Millennial Fair – Photography Part 1, the Technical Basics

By Jaime Brownyard

Photography is very rewarding. Anyone who can see and has a reliable camera can take a great picture. It doesn’t matter whether you want to become a professional, an amateur hobbyist, or just the person with the best pictures of your friend’s wedding; photography begins as a learned skill.

Choosing a Camera:

The first thing you’ll need, of course, is a reliable camera that both serves your needs and fits your price range. Take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of both digital and standard cameras. Most low priced digital cameras have few features and may not catch as many details as a standard, no–feature 35mm. The other difficulty with digital cameras is their heavy use of batteries, which require constant recharging and replacement. 35mm cameras, on the other hand, are initially cheaper but require the expenses of film (and less often, batteries and flash bulbs).

Digital cameras require no film processing, as they download images directly onto your computer. If you take a lot of photos, you run the chance of taking up a lot of hard drive space with your saved images, and you also run the risk of a computer crash deleting all your images. Printing digital photos takes up a lot of printer ink, and hard copies of your digital photos require sending out your film to a special processor.

35mm cameras require the money of buying film and processing it later on, and take extra processing or a scanner to become digital. 35mm cameras also need considerably more care than digital cameras, because the equipment is more sensitive and less replaceable.

If you simply want a cheap and reliable camera without a great deal of research, aim for a Kodak Advantix (35mm) or a Hewlett Packard (digital). I also recommend that you buy all camera supplies from a quality camera manufacturer; other manufacturers try to sell things in the camera market but often sell poor quality merchandise that will leave you disappointed.

Once you have your camera, take the time to skim through the manual and get a general idea of the things you camera can do, as well as how it operates. Take a few sample pictures just to make sure you understand its basic operation.

Using the Camera:

Flash: Most cameras have an auto-flash; leave it on. If your camera does not have this feature, leave the flash on. Turn flash off only when the room is very well lighted, you are outdoors in sunlight, or your subject is very pale.

Lens Cap: When using a 35mm, keep the lens cap on when you are not taking a picture, even if it is just for a few minutes. Even good cameras can have this problem; leaving the lens cap on can partially expose the film and ruin your pictures.

Cleaning: Use a soft, clean, dry cloth to wipe the lens and view finder each time you use the camera.

Watch Yourself: Control your hands and camera strap. Keep the extra strap in your hands, and keep your hands away from the front of the camera. If you have long hair, make sure it doesn’t fall in front of the camera when you’re aiming to take a picture. Even a small, accident block of the lens will ruin a picture, and most people don’t realize that they have blocked the lens until after they develop their film.

Lighting:

Lighting is the first and most important factor in taking pictures, because it is the basis of how cameras operate. As you choose a subject, you must choose an appropriate angle and distance given the lighting situation. There should never be any light source in the viewfinder, unless you are taking a picture of it.

When outdoors during the day, identify where your main light source (the sun) is. When possible, put the sun to your back so that it is behind you. When you can’t, make sure to exclude the sun (as well as any rays from it) from the viewfinder.

When you are indoors, pay closer attention to your light sources, because they often come from varied places: windows, overhead lights, other rooms, even computers and televisions. Use your light sources to your advantage to attempt to light the subject evenly. If you are photographing still life, you may even want to use an extra light, such as a desk lamp, to provide a clearer view of the subject.

Pay close attention to shadows, especially when you are looking down at something. Shadows cast by your subject are fine, but shadows cast on top of your subject, except when used for dramatic purposes, are often annoying and result in a poorer picture, even with flash used. Shadows on a subject leave the eye wondering what object is casting it, and prove a strong distraction.

Distance and Zoom

Your camera manual will tell you what the optimum photograph distance is, but it usually is about six feet from the subject. Cameras vary, however, and some may take excellent photos at a closer distance than their distance warning indicates. Viewfinders reflect an approximate picture, but cameras may produce a picture that has a closer or farther perspective than what you see. Some cameras also refuse to take a picture at a very close distance to a subject. Thus, it is vital to experiment with your camera before hand to understand what distances you need to be from your subjects in order to take a good picture. Experience will tell you what is best for the situation. Zoom functions will allow you to get a closer picture than distance alone will allow. I will discuss the results of distance and zoom more in part two, when I explain the best ways to frame your subjects.

Motion Sensitivity

Be aware of whether your camera takes pictures well when a subject is moving. Cheap cameras usually do not have a function that allows for good motion shots, and result in something called motion blur, which leaves your subject fuzzy. Other cameras can take motion shots, but some require a special function while others are automatic. If you cannot find an answer in your manual about motion sensitivity, experiment.

 

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