash with telephoto
lenses. A dedicated lens may increase the distance to as far as 60 feet.
Notes:
I f you have a lens filter on, you may want to remove it. A monopod
will also allow you to hold the camera steadier and avoid blur from
camera movement; it will not, however, eliminate any blurring due
to fast action. Position yourself so the action is moving toward you,
rather than perpendicular. This eliminates the need to pan your
camera with the movement.
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7.3 Indoor Sports: Courts or Arenas
These recommendations apply when shooting basketball, wrestling,
volleyball, indoor swimming or hockey.
Metering mode:
Beginner: P, Sports .
Experienced: TV, M.
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Lens:
D
ue to the limited light in most gyms, your best results will be with
normal and wide-angle lenses, as they tend to be faster, allowing you to
open up to wider apertures and allowing faster shutter speeds. Due to
the closeness of the action (such as under a basketball net), however,
this is generally not a problem.
ISO:
4
00, 800, 1600, 3200. Work with the lowest ISO that gets you the
shutter speed you want. The higher the ISO, the more noise (grain) the photo will have.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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). Check to see that
Focus:
AF: Autofocus, as long as light is good.
Switch to MF, manual focus, if poor lighting creates problems with AF.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance in most cases.
Many gymnasiums will have yellow floors and lighting that may cause
color casting, usually yellow or green. Test your images. Experiment with
other settings to see if one works, such as fluorescent ( ) or tungsten ( ). If these do not work, you may have to create a custom white
balance. Your camera manual is a good source for learning how to do this.
F lash:
A flash can be effective since you are in closer to the action, however,
it can also cause the scene to look flat, creating harsh shadows. Redeye
can also be a problem.
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Notes:
S ometimes coaches and referees will not allow flash photography,
especially under the basket in a basketball game. If a flash is allowed,
use common sense; do not flash a player, for example, who is shooting
a free throw. It is advisable to position yourself where the action is
moving toward you, not at right angles, eliminating the need for
panning.
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F
lash photography in swimming can create additional problems due to the reflection from the water. Work with faster film speeds
(1600, 3200) to eliminate the necessity of the flash, if possible.
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7.4 Indoor Locations
These recommendations apply when shooting classrooms, labs, hallways,
offices, library, cafeteria, indoor field trips and museum visits.
Metering mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: AV, M.
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L ens:
Because of the tighter space and low light in most classrooms, you will
need a normal or wide-angle lens.
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ISO:
4
00, 800, 1600. If the classroom has windows that provide a lot of
light, 400 will probably work fine. If there are no windows, you may
have to switch to a faster ISO.
Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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100
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). Check to see that
Focus:
AF: Autofocus.
W hen a subject is not in the center of the viewfinder, you may find
the AF locking in on the background. If this happens, place subject in
center, press the shutter release button half-way down until the focus
locks in; keep focus locked as you reposition your subject; press shutter.
Or switch to MF, manual focus.
White balance:
Fluorescent lighting (tube lights): Fluorescent ( ).
Tungsten lighting (light bulbs): Tungsten ( ).
Because classrooms are usually lit by fluorescent or tungsten lights, you
will need to adjust the camera’s white balance. This will balance the light
so that yellow, green and red casts will be eliminated. Experiment with
different white balance settings when shooting under artificial lighting.
If, however, the results are not accurate, try auto white balance (AWB).
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Flash:
S ince many of the situations in a classroom do not involve fast action,
you can probably get your picture without the use of a flash. If you do
need one, however, it is best to mount a flash with a tilting head. This
allows you to bounce the flash off a ceiling or wall. Beware, however,
that flashes bounced off colored walls will also color the image. Consider
using a bounce card attachment or a diffusing filter over your flash lens.
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Notes:
C
hoosing the aperture (AV mode) in low-light situations allow you
better control the depth of field. If you want the background to fall out
of focus, choose a wide aperture (such as f/2, f/2.8, f/4). Choose the
narrowest aperture possible to increase the depth of field so that more of the scene is in focus.
