Download - Photography - Digital Camera
7
Modul
PHOTOGRAPHY
Combining Digital Photography
into Multimedia Presentation
Using Digital Camera
By : M. Taufik, ST.
AMIR HAMZAH VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
2012
8
PREFACE
Module entitled "Photography - Combine Digital Photography into
Multimedia Presentation" is a teaching material that is used as a guide
practicum training participants Vocational School (SMK) to form one part of
the competency areas of expertise in Information and Communications
Technology Multimedia Skills Program.
This module describes the steps that necessary to perform Digital
Photography Technique starting from the Photography Introduction, using
Digital Camera, combining Digital Image and Creating Digital Image art.
This module is linked with other modules that discuss the Combining Audio
into a Multimedia Presentation. Therefore, before using this module
participants have taken the required training module.
Indrapura, Juni 2012
Author,
M. Taufik, ST.
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PASS FROM VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
JUNIOR HIGH
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MAP OF MODULE
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DESCRIPTION :
A Preparing Proposals
BUnderstanding the Production Process Flow OF Multimedia Products
C Assembling Personal Computer
D Understanding Etymology of Multimedia
E Create and Manage Web Pages
F Applying the Techniques of Production Shooting
G Caring for Multimedia Equipments
H Perform Basic Operating System Installation
I Create Key Animation
J Stop-Motion
K Mastering How to Draw a Clean-Up and Insert
LApplying the Principles of Graphic Arts in Visual Communication Design for Multimedia
M Combining Text in Multimedia Presentation
N Combining 2D Images into a Multimedia Presentation
OCombine Digital Photography into a Multimedia Presentation
P Health and Safety, and Environmental in Working
Q Combining Audio into a Multimedia Presentation
R Creating a Storyboard Multimedia Applications
S Explains the Basic Lighting
T Applying Special Effects to the Object of Productive
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GLOSSARY
Instant Camera - a camera producing finished pictures, directly from the
camera within a short time of taking.
Lens - One or more glass elements used to focus an image onto the focal
plane.
Lomography - movement that promotes (and exploits) the use of Lomo cameras (predominantly the LC-a) and a "shoot from the hip" attitude.
Medium Format - A film format larger than 35mm but smaller than large format (typically 120 film) wound onto spools.
Metering - measuring the amount of light for an exposure.
Monopod - A one-legged camera support.
Parallax - An effect in photography where the image seen in the viewfinder is not the same as the image seen through the lens, due to the viewfinder being slightly apart from the lens.
Point-And-Shoot - Camera designed to eliminate the user's need to make focus and exposure settings.
Red Eye - an unwanted effect achievable with a flash near the lens, common with compact cameras, where eyes appear to have red dots. This comes from the flash reflecting back from the eye's retina.
RGB - Red/Green/Blue - a method of representing colours in a digital image.
Shutter - The mechanism that opens and closes to make an exposure.
Tripod - camera support with 3 legs.
Viewfinder - The part of a camera you look through when composing your shot.
Wide-Angle Lens - a lens whose focal length is less than the "normal" length for the film format.
Zoom Lens - a lens that adjusts to cover a range of focal lengths.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
FRONT COVER
INSIDE COVER
PREFACE .................................................................................... i
MAP OF MODULE ....................................................................... ii
GLOSSARY .................................................................................. iv
TABLE OF CONTENT .................................................................. v
CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION .................................................... 7
A. DESCRIPTION ............................................................................. 7
B. PREREQUISITE ........................................................................... 7
C. INSTRUCTION FOR USE MODULE ............................................ 7
a. For Student ............................................................................ 7
b. For Teacher ............................................................................ 8
D. FINAL DESTINATION ................................................................. 8
E. STANDARD of COMPETENCE .................................................... 9
CHAPTER 2. LEARNING ............................................................. 11
A. STUDENT LEARNING PLAN ....................................................... 11
B. LEARNING ACTIVITY
1. Learning activity : Using Digital Camera ................................ 12
a. The purpose of Learning
b. Description of Learning Activity ......................................... 12
Using Digital Camera
1. Fotography ................................................................... 12
2. Operating Digital Camera ............................................. 13
3. Camera Parts ................................................................. 15
4. Menu Operation ............................................................ 18
5. Camera Focusing ........................................................... 21
6. Photo Lighting ............................................................... 24
7. Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO & Shutter Speed ...... 33
8. Camera Metering .......................................................... 41
9. Shooting Subject ........................................................... 47
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10........................................................................................Image-
Recording Quality : Image Compression ....................... 62
11........................................................................................Correc
ting Digital Image .......................................................... 68
12........................................................................................Transf
erring Image .................................................................. 70
c. Summary .............................................................................. 72
d. Task ...................................................................................... 72
e. Formative test ...................................................................... 72
f. Answer .................................................................................. 72
CHAPTER 3. EVALUATION ......................................................... 74
A. TASK ............................................................................................ 74
B. EVALUATION CRITERIA ............................................................. 75
CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSION ........................................................ 76
REFERENCES ............................................................................. 77
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CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION
A. DESCRIPTION TITLE
Module entitled "Photography - Combine Digital Photography into
Multimedia Presentation" is a teaching material that is used as a guide
practicum training participants Vocational School (SMK) to form one part
of the competency areas of expertise in Information and Communications
Technology Multimedia Skills Program.
This module describes the steps that necessary to perform Digital
Photography Technique starting from the Photography Introduction, using
Digital Camera, combining Digital Image and Creating Digital Image art.
This module is linked with other modules that discuss the Combining Audio
into a Multimedia Presentation. Therefore, before using this module
participants have taken the required training module.
B. PREREQUISITE
Before continue this module participants have taken the required training
module. To continue the next module, participant have to pass this module.
C. INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF MODULE
1. Instructions for Participant Training
Training participants are expected to play an active role and interact with
learning resources that can be used, because it must consider the
following matters:
a. Learning steps to be taken
1. Prepare tools and materials!
2. Please read carefully the description of the material in each learning
activity!
3. Watch for job steps in any learning activities before working, if not
clearly ask the instructor!
4. Return all equipment used practice!
b. Equipment must be Prepared
To support the safety and smoothness of task/ work to be done, then
prepare all equipment needed, learn this first module and books that
support.
c. Training Results
Training participants are able to Assembling Personal
Computer operation task to perform in accordance with the
manufacture of assembling procedures.
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2. Role of Teachers
Teachers who will teach this module should prepare the best possible
strategy of including aspects of learning, mastery of the material,
selection of methods, tools and media learning tools.
Teachers must prepare a draft learning strategy that is able to realize the
training participants were actively involved in the process of achievement/
mastery of competencies that have been programmed. Preparation of
draft learning strategy refers to the performance criteria (KUK) in each
sub-competencies that exist in GBPP.
D. Final Destination
Training participants able to perform the assembly of personal computers
and computer peripherals installation according to the procedures.
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BASIC COMPETEN
CEINDICATOR
LEARNING
MATERIAL
LEARNING ACTIVITY
ASSESSMENT
TIME ALLOCATION MATERIA
L SOURCETM PS PI
1. Using Digital Camera
Digital Camera Operated Correctly
Viewing input and output by Tools and Firmware Features
Viewing editing software and features correctly
Digital image is saved and viewed by available image format
Using Digital Camera
Understanding Manual Instruction of Digital Camera
Observe Turn On Camera process according procedure
Perceiving Turn on process
Identify buttons on camera
Understanding button function
Understanding camera menus and features
Understanding focus and lighting effects
Configure Exposures, resolution, lighting, brightness and contrast to produce image
Shooting image correctly
Convert digital image into any available format
Copying image that saved in digital camera to any other media storage and format.
Written Test Verbal Test Practical
Test Product Observation
2 4(8) - Digital Camera
Manual Instruction
Camera Handbook
Additional book
Computer Internet
2. Combine digital image into multimedia presentation
Creating digital image using image editor software
Edit digital image and
Digital Image and 2D Graphic Art
Choosing multimedia image editor software
Operating image editor software
Inserting digital image Perform image editing
process
Written Test Verbal Test Practical
Test Product Observation
Digital Camera
Manual Instruction
Camera Handboo
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save image using image editor software
Digital image is Combined into multimedia presentation
Edited image evaluated and interpreted as final result and viewed as multimedia presentation
Correcting and configuring digital image
Combining digital image into multimedia presentation
Evaluate editing result as presentation display
Saving digital image into any available format
k Additiona
l book Computer Internet
3. Create Digital Image and 2D Graphic Art
Creating Digital Art and modifying image.
