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 of photography and simplified them into easy steps for you. To make this more fun, we suggest sharing this experience with someone like your mother, daughter, role model or friend. With each photo, you can see real beauty through each other s eyes. To start, simply click on the links in the table of contents.
table of contents page 1 page 4 page 5 page 14 page 18 set up Get ready for something wonderful with this handy list of what you need. your first try Start by taking a practice shot. learn the basics Taking photos is fun with these camera techniques. beyond the basics Learn about the technical side of your camera features. one last note Thanks for learning with us. Now, it s your turn to capture images of real beauty. Please Note Whenever you see a symbol beside a word, it simply means you should refer to your camera s owner s manual. Your manual contains more technical information about your camera that may not be covered in this guide.
set up First, make sure you have everything you need: camera batteries film memory card Start by identifying the type of camera you re using. Film or digital? Automatic or manual? A Point and Shoot or a 35 mm Single Lens Reflex (SLR)? One with automatic or manual focus? Do you have the right batteries? Make sure you have fresh batteries. Charge your rechargeable batteries the night before. It can take several hours. (Have a second set on hand, if possible.) 1
set up Have your camera s owner s manual on hand. This will help you find particular functions on your camera. Locate the power button and press it to turn your camera on. Locate the shutter button. As a basic rule, you must press the shutter button to take a photo with your camera. POWER SHUTTER BUTTON Next, get your digital or film camera ready. Depending on the type of camera you have, it needs to be set up correctly before you take photos. Digital cameras need a memory card. Record your images by using the right memory card for your camera (ex. compact flash, SD or memory stick). It should be empty. Save any photos on the card to a hard drive or CD. Format your card as shown in your camera s owner s manual. If you have a digital camera... 1. Set your camera s film speed or ISO dial to 100. (the speed rating is called ISO for International Standards Organization or ASA for American Standards Association) 2. Insert your memory card into your camera. 3. Set the exposure method to Automatic. Initially choose the A or P setting. 4. If your camera has a built-in flash, then set it to Auto. Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 2
set up A 35 mm SLR camera needs film. Use 100 ISO/ASA colour negative film. You can have it processed in most cities. If you have a film camera... 1. Set your camera s film speed or ISO dial to 100. (the speed rating is called ISO for International Standards Organization or ASA for American Standards Association) 2. Load your film into the camera. Check to see that the film is properly loaded and advancing. 3. Set the exposure to Automatic. 4. Initially choose the A or P setting. 5. If it s a manual exposure camera, refer to the Manual Setting notes further down in this document. 6. If your camera has a built-in flash, then set it to Auto. Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 3
your first try For your first try, take a photo of your subject it could be your mother, daughter, a friend or simply an object. If your camera has automatic focus 1. Use the viewfinder or digital screen to compose your image. 2. Press the shutter button down halfway only (to focus). 3. Push the button the rest of the way and you will make a sharp photograph. If your camera has manual focus 1. Rotate the lens barrel until the image looks sharp in the viewfinder. 2. Press the shutter button. Congratulations, you have your first picture. 4
learn the basics Learn how to take interesting photos by experimenting with these different camera techniques: composition macro shot close-up portrait self-portrait self-timer slow motion with blurring reflection how to look at your photos Figure out the composition. Hold your camera and look at the monitor/viewfinder. Does the screen look short and wide? This is called Horizontal. Hold your camera and look at the monitor/viewfinder. Does the screen look long and skinny? Mae This is called Vertical. Olivia 5
learn the basics Zoom into beauty. Hold your camera at least 20 inches from your subject. Stick your hand out in front of you. If you can just touch her or she s further away, that s ideal. You can also control how close you get to your subject by using the zoom. The zoom control on a point and shoot camera is usually near the shutter button. As you look at the monitor, try pushing the zoom button to the right and back again. On an SLR camera it is part of the lens. To zoom, you either push-pull the lens barrel or turn the zoom ring next to the focus. Watch your subject come closer and grow bigger. This is called Telephoto. Watch your subject go away and grow smaller. This is called the Wide Angle. Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 6
