Photography 101
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS NOTES
Life is too short to take ugly pictures—which is why I added a beginners digital camera course to my studies! Please send chapstick. And coffee.
The course I am taking will concentrate on the use of a Digital SLR camera. I am using the Canon Rebel XSi.
My hope is to document my class notes and experiences over the next 6 weeks and share them here on the blog. I’m not responsible for any discrepancies caused by my dehydration.
Camera’s ready?
Each week, I will put up new information. I will include all the class notes in the list below. You will find it about 12 or 13 spaces down! By the way, how ya’ll doing? Let me know if you have questions to take back to class.
Missed the class notes? Click a link below. Don’t forget to remove your camera lens cap. Not that I would know anything about that sort of mistake.
~ CLASS NOTES WEEK #1. Aperture Priority
PRACTICE FINDING DATA
October 5, 2010
I have been experimenting this week with Aperture Priority and I am enjoying having a little more control over my camera. I am bossy like that. I especially love not having to depend on the dang flash.
Natural lighting is my favorite and I really cringe and say a few nasty words when my photo’s look all washed up. In addition to using the Aperture Priority setting this week, I have been manually setting my ISO speed, experimenting and using the data feature on my camera to view the photo’s and the settings that were used to take those particular settings.
I have class again tonight and hope to bring you a boatload of exciting information later, but in the meantime, I thought it would be helpful if you practiced a little with finding data on your camera. If you are able to locate the particular settings you used for a particular picture, and you want to make that picture look different, you are able to use that data to make adjustments.
I am using a Canon Rebel XS1. There is a DISP button on the back that I can press while I am viewing the photos on the LCD screen. Pressing the DISP button will allow you to view the data for each individual photograph such as the ISO setting you used, Shutter Speed, and Aperture, etc. You may need to check out your manual for instructions on how to view your data. Unfortunately, I am not a camera mind reader. Dang it.
Here are a few examples:
Once I am in view photo mode, I can push the DISP button to display data. Take a look. Sorry for the poor quality. Having to use my Blackberry while photographing my camera!
Notice this photo was taken using :
ISO 800 (Displayed middle right) (It was dark–so I need the light to enter the camera super fast!)
f/3.5 (Displayed in upper middle) (Small f/stop. Large opening to allow more light in. )
1/60 (Displayed in upper left) Shutter Speed. The camera selects this automatically when you are in Aperture Priority.
Here is an outdoor example:
Notice the settings:
ISO 400 (Displayed Middle Right) ( I used 400 because it was overcast and a little on the darker side out there today.)
f/5.6 (Displayed Upper Middle)
1/60 (Displayed Upper Left) Set automatically by the camera when shooting in Aperture Priority.
Again, I am having to use my Blackberry to photograph my own camera! So just excuse the poor quality.
So, what do you think? Easy enough? Go get that camera and shoot a few pics on Av and then take a peek at your data and see if you can identify the Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO.
Then have a piece of pumpkin pie and a huge cup of coffee. We deserve it.
This right here is why I love Autumn.
Pumpkin hugs and kisses to you all.
~The Grasshoppa
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LMBO, at least my DSLR won’t take a pic with the lense cap on.
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Dianna Reply:
October 1st, 2010 at 5:23 pm
No worries, mine won’t either — Thank goodness
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Photo class sounds fun…will play along! I took a class in college when I had a Cannon AE1 — great camara! Now I have a digital Sony that does all kinds of wonderful things I haven’t tried yet.
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I do so love froggie kisses. Thats how I snagged me a prince!
This whole photography lesson makes my brain hurt…but I’ll give it a go and let you know what I come out with.
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Great shots! But what are you doing with the pictures? Are you printing them out? Or are they all stored in dark place where no one will see them except when you post them on your blog?
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BONUS! I get to learn how to use my camera from you!
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Thanks so much for sharing your cutey brain with us
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Oh thank you. You’re post made sense. I struggle with Aperture priority, but I’m wondering if it’s because my ISO has been wrong. Like the last time I played around, my photos were black. Uh, that’s not so good.
What size lens are you using? I have a Canon xTi and the standard 18-55 lens, and also the 55-250 lens. I take horrible pics with the 55-250. Help me oh wise one!
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Class started and I am tardy to the party. Will try and take a look at this today when the Boy naps. I have a camera similar to yours, so this should make it so much easier to know what you are talking about.
And yes, AUTO is my fave feature!
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Thanks for this. I’m hoping to finally get my Nikon for Christmas. I’ve been waiting 2 years now.
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Great! My second class is tonight. I expect we will really get into the nitty gritty!!
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H. A. D. R. A. D: I think 2 years is long enough. Santa will surely deliver this year!!
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Melisa: By the time the class is through, AUTO will be your LEAST favorite. Cross my heart
So excited that you are playing along.
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Kmama–yes, I am using the standard 18-55 lens but hope to venture out with this class.
If your photo’s are black then you need to let in more light. If you are using the camera set to Av, then depending on if you are outside on inside, you will need to adjust the ISO setting. I use min. 400 for indoors. Start as low as 100 for outside.
Also, you need to make sure that your f/stop is correct. If your f/stop is 25—just for example, you are only permitting a small amount of light. Couple that with your ISO…you may have to just play around with the settings which is why I posted about searching for your photo data within the camera. Go back and look at the black photo and see what the ISO/Shutter Speed and Aperture was set out. Good luck. You can do it
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Thanks so much for sharing your Cutey self with us!! Have you been practicing this week? There will be a quiz, ya know.
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I store them on disks if I don’t print them out. It depends on the occasion—but I sometimes print and sometimes upload to blog.
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Are you practicing in between the vomit spells?! Poor thing.
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Good point, smarty pants
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wow tried it and you are right easy as can be now I have to figure out when to use which I guess that is what playing around with the camera is for .
Thanks for this
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I am patiently waiting for you to finish your class so I can hire you to live with me and take all my pictures….well, really just to live with me, the picture taking is just an added bonus.
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