Chapter 12:
TRADITIONAL & DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
DIGITAL OVERDRIVE
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Chapter 12:
Traditional & Digital
Photography
Before there was videotape and motion
picture film to show moving objects, still
photography was the only way to preserve a
precise moment in time. Cameras as we
know them today were very crude in the
early years. In fact, the first cameras weren’t
cameras at all. This chapter will explore the
world of traditional and digital photography,
shedding some light on this timeless art
form.
History of Photography
The earliest known camera was actually
created during ancient times. The “camera
obscura” was essentially a dark room that
had a small opening where light would come
through. The light would be projected on to
a wall. It wasn’t until the 16th century that a
lens was added to the opening in the wall.
Johannes Kepler decided to add the lens to
improve the quality of the image. This led to
widespread use in the 17th century,
especially by artists who would use the
camera obscura as a sketch aid.
Digital Photography
dipped in a Silver Chloride solution and
fixed with a salt solution. The resulting
image was then made into a positive picture
through contact printing.
The second process was called
Daguerreotype which was the opposite of
Calotype. The positive image was created on
silver plated copper that was coated with
Silver Iodide. The image was then
developed in Mercury. This process came
about in 1837 and was the brain child of
Louis Daguerre.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Introduction
! History of
Photography
! Camera Obscura
! Johannes Kepler
! Joseph Niepce
! Calotype
! Daguerreotype
! Sir John Herschel
Now that a few different processes had
evolved, a name had to be given to this
invention. Sir John Herschel first used the
word “photography” in 1839. It was used in
a paper he wrote and presented to the Royal
Society on March 14, 1839 called “Note on
the art of Photography, or The Application
of the Chemical Rays of Light to the
Purpose of Pictorial Representation". He is
also the first person to use the terms
”negative”, “positive” and “snap-shot” when
describing photography.
The first permanent image that came
from a camera obscura was captured in 1826
by Joseph Niepce (pronounced Neep-see).
He used photosensitive paper to create the
image which took 8 hours to expose. This
would trigger research in this area as well as
a race to find the best way to use this
technology.
Two different types of photographic
processes were developed in the early years.
In 1834, Fox Talbot created a negative using
a process called Calotype. The paper was
The first permanent photograph ever taken
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In the 1850’s, more new photographic
processes were created. In 1851, Frederick
Archer created glass negatives. He coated
the glass with a solution called Collodion
which was nitrated cotton that had been
dissolved in alcohol and ether. The glass
negative was then processed before this
solution dried to get the image. This type of
processing was called Collodion Wet Plate.
Digital Photography
with the camera and a new roll of film
loaded and ready to go. This became a very
popular way of taking pictures because, as
their slogan said “You press the button and
we do the rest”. Modern photography would
remain the same for over 100 years.
This led to the most significant and most
used process in photographic history- the
roll of film. In 1890, George Eastman’s
company, Kodak, revolutionized
photography by inventing this new method
of capturing and storing images for
developing later on. The system they
devised made it to the mass consumer
market in 1900 with the introduction of the
Kodak Brownie- a camera that had the film
pre-loaded and allowed the photographer to
take 100 pictures. When all of the pictures
were used, the camera was mailed back to
Kodak for developing. Once the prints were
made, they were sent back to the customer
Production Notes
! Frederick Archer
! Ambrotype
! Richard Maddox
! George Eastman
! Kodak Brownie
! Changes in
Photography from
1920 to 1963
Two other types from the 1850’s were
Ambrotype and Tintype/Ferrotype. Both
came into use from 1855 to 1857 and used a
positive image, however the Ambrotype
used glass for the image and the
Tintype/Ferrotype used metal. One of the
major drawbacks of each of these methods
was the fact that the picture had to be
developed immediately in order to work.
This all changed 2 decades later.
In 1871, Richard Maddox perfected a
new method of taking and developing
photographs that actually allowed the
photographer to store the image and develop
it later on. The dry plate process was a
combination of gelatin and silver bromide
on glass plates. Now the photographer had
more flexibility and didn’t have to carry as
much equipment with them.
Photography Basics
Herschel’s first picture
on glass 1839
Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s, other
advancements made photography easier. In
1924, Leica unveiled the world’s first 35mm
film camera. Harold Edgerton invents strobe
lighting in 1931 which would prove to be
useful for flash photography. In 1936, the
first colour film called Kodachrome is
launched. It had the ability to store pictures
using an emulsion that had layers. Each
layer was sensitive to a different colour.
Other significant events in photography
are listed below:
1947 - Edwin Land invents the first instant
film: black and white polaroid film.
1949 - The first 35mm SLR (Single Lens
Reflex) camera is invented. It has a
pentaprism viewfinder that allows the
photographer to view what they are shooting
through the lens and unreversed. It was
developed by Zeiss.
DID YOU KNOW?
?
The Technicolor
process used in motion
pictures was invented
in 1932. Three
different black and
white negatives are
made with the same
film camera. They
were then put through
filters that tinted the
film. When combined
together, the result was
a colour film.
