Newport Photography Club
Introduction to Digital Photography
How do I use the Mode dial?
Q. Fully Automatic (Basic Zone Shooting) or Creative Zone Shooting?
A. Use Fully Automatic (Basic Zone Shooting) when you need to be sure of
‘getting the shot’ and you are not yet confident using the creative zones.
You will get a decent image but you are not utilizing your cameras full
potential to help you produce that ‘special’ professional looking image!
Q. What are the Basic Zones?
A. On a Canon 550D they are CA (creative auto), full auto, flash off,
portrait, landscape, close-up, sports, night portrait.
Q. What are the Creative Zones?
A. P (program AE) mode, Tv (shutter priority), Av (Aperture priority), M
(manual exposure), A-DEP (auto depth of field).
Do I use JPEG or RAW image recording quality?
A. Stick with JPEG (joint photographic experts group!) for family photos,
holiday snaps, record shots etc. In Menu choose select High
Quality/Large JPEG this will give you a file size of 5 – 7 megapixels. You
will get more shots on your card with JPEGS and they require no/less
post processing. Progress to RAW (not an abbreviation…literally means
raw) when your skills have improved for competition images where you
need higher image quality (JPEGS are compressed) and the images are
captured by the camera with no in – camera processing ( with JPEGS your
camera does some automatic correction like colour correction, sharpening
etc). You have to process every RAW image BUT you have control over
just about every aspect of your image!
Q How do I take more control?
1. Select Av(Mode Dial) mode for most images. This lets you choose
blurry backgrounds or everything near and far in focus. Autofocus,
set the desired aperture with the main dial and the shutter speed
will be set automatically. [ select Tv mode for fast moving shots
like sport/car racing etc, select Manual for macro/still life. [Pro’s
often use Manual to take full control]
2. Select AF (auto focus mode) with the cross keys button, choose
One Shot for still objects, A1 Focus for moving objects or A1
SERVO for still/moving objects! (Leave camera set on One shot as
default)
3. AF Point selection is either Automatic (all points active) or Manual
(one point active). All points are active in the Basic Zone mode.
Set button toggles between the centre AF point and Automatic.
For landscapes try all Automatic (AF points selected). For
portraits use the centre AF point (most sensitive) to focus on the
eyes (press AF point-Set). In Automatic the selected AF point will
display on the monitor. This will be the point covering the closest
subject. If this is not the subject you want then press the AF
point button and turn the main dial until the desired AF point
lights in red. I leave the camera set on Automatic.
4. ISO. (International Standards Organisation) This is the image
sensors sensitivity to light. Leave camera on Auto ISO as a
default. Select ISO to suit the ambient light level. Better to ‘up
the ISO’ than use flash! Use 100-200 sunny outdoors, 200-400
overcast/cloudy, 400-800 darker skies/low light (churches etc).
800-1600 evening light. Digital noise will not be noticed (much!) by
most folk/judges even up to 1600 or more ISO!
5. Drive Mode. (Cross Keys button) Leave camera on Single shot as
default. Select Continuous mode for kids running towards
you/sports/action or to be sure of the shot you want! Use Self
Timer mode to minimise camera shake or for self timing!
6. White Balance. (Cross Keys button) (makes white areas look
white!). Normally Auto AWB will get it right BUT using JPEGS it is
better to select the White Balance to match the light source. BUT
remember to return to Auto as the default! In RAW its less
important because you can adjust it in processing.
7. Picture Style. If you camera has Picture Style select Standard as
default and portrait for portraits etc. Makes nice skin tones in
portraits and vivid blues/greens in landscapes.
8. Metering Mode. (press menu) Measures subjects brightness to get
correct exposure. Evaluative usually best. Centre weighted good
for portraits.
9. Live View. Brilliant for Macro/Close up work but a tripod is
essential! Also great for landscapes when using a tripod.
10. Leave the rest alone at this stage!
How to take control for Landscapes
Creative
Mode?
Av
Shutter
Speed
Metering
Mode
AF mode
& AF
point
ISO
Drive
Mode
White
Balance
Picture
Style
Setting
Why?
How to take control for Landscapes.
Creative
Mode?
Av
Shutter
speed
Metering
mode
AF mode
& AF
point
ISO
Drive
Mode
White
Balance
Picture
Style
Setting
F 22
Evaluative
One Shot &
single point
100
Single shot
Why?
Ensures everything is in focus
Ideally using tripod so shutter speed
irrelevant
Suited to landscapes. Exposure set to suit
the scene.
Lets you focus on a particular feature
Best quality/least noise
Landscapes don’t move!
Cloudy/daylight As appropriate
landscape
Keeps sharpness at a maximum gives vivid
blues and greens
Golden rules for Landscapes:
1. Only shoot at two times of the day: 30 mins before sunrise and 30 mins
after. 30 mins before sunset and 30 mins after. Reason: soft warm light
and soft shadows.
2. Always use a tripod because you will be shooting in low light.
3. Must have foreground, middle ground and background.
4. Put horizon never in middle and keep it straight.
5. Use a polarizing filter to get richer colours/deeper bluer skies/less
reflections….use at 90 degrees to the sun.
6. Learn how to use graduated ND filters to balance out the exposure
between the sky and the ground.
How to take control for Portraits
Creative
Mode?
Av
Shutter
Speed
Metering
Mode
AF mode
& AF
point
ISO
Drive
Mode
White
Balance
Picture
Style
Setting
Why?
How to take control for Portraits
Creative
Mode?
Av
Shutter
Speed
Metering
Mode
AF mode
& AF
point
ISO
Drive
Mode
White
Balance
Picture
Style
Setting
Why?
f 4.0-5.6 to f11
1/400 to 1/800
Face/eyes in focus blurred background
People move and eyes flicker!
Centre
Weighted
One shot and
Single point
Exposes for the person
Focus on the eyes
Up to 800
Single shooting
Multiple can help capture that special
usually
portrait!
Outdoors/cloudy Cloudy gives warm skin tones. If indoors set
to ambient light source if using JPEGS
Portrait
Warm skin tones etc
Golden Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
80- 100 mm lens ideal to eliminate unflattering facial distortion
Go for simple plain backgrounds/darker than subject
Focus on the eyes
Outdoors never shoot in direct sunlight always in shade/soft
light/under porch/trees
5. Indoors by north facing window foe nice soft light
6. Use reflector/white card/foil to open up shadows