slr photography guide - march edition 2015

ApertureBird Photography

2015 ISSUEMARCHGUIDE

PHOTOGRAPHYSLR

http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/online-courses.shtml

THANKS FOR CHECKING OUT SLR PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

MARCH EDITIONDIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE EDITOR TANYA PUNTTISLRPHOTOGRAPHYGUIDE.COM

2015

cover photo © Sophie Morrissey (Australia) ThisisofoneoftheMasaiwarriorsfromasmallvillageinKenya.Ichangedittoblackandwhiteasitlookedlikeithadalilemoredepth.Thisguyhadamassivescaronhisbackfrombeingaackedbyalion.Iwishwecouldhavecommunicatedbutduetothelanguagebarriernowordswereexchanged,justafriendlysmile~Sophie

in this issue

Student image © Pat Chaney Raglin (USA)

Student image © Ron Coutts (Australia) Aperture f/9 | Shutter Speed 1/640 sec | ISO 160060mm Macro Lens

Student image © Mandi McGinnis Richardson (USA)

The relationship between your lens and aperture

QUESTION: I”ve been following lesson 1 and have set the lowest possible aperture number. When I zoom the lens in or out, the aperture changes automatically, why does this happen?

ANSWER: The lowest aperture number available is controlled by the focal length of your lens.

Take these lenses below for example:Take these lenses below for example:

50mm f/1.870-200mm f/2.818-55mm f/3.5-5.628-300mm f/3.5-6.3

The first numbers refer to the focal length. In other words, how far the lens The first numbers refer to the focal length. In other words, how far the lens zooms in or out. The aperture f numbers, refer to the lowest aperture number available for the given focal length.

50mm f/1.8 means this lens has one focal length, 50mm. The lowest aperture number available is f/1.8.

70-200mm f/2.8 means this lens can be zoomed from 70mm focal length to 200mm. The lowest aperture number available is f/2.8 at any focal length.

18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 note this time there are two apertures f/3.5-5.6. What this means is the lowest aperture available at 18mm is f/3.5, however if you zoomed the lens to 55mm, then the lowest aperture number available is f/5.6.

28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 means at 28mm focal length, the lowest aperture number available is f/3.5. If you zoom the lens to 300mm, the lowest aperture number available is now f/6.3.

Maximum Aperture

Q & A

What’s the difference between a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens and a 150-500mm f/5-6.3 lens?

The first is most likely more expensive because it allows a faster shutter speed at the lower and higher focal lengths. ie f/4 is faster than f/5 and f/5.6 is faster than f/6.3. Useful to know when photographing nature or sports. photographing nature or sports.

1. Your camera shoots faster. Handy if you are photographing a moving subject, are not using a tripod and worried about camera shake, or wanting to photograph a flower on a windy day.

2. It allows more light in, which allows you to shoot indoors without a flash.

3. They have a low depth of field. Meaning you can blur the background or foreground more easily.

Quick TipsQuick Tips

If you want to shoot indoors without a flash, look for a lens that allows a minimum aperture number of f/1.4 to f/2.8. This also includes indoor sports and stage shows.

For overcast days, shoot between aperture f/2.8 and f/3.5. Especially handy for sports where you need to keep the shutter speed nice and fast.

On shady days you can get away with a lens that allows apertures within the On shady days you can get away with a lens that allows apertures within the range of f/3.5 - f/5.6.

For daylight sunny conditions it doesn’t matter. In these conditions, even at f/8-f/11 the shutter speed will be nice and fast.

Advantages Of Setting Low Aperture Numbers

Student image © Yvonne Anderson (USA) Manual Mode | ISO 250 | 300mm focal length Aperture f/5.6 | Shutter Speed 1/320

Student image - White Mandarin Duck © Liz Hart (UK) ISO 100 | aperture f/4 | shutter speed 1/200 | 93mm focal length

Student image © Stephanie Perlick (USA) 35mm focal length | 1/500 shutter speed | f/2.2 aperture | ISO 200 Natural light from a nearby window

Student image © Crystal Warpinski (USA) Aperture F1.8 | ISO 400

(student profile)

Semper Anticus - "Always Forward" Not really fine art, not quite photo-journalism

just trying to show a different view from a fresh perspective https://www.facebook.com/SemperAnticusPhoto

Joshua describes himself as not a soldier, but rather a long term contractor who Joshua describes himself as not a soldier, but rather a long term contractor who has freedom to capture the world around him from a photographic perspective. “I really don't have any agenda or message I want to prove or promote with the pictures. I just want to try and give a glimpse of what IS” says Joshua.

This past year members of our online photography course have enjoyed global This past year members of our online photography course have enjoyed global images of other students from all walks of life and different backgrounds. Josua’s photos in particular have gained much interest as he shows part of life rarely seen. What makes his images interesting, is that they are not from a journalist viewpoint, but rather from a photographer’s perspective.

Joshua pictured with his brother Caleb in Afghanistan

Joshua Graff

On a flight from Farah to FOB Tobruk, a CH-47 photographed through the gunner's port.