1963 - Polaroid’s instant film now has
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colour. Nikon releases the Nikonos, the first
underwater camera.
1985 - Nikon introduces an SLR camera
with autofocus- the first of its kind.
Traditional Photography
Digital Photography
2004 - 8 megapixels tops out the consumer
line of digital cameras.
2006 - Professional digital SLR’s reach 16.7
megapixels with digital back for cameras
reaching 22 megapixels.
1990 - The Photo CD is created by Kodak.
1991 - The first digital camera is released the Nikon f-3 with a Kodak 1.3 megapixel
sensor.
1992 - The JPEG file storage method
becomes a standard for transferring images
over the internet.
1994 - February 17 is the date that the first
consumer digital camera is marketed. It is
the Apple QuickTake 100.
1995 - March 28 sees the Kodak DC40
digital camera released, followed by the
Casio QV-1, the first digital camera with an
LCD screen.
1996 - Sony steps into the digital game with
the first Cyber-Shot digital still camera.
1999 - The Fujifilm MX-2700 breaks the 2
megapixel barrier (consumer).
2000 - 3 megapixel barrier is broken.
2001 - 4 megapixels achieved for
consumers.
2002 - 5 megapixels hits the market.
2003 - 6 megapixels is the new standard.
Production Notes
! History of
Photography
! Notable Historic
Photographers
! Edward S. Curtis
1986 - Fuji sells the first disposable camera.
1986 - Kodak invents the first megapixel
sensor that can record 1.4 million pixels.
This digital method of photography could
produce a clear 5x7 picture.
Photography Basics
Notable Historic Photographers
Edward S. Curtis 1868 - 1952
Edward Curtis was born in White Water,
Wisconsin and moved to Minnesota soon
after his birth. In Minnesota, he grew up
living close to 3 separate Indian tribes which
would have a profound influence on his
life’s work. He became interested in
photography when he was a teenager by
building and studying cameras. He moved to
Washington Territory in 1887 where he
bought his first camera and a share of a short
lived photography studio. In 1895, he began
his work in Indian photography, doing a
portrait of Chief Seattle’s daughter. In 1898
and 1899, Curtis wins first place at the
National Photographic Convention for
pictures he has taken. An 1899 expedition to
Alaska to evaluate the new frontier yielded
5000 pictures, the most interesting being the
Indian pictures he artistically took.
Photographs by Curtis
The formal beginning of his study of
Native American tribes began in 1901 and
would take 30 years to complete. During this
time, he traveled across North America,
shooting pictures of various tribes on his
journey. The project was financed by family
and friends. In 1904, Doubleday Publishing
became the first commercial financial
supporter of his project. A 1906 invitation to
photograph Geronimo and other Native
American chiefs on the White House lawn
by President Roosevelt led to an
introduction to J.P. Morgan. This meeting
would generate $75,000 for Curtis and a
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deal to create 20 volumes of photographs.
When the first volume came out in 1907, the
books had cost $1.5 million dollars to
produce with half the money coming from
J.P. Morgan.
For the next 23 years, Curtis worked on
completing his 20 volume series, with a
sidetrack into film in Los Angeles with Cecil
B. Demille in 1930, the project was
completed. The years following this were
not as successful for Curtis, who eventually
died in Los Angeles in 1952. However, his
impact on portraying Native American life
was enormous.
Ansel Adams 1902 - 1984
Ansel Adams was born in San Francisco
on February 20, 1902. His first visit to
Yosemite in California was in 1916 when
his family traveled there for a vacation. The
beautiful landscapes were inspiring to the
young artist but it was his desire to be a
concert pianist that was his main focus in
life. He often visited a local photography
studio in Yosemite that had a grand piano
that he would practice on.
His first known photographs were taken
in 1927 when he created a portfolio called
"Parmelian Prints of the High Sierra". At
this time, he was involved with Virginia Best
who he would marry one year later. Her
father owned the studio Adams practiced
playing the piano in and soon he would be
running the business. In 1930, Adams would
dedicate his life to photography and abandon
the idea of playing the piano.
In the next decade, Adams would have
his photographs shown at the Smithsonian
Institute (1931), open his own gallery in San
Francisco (1933), publish “Making a
Photograph: An Introduction to
Digital Photography
Photography” (1935), and would create the
Department of Photography at New York's
Museum of Modern Art (1940).
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Edward S. Curtis
! Ansel Adams
Adams’ landscape photography was
becoming extremely popular as well as his
many publications on photography. In 1946,
he received his first of many Guggenheim
Fellowships that would fund his
photography of national parks and the
islands of Hawaii. Yosemite always stayed
close to his heart in all of his work with
many books depicting the landscapes of his
favourite subject.
! Dorothea Lange
In the later years of his
photography, Adams was
recognized for his work by the
public as well as US
presidents. He was named
to President Johnson's
environmental task force
in 1965, founded the
Center for Creative
Photography at
University of
Arizona in 1975
and was awarded
the Presidential
Medal of
Freedom in
1980 by President Carter
for over 50 years of outstanding
photography.