Digital Image and 2D Graphic Art
Operating digital image editor software
Load Digital Image Arrange digital image,
adjust correction to be printed as relevan procedure
Saving digital image into any available format
Written Test Verbal Test Practical
Test Product Observation
Digital Camera
Manual Instruction
Camera Handbook
Additional book
Computer Internet
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CHAPTER 2 : LEARNING
A. Student Learning Plan
N
oType of Activity Date Place Time Change
Instructors
initials
1 Using Digital Camera Class
2Combine digital image into
multimedia presentationLab
3Create Digital Image and
2D Graphic ArtLab
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B. Learning Activity : USING DIGITAL CAMERA
1. Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by
recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by
means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material
such as photographic film. Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected
or emitted from objects into a real image on the light-sensitive surface inside a
camera during a timed exposure. The result in an electronic image sensor is an
electrical charge at each pixel, which is electronically processed and stored in
a digital image file for subsequent display or processing. The result in a
photographic emulsion is an invisible latent image, which is later chemically
developed into a visible image, either negative or positive depending on the
purpose of the photographic material and the method of processing. A negative
image on film is traditionally used to photographically create a positive image
on a paper base, known as a print, either by using an enlarger or by contact
printing.
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2. Operating Digital Camera
Turning On the Power
Before turning on the Camera, we have to recharge the battery and installing
the battery to camera body.
Charging the Battery
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Tips for Using the Battery and Charger
Recharge the Battery on the day before or on the day it is to be used.
After recharging the battery, detach it and unplug the charger from the power outlet.
When not using the camera, remove the battery.
If the battery becomes exhausted quickly even after being fully charged, the battery has worn out. Purchase a new battery.
Installing the Battery
Load the fully charge
battery into the camera.
Switch the Power On
About the Automatic Self-Cleaning Sensor
Whenever the power switch on <ON> or <OFF>, the sensor cleaning will
be executes automatically. During the sensor cleaning, the LCD monitor will
display < >. Even during the sensor cleaning, you can still shoot by
pressing the shutter button halfaway to stop the sensor cleaning and take a
picture.
If you turn <ON>/<OFF> the power switch at short interval , the < >
icon might not be displayed. This is normal and not a problem.
About the Auto Power Off
To save the battery power, the camera turns of automatically after about 30
seconds of non-operation. To turn the camera again, just press the shutter
button halfaway.
You can change the auto power-off time with the menus “Auto Power Off”
setting.
Turn on Process
When camera is turned on for the first time, or date/time has been reset, the
Date/Time setting screen will appear. Follow the procedure in camera
manual instruction to set Date/Time.
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3. Camera Parts
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Button Function
Power Switch ; To turn on the camera power
Shutter Button; To perform capturing still image
Mode Dial; This button has Basic Zone Modes, Creative Zone Modes and
Movie Shooting Modes to give more control shooting various subjects
and Fully-automatic shooting.
ISO Speed Setting Button
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To set the image sensor’s sensitivity to light
Flash Button
To pop up the built in flash light
Lens Release Button
To release the lens from camera body
Menu Button
To set various function such as the image recording quality, date/time,
flash control, etc.
Playback button
To playback image that have been saved/ recorded
Aperture/Exposure Acompensation button
To set both the shutter speed and aperture as desired, and make the
image brighter
AE Lock/FE Lock button/ Index/ Reduce button
- AE Lock button ; to lock the exposure
- FE Lock button ; to lock the flash exposure setting over the desired
area of the subject
- Index/ reduce button ; to make index view or reduce magnification in
playback mode
AF point button/ Magnify button
- To set AF point as desired
- To increase magnification in playback mode
Setting button
To execute setting
Cross Keys
To select menu or setting
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4. Menu Operation
The camera can be set in various functions with the menus such as the image-
recording quality, date/time etc. when looking at the LCD monitor, use the
<MENU> button, cross keys, and set button on the camer a back.
Menu Screen
In the basic zone modes and movies shooting mode, certain tab and menu
options will not be displayed.
Menu Setting Procedures
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Formatting the Card
If the card was new or was previously formatted by another camera or
computer, format card with the camera.
When the card is formatted, all image and data in the card will be erased. Even
protected images will be erased, so make sure there is nothing you need to
keep. If necessary, transfer the images to a computer, etc., before formatting
the card.
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Executed [Format] in the following cases :
The card is new.
The card was formatted by different camera or a computer.
The card is full of images or data.
A card-related error is displayed.
About Low-Level Formatting
Do Low-Level Formatting if the card’s recording or reading speed seems
slow.
Since Low-Level Formatting will erase all recordable sectors in the card, the
formatting will take slightly longer than normal formatting.
You can stop Low-Level Formatting by selecting [Cancel]. Even in this case,
normal formatting will have been completed and you can use the card as
usual.
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5. Camera Focusing
To Focus means to adjust a lens or its optical elements for achieving a sharp
image of subjects in a certain distance from the camera.
AutoFocus [AF] Mode
A camera's autofocus system intelligently adjusts the camera lens to obtain
focus on the subject, and can mean the difference between a sharp photo and a
missed opportunity. Despite a seemingly simple goal—sharpness at the focus
point—the inner workings of how a camera focuses are unfortunately not as
straightforward.
Note: Autofocus (AF) works either by using contrast sensors within the camera
(passive AF) or by emitting a signal to illuminate or estimate distance to the
subject (active AF). Passive AF can be performed using either the contrast
detection or phase detection methods, but both rely on contrast for
achieving accurate autofocus; they will therefore be treated as being
qualitatively similar for the purposes of this AF tutorial. Unless otherwise
stated, this tutorial will assume passive autofocus. We will also discuss the AF
assist beam method of active autofocus towards the end.
Changing the AF Mode
Select the AF Mode suiting
the shooting conditions or
subject. In the Basic Zone
modes, the optimum mode
is set automatically.
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AF mode: ONE SHOT vs. AI SERVO & Continuous
The most widely supported camera focus mode is one-shot focusing, which is
best for still subjects. The one shot mode is susceptible to focus errors for fast
moving subjects since it cannot anticipate subject motion, in addition to
potentially also making it difficult to visualize these moving subjects in the
viewfinder. One shot focusing requires a focus lock before the photograph can
be taken.
Many cameras also support an autofocus mode which continually adjust the
focus distance for moving subjects. Canon cameras refer to this as "AI Servo"
focusing, whereas Nikon cameras refer to his as "continuous" focusing. It
works by predicting where the subject will be slightly in the future, based on
estimates of the subject velocity from previous focus distances. The camera
then focuses at this predicted distance in advance to account for the shutter
lag (the delay between pressing the shutter button and the start of the
exposure). This greatly increases the probability of correct focus for moving
subjects.
One-Shot AF for Still Subjects
Suited for Still Subjects. When you press shutter button halfway, the camera
will focus only once.
When focus is achieved, the dot inside the AF point achieving focus flashes
briefly in red, and the focus information light in the viewfinder will also light.
With evaluating metering, the exposure setting will be set at the same time
focus is achieved.
While you hold down the button halfway, the focus will be locked. You can
then recompose the shot if desire.
AI Servo AF for Moving Subjects
This AF mode is for moving subjects when focusing distance keeps changing.
While you hold the shutter halfway, the subject will be focused continuously.
The exposure is be set at the moment the picture is taken.
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When AF point selection is automatic, the camera first uses the center AF
point to focus. During autofocusing, if the subject move away from the the
center AF point, focus tracking continues as long as the subject is covered
by another AF point.
AI Focus AF for Automatic Switching of AF Mode
AI Focus AF switches the AF mode from One-Shot AF to AI Servo AF
automatically if the still subject start moving. After the subject is focused in the
One-Shot AF mode, if the subject starts moving, the camera will detect the
movement and change the AF mode automatically to AI Servo AF.
Selecting the AF Point
In the Basic Zone mode, all
the AF points are active.
Generally, the point
covering the closest subject
will be selected to focus.
Therefore the camera
sometimes may not focus
subject you want.
With the < P > (Program
AE), < Tv >, < Av >, and <
M > modes, you can select
one AF point to focus where
you want.
Shooting tips :
When shooting a portrait
up close, use One-Shot AF and focus the eye.
If it is difficult to focus, select and use the center AF point.
To Make easier to focus a moving subject, set the camera to automatic AF
point selection and AI Servo AF.
Continuous Shooting
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You can shoot up to about 3.4 shot per sec. This is effective for shooting your
child running toward you and capturing the different facial expressions.
6. Photo Lighting
Natural Light in Photography
Paying more attention to light is perhaps the single most important step you
can take to improve your photography. With many landscapes, having good
natural lighting can even be more important than the choice of subject itself.
Different types of natural light can also produce a wide variety of subject
appearances — even though these all have the same light source. Learn how to
achieve the right light for your subject by utilizing the unique qualities of your
particular time of day and weather.
Flat Natural Light Better Natural Light
Three factors influence how natural light renders a subject: time of day,
camera direction and weather. We'll first explore time of day under clear skies,
then move onto specific weather conditions; lighting directions will be saved
for a future tutorial.
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Overview
Even though all natural light originates from the sun, a subject's illumination is
actually comprised of several components:
Direct Sunlight
(warmer, high contrast)
Diffuse Skylight
(cooler, low contrast)
Bounced Light
(has qualities of reflecting
object)
Depending on the time of day, the relative amount of each component changes
— resulting in an overall illumination with a different white balance or
contrast. We'll start with astronomical high noon (when the sun is at its
highest), then see what happens as the day progresses to sunset (or reverses to
sunrise).
