Extremely Essential Camera Skills

PHOTOGRAPHY
CONCENTRATE
E s s e n t i a l
Ext r e m e l y
CAMERA SKILLS
Take control of your camera. Get creative + confident. Have fun.
By Rob + Lauren Lim
PREV TABLE O’ CONTENTS BACK GLOSSARY NEXT PAGE 1
THE CAMERA FOCUSING EXPOSURE LENSES DEPTH OF FIELD CAMERA SETTINGS
WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is so exciting! You’re here, ready to start learning about your camera.
Well, you’ve definitely found yourself in the right place for that!
This tutorial is going to take you through all the essential camera skills
you need to get confident and creative with that fancy schmancy gadget
you’ve been meaning to get to know better. ng about
Fact: Learni
makes you
Plus, we’re going to do our best to make the process quick, painless, and, your camera
most of all, fun! esome.
87X more aw
Before we go further I’ll introduce myself:
I’m Lauren, professional photographer and

head ninja at Photography Concentrate. I
spent many years learning all this stuff at the
beginning of my photography adventure,
and now I’m passing it along to you.
Hopefully it will only take you a few hours

to learn what took me years! True story!
Alright, there’s a lot to dig in to, so get comfy, grab yourself some
snacks, and let’s do it!

LEGAL STUFF
COPYRIGHT:
All contents copyright ©2017 by RNL Media Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
LICENSE:
Please read this license agreement carefully before using this content. Your use of this
content constitutes your agreement to the terms and conditions set forth in this License
Agreement. RNL Media Inc. grants you a non-exclusive, non-assignable, non-transferable,
limited license to use this content for your personal, non-commercial use. You shall not
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share, lend, modify, extract, reveal, adapt, edit, sub-license and/or otherwise transfer or
misuse the content.
You may transfer or copy the content to other computers that you own, and other devices
(tablets, phones) that you own, for your personal, non-commercial use. You may also print
pages for your personal, non-commercial use.
If you’re interested in purchasing an educational license please contact us at

hello@photographyconcentrate.com
This tutorial is only available for purchase from www.photographyconcentrate.com. If you

suspect you’ve received it from an unauthorized source, we’d really appreciate if you would
contact us at hello@photographyconcentrate.com.
LIABILITY:
The author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information
herein. However, the information contained in this tutorial is sold without warranty, either
express or implied. The author(s) of this tutorial cannot be held responsible for any losses
achieved by the following advice. Always use your head, and consider your unique situation.
TRADEMARKS:
This tutorial identifies product names and services known to be trademarks, registered
trademarks, or service marks of their respective holders. They are assumed to be the
property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. The author and
publisher are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this tutorial.

TABLE O’ CONTENTS
Setup....................................................................... 5
Getting The Most Out Of This Tutorial ............ 6 EXPOSURE (CON’T) DEPTH OF FIELD
Navigation ..............................................................7 Definition .............................................................68
Shutter Priority Shoot Mode............................. 34
To Flash or Not To Flash ..................................... 8 Depth of Field Demo ......................................... 69
Video: Shutter Speed ........................................ 35
Getting To Know Your Camera ......................... 9 4 Ways to Pop .................................................... 70
The Light Meter .................................................. 38
Dig Out That Manual.......................................... 10 When To Shoot With Deep Depth of Field .... 72
Metering Modes ................................................. 39
The Exposure Indicator ....................................40
THE CAMERA Video: Light Meter & Exposure Indicator....... 41
Parts of the Camera - Front ............................. 13

Exposure Value ................................................... 42 CAMERA SETTINGS
Over/Under ......................................................... 43
Parts of the Camera - Back .............................. 14 File Quality .......................................................... 76
Tricky Light ..........................................................44
Video: Parts of the Camera ...............................15 White Balance .................................................... 77
Video: Exposure Compensation ..................... 45
The Control Panel ............................................. 16 Drive Mode .......................................................... 78
Shooting Modes .................................................48
Video: Manual Mode .........................................49
FOCUSING Troubleshooting in Manual .............................. 50 Graduating From Auto ......................................80
5 Ways To Get Creative ..................................... 81
Focusing .............................................................. 20
Focusing Modes ................................................. 21 LENSES Was This Helpful? .............................................. 85
Learn More ..........................................................86
Video: Focusing ................................................. 22
Parts of the Lens ................................................ 54 Glossary ...............................................................88
Talkin’ ‘Bout Lenses ........................................... 55
EXPOSURE Focal Length ....................................................... 56

