3-Questions from the North
1. What is the purpose of the infinity-focus (mountain icon)?
Unfortunately the very useful feature has been dropped from many digitals. It was really
handy when shooting through a car or some other window at outside scenes.
2. What is the hex (web) number for 18% gray?
The answer is 7E7E7E. Why do you ask Ania?
3. In what situation(s) is it appropriate to change the white balance setting?
Not for a while. First, you have to be able to:
a. Actually see the ‘true’ color in the original scene.
b. Be able to tell that the color in the LCD is not right.
c. Be able to tell the ‘true’ color on an CRT or LCD computer monitor.
4. What is an example of an emergency situation that would justify using ISO
200?
I have resort to using it sometimes on vacation trips when I can’t return to the scene. My
thinking is that I would rather have a 'best effort' record of the scene/object than to have
nothing at all. This condition usually relates to low light situations and a lighting
condition that I don’t want to wipe out by using flash.
What do the RGB numbers mean?
Thanks for guessing at the answer. It’s a good sign of a scientific mind and an artisitic
nature willing to take a chances. The numbers are computer processing bits. There are 256
(0 to 255) discrete changes per pixel, which means that each pixel can be adjusted from a
dead-black ‘0’ to a crisp-white ‘255’. For a more complete answer, please 'Google' your
question online. Or just go to ‘dpreview.com’ and look at their Glossary.
What is a Histogram?
Please start your research by searching through your camera manual. Then check out the
‘dpreview.com’ Glossary. You could also try tying it into ‘Google’.
This is a very important topic. So, I will be covering it in depth as we proceed. I'll just say
that the Histogram is the exposure characteristic displayed as a graph. I highly recommend
the use of it all through your photography career! I still use it under tricky lighting
conditions when I need to 'massage' the exposure bias to achieve maximum details in the
highlight and the shadows.
What's the difference between Auto and Auto-P?
The basic difference is the amount of control it gives to the user. The Auto usually gives
no control to the user which is great in developing confidence in using the camera. The
Auto-P gives important control over exposure by access to discrete user exposure
adjustment and locking down (limiting) the ISO to 100.
Manufacturer differences – Panasonic has a setting labeled ‘iA’ and that’s the ‘Auto’. The
‘i’ stands for ‘intelligent’. It’s a bit redundant but its marketing. Well, at least it give you a
hint that they are doing the thinking for you………………….
Exposure Meter:
My recommendation is for you to use the high performance computer assisted light meter
mode. And that I do not recommend the classic ‘Center Weighted’ exposure meter mode.
Why not take advantage of the computer built into the camera.
Using the center weighted meter is like going back to ‘manual’ without any help from the
computer. And that does not make sense – why do it the hard way... Although, my class
mantra is ‘try it and see for yourself’.
What is a DSLR 'kit lens'?
The big push on the part of the camera makers has been to sell DSLR’s instead of
compact digitals because of the profitability. The kit lens is usually a low end zoom lens
(poor quality and cheap) to help lower the cost of a DSLR camera for mass marketing
purposes.
Most consumers who usually limit their output to 4x6 prints will never notice the inferior
lens quality. And if a consumer happens to notice the lack of quality, then they can
upgrade their lens which means more profit to the camera maker.
I like the Sony approach, which is to offer a quality kit lens with professional
characteristics. So, that you don’t have to move up the better lens tree too quickly. And if
you do, it’ll be less expensive because they put the IS (image stabilization) in the body
instead of the lens like the other DSLR makers…
There are more advantages but ....
Lens Filter: If you do not have a UV filter…
Most compact digitals do not have the capability to take lens filters. If you do (DSLR and
some compacts), the UV is a good filter to place over your prime lens. Visually, it looks
clear, which is color neutral. Skylight filter, on the other hand, is pink which does affect
the image color.
The clear UV (ultra violet) filter serves two functions. One is to protect the front lens
element. The other is to cut back on the UV rays in distant landscape shots. Without the
filter, the distant mountains can look overly fuzzy. With the UV filter, it will look more
like what you see with your own eyes.
Image Size: Why is 2592x1944 the preferred size?
The image size is about balancing image quality with other practical concerns. Larger
image size means longer camera processing times. It also means much larger image files.
That in turn results in longer load, process, and save times on the computer. There is also
the storage consideration. Once you get into digital photography, your computer data
storage needs to multiply into terabyte territory terribly quickly.
Focus: Infinity and Macro focus icons:
Most current digitals no longer has the mountain icon which was used to set
the camera focus to inifinity. Although, the flower icon which is used to set
the camera to macro (close) focus is still on most digitals.