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7.5 Outdoor Locations
These recommendations apply when shooting scenes on courtyards,
practice fields or outdoor field trips.
Metering mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: TV, AV, M.
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Lens:
D
ue to abundant light, your lens choices are unlimited. Telephoto
lenses help you get in close to the action. The larger the lens, however,
the faster your shutter speeds will need to be in order to avoid
blurring. Because you are not limited, as in sports, with sidelines and
boundaries, you will be able to use faster normal and wide-angle lenses.
ISO:
1
00, 200 or 400. If you find, due to overcast skies or failing light, that
your shutter speeds are too slow at 100, switch to 200 or 400.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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). Check to see that
F ocus:
AF: Autofocus.
W hen a subject is not in the center of the viewfinder, you may find
the AF locking in on the background. If this happens, place subject in
center, press the shutter release button half-way down until the focus
locks in; keep focus locked as you reposition your subject; press shutter.
Or switch to MF, manual focus.
White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
If your photos have a cold, blue cast, try switching to the daylight
setting ( ). If you are shooting in shaded areas, try the shade setting ( ). If the skies are overcast, switch to the overcast, cloudy setting ( ).
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F lash:
Unnecessary in most situations. When you are close to the subject and
there are harsh shadows, you might want to use the flash for fill.
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Notes:
C
hoosing the shutter (TV mode) in bright-light situations allow you
better control blur. Choosing the aperture (AV mode) allows you to
control the depth of field. If you want the background to fall out of
focus, choose a wide aperture (such as f/2, f/2.8, f/4). Choose the
narrowest aperture possible to increase the depth of field so that more
of the scene is in focus (f/16, f/22).
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7.6 Stage Performances
Use these recommendations when shooting plays, musicals, concerts,
talent shows and fashion shows.
Metering mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: AV, TV, M.
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Lens:
Th
e lighting conditions will limit your choice of lenses. If the stage is
brightly lighted, you may be able to use longer lenses. Many directors
will allow photographers to stand on the stage during dress rehearsals.
Take advantage of this if you can. The angles are much better and you
can use shorter lenses.
ISO:
4
00, 800, 1600, 3200. Since auditoriums vary greatly, you will have to
experiment. But, as always, choose the slowest ISO that allows you to
take photos without blurring.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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n
). Check to see that
F ocus:
AF: autofocus, as long as light is good.
Switch to MF, manual focus, if poor lighting creates problems.
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n
White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
Because many productions use harsh spotlights, you may want to
experiment with white balance. You might even want to adjust it to the
daylight ( ) setting.
F lash:
If you are taking photos during the play, most directors will not allow
flash photography. If you are shooting at a rehearsal, or dress rehearsal,
use only when all else fails. Sometimes a flash will also help fill in harsh
shadows created by spotlights.
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Notes:
I t’s a good idea to get a copy of the program. This will be useful for
writing captions, but do not rely entirely on this source. Be sure to
check in advance with the director or sponsor in terms of access to
certain areas of the stage.
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C
onsult the director about copyright limitations. Many publishers
prohibit photos taken during actual performances, limiting you to
dress rehearsals.
7.7 Events: Low-Light
These recommendations apply to dances, indoor homecoming, dimly lit
ceremonies and initiations.
Metering mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: AV, TV, M.
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Lens:
A
void long lenses. You will get best results with wider-angle lenses.
Since most dances are in close quarters, these are best anyway.
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ISO:
800, 1600, 3200. If there are spotlights illuminating your subjects, you may get some interesting results without the use of a flash.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
). Check to see that
Focus:
M
F: Manual focus. Since the light is dim, the autofocus function may
not work. You may want to try A F in areas where light is better.
n White balance:
Flash:
.
You will want to switch to AWB if you find opportunities for photos
without flash.
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F lash:
You will almost certainly need to use a flash. Avoid using the built-in
flash; however, a mounted, dedicated flash with a tilting head is best.