learn the basics Play with the Macro Feature. The Macro function lets you focus in really close on a subject. This is ideal for a portrait shot, which is a close-up of a face or a facial feature. How to use the Macro Feature on a digital camera: 1. Find the flower icon found on most digital cameras and push the button to ON. 2. When you are done, remember to turn the Macro Feature OFF. (A FLOWER icon may appear on your screen.) How to use the Macro Feature on a film camera: 1. Use a zoom lens with macro capabilities. 2. Frame your close-up using the Macro Feature on the lens. 3. Focus and shoot. Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 7
learn the basics Try a close portrait: Shoot close-up images of eyes, lips, hands and so on. Try holding hands and shooting that. Try shooting different angles, like looking up at the camera. Photograph one of your own lovely features. Rina Try something different: Fill the entire frame with your subject s face using the Macro Feature. Make sure you cannot see any of the background. Position yourself above your subject and look down for a bird s-eye view. That means you re photographing your subject from above. Try it at different angles. Christine 8
learn the basics Photograph your subject from the side. This is called a Profile View. Self-Portraits Bonnie Photograph yourself for a self-portrait. Or, take a self-portrait of you with someone else. There are two ways to do it. First, try this: Laura Caitlyn 1. To make a fun self-portrait, zoom your camera lens out as wide as it will go. 2. Hold the camera away from you as far as possible, turn it around so that the lens is facing you. 3. Have someone else come close to you, give her a hug and push the shutter button. You will have a lovely self-portrait of the two of you. For a different point of view, hold the camera over your head and look up into the camera lens. This is another way to achieve a bird s-eye view. 9
learn the basics Turn on your self-timer. Now try a self-portrait using a self-timer. 1. Refer to your manual. 2. Usually you ll see a clock and the words 10 Seconds self-timer on the screen. 3. Set your camera on a table or shelf, aiming at you and her. 4. Push the shutter button. You have ten seconds to get into the shot. With most cameras, the self-timer turns off once the picture is taken. If it does not, please refer to your manual to find out how to turn off the self-timer on your camera. Zoe Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 10
learn the basics Show motion with blurring. Express your idea of beauty in interesting ways using slow motion with blurring. Blur your photos to give people a sense of motion in a still photograph. Have your subject walk by you and move your camera to follow her. This is called Panning. As she crosses in front of you, push the shutter button but keep the camera moving. Panning can also be done by spinning your camera while you are shooting the photograph. You can also do this when using the flash. Press the shutter button and just when the flash fires, pan the camera. You ll get an interesting portrait that has a sharp image and shows motion too. Use this indoors or locations where the light is not too bright. 11
learn the basics It s déja-you. Shoot your own reflection or the reflection of a friend. Capture your reflected image in a window, car mirror or shiny toaster. Photograph your reflection first. Maude Nikita Now try one with your subject in the shot. Next, try a shot where you can see both your reflections in a window. 12
learn the basics How to look at your photographs. Review digital images on your monitor. (Refer to your manual.) For film cameras, rewind the film once it s full, remove it, and take it to a lab for printing. 13
beyond the basics This section is for those who are interested in learning more about the technical features on their camera. You don t need this information to take photographs, but it could help you understand what all the buttons, knobs, dials and different types of lenses on your camera do. Learn about these camera features: shutter speed aperture depth of field film speed exposure shooting in manual Shutter Speed Shutter speed is the length of time the shutter remains open. When the shutter is open, your film is exposed to light. In the case of a digital camera, light reaches your camera sensor when the shutter is open. Shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of seconds (for example it could be 1 second or 1/1000 of a second). The slower the shutter speed, the longer the exposure time (for example, 1/15 is slow). The faster the shutter speed, the shorter the exposure time (for example 1/1000 is fast). Refer to your manual on how to set the shutter speed on your camera. Use a slow shutter speed to capture landscape shots, like