Time of Day Contras
tColors
Direction of
Sun
1. Midday → Highest Neutral WhiteNear Vertical
2. Evening & Morning → HighSlightly
WarmMid to Low
3. Golden Hour &
Sunrise/Sunset→ Medium
Warm to
FieryNear Horizontal
4. Twilight, Dawn & Dusk → Low Cool Pastel Below Horizon
note: the contrast characteristics are intended only for clear skies
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Time of Day. Further from high noon, the sun dips closer to the horizon. This
results in lower contrast, because sunlight has to pass through more
atmosphere, and more easily bounces off the ground toward the subject. In
addition, the atmosphere selectively filters more of the sun's blue light —
resulting in warmer light overall.
Weather. Along with time of day, the type and extent of cloud cover is the
other most influential cause of lighting variation. It primarily influences
lighting because it changes the balance between direct sunlight and diffuse
skylight, which in turn affects the apparent contrast and color temperature of
the light source. We'll discuss this more at the end.
Clear Midday Sunshine
Midday lighting is primarily comprised of direct, downward sunlight. Such light
has little chance to scatter and diffuse through the atmosphere, or to bounce
off the ground and illuminate the subject indirectly. This results in the hardest
and most neutrally-colored lighting of any time of day, and is typically the least
desirable type of natural light.
Due to these drawbacks, too often photographers put their camera away —
potentially missing unique opportunities. For example, water may appear more
transparent, since light penetrates deeper and direct reflections off the surface
are less likely. Alternatively, other types of photographs are more about
capturing a particular event, as opposed to achieving an image with optimal
lighting.
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Overcoming Unique Challenges. Just be aware that color saturation is
typically lower, and that downward shadows generally don't produce flattering
portraits, or make other subjects appear as three-dimensional.
Many photographers encourage liberal use of polarizing filters to manage
contrast, since this is often when they're most impactful, but at this time these
can also more easily make the sky appear unnaturally dark and blue. If
shadows appear too harsh and colors aren't sufficiently saturated, try
converting to black and white, since these may even benefit from the high
contrast of midday light.
Evening & Mid-Morning
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Evening and mid-morning light becomes slightly warmer, and begins to cast
noticeable shadows. Since direct light now originates from an upper side,
subjects often appear much more three dimensional. Such lighting is usually
much more predictable than sunsets and sunrises, primarily because this time
is less dependent on the effect of surrounding mountains, or the location of the
cloud line.
Overcoming Unique Challenges. Mid-evening and morning has perhaps the
most compromised lighting: it's not as neutrally colored as during midday, but
also not as warm or intense as a sunset. It's also less harsh and originates from
a better angle than during midday, but also isn't as soft and diffuse as during
twilight or overcast lighting. These qualities make it a good all-around time of
day for photography, but also run the risk of making photos appear too
ordinary, since one cannot use any uniquely exaggerated lighting traits to
emphasize particular features in their subject.
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Golden Hour & Sunrise/Sunset
The hour just before sunset and just after sunrise (the "golden hour") is
typically regarded as having the most desirable light for photography. This is
characterized by horizontal light that casts long shadows and gives subjects a
warm glow.
Sunsets and sunrises make for exciting and highly varied lighting, primarily
because these are heavily influence by subtleties in the weather. Clouds are
rendered using sunlight which reflects off them from underneath — as opposed
to sunlight which has diffused through them from above — potentially causing
the sky to light up with a soft, warm light.
Overcoming Unique Challenges. Sunsets and sunrises are often
spectacularly vibrant in person, but this isn't always translated well into an
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image. Make sure that your camera's auto white balance doesn't counteract an
otherwise warm-looking scene, or that the color saturation isn't overly
conservative to minimize the risk of color clipping. Ironically, when the lighting
is most dramatic is also when your camera is most likely to make an error with
its exposure; try to take several photos, or use partial or spot metering just in
case.
Sunrise vs. Sunset. Although sunsets and sunrises are in theory identical,
weather patterns can cause these to be consistently different, so many
photographers prefer one over the other. Some find that they're more prepared
to photograph during sunset over sunrise, because light quality builds steadily
prior to a sunset — whereas with sunrises, the light often starts at its best and
gradually fades. In addition, being awake and on-location for a sunrise is often
impractical in the summer months. On the other hand, sunrise photography is
usually void of potentially distracting crowds, and more often has a low-laying
mist and dew on foliage. Sunrises often also have a calm, quiescent quality —
particularly with scenes involving water — that isn't present during sunsets.
Twilight, Dawn & Dusk
Twilight, dawn and dusk typically describe the half hour before sunrise or after
sunset — when the sky is still bright but there's no longer any direct sunlight.
The primary source of light effectively becomes the entire sky, with one side
appearing warm and reddish and the other becoming a cool blue or purple.
This can produce wonderfully soft, multicolored lighting that gives a calm,
peaceful mood to subjects.
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Overcoming Unique Challenges. Perhaps the biggest disadvantages are the
lack of contrast and ambient light. Hand-held shots are therefore rarely
possible, and achieving a sufficient sense of depth may require more attention
to composition. Cameras also often over-expose twilight scenes when using
automatic exposures — potentially washing out the otherwise delicate colors —
since twilight almost never contains any fully white objects.
Alpenglow. If you're lucky, a phenomenon called "alpenglow" may appear as a
red or pinkish glow in the sky furthest from the setting sun, but it's never a
guarantee. Alpenglow can be a helpful effect for extending a sky's warmth well
beyond sunset.
Shade & Overcast Sunlight
Shade and overcast light typically have a cool, soft appearance, since the
source of such light is spread across the entire sky, and doesn't include any
direct sunlight. Textures therefore appear much subtler, and reflections on
smooth surfaces are more diffuse and subdued. The color of such light is also
more heavily influenced by bounced light from nearby objects, so subjects
shaded by foliage can even incur a greenish tint.
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Many photographers shy away from this type of lighting, but doing so is often a
mistake. For example, depending on the degree of cloud cover, bright overcast
light can actually be ideal for outdoor portraits and wildlife (as long as the cool
white balance is corrected), since it doesn't cast harsh shadows across the
subject's face. Bright overcast light may also enhance close-up photography,
such as with flowers, since the appearance and saturation of colors usually
improve. Alternatively, low contrast light can also be better when the subject
itself is high in contrast, such as subjects containing both dark and light colors.
Overcoming Unique Challenges. A common trick is to keep the gray sky out
of the photo — unless the clouds are particularly moody and highly textured.
Since shadows play much less of a role, achieving a sufficient sense of depth
may be difficult — just as during twilight — but this time one also doesn't have
the appealing pastel lighting to compensate. Images straight out of the camera
often appear more bluish than desired, so shooting in RAW and adjusting the
white balance afterwards is also encouraged. Liberal use of the levels tool and
curves tool may also be helpful if one wishes to use the full contrast range in a
print.
Other Specific Weather Conditions
Weather is effectively just a massive filter that lies between the sun and your
subject. At one extreme, light could be relatively warm and highly localized,
such as sunlight from a clear sky. At the other extreme, light could be cooler
and envelop the subject, such as diffuse sunlight through a densely overcast
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sky. The thickness and extent of cloud cover is what decides where in this
continuum your particular weather will have its effect.
When the sky is partly cloudy, one can effectively use the sky to paint their
scene with light — if one is willing to wait for just the right moment. This is an
excellent and often overlooked opportunity, especially during the middle of the
day.
Alternatively, stormy weather can produce extremely high contrast light since
rain clears the air of haze and dust. Sunsets after a storm are also often the
most dramatic, in part because the sky can become much darker than the land
— providing a nice high contrast backdrop for front-lit subjects. This is also
when rainbows are most likely to appear.
Evening Light During Stormy Skies Selective Light from Partly Cloudy Skies
Other scenarios include photography in the fog, mist or haze. This not only
greatly decreases light's contrast — just as during an overcast day — but also
does so progressively for more distant objects.
7. Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO & Shutter Speed
A photograph's exposure determines how light or dark an image will appear
when it's been captured by your camera. Believe it or not, this is determined by
just three camera settings: aperture, ISO and shutter speed (the "exposure
triangle"). Mastering their use is an essential part of developing an intuition for
photography.
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Understanding Exposure
Achieving the correct exposure is a lot like
collecting rain in a bucket. While the rate of
rainfall is uncontrollable, three factors
remain under your control: the bucket's
width, the duration you leave it in the rain,
and the quantity of rain you want to collect.
You just need to ensure you don't collect too
little ("underexposed"), but that you also
don't collect too much ("overexposed"). The
key is that there are many different combinations of width, time and quantity
that will achieve this. For example, for the same quantity of water, you can get
away with less time in the rain if you pick a bucket that's really wide.
