Camera. Why: The most important way to be successful in your photo course is to have access to a functional camera

Transcription

1 Camera Why: The most important way to be successful in your photo course is to have access to a functional camera What: You will need a camera that is a: - 35 mm SLR (single lens reflex) - with all manual functions: focusing, f-stop, and shutter speed Important!!! If you have an old camera hanging around the back closet that hasn t been used for more then a year please bring it to one of the shops above to get it checked out. More often then not it will at least need a new battery.

2 The SLR Camera Light travels through the lens and is bounced off the mirror into the pentaprism, which in turn bounces it through the viewfinder. When the shutter is released, the mirror flips up, allowing light to hit the film emulsion. What do all these fancy words mean? SLR- Single lens reflex camera Emulsion= light sensitive silver nitrates and crystals on paper or film that record the intensity of light in shades of grey Exposure= the quantity of light that reaches the emulsion to create an image. Consists of a shutter speed and an f/stop. Too much light and the image will be overexposed (no detail in the highlights), too little and it will be underexposed (no detail in the shadows).

3 Light Meter= A meter inside your camera that measures available light to make a correct exposure. Each light meter looks slightly different. Three variables that control exposure= Film Sensitivity- ASA, ISO Least Sensitive to Lightç ===========è Most Sensitive to Light Less Grainç ===========è More Grain ISO 25, Shutter Speed 1/60, Aperture f/8 ISO 3200, Shutter Speed 1/60, Aperture f/8 Think of the ISO as a worker bee. If my camera is set for ISO 100, I have in effect, 100 worker bees; and if your camera is set for ISO 200, you have 200 worker bees. The job of the worker bees is to gather the light that comes through the lens and make an image. If both of us set our lens at the same aperture of f/5.6- meaning that the same volume of light will be coming through our lenses- who will record the image the quickest, you or me? You will, since you have twice as many worker bees at ISO 200 then I do at ISO 100. i

4 Shutter speed- The shutter controls how when the light enters the camera and for how LONG it enters. This is timed by the shutter speed dial, usually on top of the camera. The larger the number the shorter the time. Each shutter speed lets in half as much light as the one below it to allow for easier exposure calculations. A short time lets in light quickly, which will stop the motion an object might have as it travels across the film while being exposed. Longest Shutter Speedç ===========è Fastest Shutter Speed More Lightç ===========è Less Light Blurred Actionç ===========è Stop Action Measured in fractions of a second for example 60 = 1/60 sec. ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/15, Aperture f/22 ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/1000, Aperture f/2.8 Aperture- The aperture controls how MUCH light enters the camera. The

5 aperture is a set of leaf like pieces of metal that change size depending upon the amount of light you would like to pass through the lens opening. Like the pupil of the eye. Depth of field= The zone of focus. A shallow depth of field has a small zone of focus, only one thing in focus. A deep depth of field has a large zone of focus, everything is in focus. Largest Aperture ç ===========è Smallest Aperture Most Lightç ===========è Least Light Least depth of fieldç ===========è Most depth of field Measured in f stops for example 2.8 = f/2.8 ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/1000, Aperture f/2.8 ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/15, Aperture f/22

6 Equivalent Exposures- Two or more exposures that allow the same amount of light to reach the film but use a different shutter speed, aperture combination. 1/4000 1/1000 1/250 All of these exposures are equivalent The f-stop (aperture) and shutter speed have a reciprocal relationship. By adjusting one setting in a particular direction, while adjusting the other by the same amount in the opposite direction, you keep the total quantity of light striking the film the same. Thus, your can make the lens aperture one stop smaller (letting in half as much light to strike the film), but lengthen the shutter speed by one stop (letting light strike the film twice as long). If the correct exposure for a scene is f/8 at 1/125, all of the following combinations of f-stops and shutter speed settings will produce equivalent exposures: f/22 at 1/15 (small lens aperture and slow shutter speed) f/16 at 1/30 f/11 at 1/60 f/8 at 1/125 f/5.6 at 1/1250 f/4 at 1/500 f/2.8 at 1/1000 (large lens aperture and fast shutter speed) Why choose one setting over another? Note that each setting will affect the look of the final image, so you must make your choice according to the needs of the picture, remembering that lens aperture controls the depth of field, which shutter speed affects the appearance of movement or motion. For instance, if you want everything in a landscape to be in focus from near to far, maximize depth of field by choosing a small lens aperture, such as f/16 or f/22. Conversely, to stop the movement of a running horse, choose a fast shutter speed, such as 1/1000 or 1/2000.

7 So now that I have ALL this information How do I take my first picture? 1st 2 nd Advance your film to the beginning of your roll. (if your camera does this automatically skip to the next step) 3 rd Check to make sure your ISO setting matches your film speed. 4 th Find a subject to photograph and compose it within the frame. 5 th Manually focus on that subject. 6 th Look at your light meter Figure out what a correct exposure would be for the light in this situation and record it on your exposure chart.

8 7 th 8 th Hold the camera very steady and press the shutter. Advance the film to the next frame. (if your camera does this automatically skip to the next step) 9 th Continue to take pictures till you have completed the roll. 10 th Rewind your film before removing it from the camera. (if your not sure how make sure you ask!) i Peterson, Bryan. Understanding Exposure. New York: Amphoto Books,