Welcome back and it’s now time for our second lesson. Last week we learned about the simplicity of the camera through the f-stop (aperture) and shutter speed. Hopefully you dusted off the camera and performed the homework assignment. If so you should now feel very comfortable with the main functions (Av, Tv, Auto, Manual, Portrait, etc.) on your camera that control the main factors in creating a photograph. This week’s topic will focus on two more aspects (ISO and the Tv Setting) for creating a nice photo.
The ISO numbering convention is not important except to realize that the higher the number the less light required by the film or sensor to get a properly exposed photograph. The numbers typically seen are 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600. A simple rule for most shots is that on a very bright and sunny day you should utilize ISO of 100 or 200. For indoor shots and times around dusk 400 and 800 are good choices. This doesn’t mean you can’t utilize any ISO setting you desire, however for most amateurs that shoot using ISO 100 during darker settings the only light source you really have available for a properly exposed photo is your flash. The two pictures below illustrate what happens when using a low ISO setting with a flash in a dark environment.
- Duck shot at ISO 800.
- Duck shot at ISO 100
Both photos were shot using the Auto feature (what most amateurs select) utilizing flash with the left at ISO 800 and right at ISO 100. Notice the difference in color and exposure of the ISO 100 photo (bottom photo). The chair should be green, the feet orange, and beak a stronger yellow as evident in the ISO 800 photo. However, due to the ISO setting these colors were muted by the flash and the overall picture appears washed out. There are ways professionals can adjust this effect on a higher end camera or through color correction on a computer, but for the amateur it's best to always shoot with a high ISO setting! So, figure out how to set it manually instead of allowing the camera to adjust the setting.
The last tip for today deals with shutter speed and aperture combinations. For most people these are the most confusing aspects of a camera. In my opinion this is caused by manufacturers and other photographers not providing two very basic rules for shooting. Instead they get technical and begin providing information more suited for a thesis.
The first rule for shutter speed/aperture setting combinations is that every amateur should be shooting with either the Tv (or S) setting on their camera. They should rarely every require the auto program features like Portrait, Landscape, Sports, or any other auto feature.
The second rule is shutter speed. When shooting anything that is stationary the shutter speed should be between 1/60th and 1/125th. The sole intent is to have nothing blurry in the photo as a result of your own movement. If you can hold the camera extremely steady you may be able to shoot at 1/30th or slower but for 99.9% of all your stationary shots the above range is perfect. If the scene is moving quickly (like sports) then use a shutter speed of 1/200th and above. This will stop all movement. This means on almost all your shots the camera should be set on Tv (or S depending on your camera) thereby allowing you to set the shutter speed! Here are two examples.
Example 1: Your on vacation and you see a beautiful mountain range. The day is sunny. You pull out your camera with the Tv setting, set the ISO to 100 or 200 (bright sunny day setting), set the shutter speed to 1/125th of a second (nothing moving) and shoot the picture. Done! It’s that simple!
Example 2: Your at your son’s indoor basketball game. You want some actions shots but need to make sure your son is not blurry. You then put the ISO setting to 800 (indoor/darker setting) and place the shutter speed at 1/200th. Done! Again it’s that simple.
Next week (Lesson 3) we will talk about arranging a photo. Until then start adjusting your ISO and Shutter Speeds and see if that alone doesn’t improve your photos! I promise it will!
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