Focal Length Demo ........................................... 57
Definition.............................................................. 26 Compression ...................................................... 58
The Exposure Triangle....................................... 28 Compression in Action ..................................... 59
ISO......................................................................... 29 When To Use Which Length ............................60 click click!
Aperture ............................................................... 30 Cropped Sensor Cameras ................................ 61 All the pages here are linked, so you can
Aperture Priority Shoot Mode ......................... 31 Zoom Lenses ...................................................... 62 just click to navigate anywhere! Neato!
Video: Aperture .................................................. 32 Prime Lenses ...................................................... 63
Shutter Speed ..................................................... 33 Specialty Lenses .................................................64

SETUP
The best program to view this PDF in is Adobe Reader. You can get it got an iPad?
for free, and it will allow you to use all the navigation, and open up the
videos from within the PDF! This PDF is designed for iPad viewing! Nifty! It’s a seriously
enjoyable learning experience. To get it on your iPad, you
If you’re already using Adobe Reader, make sure to upgrade to the
can use the GoodReader app.
latest version to take advantage of all the slick features in this tutorial!
Note: Unfortunately the links to the videos won’t work on
The videos are best viewed with VLC, which you can also get for free.
the iPad. Bummer.
To set it as the default program to open the video files:
But the names of the videos are written under each one.
MAC:
You can load all the videos into GoodReader along with the
1. Right click on one of the videos included with this tutorial. PDF, and open the appropriate one manually. You’ll still be
able to view them on the iPad, the links just won’t work.
2. Select “Get Info”.
3. Under “Open with:” choose VLC, and then click “Change All”.
PC:
1. Right click on one of the videos included with this tutorial.
2. Select “Open with...”, and then “Choose Default Program”.
3. Select VLC, and ensure that “Always use the selected program to
open this kind of file” is checked. Then click “OK”.

GETTING THE MOST OUT

OF THIS TUTORIAL
This tutorial is all about helping you to get confident with your KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THESE NIFTY FEATURES!
camera! Here’s how to get the most out of if.
#1. It’s designed to be followed in chronological order, with VIDEO:

each concept building on the next. So you’ll wind up with the best
understanding at the end if you go through each page in order! Click on the video screenshot to open it up and
watch! The videos are designed to help you
#2. There are a ton of exercises throughout the tutorial to get you visualize concepts, and guide you through the
using what you’ve learned right away so it can really sink in. Be sure exercises.
to follow along with your own camera, and do the exercises!
I know, I know, you want to skip ahead and see what’s next. But like
I said, the tutorial is designed to build on the skills you learned in the EXERCISE:
previous section. The better you understand the concepts, the more
you’ll get out of the next topic. The exercises are easy to follow and can be
done in your own home, so there’s no reason
#3. If your camera has a Live View mode, where you can see how not to try them out! You’ll really be able to grasp
your adjustments are affecting the image in real-time on the LCD, the concept when you do it for yourself.
then activate that. It will make what you learn in the exercises a lot
more visual, and easier to learn. If you don’t have Live View, don’t
worry. Either way you’ll be taking lots of photos so you’ll still have a
visual record of the concepts you’re learning!
TIPS:
There are tips scattered through the tutorial
#4. Review! This stuff can be a bit tricky to wrap your mind around to help you with the exercises, and provide
the first time you learn it. Don’t worry! Try things out a few times, suggestions for using the concepts in your own
practice, and be sure to review the tutorial in the future! That’s the photos.
best way to be sure you really do learn everything!

Up here you’ll find links to each main section of the tutorial. You’ll be taken
to the title page of the section, where you’ll find links to all the pages within.
That will make the tutorial really easy to navigate, and use as a reference
when you’re finished!
NAVIGATION
This PDF has a navigation system that’s all about
helping you get the information you want, quick
and easy, so you can learn fast! Take a peek around
and see how the navigation works.
Head back to the page you were just on,

like with a web browser. Super useful if
you want to use the glossary, and then
go back to where you were. A list of definitions of terms. Jump
there if you don’t understand a
word used, then jump right back
Head back to the Table and keep learnin’!
O’ Contents for the full
list of pages
Takes you to the Takes you to the next page
previous page in the PDF in the PDF