This allows you to bounce the flash off ceilings and walls when it is
possible to do so. Consider using a bounce card attached to your flash
to disperse the light and avoid harsh shadows. If you have a synch
cord or off-camera shoe cord, you may also remove the flash and hold
it higher above the camera in order to force the shadows lower behind
the subjects. You may also want to use the red eye reduction feature of
your camera, if it is available.
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7.8 Group Photos
Metering mode:
Beginner: Landscape
Experienced: AV, M.
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.
Lens:
A
wide-angle lens is preferred for several reasons. First, it allows you to get the entire group in without backing up too far. Secondly, you will
be able to choose more narrow apertures (such as f/16 or f/22) in order
to increase your depth of field, insuring that all rows are in focus.
ISO:
1
00, 200, 400. Since you will probably be using a tripod and flash, a slower ISO will be sufficient.
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R
esolution and compression:
Highest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
You may want to switch to flash (
n
). Check to see that
Focus:
M
F: Manual focus. You should be shooting with a narrow aperture to
increase depth of field. If more than two rows, focus on a face in a middle row.
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These recommendations apply to shooting formal and informal groups.
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). Experiment with both.
Flash:
U
nless the lighting situation is excellent, illuminating all faces, you will
almost certainly want to use a flash. You might want to use a diffusing
filter on the flash to soften the light.
Notes:
I t is important that you use the narrowest aperture, since focus is
critical with group shots. A tripod is essential. You may be taking a slow shutter speeds, and you do not want any blurring to occur.
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B
e sure that your groups are arranged in orderly rows, with all faces
clearly showing. Avoid groups of more than 35–40 people. A band, for example, can be broken into sections: percussion, reeds and brass.
Larger clubs can be divided into freshman and sophomores, juniors and
seniors. Often the group’s adviser can suggest a logical method for breaking the group into smaller units.
7.9 Portraits
These recommendations apply to formal portraits, headshots, quote
photos and full body portraits.
Metering mode:
Beginner: P, Portrait
Experienced: AV, M.
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.
Lens:
A
mid-range telephoto lens will produce the best results (80-135mm).
These lenses make it easier to drop the background out of focus. Avoid
wide-angle lenses, as these will distort the face as you get in closer.
ISO:
1
00, 200, 400: Select the ISO that best fits the available light. For outdoors, choose 100; for indoors, choose 400.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
). Check to see that
I f you know for certain that these shots will be used only as small
photos in the yearbook, such as in quote boxes, you can set the
resolution to medium (M). This will allow more photos on one card.
Keep the compression low ( ). Don’t forget to set the resolution
back to the highest (L) when you are done, as this is the most often
recommended setting.
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Focus:
A
F: Autofocus.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
Setting will depend on your light source. Since portraits and headshots
are set up in advance, find a place where the light is natural and use. If,
due to necessity, you must shoot under artificial light, use a fluorescent
( ) or tungsten (
) setting.
F lash:
If a flash is necessary due to poor existing light, use an attached bounce
card or a diffusing filter over the flash lens. Portraits taken in the harsh
sunlight can be improved by using a fill flash. Although the result is not
as natural, it will eliminate the deep shadows around the eyes and nose.
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Notes:
Choosing the AV metering mode is particularly important to control
depth of field. A combination of a wide aperture (such as f/2.8, f/4) and
a mid-range telephoto lens (such as 85mm) will allow you to drop the
background out of focus. A tripod is also a good idea if you are shooting
formal indoor portraits.
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7.10 Fast Track Checklists
These quick reminders are for experienced photographers.
Outdoor Sports: Daylight
Metering Mode:
Beginner: Sports .
Experienced: TV, AF.
n Lens:
Normal, wide-angle, telephoto.
n ISO:
100, 200 or 400.
n Resolution and compression:
Highest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
n Focus:
AF: Autofocus, in most situations.
n White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
n Flash:
Fill flash when necessary.
n Notes:
Other equipment: lens hood, polarizing filter
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). Check to see that
Outdoor Sports: Under Stadium Lights
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Metering Mode:
Beginner: P or Sports .