Alternatively, for the same duration left in the rain, a really narrow bucket can
be used as long as you plan on getting by with less water.
In photography, the exposure settings of aperture, shutter speed and ISO
speed are analogous to the width, time and quantity discussed above.
Furthermore, just as the rate of rainfall was beyond your control above, so too
is natural light for a photographer.
Exposure Triangle: Aperture, ISO & Shutter Speed
Each setting controls exposure differently:
Aperture: controls the area over which
light can enter your camera
Shutter speed: controls the duration of
the exposure
ISO speed: controls the sensitivity of your
camera's sensor to a given amount of light
One can therefore use many combinations
of the above three settings to achieve the same exposure. The key, however, is
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knowing which trade-offs to make, since each setting also influences other
image properties. For example, aperture affects depth of field, shutter speed
affects motion blur and ISO speed affects image noise.
The next few sections will describe how each setting is specified, what it looks
like, and how a given camera exposure mode affects their combination.
Shutter Speed
A camera's shutter determines when the camera sensor will be open or closed
to incoming light from the camera lens. The shutter speed specifically refers to
how long this light is permitted to enter the camera. "Shutter speed" and
"exposure time" refer to the same concept, where a faster shutter speed means
a shorter exposure time.
By the Numbers. Shutter speed's influence on exposure is perhaps the
simplest of the three camera settings: it correlates exactly 1:1 with the amount
of light entering the camera. For example, when the exposure time doubles the
amount of light entering the camera doubles. It's also the setting that has the
widest range of possibilities:
Shutter Speed Typical Examples
1 - 30+ seconds Specialty night and low-light photos on a tripod
2 - 1/2 secondTo add a silky look to flowing water. Landscape photos
on a tripod for enhanced depth of field
1/2 to 1/30 second
To add motion blur to the background of a moving
subject
Carefully taken hand-held photos with stabilization
1/50 - 1/100 second Typical hand-held photos without substantial zoom
1/250 - 1/500
second
To freeze everyday sports/action subject movement
Hand-held photos with substantial zoom (telephoto
lens)
1/1000 - 1/4000
secondTo freeze extremely fast, up-close subject motion
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How it Appears. Shutter speed is a powerful tool for freezing or exaggerating
the appearance of motion:
Slow Shutter Speed Fast Shutter Speed
With waterfalls and other creative shots, motion blur is sometimes desirable,
but for most other shots this is avoided. Therefore all one usually cares about
with shutter speed is whether it results in a sharp photo — either by freezing
movement or because the shot can be taken hand-held without camera shake.
How do you know which shutter speed will provide a sharp hand-held shot?
With digital cameras, the best way to find out is to just experiment and look at
the results on your camera's rear LCD screen (at full zoom). If a properly
focused photo comes out blurred, then you'll usually need to either increase
the shutter speed, keep your hands steadier or use a camera tripod.
Aperture Setting
A camera's aperture setting controls the area over which light can pass
through your camera lens. It is specified in terms an f-stop value, which can at
times be counterintuitive, because the area of the opening increases as the f-
stop decreases. In photographer slang, the when someone says they are
"stopping down" or "opening up" their lens, they are referring to increasing
and decreasing the f-stop value, respectively.
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By the Numbers. Every time the f-stop value halves, the light-collecting area
quadruples. There's a formula for this, but most photographers just memorize
the f-stop numbers that correspond to each doubling/halving of light:
Aperture Setting Relative Light Example Shutter Speed
f/22 1X 16 seconds
f/16 2X 8 seconds
f/11 4X 4 seconds
f/8.0 8X 2 seconds
f/5.6 16X 1 second
f/4.0 32X 1/2 second
f/2.8 64X 1/4 second
f/2.0 128X 1/8 second
f/1.4 256X 1/15 second
The above aperture and shutter speed combinations all result in the same
exposure.
Note: Shutter speed values are not always possible in increments of exactly
double or half another shutter speed, but they're always close enough that the
difference is negligible.
The above f-stop numbers are all standard options in any camera, although
most also allow finer adjustments, such as f/3.2 and f/6.3. The range of values
may also vary from camera to camera (or lens to lens). For example, a compact
camera might have an available range of f/2.8 to f/8.0, whereas a digital SLR
camera might have a range of f/1.4 to f/32 with a portrait lens. A narrow
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aperture range usually isn't a big problem, but a greater range does provide
for more creative flexibility.
Technical Note: With many lenses, their light-gathering ability is also affected
by their transmission efficiency, although this is almost always much less of a
factor than aperture. It's also beyond the photographer's control. Differences in
transmision efficiency are typically more pronounced with extreme zoom
ranges. For example, Canon's 24-105 mm f/4L IS lens gathers perhaps ~10-
40% less light at f/4 than Canon's similar 24-70 mm f/2.8L lens at f/4
(depending on the focal length).
How it Appears. A camera's aperture setting is what determines a photo's
depth of field (the range of distance over which objects appear in sharp focus).
Lower f-stop values correlate with a shallower depth of field:
Wide Aperture Narrow Aperturef/2.0 - low f-stop number f/16 - high f-stop number
shallow depth of field large depth of field
ISO Speed
The ISO speed determines how sensitive the camera is to incoming light.
Similar to shutter speed, it also correlates 1:1 with how much the exposure
increases or decreases. However, unlike aperture and shutter speed, a lower
ISO speed is almost always desirable, since higher ISO speeds dramatically
increase image noise. As a result, ISO speed is usually only increased from its
minimum value if the desired aperture and shutter speed aren't otherwise
obtainable.
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Low ISO Speed High ISO Speed
(low image noise) (high image noise)
note: image noise is also known as "film grain" in traditional film photography
Common ISO speeds include 100, 200, 400 and 800, although many cameras
also permit lower or higher values. With compact cameras, an ISO speed in the
range of 50-200 generally produces acceptably low image noise, whereas with
digital SLR cameras, a range of 50-800 (or higher) is often acceptable.
Camera Exposure Modes
Most digital cameras have one of the following
standardized exposure modes: Auto ( ), Program (P),
Aperture Priority (Av), Shutter Priority (Tv), Manual (M)
and Bulb (B) mode. Av, Tv, and M are often called
"creative modes" or "auto exposure (AE) modes."
Each of these modes influences how aperture, ISO and shutter speed are
chosen for a given exposure. Some modes attempt to pick all three values for
you, whereas others let you specify one setting and the camera picks the other
two (if possible). The following charts describe how each mode pertains to
exposure:
Exposure Mode How It Works
Auto ( )Camera automatically selects all exposure
settings.
Program (P) Camera automatically selects aperture & shutter
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speed; you can choose a corresponding ISO speed
& exposure compensation. With some cameras, P
can also act as a hybrid of the Av & Tv modes.
Aperture Priority (Av
or A)
You specify the aperture & ISO; the camera's
metering determines the corresponding shutter
speed.
Shutter Priority (Tv or
S)
You specify the shutter speed & ISO; the camera's
metering determines the corresponding aperture.
Manual (M)
You specify the aperture, ISO and shutter speed —
regardless of whether these values lead to a
correct exposure.
Bulb (B)
Useful for exposures longer than 30 seconds. You
specify the aperture and ISO; the shutter speed is
determined by a remote release switch, or by the
duration until you press the shutter button a
second time.
In addition, the camera may also have several pre-set modes; the most common
include landscape, portrait, sports and night mode. The symbols used for each
mode vary slightly from camera to camera, but will likely appear similar to
those below:
Exposure
ModeHow It Works
Portrait Camera tries to pick the lowest f-stop value possible for a given
exposure. This ensures the shallowest possible depth of field.
LandscapeCamera tries to pick a high f-stop to ensure a large depth of
field. Compact cameras also often set their focus distance to
distant objects or infinity.
Sports/Action Camera tries to achieve as fast a shutter speed as possible for a
given exposure — ideally 1/250 seconds or faster. In addition to
using a low f-stop, the fast shutter speed is usually achieved by
increasing the ISO speed more than would otherwise be
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acceptable in portrait mode.
Night/Low-
light
Camera permits shutter speeds which are longer than
ordinarily allowed for hand-held shots, and increases the ISO
speed to near its maximum available value. However, for some
cameras this setting means that a flash is used for the
foreground, and a long shutter speed and high ISO are used
expose the background. Check your camera's instruction
manual for any unique characteristics.
However, keep in mind that most of the above settings rely on the camera's
metering system in order to know what's a proper exposure. For tricky subject
matter, metering can often be fooled, so it's a good idea to also be aware of
when it might go awry, and what you can do to compensate for such exposure
errors (see section on exposure compensation within the camera metering
tutorial).
Finally, some of the above modes may also control camera settings which are
unrelated to exposure, although this varies from camera to camera. Such
additional settings might include the autofocus points, metering mode and
autofocus modes, amongst others.
