Syllabus | Notes Index

Lesson 2

Intro to basic camera controls

Class discuss: How helpful is your camera's manual?

Students pair up to demo camera operation, instructor circulates, answers questions.

Read: http://www.shortcourses.com/using/cameracontrols/chapter1.htm#Choosing%20Exposure%20Modes

The idea for this exercise is to take a photo of a single subject (landscape, portrait, your dog, a vase... etc. in the same light, at the same distance---so basically keep the camera in the same place and either do this exercise FAST under natural light, or do it under artificial light, don't use a tripod). We want to see the difference between the shots that we take. WRITE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO DOWN IN A LIST: example: photo 1.--shot in jpeg format (or if it's available to you you can use EXIF data).

1. Format: Shoot one photo in each format that your camera shoots (jpeg, tiff, raw, etc.) all in automatic mode (see the online reading).

2. Size: Take a photo at each size setting that your camera offers (these may be different for different formats, so just pick one format) all in automatic mode (you can shoot these in jpeg format)

3. ISO: Take a photo using all of the ISO settings that your camera offers (most only go up to 400, some will go up to 3200). The book explains what ISO settings are and we will go over it more in depth next week. Keep everthing else in automatic mode (you can shoot jpegs for these).

4. White balance - The color of the light.

5. Aperture Priority mode: You pick the aperture, and the camera picks the shutter speed. Find out how to do this on your camera. Take 3 pictures using different Aperture settings (small, medium, large)---make sure that you are shooting the same subject for each. We will go into this more in depth next week too.

6. Shutter Priority Mode: You pick the shutter speed, and the camera picks the aperture. Find out how to do this on your camera. Take 3 pictures using different Shutter Speeds (small, medium, large)---make sure that you are shooting the same subject for each. We will go into this more in depth next week too.

7.Shutter Speed and Aperture: Experiment with different aperture and shutter settings on your camera (you will need to go into full manual mode for this "M". Take five shots of the same subject (you can also choose a moving subject for this and try it out). WRITE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO DOWN!!!!!
Don't worry if the shots don't come out great... this is just to get you working with different settings.

8. Scene Modes: Usually you will have a mode for shooting Portraits, one for Landscapes, and one for motion shots (some cameras have more). These are automatic settings that the camera has for shooting specific subject matter. Try and shoot the same subject with each of these.

9. Flash: Take a shot of your camera using the flash

10. Black and White / Monochrome: Find out if your camera offers these capabilities. Shoot one photo in each (or convert the shot you took to each of these).

Write a review of your camera... telling about what you found.