Photography Basics

[Goomba]

There are so many terms used in photography, it may seem hopeless at times to try and understand all of 'em. While learning them all seems like a daunting task, its not as hard as you think and we're all here to help. This thread is intended to help some beginners, as well as a quick reference to anyone that may be having a brain-fart and forget whats what. While I certainly don't know everything, or even a great amount about cameras, I feel what I may have to offer can help others. Then other photographers can post their knowledge until this thread turns into a ocean of knowledge.

All I ask is for the contributors to make your bit of knowledge able to stand out a bit. For instance, colorize, italicize, bolden, or a comination of those, so the topic is easier to find. Feel free to add any helpful (diagrams or examples) pictures, so long as they're small in size. Also, keep up on the information you've given. If you find or some else points out an error, please correct it in your original post.

Thank you, and get posting because knowledge is power!

Shutter Speed
The length of time the shutter on the camera is open. This is helpful in low-light situations because it gives the camera more time to take in more light. It can also create a nice smooth feel of something moving, like water.

However, if a long shutter speed is used when there is adequate or more amount of light, it may cause over exposure (I think thats the right word). If possible, change the aperature size (a diaphram used to regulate the amount of light coming in) to a smaller diameter (or higher number) to offset the longer shutter speed. You may need to buy a semi-opaque filter if you find that even the smallest aperature comined with a long shutter speed still allows too much light in.

Depending on the type of camera you have, you can typically choose from a shutter speed of a few ten-thousandths to 15 seconds to a "bulb" setting which allows the shutter to stay open as long as the "shoot" button is held down.

I would add more, but I have work in five hours. G'night!

 

[cardude2004]

I could post all of my definitions that I have from the photography class I am taking right now.

 

[CDailey]

Holding Your Camera
This is really for SLR style camera bodies, but can be applied to other styles.
For both horizontal and vertical shots, grip the camera with your right hand using your index finger to press the shutter button. Use your left hand for support by placing it underneath the lens. ALWAYS keep your left hand under the lens/underside of the camera. Never place your left hand on top of the camera body or over the flash. If you have a slim camera, be sure to keep your fingers away from the flash and lens.

Keeping Your Camera Steady
Steadying the shot
Using a standard lens at shutter speeds of 1/125 or faster, working without extra support is fine. Anything below 1/60, it would be wise to use some sort of steadying weather it be leaning against a wall, sitting Indian style and placing your elbows on your knees, or using a tripod. Personally, I have been blessed with being able to hold the camera still enough to get a good picture at shutter speeds near 1 second. A good practise is to inhale and hold your breathe, press shutter button, exhale.

Keep Your Camera Straight
Don't you tilt it!
It's very important to keep your camera straight while you take pictures (unless of course you are trying to take a crooked shot). Look for vertical or horizontal lines you can lign the edge of your LCD with. Also, some cameras have a "rule of thirds" grid that can be displayed on the LCD which also helps.

 

[tait]

Rule of Thirds
Where to place an object in the frame
The rule of thirds is a guideline to use when positioning objects within the frame for a photograph. The rule of thirds is made up of 2 horizontal and 2 vertical lines of referred to as "lines of interest". Each line is a third from the border of the frame -

. The highest/most interesting visual point should be positioned on any intersection of these lines, doing so will create more of a visual interest/appeal, and give your photograph a better overall composition, compared to keeping your subject smack dab in the middle (photos look like a snapshot). Of course there are exceptions to this rule, but overall it's a benefitting guide to follow.

 

[cardude2004]

Use Caution When Cropping -
Carefully choose where you are going to cut off you subject if you choose to do so. If you cut off a person at a joint, like the knee, it will look funny. It will look like you just amputated that limb. Don't cut off toes or the top of a head. If you are going to include the head or feet, make sure there is room between the edge of the image and the feet or head.
Don't take a picture of the whole subject if possible, just take a picture of an interesting part of the subject. If you take a picture of Grandpa, don't get the whole body, the head and features will be so small you won't see them. If his body from the waist up is of interest, then only take the waist up. If his leg is interesting, only take his leg.

Just to touch on ITR's holding the camera steady, you may want to breath out and hold your breath as you take an image, if you are afraid movement will blur the image.

 

[CDailey]

Just to touch on ITR's holding the camera steady, you may want to breath out and hold your breath as you take an image, if you are afraid movement will blur the image.

That's what I do. I inhale, press shutter button, exhale.

 

[Sage]

I have a question: In an "adequate light" situation, why would you want to use a longer shutter speed (with a smaller aperture), aside from getting the "dreamy" feeling of moving water and that kind of stuff? (Or would that be the only reason you'd do so?)

And another question: On my digital camera, if I have it set to Auto, and take a picture at night, it looks as if there was a bright fluorescent light shining on the subject. If I use my camera's preset "Night" setting (it comes with a variety of presets, such as "Fast movement", "Snow", "Museum", etc.), it comes out very very yellow-orange. It definitely should come out a little more yellow to avoid the flourescent look, but it goes overboard. So, since I'm dissatisfied with both auto and presets, is there a specific manual setting I should go for? (You don't need to tell me how to set it, because I know how my camera works, but I just need to know what I should set the shutter speed at and that kind of stuff).

 

[cardude2004]

That's what I do. I inhale, press shutter button, exhale.

I do it the other way around. I feel that I don't move if I don't have any air.

I have a question: In an "adequate light" situation, why would you want to use a longer shutter speed (with a smaller aperture), aside from getting the "dreamy" feeling of moving water and that kind of stuff? (Or would that be the only reason you'd do so?)