8. Camera Metering
Knowing how your digital camera meters light is critical for achieving
consistent and accurate exposures. Metering is the brains behind how your
camera determines the shutter speed and aperture, based on lighting
conditions and ISO speed. Metering options often include partial, evaluative
zone or matrix, center-weighted and spot metering. Each of these have subject
lighting conditions for which they excel — and for which they fail.
Understanding these can improve one's photographic intuition for how a
camera measures light.
Background: Incident vs. Reflected Light
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All in-camera light meters have a fundamental flaw: they can only measure
reflected light. This means the best they can do is guess how much light is
actually hitting the subject.
If all objects reflected the same percentage of incident light, this would work
just fine, however real-world subjects vary greatly in their reflectance. For this
reason, in-camera metering is standardized based on the luminance of light
which would be reflected from an object appearing as middle gray. If the
camera is aimed directly at any object lighter or darker than middle gray, the
camera's light meter will incorrectly calculate under or over-exposure,
respectively. A hand-held light meter would calculate the same exposure for
any object under the same incident lighting.
18% Gray Tone 18% Red Tone 18% Green Tone 18% Blue Tone
Above patches depict approximations of 18% luminance. This will appear most
accurate when using a PC display which closely mimics the sRGB color space,
and have calibrated your monitor accordingly. Monitors emit as opposed to
reflect light, so this is also a fundamental limitation.
What constitutes middle gray? In the printing industry it is standardized as the
ink density which reflects 18% of incident light, however cameras seldom
adhere to this. This topic deserves a discussion of its own, but for the purposes
of this tutorial simply know that each camera has a default somewhere in the
middle gray tones (~10-18% reflectance). Metering off of a subject which
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reflects more or less light than this may
cause your camera's metering algorithm
to go awry — either through under or
over-exposure, respectively.
An in-camera light meter can work
surprisingly well if object reflectance is
sufficiently diverse throughout the
photo. In other words, if there is an
even spread varying from dark to light
objects, then the average reflectance will remain roughly middle gray.
Unfortunately, some scenes may have a significant imbalance in subject
reflectivity, such as a photo of a white dove in the snow, or of a black dog
sitting on a pile of charcoal. For such cases the camera may try to create an
image with a histogram whose primary peak is in the midtones, even though it
should have instead produced this peak in the highlights or shadows.
Metering Options
In order to accurately expose a greater range of subject lighting and
reflectance combinations, most cameras feature several metering options. Each
option works by assigning a weighting to different light regions; those with a
higher weighting are considered more reliable, and thus contribute more to the
final exposure calculation.
Center-Weighted Partial Metering Spot Metering
Partial and spot areas are roughly 13.5% and 3.8% of the picture area,
respectively,
which correspond to settings on the Canon EOS 1D Mark II.
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The whitest regions are those which contribute most towards the exposure
calculation, whereas black areas are ignored. Each of the above metering
diagrams may also be located off-center, depending on the metering options
and autofocus point used.
More sophisticated algorithms may go beyond just a regional map and include:
evaluative, zone and matrix metering. These are usually the default when your
camera is set to auto exposure. Each generally works by dividing the image up
into numerous sub-sections, where each section is then considered in terms of
its relative location, light intensity or color. The location of the autofocus point
and orientation of the camera (portrait vs. landscape) may also contribute to
the calculation.
When To Use Partial & Spot Metering
Partial and spot metering give the photographer far more control over the
exposure than any of the other settings, but this also means that these is more
difficult to use — at least initially. They are useful when there is a relatively
small object within your scene which you either need to be perfectly exposed,
or know that it will provide the closest match to middle gray.
One of the most common applications of partial metering is a portrait of
someone who is backlit. Metering off of their face can help avoid making the
subject look like an under-exposed silhouette against the bright background.
On the other hand, care should be taken as the shade of a person's skin may
lead to inaccurate exposure if it is far from neutral gray reflectance — but
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probably not as inaccurate as what would have been caused by the
backlighting.
Spot metering is used less often because its metering area is very small and
thus quite specific. This can be an advantage when you are unsure of your
subject's reflectance and have a specially designed gray card (or other small
object) to meter off of.
Spot and partial metering are also quite useful for performing creative
exposures, and when the ambient lighting is unusual. In the examples to the
left and right below, one could meter off of the diffusely lit foreground tiles, or
off of the directly lit stone below the sky opening:
Notes on Center-Weighted Metering
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At one time center-weighted metering was a very common default setting in
cameras because it coped well with a bright sky above a darker landscape.
Nowadays, it has more or less been surpassed in flexibility by evaluative and
matrix, and in specificity by partial and spot metering. On the other hand, the
results produced by center-weighted metering are very predictable,
whereas matrix and evaluative metering modes have complicated algorithms
which are harder to predict. For this reason some prefer to use it as the default
metering mode.
Exposure Compensation
Any of the above metering modes can use a feature called exposure
compensation (EC). The metering calculation still works as normal, except the
final settings are then compensated by the EC value. This allows for manual
corrections if you observe a metering mode to be consistently under or over-
exposing. Most cameras allow up to 2 stops of exposure compensation; each
stop of exposure compensation provides either a doubling or halving of light
compared to what the metering mode would have done otherwise. A setting of
zero means no compensation will be applied (default).
Exposure compensation is ideal for correcting in-camera metering
errors caused by the subject's reflectivity. No matter what metering mode
is used, an in-camera light meter will always mistakenly under-expose a subject
such as a white dove in a snowstorm (see incident vs. reflected light).
Photographs in the snow will always require around +1 exposure
compensation, whereas a low-key image may require negative compensation.
When shooting in RAW mode under tricky lighting, sometimes it is useful to set
a slight negative exposure compensation (0.3-0.5). This decreases the chance
of clipped highlights, yet still allows one to increase the exposure afterwards.
Alternatively, a positive exposure compensation can be used to improve the
signal to noise ratio in situations where the highlights are far from clipping.
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9. Shooting Subject
Before shooting subject, understanding camera basic operation is very
important to do first, such as configuring standard setting to full automatic
shooting.
Holding the Camera
To obtain sharp image, hold the camera still to minimize camera shake.
Wrap your right hand around the camera grip firmly.
Hold the lens bottom with your left hand.
Press the shutter button lightly with your right hand’s index finger.
Press your arms and elbows lightly against the front of you body.
Press the camera against your face and look through the viewfinder.
To maintain a stable stance, place one foot in front of the other.
Shutter Button
The shutter button has two steps. You can press the shutter button halfway.
Then you can further press the shutter button completely.
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Preventing Camera Shake
Camera movement during the moment of exposure is called camera shake.
Camera shake can cause blurred pictures. The camera mechanical shake
caused by the reflex mirror action can affect image taken with a super
telephoto lens or close up (macro) lens. In such case, mirror lock up is
effective. To preventing camera shake, note the following :
Hold and steady the camera as shown on previous page.
Press the shutter button halway to autofocus then press the shutter button
completely.
Camera Shutter Speed
A camera's shutter speed can control exposure, but it's also one of the most
powerful creative tools in photography. It can convey motion, freeze action,
isolate subjects and smooth water, amongst other abilities. This tutorial
describes how to achieve these various effects, in addition to hopefully
stimulating other creative ideas for using shutter speed in everyday shots. For
a background on how it factors into exposure.
Slow Shutter Speed Fast Shutter Speed
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Photos on left and right by Creativity103 (spinning top) and Kyle May (light bulb),
respectively.
Background
A camera's shutter is like a curtain* that opens and lets in light to start the
exposure, then closes to end it. A photo therefore doesn't just capture a
moment in time, but instead represents an average of light over a timeframe.
The term "shutter speed" is used to describe this duration.
Whenever a scene contains moving subjects, the choice of shutter speed
therefore determines which of these will appear frozen and which will be
recorded with a blur. However, one cannot change the shutter speed in
isolation — at least not without also affecting the exposure or image quality:
Camera SettingsAdverse Side
Effects
Faster Shutter
Speeds:
↑ ISO Speed
↓ f-number
↑ image noise
↓ depth of field
Slower Shutter
Speeds:
↓ ISO Speed
↑ f-number
↓ hand-holdability
↓ sharpness**
**only if the f-number increases so much that it causes visible diffraction
The above combinations of ISO speed and f-number (aperture) enable an
amazingly broad range of selectable shutter speeds. Regardless of the
combination, more light enables faster maximum shutter speeds, whereas less
light permits slower minimum shutter speeds.
For a given exposure, SLR cameras also typically have a much greater range of
selectable shutter speeds than compact cameras. For example, this range is
roughly 13-14 stops (or 10,000X) with most SLR cameras, but often just 8-9
stops (or 500X) with compact cameras.
*Technical Note: At very short exposure times (typically 1/500 a second or
faster) the shutter mechanism works more like a moving slit than a curtain. In
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that case, the shutter speed instead represents the amount of time that each
region of the sensor is exposed to light, not the duration over which light
reaches the entire sensor.
Conveying Motion
While some might see still photography as restricting, many instead see this as
liberating, because still capture enables nearly full control over how motion is
conveyed. For instance, should the subject be rendered as an unrecognizable
streak, or as a more defined blur? Or should the subject remain sharp, with
everything else blurred? These and other choices are all under your control.
