Beginners DSLR Class from Citizen Classes

1. Digital Basics
Capture Light
Manual Mode

2. TERMINOLOGY:
• Exposure: combination of Shutter & Aperture & ISO
• Exposure Reading: light meter reading of your shutter & aperture combination
example: ( 1/125 @ f11 )
• Exposure ZEROED: EV scale is centered ( balance of Shutter + Aperture )
• EV: exposure value – measurement of light
• Shutter: curtain that opens allowing light to expose sensor- 1/sec.
• Aperture: bladed diaphragm in lens that opens and closes
• ISO: sensitivity of your camera to record light
• Over Exposure: to much light creating bright photographs
• Under Exposure: not enough light creating dark photographs
• Density: the amount of light detail in your photographs
• Shadow density: the darkest area in your photograph
• Highlight density: the lightest area in your photograph
• Depth of Field: the focus distance in front and behind subject
• Shoot (shooting): slang for taking picture
• Scene: the total area in your view finder
• Subject: the area in your photography that is your point of interest
• Ambient or Available Light: the existing light in your scene indoor or outdoor

3. Manual Mode: understanding exposure and
camera functions
1. You control all camera functions and exposure

4. Camera settings: shooting setup
• Manual Mode: use for total control
• ISO: indoors start at ISO 400 – outdoors start at ISO 200
• WB: set to AWB ( average or auto white balance )
• Quality : High JPEG ( RAW for advanced )
• Focus target: center ( AUTO FOCUS not MANUAL FOCUS )
• Meter Mode: center weighed ( spot for advanced)
• Flash: turn flash on, locate flash compensation

5. Shutter Speed: designated by 1/125
• WHERE IS YOUR SHUTTER CONTROL
• Controls subject movement and camera blur
• Control for stopping action (higher your ISO the faster you can shoot)
• Shutter speed refers to fraction of a second
1/15 – 1/30 – 1/60 – 1/125 – 1/250 – 1/500

6. Aperture: designated by f/numbers called f/stops
• WHERE IS YOUR APERTURE CONTROL
• Allows light to enter camera by the size of the diaphragm
• The larger the f/number the smaller the diaphragm allowing less light into camera
• The larger the f/number the more DEPTH of FIELD ( range of sharpness)

7. Aperture DEPTH of FIELD:
• Determines the range of sharpness in front and behind subject
• The larger the APERTURE the more depth of field and sharpness
f5.6 f16
( Less Depth of Field ) ( More Depth of Field )

8. DEPTH of FIELD: SAMPLES
f5.6 f22
f5.6 f22

9. Camera LIGHT METER:
• EV ( exposure value ) bar scale in finder
• Meter scale explanation: under, over and center point

10. Light Meter Reading : simplified
• Exposure is always balance of SHUTTER + APERTURE + (ISO)
• When metering adjust your SHUTTER & APERTURE till exposure is ZEROED
• Rule of Thumb: when you adjust one control you need to adjust the other
( example: NORMAL exposure -1/125 @ f11 : 1/250 @ f8 )

11. Flash: photographers best friend!
• Adds light to your dark areas
• Stops subject movement
• Flash power is controlled by f/stop & TTL capabilities thru lens
• USE FLASH OUTDOORS and INDOORS ( BALANCE TO AMBIENT )
shadow exposure background exposure FLASH exposure

12. • Lets Take some FOTOS •
1. Team up for OUTDOORS: Canon/Nikon
• Normal EXPOSURE in sunlight
• Normal EXPOSURE in shadow
• Normal EXPOSURE with flash

13. ISO: controls the light sensitivity of your camera
• ISO choices range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400
• The lower your ISO the better overall quality
• Increased NOISE is common with higher ISO’s
• Rule of Thumb: Indoors you want a high ISO 400 & above
Outdoors you want a low ISO 200 & less
• The higher your ISO the faster you may shoot

14. Image Quality: based on how many PIXELS you use
• PIXEL: picture element
• Rule of Thumb: determine what size your final image will be printed or
viewed. Standard printers use a 300 dpi setting for their print quality.
If you multiply 300 dpi x both sides or your print size, you will get the
correct Pixel count for that size of reproduction:
( example: 8x10 print - 300 x 8” = 2400 ppi & 300 x 10” = 3000 ppi )
• File format determines maximum image quality: RAW or JPEG

15. Focus Mode: Manual or AUTO
• Remember when focus is in Manual Mode your shutter will release
whether you are in focus or not
• Auto Focus normally chooses the closest subject in your target
• Auto Focus also relies on contrast or the lightest value in your target
• You will always have more control with focus on your subject if you
set your focus mode to SINGLE or ONE Shot Mode

16. WB (white balance): color temperature of light
• AWB: auto white balance uses camera default for proper color
• Two distinct color balance that are widely used: Daylight & Tungsten
• Proper application of your CUSTOM WHITE BALANCE will give you
the best WHITE BALANCE of your digital images
• RAW does not allow for CUSTOM WHITE BALANCE

17. FLASH: auxiliary light source
• Your FLASH can be your savior in difficult light situations
• Your FLASH will save those photographs with horrible shadows
• The trick to applying your FLASH is always balance your FLASH
exposure to match your AVAILABLE light in your scene
• Your FLASH also is your tool to stopping action
• Remember that your f/stop controls the power output of your FLASH
PRACTICE ! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!