TO FLASH OR NOT TO FLASH

One of the first concepts you need to wrap your mind around is that
photography is all about light. Your camera is a tool that captures light
to make an image! So starting to become familiar with light is the first
step to better photos.
Your camera probably has a flash. But here’s the thing. The built-in
flash on cameras generally sucks. It’s too small, and the placement of
it leads to unflattering light. That’s a big topic for another tutorial, so
you’ll just have to trust me for now.
But you’re in luck, because you have some of the most awesome light
in the world, hiding right in your own home! It’s called a window.
Flash: Icky light, dark background, harsh shadows,
Yep, window light is stellar! It’s super flattering and you can get a ton weird expression.
of variety with it! Plus, it’s free!!
So, for the exercises in this tutorial, we highly recommend using a

window in your home for the light. Turn off your flash (check your
manual on how to do that), and get familiar with using the natural light
that’s all around you! You’ll start to learn how to “see light”, which is a
huge part of better photography!
Stick to natural light whenever you can, and use your flash only when
absolutely positively necessary. Your photos will thank you for it!
Window Light: Soft, nice shadows, nice background,

and nice light in the eyes! Win!

GETTING TO KNOW SENSOR
YOUR CAMERA
CAMERA
LENS
Your camera is a pretty sweet tool. It’s actually a lot like your
eyeball! They both take in light, focus it, and record an image.
See, you have a lifetime of experience already!
Auto mode is where many people start, which gives all the
control to the camera. But the big idea is that your camera
isn’t nearly as smart as you are. Taking your camera off of
automatic settings and learning how it really works will help
you create better photos and you’ll feel more confident when
you’re taking them. Fun times!
Digital photography has changed the game. It’s now easier

than ever to learn to shoot! It’s also easy to “fix” mistakes in
post-processing (i.e. editing the photos on your computer).
But relying on fixing mistakes afterwards can lead to sloppy

technique, and a whole lot of time spent on the computer
instead of shooting. Learning how your camera works, and
how to control it, gives you better images, and saves you
time. Bonus!
LENS
EYE
RETINA

DIG OUT THAT MANUAL

Even though your camera manual might seem like it was written in Latin, it’s
actually pretty useful! You’re going to need it on hand during this tutorial so
you can figure out how to change modes and settings on your own particular
camera. So dig out that manual and figure out how to do the following:
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: TIPS:

• Aperture, shutter speed, ISO (what buttons and dials control them, and
where the settings are displayed)
• Try finding a PDF of your camera’s manual
• Flash (how to turn it off) online if you’ve misplaced it (just Google it!)
• How to control and select autofocus points
• It’s also faster to use the search function to
• Live View (if your camera has it and how to activate it) find different sections if you have a digital
• Light meter modes (how to switch to center weighted) copy!
• Exposure indicator/exposure display (an exposure scale from -2 to +2)

• Exposure compensation (how to control it)
don’t panic!
Don’t worry if you don’t understand some of these terms. We’ll be

talking about what all of that stuff means, and when to use it. But
since your camera is probably different than ours, we can’t show you
exactly how to change your settings.

big idea
Have fun.
Photography is a blast. Learning about it should be fun too! Take your
time and enjoy the process.
You’re probably going to make some mistakes and take some bad photos
as you get to know your camera. Don’t worry about it. Keep practicing
and know that it all becomes easier with time.
And remember that every single photographer in history was exactly at

your level right now. With practice and passion, you can become the
photographer you want to be.
Let’s go.

THE CAMERA
Parts of the Camera - Front ........... 13 Video: Parts of the Camera ............ 15
Parts of the Camera - Back ............ 14 The Control Panel ........................... 16

PARTS OF THE CAMERA

Cameras all tend to have the same basic features. They may differ in how
they look, and some might have some fancy additions, but they basically
have the same parts. Here are some of the important ones:
front
FLASH
Produces a flash of artificial light.
CONTROLS
SHUTTER RELEASE Change camera settings.
Button you press to take a photo.
LENS
Bends and magnifies light.
Detachable in some cameras.
CONTROLS
Change camera settings.
APERTURE
The hole inside the lens that
opens and closes to control
the amount of light entering
the camera.

back
VIEWFINDER
Used to compose the image.
CONTROLS
Change camera settings.
CONTROL PANEL
Shows you what your settings are.
May be on the top of the camera,
or on the back.
LCD SCREEN CONTROLS

Used to review the image. Some cameras Change camera settings.
also use the LCD to compose the image.