Experienced: TV, M.
n Lens:
Normal (50mm), wide-angle, short telephoto.
n ISO:
800, 1600 or 3200.
n Resolution and compression:
Highest resolution (L), lowest compression ( ). Check to see that
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
n Focus:
AF: Autofocus.
n White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
n Flash:
For sidelines and crowd shots. Distance limited for action.
n Notes:
Other equipment: monopod, tripod.
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Indoor Sports: Courts or Arenas
Metering Mode:
Beginner: T, Sports .
Experienced: TV, M.
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n
Lens:
Normal, wide-angle, telephoto.
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ISO:
400, 800, 1600, 3200.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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Focus:
AF: Autofocus, as long as the light is good.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance in most cases.
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). Check to see that
Flash:
A flash can be effective since you are in closer to the action, however, it can also cause the scene to look flat, creating harsh shadows. Red eye can also be a problem.
Notes:
Other equipment: diffusing filter for flash, bounce card.
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Indoor Locations
Metering Mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: AV, M.
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n
Lens:
Normal, wide-angle.
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ISO:
400, 800, 1600.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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Focus:
AF: Autofocus.
White balance:
Fluorescent lighting (tube lights): Fluorescent
Tungsten lighting (light bulbs): Tungsten
.
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). Check to see that
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.
Flash:
Use only when necessary. Available light is preferred.
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Notes:
Other
equipment: diffusing filter for flash, bounce card for flash.
AV: to control depth of field.
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Outdoor Locations
Metering Mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: TV, AV, M.
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n
Lens:
Unlimited.
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ISO:
100, 200 or 400.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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Focus:
AF: Autofocus.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
: Bright light.
: Shade.
: Overcast, cloudy.
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Flash:
Use for fill, when necessary.
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). Check to see that
Notes:
TV to control blur.
AV to control depth of field.
Stage Performances
Metering Mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: AV, TV, M.
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Lens:
Normal, wide-angle, short telephoto.
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ISO:
400, 800, 1600, 3200.
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Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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Focus:
AF: Autofocus, as long as light is good.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
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Flash:
Only if permitted.
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n
Notes:
Other
equipment: diffusing filter for flash.
). Check to see that
Events: Low Light
Metering Mode:
Beginner: P.
Experienced: AV, TV, M.
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n
Lens:
Normal, wide-angle.
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ISO:
800, 1600, 3200.
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Resolution and compression:
Highest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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Focus:
MF: Manual focus.
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White balance:
Flash: .
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). Check to see that
Flash:
Use bounce flash or diffusing filter. Or remove flash and connect with synch cord.
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Notes:
O
ther equipment: diffusing filter for flash, bounce card for flash, synch cord, off-camera shoe cord.
Group Photos
Metering Mode:
Beginner: Landscape
Experienced: AV, M.
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Lens:
Wide-angle.
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ISO:
100, 200, 400.
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.
Resolution and compression:
H
ighest resolution (L), lowest compression (
there is a newly formatted card in camera.
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Focus:
MF: Manual focus.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
Flash:
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.
Flash:
Best used with a diffusing filter.
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). Check to see that
Notes:
Control
depth of field with narrow aperture (f/16, f/22).
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Portraits
Metering Mode:
Beginner: P, Portrait
Experienced: AV, M.
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.
Lens:
Mid-range telephoto (85-135mm).
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ISO:
100, 200, 400.
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Resolution and compression:
Highest resolution (L), lowest compression ( ). Medium resolution
(M), lowest compression ( ), when photos to be used are small.
Check to see that there is a newly formatted card in camera.
Focus:
AF: Autofocus.
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White balance:
AWB: Auto white balance.
Fluorescent
.
Tungsten
.
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n
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Flash:
Only to supplement poor light or to use as fill.
Notes:
AV: to create shallow depth of field, choose wide aperture (f/2, f/2.8, f/4). Other equipment: tripod.
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