Ansel Adams died on April 22, 1984 but
left a legacy of landscape photography
which is still admired today. His work
continues to be displayed in galleries across
the United States and hangs on the walls of
countless homes around the world.
Dorothea Lange 1895 - 1965
Dorothea Lange was born in Hoboken, New
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Jersey in 1895. She studied photography at
Columbia University before moving to San
Francisco in 1918 to start a studio of her
own taking portraits. During the 1930’s, she
became famous for her photographs of
ordinary people and workers. The Great
Depression served as a backdrop for many
of her photographs that depicted workers in
the field as well as the general hardships of a
taxing decade.
Lange was truly a photographer that
made a difference with her work. The state
of California built camps for migrant
workers in the 1930’s, mainly because of
Lange’s photos. In 1941, she went to
photograph the Japanese internment camps,
leaving behind a prestigious Guggenheim
Fellowship. She died in 1965 in San
Francisco.
Yousef Karsh 1908 - 2002
Yousef Karsh was born on December 23,
1908 in Mardin, Turkish Armenia. At the
age of 14, Karsh’s family fled Armenia and
went to Syria for 2 years before ending up in
Sherbrooke, Quebec. In 1928, Karsh was
sent to Boston, Massachusetts to study
photography with John H. Garo where he
learned the art of portrait photography. In
Digital Photography
1932 after years of study, Karsh opened his
own studio in Ottawa, Ontario where it
stayed for 40 years.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Ansel Adams
! Yousef Karsh
Karsh was known for his portraits of
famous people, the most well known being
his portrait of Winston Churchill from 1941.
He also photographed Albert Einstein,
Ernest
Hemingway,
Cecil B.
deMille, Pablo
Picasso, John F.
Kennedy, Fidel
Castro,
Nelson Mandela
and even fellow
photographer
Ansel Adams. In 1972, Karsh moved his
studio from its original location to the
Chateau Laurier in Ottawa where it
remained until 1992 when it was closed so
that Karsh could pursue more exhibitions
and books.
In 1997, he moved back to
Boston once again, where he lived with his
wife until his death on July 13, 2002.
Karsh’s entire collection of negatives and
pictures resides in the National Archives of
Canada to be viewed by anyone who wants
to see them.
! Examples of Yousef
Karsh’s Portrait
Photography
Yousef Karsh’s
Photography
Bottom Left: Sir Winston
Churchill
Bottom Middle: Landscape
Photo from 1927
Bottom Right: Grey Owl
Top Middle: Albert Einstein
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Photography Basics
Comparing a Camera to the Human Eye
A photographic camera has many parts that are similar to the
human eye. They even share some of the same names since
the comparison is so alike.
Eyelid/Shutter: Opens and closes to expose the film/retina to
light.
Iris /Diaphragm: Controls the size of the pupil/aperture.
Pupil/Aperture: Is the opening that allows a specific amount of
light through the lens.
Lens: Focuses the image on the film/retina.
Retina/Film: Captures the image and records it. The retina
sends the image to the brain.
Eyeball/Camera Body: Prevents any extra light from entering
(light tight).
Camera Body
Eyeball
Eyelid
Diaphragm
Iris
Pupil
Lens
Retina
Lens
Shutter
Film
Aperture
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Parts of a 35mm SLR Camera
Viewfinder
Accessory Shoe
Film Advance Handle
Film Rewind
Handle
Aperture Ring
Depth of Field
Indicator
Lens
Focus Ring
ISO Dial
Shutter Speed
Dial
Shutter Release
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Film Advance Handle - After the photo is
taken this is used to advance the film.
Accessory Shoe - Where extra components
are added to a camera ie. a flash.
Viewfinder - This is where you look
through to see the photo you are about to
take.
Film Rewind Handle - Used to rewind the
film after ALL your photos have been taken.
Remember to press the rewind release
button BEFORE rewinding.
Aperture Ring - Controls the diameter of
the opening (called the aperture) in the lens.
Light enters the camera through the
aperture. The numbers often range from f2.8
(large opening) to f4, to f5.6, to f8, to f11, to
f16, to f22 (small opening).
Digital Photography
Shutter Speed Dial - The shutter speed dial
controls the length of time the shutter is
open (the length of time light is allowed to
enter the camera). All the numbers are in
fractions of a second.
1000=1/1000 of a second
500=1/500 of a second
250=1/250 of a second
125=1/125 of a second
60=1/60 of a second
30=1/30 of a second
15=1/15 of a second
8=1/8 of a second
4=1/4 of a second
2=1/2 of a second
1=1 second
B=BULB (the shutter will remain open for
as long as the shutter release button is
pressed)
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Parts of a 35mm SLR
Camera
! Diagram of a Single
Reflex Camera
(SLR)
Lens - Where the light that creates the
image enters the camera.
Focus Ring - This is what you use to focus
the camera.