You could leave it open for a really long time to get the dreamy feeling, but you would use a longer shutter time if there was adequate light to let in even more light yet, if you thought that there wasn't enough light.
When you use the flash inside your house, because it is darker, your camera will use a slower shutter speed, if it is automatic. If it is darker, and you turn off the flash, your camera will use even a slower shutter speed, to let in more light.

Shutter Speed -
How fast the camera's shutters open. Determines how long the film is exposed for. The camera's shutter speed is a measurement of how long its shutter remains open as the picture is taken. The slower the shutter speed, the longer the exposure time. When the shutter speed is set to 1/125 or simply 125, this means that the shutter will be open for exactly 1/125th of one second. The shutter speed and aperture together control the total amount of light reaching the film.

Since people have mentioned it I will define several more terms.

Aperture -
Lens opening. The hole or opening formed by the metal leaf diaphragm inside the lens or the opening in a camera lens through which light passes to expose the film. The size of aperture is either fixed or adjustable. Aperture size is usually calibrated in f- numbers (f-number) -the larger the number, the smaller the lens opening. Aperture affects depth of field, the smaller the aperture, the greater is the zone of sharpness, the bigger the aperture, the zone of sharpness is reduced. F-Number is the ratio of the diameter of the opening to the focal length of the lens; a large aperture is indicated by a small numerical f-number.

Aperture Priority -
An exposure mode on an automatic or autofocus camera that lets you set the aperture while the camera sets the shutter speed for proper exposure. If you change the aperture, or the light level changes, the shutter speed changes automatically. Apart from the sport or action arena, aperture priority is the most common & effective automatic preference in photography. It can also be explained as an automatic system where the lens aperture is set by the photographer, and the camera sets the shutter speed.

Aperture Ring -
A ring, located on the outside of the lens usually behind the focusing ring, which is linked mechanically to the diaphragm to control the size of the aperture; it is engraved with a set of numbers called f-numbers or f- stops.

F-Number -
The numbers on the lens aperture ring and the camera's LCD (where applies) that indicate the relative size of the lens aperture opening. The f-number series is a geometric progression based on changes in the size of the lens aperture, as it is opened and closed. As the scale rises. each number is multiplied by a factor of 1.4. The standard numbers for Calibration are 1.0,1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, etc., and each change results in a doubling or halving of the amount of light transmitted by the lens to the film plane.

F-Stop -
Useful for determining the maximum flash to-subject distance for flash photography.

I little fact I learned the other day. The human brain can process no more tha 4 pictures per second, this is how movies look like a continuous picture to us. Our brain can't process the 24 to 30 frames or pictures per second, so it just blurs them together.

 

[cardude2004]

Something I found somewhere else -
5 Things You Need to Know About Shutter Speed
Here are 5 important concepts about shutter speed, which you must understand to take good photographs in a wide range of conditions.

1. What is shutter speed?
The magic of photography happens when light touches the film or CCD: an image is captured. However, just the right amount of light must enter the camera. The shutter is basically a sheet covering the film or CCD and protecting it from the light coming into the lens. When you take a picture, the shutter opens briefly, allowing light to hit the film or CCD and create your picture. The length of time that the shutter is open is what we adjust when we change the shutter speed.

2. How is shutter speed expressed?
A shutter speed could be expressed as 1/8th of a second. A common range of shutter speeds on a camera would look like this: 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, etc., with each one being a fraction of a second.

3. Check the light meter to determine the right shutter speed
The light meter in your camera, which is often a series of lights or a gauge inside the viewfinder, will let you decide what shutter speed to use. For example, if the meter is saying that it is too bright, you will want to use a fast shutter speed such as 1/250 so that the shutter will quickly open and close so that too much light doesn't get in. If the meter says that it is too dark, you will want to use a slower shutter speed such as 1/30 so that the shutter will stay open longer in order to collect enough light to create a picture. Adjust your shutter speed faster and slower until your light meter is telling you that just the right amount of light is being let into the camera.

4. When to use slow shutter speeds
You may want to choose a slower shutter speed that provides just the right amount of blur in order to display speed in the subject. However, remember that a shutter speed slower than 1/30 makes it difficult to hold the camera totally still for the whole time the shutter is open. Moving the camera slightly while the shutter is open is known as "camera shake," and it can result in the entire image looking a bit blurry. A general rule is not to hold the camera in your hands if you plan to use shutter speeds slower than 1/30. Instead, rest it on something or use a tripod.

5. When to use fast shutter speeds
Using slow shutter speeds to shoot moving subjects can cause them to appear blurry. A passing car can look like a streak of color across the photograph rather than a car. The faster the object you are photographing, the faster the shutter speed needed. If you want to capture fast-paced sports action, it is a good idea to use a faster shutter speed, perhaps around 1/500 or 1/1000.

Also, see here.

 

[GT3mich]

And another question: On my digital camera, if I have it set to Auto, and take a picture at night, it looks as if there was a bright fluorescent light shining on the subject. If I use my camera's preset "Night" setting (it comes with a variety of presets, such as "Fast movement", "Snow", "Museum", etc.), it comes out very very yellow-orange. It definitely should come out a little more yellow to avoid the fluorescent look, but it goes overboard. So, since I'm dissatisfied with both auto and presets, is there a specific manual setting I should go for? (You don't need to tell me how to set it, because I know how my camera works, but I just need to know what I should set the shutter speed at and that kind of stuff).

You may have to mess around with the white balance settings for your particular camera. When taking pictures at night, street lights will record all kinds of different colors from a strong green color to amber. Light bulbs give off all kinds of different color temps and colors. Take fluorescent lights as an example. If you are using daylight film, you need to use a 30 magenta color filter to off set the green cast from the lighting. Most street lights now give off an amber shade that requires a blue filter. I think its a 80b Kodak filter. With digital camera's you can adjust the white balance instead of adding color filters.