So far we’ve covered shutter speed, depth of field, aperture and the Exposure Triangle. These are the main building blocks of taking the pictures you want with the effects you have in mind. Once you learn these basics and understand your camera well enough to actually take some photographs and be pleased with the results, spend some time and thought finding your photographic style.
Composition
Photography, like most forms of art and science has rules. The rules are meant to be your guideposts to creating an aesthetically pleasing image. The rules of composition have been around since long before photography was invented; their origin goes way back to the old masters who first put brush to canvas. We have become “genetically engineered” to expect these rules in our art. However, art being what it always has been, sometimes it’s exciting and daring to break the rules.
Making the Exposure Triangle Work for you
The Exposure Triangle consists of Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO Speed. These topics represent the three variables that create the perfect exposure. These three pieces of the Triangle work together, balancing and compensate for each other. If your camera is in an Auto setting, as one changes, the other two react to keep everything in balance. If you are shooting in manual, you will need to consider the effect changing one of these three settings will have on the other two. Sound complicated? Not really, once you understand how they work together.
ISO Speed
ISO Speed was, in the “olden days”, the sensitivity to light of the roll of film you loaded in the camera. Each roll of film had an ISO Speed. The higher the speed, the more sensitive to light the roll of film was. A low speed of 100 was great for bright daylight. 200 was a good general purpose speed for most uses. As you went up in the ISO Speed range, 400 was the typical black and white speed for general use. A Speed of 800 was used for low light conditions.
Aperture Part 2 -How it Effects the Photograph
Aperture does more than just allow a lot, or a little light to enter the lens. Aperture controls Depth of Field. By using depth of field appropriately, you can create the artful images you desire.
Depth of field is the amount of the picture that is in focus.
Continue reading Aperture Part 2 -How it Effects the Photograph
Aperture Part 1: How Aperture Works
Our last technical discussion was about shutter speed to control the freezing of motion or showing the blur of motion. This one will be about aperture. Part 1 will discuss how it works.
The Day the World Changed
September 11, 2001
I was planning my next post about aperture. It’s a two part post that tells all about this important part of photography. But that will have to wait until next time. It does not seem fitting to carry on as if the world did not change on this day, the 15th anniversary of September 11, 2001.
Guest Author -Mia’s Photographs
Millie Mae
This was one of the first pictures I took, but it still remains one of my favorites! Although while I took this picture I was getting yelled at by my parents-that I was going to scratch the camera! I still managed to get an adorable picture of my little dog with lots of depth and texture. Can’t you just feel the softness of her coat?!
Introducing Mia
Introducing Mia, an aspiring photographer who has taken a keen interest in capturing the world around her in photographs. I first noticed Mia’s innate talent a couple years ago when my wife and I were hosting our regular Christmas Eve Extravaganza. It’s a sit down dinner for about 30 people. We clear out all the furniture in our large family room, set up tables and prepare a large meal of her family’s traditional Christmas Eve fare.
Life Goes On…
“Life goes on, long after the thrill of livin’ is gone.”
-John Cougar Mellencamp
This is from a little ditty about Jack and Diane sung by John Cougar Melloncamp way back in 1982. Yes, it shows my age. I was on the downhill side of my twenties, right about the time the thrill of living was gone for the very first time.