Depth of Field Indicator - Use this to
gauge the area that is in focus in front of and
behind the point of focus. The numbers
correspond to the aperture being used.
Single Lens Reflex (SLR) Camera
Rewind Release - This button MUST be
pressed before you rewind the film.
Shutter Release - Press this to take the
photo.
ISO Dial - ISO stands for International
Standards Association. This should match
the type of film you are using (if you are
using 400 ISO speed film set the dial to
400).
Eyepiece
Pentaprism
Lens
Light
Film
Hinged Mirror
Shutter
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Loading the Film
(preparing for processing)
Step 1
Arrange the reel(s), tank, film and scissors
so that they are easy to find in the dark.
Step 2
Open the end of the film cassette and
remove the spool from the film.
Traditional Photography
Digital Photography
Step 3
Cut off the film leader and trim the corners
of the film (see diagram below).
Step 4
Feed the film onto the reel. You may want
to practice this in the light with a dummy
roll of film before turning the lights off.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Loading the Film
(Preparing for
Processing)
! Pictures of the Steps
Step 5
Once the reel has been loaded, reassemble
the tank and make sure the tank is light tight.
Now you can process the film.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 4
Step 4
Step 5
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Processing Film
To process film you have to check the correct times and temperatures with the film manufacturer (KODAK, FUJI, ,
ILFORD, AGFA) . Each film may require different times and temperatures depending on the type of developer used. Listed
below are guidelines for temperature and agitation in each step. When the process is completed, film should be left to dry in
a film dryer or hang it with clothes pegs on a line. Keep the paper away from dust when it is drying.
Process
Time
Prewet (Water)
1 minute
20C
68F
Slow, constant,
inversion of tank.
As per instructions
20C
68F
Slow, constant,
inversion of tank for
First 30 sec. then once
every 30 secs.
30 seconds
20C
68F
Slow, constant,
inversion of tank.
As per instructions
20C
68F
Slow, constant,
inversion of tank for first
30 sec. then once every
30 secs.
20 minutes
20C
68F
Fill the tank with water
10 times. Let the water
stand for 2 minutes
each time.
45 seconds
20C
68F
Hold the film at each
end and dip it in an
open container of
Photoflo.
Water soaks the emulsion layer, preventing
air bubbles from forming on the film during
developing.
Developer
This solution converts the exposed silver
dark, creating the black & white image.
Stop Bath
This solution neutralizes the developer and
stops the developing process. Water can
be used instead of stop bath.
Fixer
This solution dissolves the unexposed silver,
leaving only the darkened silver. Now the
image is not light sensitive and is permanent.
Wash
This is water. It will remove any chemicals
left on the film. This is important because
any fixer left on the film can damage it.
Photoflo
This solution prevents water spots from
forming on the film.
Temp.
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Photography Basics
The Enlarger
1. Enlargement
Moving the enlarger head up will enlarge the image
size. Moving the enlarger head down will reduce the
image size.
4
2
2. Focus Control
Moves the lens up or down, controlling the focus of
the projected image.
3
1
3. Aperture Ring
Adjusting this allows you to control the exposure
(more or less light). Remember to focus at the widest
(brightest) setting, and then set the aperture to f8.
4. Negative Carrier
Place the negative in with the emulsion side down.
5. Printing Easel
Has 4 standard sizes and provides a neat white border,
when the paper is cut and centered correctly.
5
1
3
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Step 1
How to Make a Contact Test Strip
Step 1
Cut and sleeve your negatives.
Step 2
Move the enlarger head up and set the lens aperture to the
brightest setting (f2). Sandwich the negative between the
glass and the photographic paper. Make sure the emulsion
is facing up.
Step 3
To make the contact test strip, cover almost all of the
glass, negative and paper. Set the timer for 2 seconds and
expose the portion of the negative and paper that is
uncovered. Continue to remove the light tight cover in
second increments until all of the paper has been exposed
to light. The exposure builds on itself.
Step 2
Step 4
Now process the contact test strip and pick the exposure
you like the best (the next page explains how to read the
strip). Get a full size piece of paper, one large enough to
fit all of the negatives on. Make your contact print.
Glass
Negatives
Photographic Paper (emulsion up)
Step 3
Light tight paper covering all but
a small portion of the test strip
2 seconds
4 seconds
Photographic paper
being exposed to light
6 seconds
8 seconds
10 seconds
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How To Read A Contact Test Strip
Exposed for
6 seconds
Exposed for
2 seconds
Exposed for
4 seconds
Exposed for
10 seconds
Exposed for
8 seconds
Lighter
Darker
Making Enlargements
Step 1
Place negative in Negative Carrier.
Step 2
Set aperture to brightest setting (f2) and
focus. Set the aperture to f8 to make
enlargement. Once you have set the
aperture, do not move the enlarger head.
Aperture set to f2
to focus and f8
to print.
Step 3
Make a test strip.
Step 4
Determine the correct exposure from the test
strip.
Step 5
Make final enlargement.