Photos on left and right by alan cleaver and tyler durden, respectively.
However, achieving the intended amount of blur can be difficult. For a given
shutter speed, three* subject traits determine how blurred they will appear:
Speed. Subjects which are moving faster will appear more blurred. This one is
perhaps the most obvious of the three, but just as important.
Direction of Motion. Subjects which are moving towards or away from the camera
usually won't become as blurred as those moving side to side — even if both
subjects are moving at the same speed.
Magnification. A given subject will appear more blurred if they occupy a greater
fraction of your image frame. This is perhaps the least obvious, but is also the one
which is most under your control, since subject magnification is the combined effect
of focal length and subject distance. Longer focal lengths (more zoom) result in
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more magnification for a given subject distance, but this also increases the
likelihood of blur due to camera shake.
*Although not a subject trait, the display size may also be important. Blur
which appears optimal in a small size on-screen may appear too pronounced in
a large print, for example.
Shutter
Speed:1/2 1/10 1/30 1/400
Regardless, developing an intuition for shutter speed under different scenarios
can be difficult, but with plenty of experimentation you'll be well on your way.
A specific but common application of using shutter speed to convey motion is
with moving water. Shutter speeds of around 1/2 a second or longer can make
waterfalls appear silky, or waves look like a surreal, low-lying mist.
Move your mouse over the various shutter speeds to the right to see this effect.
Note how freezing the motion of splashing water required a shutter speed of
1/400 of a second. Since this is a wide angle photo, a shorter shutter speed
could have achieved a similar look if one were instead zoomed into just a
portion of the waterfall.
One can also use a slow shutter speed to emphasize a stationary subject
amongst movement, such as a person standing still amongst a bustling crowd.
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Similarly, unique portraits can be achieved using moving trains as a
background when the shutter speed is as slow as about 1/10 to 1/2 a second:
1.3 seconds 1/3 second
Photos on left and right by nathanhayag and moriza, respectively.
Moving with the Subject & Panning
Instead of blurring the subject, one could instead render everything else
blurred. This requires the camera to either be located on the moving subject
itself, or aimed in such a way that the image frame moves with the subject
(called "panning").
shutter speed: 15 seconds; photo by Dande Chiaro
Try taking a photo from a moving car, an amusement park ride (be safe!), or
another moving object to create an interesting effect. As before, the required
shutter speed will depend on the speed of motion, potentially in addition to the
stability of the moving object. Regardless, somewhere around 1/30 of a second
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is often a good starting point, then adjust accordingly after viewing the results
on your camera's rear screen.
panning photo at 1/45 sec and 110 mm
Alternatively, the panning technique doesn't necessarily mean that the camera
itself has to travel at the same speed as the subject — just that the image
frame has to move this fast. Fortunately, even fast subjects can be captured by
slowly pivoting the camera, especially if this subject is far away and you're
using a telephoto lens.
Make sure to aim so that your image frame smoothly follows your subject,
while also pressing the shutter button — all in one continuous motion.
A successful panning shot requires a shutter speed which is
just slow enough to cause the background to streak, but
just fast enough that the subject still appears sharp. This
can be tricky to achieve, so the key with panning is to experiment
and take many more shots than you would otherwise. Regardless,
longer streaks produce a much more dramatic effect; using an
image-stabilized lens that has one-axis* stabilization, or a tripod
with a pan-tilt head can help you achieve this.
In addition, panning requires a textured background that isn't completely out
of focus. Subject backgrounds which are closer will also appear to streak more
for a given shutter speed and panning rate.
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*Lens Panning Mode. This is called "mode 2" IS on canon lenses; nikon
lenses with vibration reduction (VR) automatically switch to panning mode
when the lens motion is in one direction.
An added benefit is that panning permits slower shutter speeds than would
otherwise be needed to capture a sharp subject. For example, available light
might only permit a shutter speed of 1/50 second — which might be insufficient
to render a particular moving subject as sharp with a standard shot — but with
panning, this shutter speed might be fast enough to make the subject appear
sharp.
Freezing Fast Action & High-Speed Motion
High speed photography is capable of new and exciting representations of
subjects in motion, in part because we are incapable of seeing and processing
movements which are much faster than a running person. Examples include
water droplets, birds in flight and moments in sports, amongst many others.
photo by Lazlo
However, capturing fast-moving subjects can also be challenging. The key is
to learn to anticipate when your subject will be in the desired position,
since shutter speeds shorter than 1/5th of a second are faster than our own
reaction time. Simply reacting and pressing the shutter button will likely miss
the moment.
To make matters worse, many cameras also impart a delay between when the
shutter button is pressed and the exposure begins (called "shutter lag"). With
SLR cameras this is often just 1/10 to 1/20 of a second, but with compact
cameras this can be as high as 1/2 a second. However, these times exclude the
additional 1/2 to 1 second (or more) that it can take your camera to autofocus.
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Pre-focusing on or near your expected subject location can therefore
greatly reduce shutter lag.
Sharp high speed photos also require one to be attentive to variations in
subject motion, and to potentially time the shot to coincide with a relative
pause in the action. For example, with jumping or racing subjects, try to time
your shot for when they're at their highest point or are changing directions
(and are thus moving the slowest). Even with proper timing, one might also
need to set their camera to continuous shot mode (or similarly named setting).
The camera can then take a burst of shots while you hold down the shutter
button — and hopefully capture just the right moment with one of these.
In any case, knowing the necessary shutter speed also takes practice. The
following calculator estimates the minimum shutter speed needed to make a
moving subject appear sharp in an 8x10 inch print:
Shutter Speed Calculator
show advanced
Camera Settings
Digital SLR with CF of 1.6X
Lens Focal Length mm
Subject Distance ft
Subject Speed mph
in side to side direction
Minimum Shutter Speed:
Notes: CF = "crop factor" (commonly referred to as the focal length multiplier)
Calculator assumes the same sharpness criteria as used to determine depth of
field;
to instead calculate based on sharpness when viewed at 100% on-screen, use
"show advanced" above.
The above results are only intended as a rough guide. In general, 1/250 to
1/500 of a second is sufficient to freeze everyday motion of people, but one may
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85
100
8
1/500 sec
require 1/1000 to 1/4000 of a second if subjects are up-close or extraordinarily
fast.
Notes on Subject Speed. Just because a subject is moving at a given speed
doesn't preclude portions of this subject from moving even faster. For example,
the arms and legs of a runner might be moving much faster than their body.
Furthermore, the above subject speed refers to the speed in the direction
across your frame (side to side); you can typically get away with a 4X longer
shutter speed for subjects moving directly towards or away from you, and a 2X
longer shutter speed for subjects which are moving towards/away from you at
an angle.
Keep in mind that most cameras are only capable of shutter speeds up to
1/2000 to 1/8000 of a second. If the above calculator indicates that you'll need
a shutter exceeding the capabilities of your camera, your only other options are
to try panning with the subject to offset some of their motion, or to resort to
using flash photography.
Zooming Blur
Photo on right by jeremy vandel.
Another interesting technique is to change the zoom during the exposure itself
(often called a "zoom burst"). You can achieve this look by (i) setting your
camera on a tripod, (ii) using a shutter speed of 1/15 to 1/2 a second, and (iii)
twisting the lens's zoom ring while also trying to avoid moving the camera
itself. One can also try only zooming during part of the exposure to lessen the
effect.
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This causes subjects to have increasing radial blur near the edges of the frame,
with the center appearing more or less unblurred. The effect can be used to
draw attention to a central subject, or to make the viewer feel as though
they're moving rapidly.
The zoom burst technique is usually only possible with SLR cameras, but may
also be possible with compact cameras that have manual zoom capabilities.
Alternatively, zooming blur can often be perfectly replicated using normal
photos and post-processing, such as with Photoshop's radial blur filter.
Abstract & Artistic Effects
Sometimes photographers will intentionally add camera-shake-induced blur to
give their image a unique and artistic effect:
Abstract Blurred Light Effect Artistic Painted Effect
Photos on left and right by Kevin Dooley and Unukorno, respectively.
One typically needs to use shutter speeds of 1/30 - 1/2 a second (or more) since
this is just beyond the limit of hand-holdability, but not too long that the
subject will become smoothed out entirely. Predicting the end result can also
be difficult, so these types of shots will likely require many attempts (at
potentially different shutter speeds) before you are able to achieve the desired
look. Also keep in mind that the painted look is often easier to achieve with
filters in Photoshop or other editing software.
Conclusions & Further Reading
We've seen several creative ways of using shutter speed, but what if the
amount of light required for a correct exposure prevents you from selecting the
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desired shutter speed — even after all combinations of ISO speed and aperture
have been attempted?