Although both infinity and macro focus are specialized focus modes. Most
subjects that you will be shooting will be between the two extremes.
Focus: What is face recognition?
In the current flock of compact digitals, face recognition is one of the ‘sexy’ marketing (I
want to buy) features. It’s as the name implies, the face recognition is built into the
camera’s auto focus device.
When it first came out a few years ago, it was practically worthless. It’s gotten better with
more R&D paid for by us consumers. Although, it’s still limited to recognizing faces only
when it is aimed directly at the camera. I see a lot of growth potential that we all will be
paying for...
Yes, it’s another marketing thing. Consumers (that includes me) love gadgets. What can
be cooler than the camera recognizing a face? Well, what’s cooler is ‘WiFi’….. And, in
order to include these technological wonders into the limited computer in the camera,
some very handy photographic features have been unceremoniously dumped.
Aperture: Is there a way to adjust the f/stop to make colors more vivid?
Vivid color and f/stop are not usually ideas that are linked. Vivid colors have more to do
with lighting and light level. It also has to do with correct exposure. In that sense, it can
relate to f/stop but that would be an odd way of relating the two ideas.
Good News: An NPR Story....
A woman lost her digital camera in a restaurant. She went back to the restaurant but it
was nowhere to be found. That evening she happened to check her online photo album.
There they were, the thieves having fun taking each others pictures…
I’m cynical enough to believe that the story was an ‘industry plant’.
Kenji’s Story Variation - I can easily imagine that same story taking advantage of another
potential digital camera feature, the GPS. A child is kidnapped when a car is left running
on the sidewalk when the mother went into the Drug Store to buy medicine for her 2-year
old, Jenny, who was left in her car seat.
Later, the mother finds pictures posted on her online photo album. By using the GPS
information embedded in the EXIF file, the police was able to capture the car
snatcher/kidnapper….
I can also tell the same story with a sadder ending because the battery died in the digital
camera…
Technique: How do I bracket my exposure?
Use the EC (exposure compensation) mode to brighten or darken images before the image
is capture. Look this up in your camera manual and on preview.com/Glossary/ Exposure
Compensation. This is also a very important concept which I will be covering in-depth.
Composition: What is optical center?
This was already covered in the slideshow. But, answering the question gives me a chance
to talk about the importance of photographic composition being ‘fluid’. The basic
compositional ideas are given with numbers or letters (A, B, C, and D). The 1/3 number
idea is a strong contender when it comes basic composition.
And many digitals have the 1/3 grid as one of the display option choices. But be aware of
forcing false composition ideas on to images captured from the real-world. Take and use
the ABC or 1/3 space breakup as a guide only. That’s because each photographic scene or
an object has natural built-in cues for composition.
Keep the simple 1/3 grid as a starting point but don’t compose by-the-numbers. Let the
elements within the scene guide your cropping decisions. This is easier done than to write
about…
Composition: Why is the rule of third an established trend in photography?
The rule of third rule existed long before photography. We just borrowed it from the art
tradition. And it is a crude form of composing an image. Remember, the story and the
scene must influence your composition heavily. The rule of third should only play a small
part. Don’t start driving the camera by the numbers.
I initially thought of the grid lines as another marketing ploy. But, I’ve actually found the
lines useful when doing landscape. I use the lines to make sure that the horizon is level. It
is easier to do with the lines than without them. I also use them to check my vertical lines.
Viewfinder: What is the Diopter Correction for?
As most of you already know, the diopter correction removes the need for most eye glass
wearers to wear glasses while doing photography. This is a huge advantage…
Lighting: Is it okay to use medium hard shadow?
Here is a chance for me to ask “What do you mean by medium?” But I won’t 
Reminder – anytime you veer away from my recommendations, you’re potentially
creating problematic situations. So the final decision is yours. It really has to be your story
that naturally requires things like “medium hard shadow”. Don’t let the need the artificial!
Don’t come up with a story idea to satisfy the ‘so called’ assignment requirements. Your
story must be passionate, from the gut. From there, let everything else flow….
The worst kind of mistake is to use ‘medium hard shadow’ without being aware of doing
so!
Light Meter: Set aperture, shutter speed, and ISO…
Yes the light meter can do all those things to achieve correct exposure. But, the compact
digital users must remove the ISO from one of the three choices. Therefore, instead of
having 3 elements to work with, there will only be two (aperture and shutter speed). And
yes, that is a sad loss of choice. DSLR users will continue to have the ISO choice when
determining correct exposure…
What counts as an 'emergency needs' for change from JPEG to some other
format?