Photographic Paper (emulsion up)
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Digital Photography
Digital photography has evolved
tremendously over the past few years. In
fact, in 2003, sales of digital cameras
outnumbered sales of traditional film
cameras for the first time. This acceptance
by the general public has led to many
developments that now promote the use of
digital cameras versus film cameras.
Advantages of Digital Photography
There are many advantages to using
digital photography technology over
film. The first advantage being the
huge savings in film costs for
professional and amateur
photographers. Rolls of
film usually hold 12, 24,
or 36 pictures. Once the
roll is done, it cannot be
used again. Digital
cameras use storage cards that can
stores hundreds of pictures and can be
erased and used again. The initial cost of a
card may be quite higher than a roll of film,
but it will pay for itself very quickly.
The second advantage is the fact that the
photographer gets instant results by seeing
the picture that has been taken right away.
The LCD screen will reveal any flaws and
the camera can be adjusted to compensate
right away. You can also see if
the subject blinked. With
film, you have to wait until
the picture is developed to
see this.
Traditional Photography
Digital Photography
loaded on to the computer and easily emailed to friends, relatives and anyone else
you want to share your photos with. They
can also be stored on inexpensive CD's or
DVD’s for future use or as a backup. This
saves time and money since the pictures do
not have to be developed with multiple
copies made.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Digital Photography
! Advantages of
Digital Photography
The fourth advantage is that the pictures
can be digitally manipulated using a
computer without the need for a scanner.
You simply hook the camera up to the
computer and transfer the pictures to the
hard drive. The user can then load them into
a photo editing program and perform
editing tasks like cropping,
converting to black and white,
increasing the brightness and many
other functions.
The final advantage is
speed. The digital process
has sped up photography.
Results are obtained much
quicker than with film. Once a picture is
taken, it is viewed right away. No waiting
for developing, no scanning required to edit
them, and no re-shooting because of unseen
mistakes. Saving time is one of the biggest
advantages, especially for professional
photographers who would rather be out
taking pictures than developing pictures in a
darkroom.
DID YOU KNOW?
?
The number of
megapixels for digital
photo cameras keeps
increasing each year.
However, for the
average person, a
camera with 8 - 10
megapixels will work just
fine. The only time you
would need more would
be if you were creating
very large prints.
The third advantage is
that digital pictures are
easy to share with other
people. Since the picture
is in digital form, it can be
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Disadvantages of Digital Photography
There are some disadvantages to digital
photography that may make you decide to
stick with film until the technology gets
even better.
Digital Photography
allowing the photographer to utilize their
quick reflexes and get a shot before it
disappears. Digital cameras have a slight
delay from when the shutter release is
pressed and when the actual picture is taken.
This delay can be as high as 1 to 2 seconds.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Disadvantages of
Digital Photography
! Considerations for
Digital Cameras
! JPEG
The first disadvantage is the initial cost
of investing in digital equipment. For the
average consumer, spending over $500 for a
good digital camera and over $1000 on the
latest technology can be a little
overwhelming. Not to mention the fact that
if you want to manipulate and print the
pictures yourself you will need a computer
and a good photo printer. The cards to store
your pictures are also costly and you will
want to have a few on hand in case you do
run out of space.
The second disadvantage is
that digital cameras seem to be
a little more fragile than film
cameras. The older
mechanical cameras are
usually made of metal and are
very durable. Digital cameras
usually have a plastic shell
that is not as durable and can
be easily cracked if it is
dropped. However, with very
few moving parts in a digital
camera, there is less that can
break inside.
The third disadvantage is
the cost of batteries. Digital cameras drain
batteries very quickly. They take a lot of
power so where you save on film, you will
spend on batteries. Some cameras may only
take 10 pictures on a regular set of alkaline
batteries. Investing in rechargeable batteries
is a good idea with digital cameras.
The fourth disadvantage deals with
shutter speed. Film cameras take a picture
as soon as the shutter release is pressed
The final disadvantage would be picture
quality. Digital cameras have come a long
way and can produce some amazing
pictures. Where the issue comes into play is
when you want to blow the picture up. If
the camera has a lower megapixel count like
3 or 4, blowing the photograph up to an 8 x
10 size will produce an unsatisfactory
image. It will tend to be blurry or you will
see the actual squares that make up the
picture. Professional call this pixilation or
may say “the picture looks pixilated”. This
problem is gradually disappearing as
technology improves and the
number of megapixels a
camera captures increases.
Considerations for Digital
Cameras
Digital cameras all use a
card to store the pictures on.
There are various types of
cards like Compact Flash,
Memory Stick, SD, XD, etc.
but they all do the same thing.
Pictures are stored on these
card in the JPEG format. This
stands for Joint Photographic Experts
Group. The JPEG format is a standard for
digital photography. The compression is
considered to be “lossy” which means it
loses some of it's image quality each time it
is saved. So it is recommended that you
don't save it to often, especially when
manipulating it on the computer.