For faster shutter speeds, one can try switching to a lens with a larger
maximum aperture, or one can add more light to the scene itself by either
changing the shooting location or using a flash. Alternatively, for even slower
shutter speeds, one can block some of the light by using a neutral density filter
or a polarizing filter, or can use the image averaging technique to create a
longer effective exposure. In either case, also make sure that you're not
accidentally over or under-exposing the photo — and thus potentially shifting
your range of available shutter speeds.
Other important points and clarifications are listed below.
Shutter Priority Mode. This camera setting can be a useful tool when the
appearance of motion is more important than depth of field, or just for letting you
know whether your desired shutter speed is even possible using available light. It
allows you to pick a desired shutter speed, then the camera's metering tries to
combine this with an aperture setting (and potentially ISO speed) that will achieve a
correct exposure.
Camera Shake. The above analysis assumes that subject motion is the primary
source of blur, but in many photos camera shake can instead be more influential —
particularly when using telephoto lenses or with unsteady hands.
Camera Shake with Hand-Held Photos
We've all likely encountered this problem many times: blurry photos due to
camera shake with hand-held shots. It's especially prevalent for those of us
who are unfortunate enough to have unsteady hands. While it cannot be
eliminated entirely, fortunately there's a number of steps you can take to
greatly reduce its impact — and hopefully prevent it from becoming visible in
the first place.
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Blurry Photo from Camera Shake Photo Without Camera Shake
Photo from the base of the Eiffel Tower at night - Paris, France.
Overview
Camera shake is visible whenever your shutter speed is slow compared to the
speed of unintended camera motion. Reducing its impact may therefore
include:
1. Methods for increasing the shutter speed (shorter exposure time)
2. Methods for reducing camera motion
On the one hand, many who are new to photography often don't appreciate the
importance of using fast shutter speeds or a tripod, but on the other hand,
many experienced photographers often overestimate their impact. More often
than not, it is one's shooting technique — not high-end lenses or high
megapixel cameras — that ultimately limits the resolution of a photograph.
While either method alone can be of great help, the most effective solution is to
take both into consideration. Even the calmest hands cannot hold a camera
sufficiently steady during a several second exposure, for example, and fast
shutter speeds are unlikely to freeze motion from a telephoto lens held by
shaky hands. Also, increasing the shutter speed helps freeze a moving subject,
whereas reducing camera motion does not.
Methods for Increasing the Shutter Speed
There are unfortunately only three ways to
increase your shutter speed: (i) optimize
your exposure settings, (ii) avoid over-
exposure and (iii) improve how your subject
is lit.
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Choose optimal exposure settings. Make sure you're making the best trade-
offs with the camera exposure triangle; are you really using the highest ISO
speed and/or the lowest f-stop possible with your subject matter? Make sure to
consider whether you need an extended depth of field when choosing the
aperture.
However, if you're using your camera in automatic mode, then it's likely
already doing whatever it can to increase the shutter speed.
Avoid accidental over-exposure. A common cause of blurred shots is due to
the camera's metering system mistakenly choosing a longer exposure time than
was necessary. Dark shaded subject matter and uneven indoor light can easily
trick your camera into over-exposure.
Use a flash or improve ambient lighting. If you're using a compact camera
with a built-in flash, also try getting closer to your subject so that they'll be
more brightly illuminated. If you're shooting people without a flash, try
relocating closer to the light source(s), or waiting until the subject passes
through a more brightly lit area.
If none of these are sufficient, then you'll also need to employ one or more of
the techniques discussed in the subsequent sections below (but ideally one
should use both).
Improve Your Hand-Held Technique
Although increasing the shutter speed is often the
easiest technique to implement, how you take hand-
held photographs can often times make even more
of a difference. Try one or more of the following
tips:
Example of a photographer leaning against a wall to brace the
camera.
Brace yourself and your camera. This might
include leaning up against a wall, kneeling or
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sitting, or using the viewfinder instead of the rear LCD (since the camera gets
braced against your face). Just try to have at least three points of contact
between your body and the ground, walls or other stable objects. Always avoid
situations where your position or equipment causes you to strain while taking
the photograph. Holding your camera directly against a wall or other object
also improves stability even further. Make sure to stand in a position that
leaves you calm and comfortable.
Optimize how you grip the camera. It's important to hold your camera
firmly but not tensely, and to use both hands. With large telephoto lenses,
make sure to place one hand under the lens and the other on your camera.
Make sure that your arms remain close to your body and in a comfortable
position. Using your camera more often can also make your grip feel more
natural and get your hand muscles more acclimated to the task. Also make sure
that you keep yourself nice and warm.
Practice better shutter button technique. Always try to press the shutter
button half-way first, then gently press the button with no more pressure/speed
than necessary. It might also help to pay attention to breathing. Try taking a
deep breath, exhaling about halfway, then pressing the shutter button.
Take three shots in rapid succession. Often the very act of knowing you'll
have to hold your hands steady can make it more difficult to do so.
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First Photo Second Photo Third Photo
(most blurred) (sharpest - keeper) (medium blur)
You'll likely find that there's a big difference in sharpness between each successive
image, in part because you're less concerned about individual shots. Just make sure to
review these at full resolution; differences often won't be as pronounced as the above
example.
10. Image-Recording Quality : Image Compression
An important concept which distinguishes many image types is whether they
are compressed. Compressed files are significantly smaller than their
uncompressed counterparts, and fall into two general categories: "lossy" and
"lossless." Lossless compression ensures that all image information is
preserved, even if the file size is a bit larger as a result. Lossy compression, by
contrast, can create file sizes that are significantly smaller, but achieves this by
selectively discarding image data. The resulting compressed file is therefore no
longer identical to the original. Visible differences between these compressed
files and their original are termed "compression artifacts."
Setting
You can select number of megapixel to record of the image quality.
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JPEG File Format
JPEG stands for "Joint Photographic Expert Group" and, as its name suggests,
was specifically developed for storing photographic images. It has also become
a standard format for storing images in digital cameras and displaying
photographic images on internet web pages. JPEG files are significantly smaller
than those saved as TIFF, however this comes at a cost since JPEG employs
lossy compression. A great thing about JPEG files is their flexibility. The JPEG
file fomat is really a toolkit of options whose settings can be altered to fit the
needs of each image.
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JPEG files achieve a smaller file size by compressing the image in a way that
retains detail which matters most, while discarding details deemed to be less
visually impactful. JPEG does this by taking advantage of the fact that the
human eye notices slight differences in brightness more than slight differences
in color. The amount of compression achieved is therefore highly dependent on
the image content; images with high noise levels or lots of detail will not be as
easily compressed, whereas images with smooth skies and little texture will
compress very well.
Image with Fine Detail Image without Fine Detail
(Less Effective JPEG Compression) (More Effective JPEG Compression)
It is also helpful to get a visual intuition for how varying degrees of
compression impact the quality of your image. At 100%, you will barely notice
any difference between the compressed and uncompressed image below, if at
all. Notice how the JPEG algorithm prioritizes prominent high-contrast edges at
the expense of more subtle textures. As the compression quality decreases, the
JPEG algorithm is forced to sacrifice the quality of more and more visually
prominant textures in order to continue decreasing the file size.
Choose Compression Quality: 100% 80% 60% 30% 10%
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200%
→
Zoom
Original Image Compressed Image
TIFF File Format
TIFF stands for "Tagged Image File Format" and is a standard in the printing
and publishing industry. TIFF files are significantly larger than their JPEG
counterparts, and can be either uncompressed or compressed using lossless
compression. Unlike JPEG, TIFF files can have a bit depth of either 16-bits per
channel or 8-bits per channel, and multiple layered images can be stored in a
single TIFF file.
TIFF files are an excellent option for archiving intermediate files which you
may edit later, since it introduces no compression artifacts. Many cameras
have an option to create images as TIFF files, but these can consume excessive
space compared to the same JPEG file. If your camera supports the RAW file
format this is a superior alternative, since these are significantly smaller and
can retain even more information about your image.
Useful Tips
Only save an image using a lossy compression once all other image editing has been
completed, since many image manipulations can amplify compression artifacts.
Avoid compressing a file multiple times, since compression artifacts may accumulate
and progressively degrade the image. For such cases, the JPEG algorithm will also
produce larger and larger files at the same compression level.
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Ensure that image noise levels are as low as possible, since this will produce
dramatically smaller JPEG files.
RAW File Format
The RAW file format is digital photography's equivalent of a negative in film
photography: it contains untouched, "raw" pixel information straight from the
digital camera's sensor. The RAW file format has yet to undergo demosaicing,
and so it contains just one red, green, or blue value at each pixel location.
Digital cameras normally "develop" this RAW file by converting it into a full
color JPEG or TIFF image file, and then store the converted file in your memory
card. Digital cameras have to make several interpretive decisions when they
develop a RAW file, and so the RAW file format offers you more control over
how the final JPEG or TIFF image is generated. This section aims to illustrate
the technical advantages of RAW files, and makes suggestions about when to
use the RAW file format.