VIDEO: how it work

s
PARTS OF THE CAMERA
Okie dokie! Here’s how the videos work.
This video gives you a look at the essential When you get to a video page (like this one):
parts of the camera.
Step 1: Watch the video first.
• See what an interchangeable lens is.
Step 2: Then do the exercise.
• See how controlling the aperture changes
the size of the hole in the lens. To watch it, just click on the screenshot of
• See how shutter speed changes how long the video and it should open up!
the shutter is open for. If it doesn’t open up, check out the
• Find out what the viewfinder and shutter Setup page for instructions. Make sure you
Click above to view video 01-Parts-of-the-Camera.mp4 release are. haven’t moved the video files from their
Runtime: 3:22 original folder, and that your Adobe Reader is
updated.
EXERCISE: When you open up the first video, a window

will pop up letting you know it’s launching
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAMERA
a program. You can check off the option to
1. With the power off, press every button. “Do not show this message again” so it won’t
pop up for every video.
2. Feel how much force it takes to turn dials and toggle switches.
Then sit back, and enjoy!
3. Identify visible parts of the camera from the diagram on the two previous pages.
4. Press the buttons and move the dials while looking through the viewfinder.
5. Find out what one click of the dial sounds and feels like.
note:
Your camera may not look exactly like ours,
but it still has the same essential parts!

THE CONTROL PANEL

Your control panel shows you all of your settings. It might be on the top
of your camera, or on the back. Either way, it gives you a ton of important
information, so get familiar with where everything is, and what it means!
SHUTTER SPEED APERTURE
WHITE BALANCE
SHOTS
REMAINING
AUTOFOCUS
MODE
BATTERY DRIVE MODE
EXPOSURE INDICATOR IMAGE QUALITY METERING MODE ISO
note: don’t panic!

Your camera might have a different display with Don’t worry if you don’t understand some of these
different icons. If so, check your manual and try terms. We’ll cover it all. You just need to locate
to locate all these settings on your camera. everything to continue with the tutorial!

POP QUIZ!
Yep, that’s right. A pop quiz. Don’t worry, it’s easy, no one will mark it, and it will help you learn this
stuff faster! So, let’s take a second and review what you should now know about your camera!
#1. Where is the best place to learn about all the different functions of your particular camera?
#2. Name at least 3 features common to cameras.
#3. On your own camera control panel or LCD, point out which numbers s are
Psst! Answer
represent the settings for ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. age.
on the next p
ing!
But no peek

ANSWERS
Here are the answers! How did you do?
#1. Where is the best place to learn about all the different functions of your particular camera?
Your camera manual. If you can’t find yours, search online for a PDF version.
#2. Name at least 3 features common to cameras.

Sensor / film, aperture, shutter, lens, viewfinder / LCD, controls, flash.
#3. On your own camera control panel or LCD point out which numbers
represent the settings for ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.
Refer to the diagram on page 16 for the answers.

FOCUSING
Focusing ............................................20
Focusing Modes ............................... 21
Video: Focusing ............................... 22

FOCUSING
Focusing is the act of choosing the point that you’d like to be sharp in
LOOKING THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER:
your image. Simple!
It’s a fundamental aspect of photography, and well worth learning about.

When someone is viewing your photo you want to be able to direct their
attention to your subject, and focus is a great way to do that.
Having a great focusing technique is one of the biggest secrets to sharper

images and better compositions. The best part? It’s easy as pie!
There are two methods of focusing. You can be old school, and use
manual focus. Or, you can take advantage of all the great technical
advances in photography and use autofocus! But using autofocus isn’t as
simple as just turning it on. You need to know how it’s happening!
Autofocus is based on using a number of focus points. Depending on

which one is selected, the camera will focus on the area of the scene
underneath that point. Different cameras have different numbers of
points, presumably giving you more options. But more options doesn’t
always make things easier...
FOCUS POINTS
Those pretty rectangles in your screen are
actually focus points!

FOCUSING MODES
There are usually three different autofocus modes for selecting a focus point.
ALL POINTS FOCUS: FLEXIBLE OR MULTI-POINT FOCUS:
The camera selects from all the possible This mode allows you to select from
points, and guesses which one is above various focus points so you can choose the
your subject. Think of this as the automatic focus point that is closest to your subject.
setting for focus.
It lets you be more accurate than All Points
The camera is choosing what it thinks Focus, but it’s a slow process to manually
should be in focus. However, sometimes it select a focus point for every image.
won’t actually choose the right thing!
d!
recommende
CENTER POINT FOCUS:
This is the setting you’ll want to use for the majority of

TIPS:
your photography. The camera will focus on whatever
is under the center focus point. • Some cameras have a focus mode that
tracks subject movement. It may be
This focus point is usually more sensitive and accurate called AI Servo or Continuous Servo.
compared to the outlying points, so focusing will be Check your manual to see if your camera
faster and better! has these modes, and experiment with
this setting when your subject is moving
Once focus is locked, you can then recompose your towards or away from you.
image the way you’d like. In the exercise on the next
page you’ll learn how to use this technique in your • On some viewfinders the focus points
own shooting! may be invisible.

