Introduction to Digital Photography Class 1

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Marybeth Wells
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1 Important Information Teacher: Erwin H. (Terry) Straehley Phone: Introduction to Digital Photography Class 1 If you have questions or want comments on the pictures you take, outside of class period, please send them by . I will try to get back to you within a day. Have students stand up and give their names, photo experience, what they want to learn, and what they want to take pictures of.

take, outside of class period, please send them by email. I will try to get back to you within a day.

2 What is a Camera? The Box keeps out light, except through the lens, when the shutter is open. The Lens admits light, makes a sharp image of the subject, on the digital sensor. The amount of light that the lens lets in is controlled by the aperture. The aperture is just like the pupil of your eye. The Shutter is like your eyelid; it opens to admit light. It is usually closed. When you take a picture, it opens to allow light to reach the digital sensor for a short period of time. A picture is made when the light reaches the digital sensor. The amount of light that reaches the sensor is controlled by the size of the aperture opening and the amount of time the shutter is open. What the picture looks like depends upon the amount of light and how the sensor is affected by light. This is called its sensitivity, or usually ISO. Remember this picture and these names; we will use them and learn more about them during this class.

It is usually closed. When you take a picture, it opens to allow light to reach the digital sensor for a short period of time. A picture is made when the light reaches the digital sensor.

3 Camera Controls Different cameras have different controls. Most common is a knob on the top; we ll call it a control knob. It will usually have some letters and pictures on it. (Have each student find the control knob or equivalent on his/her camera). The pictures will be different from camera to camera. We are interested in the letters. The letters are: P Program A - Aperture T or S Time or Shutter M Manual When the knob is set to P, the camera looks at the subject and sets both the aperture opening and the shutter opening time to allow enough light to reach the sensor to make a correctly exposed picture. While this picture usually has the correct amount of light and dark, there may be other reasons why it is not a good picture. We will use the P setting for our first pictures and later learn why the other settings are important. When the knob is set to A, you set the amount you want the aperture to open and the camera sets a shutter open time which allows enough light to reach the sensor. When the knob is set to T or S, you set the amount of time you want the shutter to be open and the camera sets the aperture opening to allow enough light to reach the sensor. When the knob is set to M, you set both the shutter open time and the aperture open size. You determine what a good picture is. By the end of this class, you should be able to take good pictures on the M setting. There are two more important controls which are in different places on different cameras. We will find them on each of your cameras. Some cameras may make these settings automatically, and so there will be no control. Focus This controls how sharp the image is. If the focus is not set correctly, the image is blurred. Focus can be Automatic, Manual, or Fixed. We will learn how to use Automatic focus to make sharp pictures. Sensitivity or ISO This controls how the sensor reacts to the light that reaches it. This can be fixed or automatic. We will use automatic sensitivity. (Instructor works with each student to set camera focus and sensitivity to Auto, and to make sure that the student can use the auto focus on the camera.

The letters are: P Program A - Aperture T or S Time or Shutter M Manual When the knob is set to P, the camera looks at the subject and sets both the aperture opening and the shutter opening time to

4 Focus Lesson We hear a lot about correcting pictures in Photoshop. This class is about taking pictures that don t need to be corrected after they leave the camera. However, focus is one flaw that can t be corrected after the picture is taken. Therefore, we need to learn how to take a properly focused picture. This is an example of a picture that is not focused properly (out of focus). You can see that the lettering on the sign can t be read. This picture is totally out of focus. This is an example of a picture that is properly focused (In Focus). In both these pictures we are interested in the sign and not the bank across the creek. Taking Properly Focused Pictures 1. Set your camera to Auto or Program (P) exposure. 2. Verify that your camera is set to Automatic Focus (AF). 3. Hold camera to view desired scene, either in the eyepiece or on the rear screen. Zoom your lens as desired. Adjust so that the focus point is over the important part of the scene. 4. Depress the Shutter button half-way. 5. After the camera focuses, there is an indication (a steady green light) of correct focus. 6. Holding the Shutter button half-down, move the camera to compose your scene. 7. Depress the Shutter button to take the picture.

This is an example of a picture that is not focused properly (out of focus). You can see that the lettering on the sign can t be read. This picture is totally out of focus.

5 (At this point work with each student individually to make sure that they understand and can perform these steps to take correctly focused pictures). For Next Class (February 11 th ): Use what you learned today to take several pictures. If possible, take pictures of what you told me about earlier today. Set your camera to P or Auto. The important thing is that you take the time to focus. Bring pictures to class on a Thumb Drive or CD.

For Next Class (February 11 th ): Use what you learned today to take several pictures.

picture real beauty Capture real beauty with the one you love

picture real beauty Capture real beauty with the one you love Lina Dove invites you to experience photography for yourself and capture images of beauty that live around you. To help, we ve taken the principles