One of the biggest considerations when
purchasing a digital still camera is the zoom
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level. There are always 2 numbers listed
when the zoom level is being describedoptical zoom and digital zoom. Optical
zoom uses the camera's built-in telephoto
lens to magnify a picture. This results in a
clear, sharp picture. Digital zoom uses
computer technology to crop the image in
the centre and resize it to fit the new zoom
level. This method of zoom results in a
picture that has less detail and can be more
pixilated. Look for a camera that has a
higher optical zoom level than digital zoom.
You will get better pictures when using
optical zoom.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Considerations for
Digital Cameras
! Zoom Level
! Number of Megapixels
! Manual Over-rides
! How Megapixels
Relate to Resolution
How Megapixels Relate to Resolution and Print Size
The number of megapixels a camera has
is also very important. The general rule here
is the more megapixels, the better the picture
quality. Consumer cameras have now
entered the 14 megapixel range which seems
to be more than enough for amateur
photographers. In the professional world,
cameras now commonly exceed the 21.1
megapixel level making the decision to
convert from film much easier. Seitz makes
a camera for professionals that has a 160
megapixel resolution - but this is not even
for your average professional.
Number of
Megapixels
Resolution
Print Size
(300ppi*)
3
2048 x 1536
6.82" x 5.12"
4
2464 x 1632
8.21" x 5.44"
6
3008 x 2000
10.02" x 6.67"
8
3264 x 2448
10.88" x 8.16"
10
3872 x 2592
12.91" x 8.64"
12
4290 x 2800
14.30" x 9.34"
16
4920 x 3264
16.40" x 10.88”
* 300ppi is the standard print resolution for magazines, brochure designs etc. in
order to achieve photographic quality images
Source: http://www.design215.com/toolbox/megapixels.php
How Megapixels Relate to Resolution and Print Size @ 300ppi
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
inches
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
1
2
3
4
3
5
inches
One feature that is important to have on a
digital camera is manual over-rides for the
automatic functions. For most people, the
automatic functions will work just fine, but
for others that want to have more control
over their pictures, manual controls are a
must. Sometimes lighting conditions can
make pictures have a tint to them, the most
common tint being blue. Different lighting
conditions may require some adjustments to
be made to the camera to yield a perfect
photo. If you don't have any manual
controls, you are stuck with whatever the
camera decides is best.
Digital Photography
4
6 8
10 12
16 megapixels
6
7
8
A feature that many consumers overlook
is the type of card a digital camera stores the
images on. As mentioned, some of the
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10
11
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common cards available are SD, XD,
Compact Flash and Memory Stick. Even
these cards come in various forms. For
example, an SD card is packaged as many
different types. There is the standard SD
card, SDHC, Mini SD, Mini SDHC, Micro
SD, Micro SDHC, SDXC and Mini SDXC.
SD cards are used mainly on small point and
shoot consumer cameras. SDHC (High
Capacity) and SDXC cards are used with
digital SLR’s and can be read and written to
much faster than a standard SD card. This is
important because digital SLR’s tend to be
slow at storing images on SD cards and need
the speed to capture and store images
quickly. The new SDXC card comes in
much larger storage capacities that go up to
2 TB. One important note: SDHC and
SDXC cards will not read on most consumer
card readers. If you are buying a new card
reader, make sure that it has the ability to
read SDHC and SDXC cards.
Digital Photography
Photography Basics
Most Common Types of Storage Cards for Digital Cameras
Compact Flash
Secure Digital (SD)
Compact Flash
Secure Digital (SD)
Mini SD
MiniSD and MicroSD cards are not as
common. Card readers do not have slots for
these types of cards so they need to be put
into an SD card adapter in order to be read
on most computers. MiniSD cards are not
usually used in digital cameras but are
designed more for use in smartphones.
SDHC
SDXC
Micro SD
Memory Stick
Micro SDHC
Memory Stick
Pro Duo
Memory Stick
Micro
Compact Flash cards also come in
various types. There are faster versions
which will store images faster and are often
listed as a number like 233X or 332X. The
higher the number, the faster the card.
The final feature to consider is the size of
the LCD screen. Some cameras have
screens as small as 1.5 inches which is too
small to see any detail. A 2.5 inch screen is
fine but a 3.5 inch screen makes a big
difference. The larger screens will more
accurately show you what the final picture
looks like giving you the opportunity to
re-shoot it. The smaller screens may not
reveal closed eyes as well.
Extreme Digital (XD)
Average Number of Pictures Stored on Various Card Sizes
at Various Megapixel Levels
1GB
2GB
4GB
8GB
4 MP
5 MP
6 MP
8 MP
762
1524
3046
6092
595
1190
2381
4762
476
952
1905
3812
317
635
1270
2540
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Photography Basics
Depth of Field
Depth of field is the area in a picture that
is in focus. If the depth of field is small then
only where you set the focus will be in
focus. For instance, you can focus on the
eyes and the subject’s nose could be out of
focus! On the other hand if the depth of field
is great, not only is the area you set your
focus sharp but the foreground and
background will be in fairly sharp focus.
