Keeping photography terminology simple for the layman to understand and make a start.

1. Photography
made simple
By VidhyaShankar
www.aquashankar.com

2. Topics
• DSLR or Point & Shoot
• Aperture
• Depth of Field (DOF)
• Shutter Speed
• ISO
• The X factor and EV
• Lenses and Bodies
• Composition and Tips

3. DSLR or Point & Shoot
• Comparison between sensors
Feature DSLR Point & Shoot
Image Quality Very Good Good
Versatility Excellent Average
Sensor Very Good Almost on par with a
DSLR
Lenses Infinite Combos Only one
Portability Painful Excellent
Resale Value High Low
P&S Sensor DSLR Sensor

4. Aperture
• Lens Diaphram which regulates light
• Larger aperture, lower the f-stop number
• Larger aperture, lower depth of field
• Larger aperture, more light

5. Depth of Field
• The distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that give an image
judged to be in focus in a camera.
Courtesy: http://www.exposureguide.com/focusing-basics.htm

6. DOF - Examples
Courtesy: http://www.exposureguide.com/focusing-basics.htm

7. DOF - Examples
Aperture – f5.6Aperture - f32
Courtesy: http://www.digicamguides.com/learn/aperture-examples.html

8. DOF - Examples

9. • Simple definition – “the amount of time the shutter is open”
• Measured in seconds of fractions – 1/1000 is faster than 1/30
• Below 1/60, a tripod is good to have for image stabilization
though one can take a photo on a body with Shake/Vibration
Reduction even at 1/10s
• Freezing a moment needs a high shutter speed
• Motion needs a low shutter speed
• Depends on focal length. Larger the focal length, higher the
shutter speed necessary
Shutter Speed

10. Shutter Speed - Examples
1/250s 1/60s

11. ISO
• ISO is the International Organisation for
Standardization.
• Refers to the sensor’s sensitivity to light
• Lower sensitivity means sharper images
• Higher sensitivity is used when light is insufficient
• Lower sensitivity – better images
• Higher sensitivity – grainy images

12. ISO Examples

13. The X Factor
• The magnification of X shown on Point & Shoot
cameras is merely a multiplier of the lens focal
length
o Example, if the lens says 10X zoom and is a 28mm lens, then the maximum
magnification is 28 x 10 = 280mm
• DSLR lenses use absolute terms for magnification.
The same lens above will be called 28-280mm
o Example, a telephoto lens of 50-300 is actually a 6X zoom but has a higher
magnification than the above lens.

14. EV Compensation
• The EV compensation helps you override the camera setting to either lighten or darken your image
• Use the EV compensation based on the subject being shot.
0 EV +1 EV -1 EV

15. Lenses
• Kit Lens – 18-55 mm
o Above average quality
o Has quality cuts to save cost
o Still better than point & shoot
• Prime Lens – Single Focal Length
o Better Construction
o Greater aperture range
• Medium Telephoto is 85 – 135mm
• Telephoto is 135 – 300mm
• Super Telephoto is above 300mm

16. Frame/Compose with care.
Make sure the photo conveys
what you want it to
Composition Tips

17. Move in to capture the subject.
This keeps the focus on your theme
and eliminates unwanted anchors
Next slide indicates this importance
Composition Tips

18. Extract your theme
from a photo
Composition Tips

19. Look at the light. It makes all the
difference
The angle of light, time of the day,
and clouds
Make sure you do not shoot with the
light behind the subject unless done
deliberately
Composition Tips

20. Rule of Thirds. Split your photo into 9 sections. Place your subject at one of
the Intersections
Composition Tips

21. Give an anchor. Use a central object to bring in the focus of the viewer
Composition Tips

22. Line of Path. Give the
eyes of the viewer
something to follow
In the photo, the road
depth to the photo
Composition Tips

23. Focus. Know what you want to show yourself and your audience.
Highlight it to give depth or single it out.
Composition Tips

24. Experiment! Have fun, try something different. It will succeed
Composition Tips

25. Remember the basics
Know your subject
Know your lighting
Know your audience
Set your aperture
Set your shutter speed
Set your ISO
Shoot
Summary
Any Questions?
Mail to
aquashankar@hotmail.com