waterfalls. Use a fast shutter speed to capture action shots, like runners sprinting for the finish line. Aperture The aperture (f-stop) controls the amount of light exposing your film. In the case of a digital camera, it controls the amount of light that reaches your digital camera sensor. The aperture works much like the pupil of your eye. The pupil opens wider when lighting is low, to let more light into your eye. The pupil gets smaller when the lighting is high, to reduce the amount of light entering the eye. The diameter of an aperture is measured in f-stops (for example f/8). A lower f-stop number opens the aperture and admits more light (for example f/4). Higher f-stop numbers make the camera s aperture smaller, so less light hits the sensor (for example f/16). Choose your aperture to allow the correct amount of light in to expose the film or reach the camera sensor for correct exposures. Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 14
beyond the basics Depth of Field Depth of field is defined as what remains in focus in front of and behind your subject in your image. It s controlled most easily by aperture (f-stop) but varies dramatically with different lenses and distance from the subject. The smaller the aperture (ex. f/16) the greater the depth of field. The larger the aperture (ex. f/5.6) the less the depth of field. Try a portrait using depth of field. Set your aperture to f/2.8 or f/4. Keep your subject in sharp focus while allowing the foreground and background to be soft and out of focus. Press the shutter button. Now photograph her with a playground or your park as the background. Set your aperture to f/16 or f/22. Ensure all the elements in the image look sharp and focused. Press the shutter button. The difference between these two photos shows how depth of field can give you greater creative control over your images. Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 15
beyond the basics Film Speed: ISO or ASA All film has a speed rating to show the relative sensitivity of film to light. The film speed rating is a number indicated with the acronyms ISO (International Standards Organization) or ASA (American Standards Association). For example, ISO 100 or ASA 100 (which are the same speed, as the two scales are equal). You can work in a variety of lighting conditions by using films of different film speeds. The higher the number, the more sensitive a film is to light. The lower the number, the less sensitive the film is to light. (For example, an ISO 50 film requires bright daylight, while an 800-speed film can often capture photos in low lighting.) Generally, the higher the ISO/ASA, the grainier the image and the less saturated the colour. Exposure Exposure refers to exposing the film (or the sensor in a digital camera) to light. Proper exposure occurs when the correct amount of light (f-stop) for the correct amount of time (shutter speed) is set on your camera. Shutter speed, aperture, and film speed are three important ways to get a correct exposure. Most cameras can operate in Automatic Mode where the camera automatically sets your shutter speed and aperture for correct exposure. Shooting in Manual Using a 35 mm Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera opens up possibilities. Most of them have an in-camera meter that you can see when you look in the viewfinder. The camera meter looks like a scale with plus or minus at either end and a 0 in the middle. It uses a needle or LED light to indicate your exposure on the scale. A correct exposure produces a photo that s not too dark and not too bright. For a correct exposure, you can: Set the aperture first by choosing an f/stop (ex. f/8), and then adjust the shutter speed until the needle/led is at the 0 setting. Or choose a specific shutter speed first (ex. 1/125th), and then set the aperture that sets the needle/led to the 0 setting. Don t know what this means? Please refer to your camera s owner s manual for a complete explanation. 16
beyond the basics Here is an example of shutter speed set at 1/125th of a second and aperture set at f/8. So why choose a certain shutter speed or aperture? Manual settings give you the most control of your exposure. Think back to when you showed motion with a blur. You can set a slow shutter speed such as 1/15 or 1/30 of a second and then choose the aperture that gives a proper exposure. When you want a portrait with the background out of focus, use a large aperture, such as f/2.8 or f/4, and choose the shutter speed that gives a proper exposure. 17
one last note Congratulations, you did it! Dove hopes you enjoyed learning the basic principles of photography. Now, discover your unique vision of beauty through the eye of the lens. Explore the world around you, find new images, wait for that perfect moment, and click away. Then, show someone your photos and share your images of real beauty with each other. Carina 2006 Text and Photos (*) owned by Canadian Photographic Centre. 18