Digital Photography
model and you want the background to be
out of focus, you need to use a large aperture
Like f2.8 or f4. If you are taking a photo of a
landscape and you want everything to be in
sharp focus, you need to use an aperture that
is small like f22 or f16.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Depth of Field
! Great Depth of Field
! Small Depth of Field
! Shutters
Camera is focused here on the front
of the second car
Aperture is f2.8
A
Great Depth of Field
Notice that most of the photo is not in sharp focus
Depth of field is controlled by the size of
the aperture of the lens. The aperture is the
opening that the light passes through to enter
the camera. The smaller the opening (f22)
the greater the depth of field and therefore
more of the photo will be in sharp focus.
Camera is focused here on the front
of the second car
Aperture is f22
Notice that most of the photo is in sharp focus
Small Depth of Field
The bigger the aperture opening (f2.8)
means that the depth of field is small and
only the subject the camera is focused on
will be in sharp focus. Everything else is
blurry and out of focus.
As you can see, the aperture size is
directly related to the depth of field (the area
in front and behind the subject that is in
sharp focus). If you are taking a portrait of a
A Little Bit About Shutters...
The shutter speed dial controls the length
of time the shutter is open. When using a
manual camera, you have to set the shutter
speed. The shutter speed has a direct
relationship to the amount of blur or motion
in a shot. If the subject (or camera) is
moving when a photo is taken and you use a
slower shutter speed, more blurring will
occur. Less blurring will occur when you
use a faster shutter speed.
B
In photo A to the right a fast shutter speed
was used (1/1000). All of the action is
stopped and the picture is clear. In photo B,
a slow shutter speed was used (1/20). The
subject is blurred and there is motion in the
shot.
As you can see, a photographer must
know how to control the shutter and blurring
in their photos. A general rule to follow is
this: When the subject is moving, use a
faster shutter speed. When the subject is
standing still, use a slower shutter speed.
For handheld photos, the general rule is to
not go below 1/30th of a second or you will
likely have blurring in your picture.
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Photography Basics
The Exposure Meter
The Exposure Meter helps you when you are taking a photo. It indicates when the shutter and aperture are letting in
enough light to make a proper exposure.
Film Camera Settings
The first thing you need to do is set the ISO dial on the
camera to match the film you are using. Then look through the
viewfinder and see where the light meter is. When you look
through the viewfinder it should look something like the first
picture to the right.
The exposure meter is this needle on the side
If it is in the middle, then the camera controls (the shutter and
the aperture) are set to allow the proper amount of light in. The
exposure value is correct.
If the needle is at the bottom it means the camera controls are not
allowing enough light in and the aperture or shutter must be
adjusted until the needle is in the middle.
If the needle is at the top it means the camera controls are
allowing too much light in and the aperture or shutter must be
adjusted until the needle is in the middle.
Digital Camera Settings
A digital SLR will look different when you look into the
viewfinder. The exposure meter will be located at near the
bottom and will have a “0”, “+” and “-” sign. When you hold
down the shutter release button half way, the camera will
automatically set the exposure level to the correct spot. This
becomes “0”.
If you would like to decrease the exposure level, move the
level towards “-”. If you would like to increase the exposure
level, move the level towards “+”. This will have the same
effect as the pictures above for a film camera.
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Film Camera
Exposure Meter
Readings and
Possible Solutions
Traditional Photography
Digital Photography
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Exposure Meter
Readings and
Possible Solutions
Position 1
Position 2
Position 3
Position 4
Here are viewfinder readings for various exposure meter readings. The solutions are listed below.
1. The meter is indicating that there is too much light entering the camera (2 stops).
Solution a) The shutter must be 2 stops faster to reduce the amount of light (for example, if the shutter is set at 1/250 change
it to 1/1000). This will reduce the amount of light entering the camera.
OR
Solution b) The aperture must be made smaller by 2 stops to reduce the amount of light entering the camera (for example if
the aperture is set to f5.6 change it to f11). This will reduce the amount of light entering the camera.
2. The meter is indicating that there is too much light entering the camera (1 stop).
Solution a) The shutter must be 1 stop faster to reduce the amount of light (for example, if the shutter is set at 1/250 change
it to 1/500). This will reduce the amount of light entering the camera.
OR
Solution b) The aperture must be made smaller by 1 stop to reduce the amount of light entering the camera (for example if
the aperture is set to f5.6 change it to f4). This will reduce the amount of light entering the camera.
3. The meter is indicating that there is not enough light entering the camera (1 stop).
Solution a) The shutter must be 1 stop slower to increase the amount of light (for example, if the shutter is set at 1/250
change it to 1/125). This will increase the amount of light entering the camera.
OR
Solution b) The aperture must be made larger by 1 stop to increase the amount of light entering the camera (for example if the
aperture is set to f5.6 change it to f4). This will increase the amount of light entering the camera.
4. The meter is indicating that there is not enough light entering the camera (2 stops).
Solution a) The shutter must be 2 stops slower to increase the amount of light (for example, if the shutter is set at 1/250
change it to 1/60). This will increase the amount of light entering the camera.