Checking the view - Italian soldiers watching the rear on a flight out of FOB Tobruk

Photographed in Kabul, Afghanistan

Apache in the setting sun - photographed at Mazar-I-Sharif, Balkh, Afghanistan

Many stories in one image, from the children carrying their schoolbags on the left, and the university student (?) with his books, possibly stopping to check his phone, the women wearing burqas, the boys on their bikes, those driving cars, the street vendors, the dirt roads, a huge mountain seen in the background, and a hint of wire shown on the upper left.

It would be a shame if images such as these were hidden away on a hard It would be a shame if images such as these were hidden away on a hard drive somewhere, never to be seen by the general public. It is our hope that one day Joshua gets to tell his story from a photographers viewpoint in galleries worldwide. In the meantime, you can view the rest of his images over on his facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SemperAnticusPhoto

Student image © Tanya Stuut (Australia), Aperture f/7.1 | Shuer Speed 100 | ISO 2500

Student image © Sue Simpson (AU) ISO 200 | Shuer Speed 1/15 Aperture f/5.6

Student image © Krista Rice Allen (Canada) Praccing exposure compensaon against a bright window

Student image © Linda Smith (USA), Shutter Speed 1/1000 | f//8 | ISO 800

Student image © Priscilla Morris (USA)Shutter Speed 1/2500 400 ISO | Aperture f/4.5

Bird photography is a popular genre for students in our online photography course. Here I share with you my go to shuer speeds for numerous situaons I come across when photographing birds.

When using a long telephoto lens, a 1/500 sec shuer speed may be fast enough to When using a long telephoto lens, a 1/500 sec shuer speed may be fast enough to eliminate camera shake, however it’s oen not fast enough to freeze the moon of a swooping bird. The only me you may set a slower shuer speed, is if you want to show moon blur in the wings of the bird, or if you are panning sideways as the bird flys past to blur the background.

BirdsinflightBirdsinflight - Choose a fast shuer speed of 1/1000sec minimum. Personally I try to aim for 1/2000sec. Of course this depends on the available lighng and how far you want to push your ISO in morning or evening light. To achieve this, keep your aperture number as low as possible.

BirdsanctuaryBirdsanctuary - When photographing birds in a sanctuary or zoo, you may be able to get up close to them as they sit on a nearby branch. In this case, aim for a 1/500sec shuer speed to eliminate any chance of camera shake, presuming you are hand holding the camera. If you have the camera on a tripod or monopod, then 1/250sec minimum is sufficient.

Birdsinthewild,singintreesBirdsinthewild,singintrees - Birds in the wild tend to move around more than birds seen in sanctuaries. You’ll want a shuer speed that is ready for anything, including take off. For these mes, I always aim for a shuer speed of 1/1000sec minimum.

Sharpbody,blurredwingsforhoveringbirds - For larger birds I use 1/200sec, for smaller ones I use 1/400sec to start with, then adjust from there to my liking, depending on the result seen in the back LCD.

PanningwithbirdPanningwithbird - When tracking a bird during flight you can use 1/60 - 1/200sec. This takes quite a lot of pracse to perfect. Remember the aim is to show movement in the wings and blur the background in a sideways moon.

Birdssingnearariverorpond - Zoom your lens instead of physically moving closer, so not to scare the bird. Aim for a shuer speed of 1/500sec to avoid camera shake.

Birdsofpreywiththeskyasabackground - Use a shuer speed of 1/1200sec minimum, or 1/2500sec during acon or swooping movement.

Shutter Speeds for Bird Photography

playing with fruit in a fish tank

For this shot Jd used a black background with plenty of light shining above and from the side of the tank.

Fill the tank 1/2 - 2/3 with water. Hold an object within the vacinity of where you plan on dropping the fruit (Jd used a wooden spoon) and focus with AF. Once you have good focus, change the switch on the side of the lens to MF (manual focus)so it doesn't move. Use a tripod and release cable, and set the camera to so it doesn't move. Use a tripod and release cable, and set the camera to connuous fire. Start firing just before you drop the fruit and connued to do so all the way through.

EXIF Data for this shot

ISO 400 | Aperture F5.6 | Focal length 22mm | Shuer Speed 1/800 sec

Members of our private facebook group (students only) can use the searchtool in the upper right side of our page for the keywords ‘Splash photo’ to see the tool in the upper right side of our page for the keywords ‘Splash photo’ to see the video of Jd’s home studio setup and more informaon on how this shot was taken.

Recipe for this shot

Student image © Vicki Hoarty (USA)Nikon D40X + 50mm lens | Aperture f/2.2 | Shuer Speed 1/20 | ISO 100I used the p of my ladder to steady my hand. Check out Vicki’s blog over at: hp://www.frenchgingerbread.com

Student image © David Sharp (UK) Tried a ‘selfie’ with my friends pony then remembered they did say NEVER work with kids or animals right?

Did you know our online photography course

now comes with downloadable cheat sheets?

"If you haven't taken advantage of printing the cheat sheets, I strongly suggest you take time to do so. These alone are worth

the price of the course." ~ John Smith (student)

Check out our online photography course over at

http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/online-courses.shtml

slr photography guide - march edition 2015

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