It's only the ISO that gets changed for emergency needs. The JPEG file format must be set
to the ‘highest image quality’. There are other file formats such as TIF or RAW but don’t
use them. Don’t ever use TIF and I hope you get to the point where RAW image file
format makes sense for your images.
Print Out Issues: What's CMYK?
They are initials which stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black which are the
standard 4 inks used when printing from an inkjet, lazerjet, or a printing press. You will
be working mostly in the light based RGB (red, green, and blue) configuration.
What happens if we use a larger or smaller ISO?
ISO is usually referred to in terms of speed, which can be faster or slower. ISO 100 is
considered slow. So, it is usually impractical to use a slower ISO in most situations. The
faster ISO’s usually means decrease in image quality. The image becomes less believable
because of visible media imperfections such as granularity, poor contrast, and anemic
color.
With question like this, don't take my word for it. Please feel free to test it out for
yourself. Although there is a slight vicious circle concern which is that you may not be
able to perceive the lessoning of the image quality.
Do it anyway - to help make your test more scientific, mount your camera on a tripod and
shoot the same scene with the different ISO settings. Make sure that the target has a full
range of tones, numerous colors, and sharply defined details.
Review the final image at 'Actual Pixel's in Photoshop. Even to a novice, an image taken
at ISO 400 or 800 should clearly show the image degradation! This kind of self testing is
much more effective than any of my demonstration, lectures, or slide shows.... I
encourage ‘self testing’.
Sensor Chip: The 16 pixel checker board pattern…
The pattern is called the Bayer pattern. And there are millions of Bayer patterns on a
sensor chip.
Shadow Quality: What’s the perfect shadow look like?
There is no perfect shadow just like there is no perfect ‘normal’ exposure. The story
determines all those technical and aesthetic visual qualities. The shadow quality has to do
with ‘drawing’ form and texture. It’s not about the exact softness or the hardness of the
shadow.
Shutter Speed: What’s the right shutter speed?
There is no perfect shutter speed either. If you want to freeze action, you might be using a
super fast (short duration) 1/2000 second shutter speed. Naturally, you will need ample
light to do this and Skylight does not offer enough luminance level for such a fast shutter
speed.
On the other hand, if you want to suggest motion, shutter speeds ranging from 1/125, 1/60,
1/30, 1/15 1/8 or even slower might offer the right combination of blurriness with nonblurriness.
And how fast the object is moving plus its distance from the camera also plays an
important part. An airplane going over 250 MPH can be captured as a small image with the
shutter speed of 1/30 sec. A small child close to the camera will require a much faster
shutter speed to capture with some level of sharpness.
1/30 – 1/60 – 1/125 – 1/250 – 1/500 – 1/1000 – 1/2000
The shot of the child will require a speed of 1/250 or higher to have any chance of success.
Notice that 1/30 is 6 whole stops away from 1/2000 second which is a huge difference.
The usual Skylight shutter speed range…. ¼ - 1/8 – 1/15 - 1/30 – 1/60
Too Slow Marginal Safe?
Image Blur and Bracing: How do I steady my camera?
Like everything else, do the best you can. From an overview point of view, 1/125 second is
a marginal hand holding shutter speed for shooting with the 105 mm telephoto. The 1/30
second speed is only recommended when shooting with the wide angle lens (35 mm =
1/30th sec).
I will be demonstrating the hand holding technique which will help brace the camera. The
technique will take advantage of the camera strap…
Story Idea: How do you come up with one?
It is really important that the story idea comes from within you. That’s because I need you
to be committed and excited about shooting the story idea. If you do not intend to become
a story teller, a photographer, I can probably assign a story to you.
There are several techniques that I will introduce you to which might assist you in coming
up with and to develop that idea on your own and with your team. They are:
1. Mind mapping – a form of brain storming starting with a blank unlined sheet of paper.
2. Verb list – writing down a lot of verb words from fishing to flying.
3. Layout sketching – simple line drawings of stories.
Horizon Line: What is wrong with skewing the horizon line?
Nothing is wrong with skewing the horizon line if that is part of your story. Unless you are
trying to create tension in the viewer, keep the horizon line level. It is amazing how
sensitive viewers can be to a horizon line that is not level.
Parting Shot:
About the right attitude – do it anyway is the right attitude. Don’t shooting with the idea
of out smarting me. That’s too easy to do and you won’t learn much.
Move through this class with the attitude, do it anyway and see for yourself!