OR
Solution b) The aperture must be made larger by 2 stops to increase the amount of light entering the camera (for example if
the aperture is set to f5.6 change it to f2.8). This will increase the amount of light entering the camera.
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The f16 Rule
Other Daylight Conditions
What do you do if your exposure meter
won’t work? Do you have to stop taking
photos? Not if you know the f16 rule.
Bright cloudy or open shade on a sunny day
is 2 stops darker than a sunny day. Therefore
you must open the aperture 2 stops to let
more light in.
You can use the f16 rule for a subject in
full sunlight on a sunny day the proper E.V.
(exposure value) will be f16 with a shutter
speed that corresponds to the ISO number of
the film or ISO setting on your digital
camera. This rule will allow you to
calculate the proper exposure under a variety
of daylight conditions without the use of an
exposure meter. For example:
1/125 f16
Sunny
Production Notes
! The f16 Rule
! Other Daylight
Conditions
A cloudy day is 4 stops darker than a sunny
day. Therefore you must open the aperture 4
stops to let more light in.
A very cloudy day is 6 stops darker than a
sunny day. Therefore you must stop up 6
stops.
The chart below shows what the correct
Exposure Value would be in various
conditions using ISO 125 film or the ISO
125 setting on your digital camera..
ISO 32 would be 1/30 f16
ISO 100 would be 1/125 f16
ISO 400 would be 1/500 f16
ISO 1000 would be 1/1000 f16
Sunny
Photography Basics
Bright Cloudy
1/125 f8
Bright Cloudy
Cloudy
Very Cloudy
Open shade,
sunny day
1/125 f4
1/125 f2
1/125 f8
Cloudy
Very Cloudy
Open Shade, Sunny Day
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Photography Basics
Basic Studio Lighting
Production Notes
! Basic Studio Lighting
For studio shots, consideration must be
given to the placement of lights. There are
many types of lighting set-ups that you can
use. People often making the mistake of
setting up lights directly in front of the
subject. If the lights are off to the side and
behind the subject, more depth will be added
to the shot.
! Rembrandt Lighting
! Butterfly Lighting
! Rim Lighting
A
Here are three basic configurations for
lighting in a studio setting:
Subject
Reflector
Light
Rembrandt Lighting (diagram A)
Named after the famous painter because
many of his subjects were lit in this manner.
Rembrandt lighting is characterized by a
triangle of light on one side of the subject’s
face. The main light is placed at a 45 degree
angle to the subject.
Camera
Subject
B
Butterfly Lighting (diagram B)
The light is placed in front of and above
the subject. This lighting emphasizes high
cheekbones and is very flattering for
women. Butterfly lighting is characterized
by a small symmetrical shadow under the
nose and to a lesser extent with a shadow
cast by the eyelashes.
Camera
Light
(above camera)
C
Rim Lighting (diagram C)
The light is placed behind the subject’s
head. The subject’s head is then raised and
tilted back. This is the most difficult of the
3 types because the lighting has to be
perfect. The camera lens must also be
shielded from any glare from the light. Rim
lighting is characterized by an outline of
light around the face.
Light
Reflector
Subject
Camera
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Other Types of Light
Hair Light (diagram D)
This is the light behind a subject that is
aimed at the hair in order to illuminate it.
Photography Basics
Production Notes
! Other Types of Light
D
! Hair Light
! Catch Light
! Reflectors
Catch Light (diagram E)
These are the tiny reflections in the eyes that
give them a sparkle.
E
Reflectors
Reflectors can be anything that will
reflect light back on to the subject. Most
often, they are white pieces of cardboard
that are placed on a stand. For colour shots,
try using a gold reflector. It will add warm
gold tones to the subject. One thing to keep
in mind is this: the bigger the reflector, the
more light that is reflected back on to the
subject.
Many reflectors that you purchase will
have 2 different surfaces on them- one on
the front and another on the back. This
helps the photographer save space and
money by combining 2 reflectors into one.
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R
E
V
I
E
W
Q
U
E
S
T
I
O
N
S
This chapter has dealt with both traditional and digital photography with some interesting historical facts about
pioneers in this field. Answer the questions below to test your knowledge on this subject.
Chapter Twelve Review Questions
1.
Create a horizontal timeline that notes 10 different dates and developments in photography during the 1800’s.
2.
Who were the important pioneers in photography prior to 1900? List their names and their accomplishments.
3.
There are 4 notable photographers mentioned in this chapter. Summarize three key points for each of their careers in
the field of photography.
4.
Research another photographer that has made an impact on society with their photographs. The person can be from
the past or the present. Justify why you think they have been important.
5.
Pick 4 parts of the camera and compare them to the human eye. Do this by completing a chart that has the
characteristics of the camera on one side and the characteristics of the human eye on the other.
6.
What are the 3 types of studio lighting? When would you use each type?
7.
What are the 5 advantages and 5 disadvantages of digital photography?
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