A RAW file is developed into a final JPEG or TIFF image in several steps, each
of which may contain several irreversible image adjustments. One key
advantage of RAW is that it allows the photographer to postpone applying
these adjustments — giving more flexibility to the photographer to later apply
these themselves, in a way which best suits each image. The following diagram
illustrates the sequence of adjustments:
→ → →
Demosaicing
White Balance
Tone Curves
Contrast
Color Saturation
Sharpening
Conversion to 8-bit
JPEG Compression
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Demosaicing and white balance involve interpreting and converting the bayer
array into an image with all three colors at each pixel, and occur in the same
step. The bayer array is what makes the first image appear more pixelated than
the other two, and gives the image a greenish tint.
Our eyes perceive differences in lightness logarithmically, and so when light
intensity quadruples we only perceive this as roughly a doubling in the amount
of light. A digital camera, on the other hand, records differences in lightness
linearly — twice the light intensity produces twice the response in the camera
sensor. This is why the first and second images above look so much darker than
the third. In order for the numbers recorded within a digital camera to be
shown as we perceive them, tone curves need to be applied (see the tutorial on
gamma correction for more on this topic).
Color saturation and contrast may also be adjusted, depending on the setting
within your camera. The image is then sharpened to offset the softening caused
by demosaicing, which is visible in the second image.
The high bit depth RAW image is then converted into 8-bits per channel, and
compressed into a JPEG based on the compression setting within your camera.
Up until this step, RAW image information most likely resided within the digital
camera's memory buffer.
There are several advantages to performing any of the above RAW conversion
steps afterwards on a personal computer, as opposed to within a digital
camera. The next sections describe how using RAW files can enhance these
RAW conversion steps.
The RAW file format uses a lossless compression, and so it does not suffer from
the compression artifacts visible with "lossy" JPEG compression. RAW files
contain more information and achieve better compression than TIFF, but
without the compression artifacts of JPEG.
Note: Kodak and Nikon employ a slightly lossy RAW compression algorithm,
although any artifacts are much lower than would be perceived with a similar
JPEG image. The efficiency of RAW compression also varies with digital camera
manufacturer. Right image shown at 200%; lossy JPEG compression at 60% in
Adobe Photoshop "Save for Web" mode.
Disadvantages
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RAW files are much larger than similar JPEG files, and so fewer photos can fit within
the same memory card.
RAW files are more time consuming since they may require manually applying each
conversion step.
RAW files often take longer to be written to a memory card since they are larger,
therefore most digital cameras may not achieve the same frame rate as with JPEG.
RAW files cannot be given to others immediately since they require specific software
to load them, therefore it may be necessary to first convert them into JPEG.
RAW files require a more powerful computer with more temporary memory (RAM).
Other Considerations
One problem with the RAW file format is that it is not very standardized. Each
camera has their own proprietary RAW file format, and so one program may
not be able to read all formats. Fortunately, Adobe has announced a digital
negative (DNG) specification which aims to standardize the RAW file format. In
addition, any camera which has the ability to save RAW files should come with
its own software to read them.
Good RAW conversion software can perform batch processes and often
automates all conversion steps except those which you choose to modify. This
can mitigate or even eliminate the ease of use advantage of JPEG files.
Many newer cameras can save both RAW and JPEG images simultaneously.
This provides you with an immediate final image, but retains the RAW
"negative" just in case more flexibility is desired later.
Summary
So which is better: RAW or JPEG? There is no single answer, as this depends
on the type of photography you are doing. In most cases, RAW files will provide
the best solution due to their technical advantages and the decreasing cost of
large memory cards. RAW files give the photographer far more control, but
with this comes the trade-off of speed, storage space and ease of use. The RAW
trade-off is sometimes not worth it for sports and press photographers,
although landscape and most fine art photographers often choose RAW in
order to maximize the image quality potential of their digital camera.
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11. Correcting Digital Image
White Balance
Simply getting the white balance right can often make the single biggest
improvement in your photo's colors. An incorrect white balance will give
your image a color cast, and can dramatically reduce both contrast and
color saturation:
Incorrect White Balance Custom White Balance
White Balance Correction
You can correct the white
balance that has been set.
This adjustment will have the
same effect as using
commercially-available color
temperature conversion filter
or color conversating filter.
Each color can
corrected to one of nine
level.
Lens Correction
Due the lens
characteristics, the four
corner of the picture
might look darker. This
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is called lens light fall-off or drop in peripheral illumination. This can be
corrected. For JPEG image, lens light fall-off is corrected when the image
captured. For RAW image, it can be corrected Digital Photo Professional
(provided software).
The camera (Canon EOS 500D) already contains Lens Peripheral
Illumination Correction data for about 25 lenses. It will be applied
automatically for any lens whose correction lens data has been registered
in the camera.
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12. Transferring Image
By connecting the camera into a computer, the images from the camera’s card
can be transferred by operating the camera. This is called direct image
transfer. Before connecting the camera to a computer, be sure to install
provide software.
Preparation for Image Transfer
The images sent to the computer will be saved in to [My Pictures] folder or
[Pictures] folder in subfolders organized according to the shooting date.
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All Images
New Images
Images which have not yet been transferred to the computer will be selected
by camera automatically and transferred.
Transfer Order Image
Select the image and they are transferred to the computer in a batch.
Select and Transfer
Wallpaper
The image that select and transfer will appear as the computer’s wallpaper.
To exit, press the <MENU> button.
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SUMMARY
1. Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images
by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either
electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a
light-sensitive material such as photographic film.
2. Before using / turning on the camera, we have to load fully charge
battery into the camera.
3. To have an easiest way capturing image with camera, use the Full
Automatic shooting mode.
4. To prevent camera shake during capturing image, hold the camera still
to minimize camera movement.
Task
1. Describe about how the camera works.
Formative Test
1. Explain how to hold Camera correctly?
Formative Answer Key
Holding the Camera
To obtain sharp image, hold the camera still to minimize camera shake.
Wrap your right hand around the camera grip firmly.
Hold the lens bottom with your left hand.
Press the shutter button lightly with your right hand’s index finger.
Press your arms and elbows lightly against the front of you body.
Press the camera against your face and look through the viewfinder.
To maintain a stable stance, place one foot in front of the other.
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Worksheet
Camera, Camera Lens, Flash Lamp unit, Tripod, Manual Instruction
Health and Safety
1. Lets Pray before starting revision.
2. Read and understand the instructions and procedures on each
piece of lab work and learning activities.
3. Make sure the camera and equipment are in good condition, the
camera ready to shoot.
4. While shooting subject, observe the result according to the
procedure!
Step Work
1. Prepare all the equipment needed!
2. Check all Camera, Parts and Equipments.
3. Using Camera according SOP.
4. Make sure the battery are fully loaded and the camera ready to
shoot
5. After perform Using Camera, please collect the parts and
equipments tidy in its place.
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CHAPTER III : EVALUATION
A.QUESTION
1. Explain about Photography?
2. Mention some Camera types that you know!
3. Mention some Camera vendors that most used!
4. Explain about Exposure!
5. What do you know about Autofocus!
B. CLUES
1. Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable
images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either
electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of
a light-sensitive material such as photographic film.
2. Some Digital Still Camera types :
- Pocket Camera
- DSLR Camera
- Prosumer Camera
3. Some Camera Vendors :
- Sony
- Panasonic
- Canon
- Casio
- Leica
4. In photography, the exposure settings of aperture, shutter speed and
ISO speed are analogous to the width, time and quantity.
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5. Autofocus system intelligently adjusts the camera lens to obtain focus
on the subject, and can mean the difference between a sharp photo
and a missed opportunity.
B. EVALUATION CRITERIA
Aspect
Scor
e (1-
10)
Weigh
t
Valu
e
Informatio
n
Cognitive (questions # 1
s / d 3)
4 Terms
passed a
minimum
value of 80
and score
every aspect
of at least 8
Clip an interesting,
varied and creative.
5
Value End 1
Timeliness
Category graduation:
80-89 : Meeting the minimum criteria. Can work without
guidance.
90-100 : On the minimum criteria. Can work without guidance.
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CHAPTER IV : CONCLUSION
After completing this module and do all the tasks and the evaluation criteria
and based on assessment, training participants training participants can be
declared pass / no pass. If it passed then it can proceed to the next module
in accordance with the flow map of modules, whereas if it did not pass the
training participants had to repeat this module and not allowed to take the
next module.
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REFERENCES
Canon Rebel T1i EOS 500D Manual Instructions
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/
http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/35-basic-tutorials-to-get-you-started-
with-photoshop/
http://www.sitepoint.com/getting-started-photoshop/
http://www.vineyardesigns.com/tutorials/photoshop/index.shtml
Posted by David Leggett in Photoshop Tutorials on April 25th, 2008
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop/cs/using/WSEC964A47-477C-4487-
8CF4-332F92636117a.html
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/bllps502h.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_4557820_save-photoshop-
image.html#ixzz1zLyqMMvM
http://help.adobe.com/en-US/photoshop/cs/using/
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