VIDEO:
FOCUSING
Learning to focus properly will help you

create sharper images and more interesting
compositions!
In this video:
• Learn about center point focus mode.
• Practice focusing on your subject, and
then recomposing.
• Find out how this technique helps you get
a lot of variety in your compositions.
Click above to view video 02-Focusing.mp4 Start off by placing your subject in the center of
Runtime: 4:11 the frame, under the center focus point. Press the
shutter release half down to lock focus, but don’t
release.
EXERCISE: TIPS:
CENTER POINT FOCUS - RECOMPOSE
1. Set your camera to center point focus mode. • Make sure autofocus (AF or A) is switched
on your lens.
2. Focus on your subject, keep the shutter
release half down, then recompose so the • Don’t move your camera too much after
subject is in the bottom right corner of the focusing. Keep to small pivots.
frame. Press the shutter release the rest of
the way and take the photo. • Keep the shutter release pressed half down
to maintain focus lock.
3. Repeat the process, putting your subject in
each of the three remaining corners. • When photographing people, focus first
on one eye (usually the closer one), then
recompose. The eyes should be the sharp
point!
• When photographing an object or Then recompose, placing the subject in the corner,
landscape, the focus choice is a creative and take the photo. Repeat for all corners.
decision.

POP QUIZ!
Ok, time to take a second and review what you’ve learned about focusing!
#1. What are the main three focusing modes?
#2. Describe the focus-recompose technique. How will this help you focus faster,
more accurately, and allow you to create more interesting compositions?
#3. In portraits of people where should you focus?

ANSWERS
Here are the answers! How did you do?
#1. What are the main three focusing modes?

All points focus - the automatic focusing mode.
Flexible or multipoint focus - where you choose from the different focus points.
Center point focus - where only the center point focus is used.
#2. Describe the focus-recompose technique. How will this help you focus faster,
more accurately, and allow you to create more interesting compositions?
Focus-recompose involves focusing using the center focus point, pressing the shutter release o
halfway down to lock focus on your subject, then recomposing the frame so your subject is no That wasn’t to
longer in the center, and finally pressing the shutter release all the way down to take the picture. hard, hey?
This technique allows faster, more accurate focusing because you are deciding exactly what
should be in focus instead of letting the camera decide or spending time selecting different
focus points. It helps you create more interesting compositions because once focus is locked
you can place your subject anywhere in the frame (they don’t need to be under a focus point).
#3. In portraits of people where should you focus?

Their eyes.

EXPOSURE
Definition............................................................26 Metering Modes ...............................................39
The Exposure Triangle.....................................28 The Exposure Indicator ..................................40
ISO.......................................................................29 Video: Lightmeter & Exposure Indicator......41
Aperture .............................................................30 Exposure Value .................................................42
Aperture Priority Shoot Mode .......................31 Over/Under .......................................................43
Video: Aperture ................................................32 Tricky Light ........................................................44
Shutter Speed ...................................................33 Video: Exposure Compensation ...................45
Shutter Priority Shoot Mode...........................34 Shooting Modes ...............................................48
Video: Shutter Speed ......................................35 Video: Manual Mode .......................................49
The Light Meter ................................................38 Troubleshooting in Manual ............................50

DEFINITION
Exposure is such a fundamental part of photography, you’d think there would
be a simple definition. But most definitions sound something like this:
PHOTOSPEAK
Exposure is the total density of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph.
or...
The intensity of light falling on a photographic film multiplied by the time for which it is exposed.
or...
A combination of lens aperture and shutter speed used in taking a photograph.
None of those definitions seem to get to the heart of what exposure is all about,
and what it actually means for your photos! So let’s make up our own definition...
REALSPEAK
A good exposure is how bright you want the image to be.
If it’s brighter than you want, it’s overexposed.
If it’s darker than you want, it’s underexposed.
That sounds simple enough, hey?

big idea
There is no such thing as

the “right” exposure.
Exposure is a creative decision that changes for every situation. There is
no one “right” exposure, and no one “right” combination of settings. You,
as the photographer, get to decide what you’d like! That’s what makes
photography so gosh darn fun!
But just because there is no such thing as the “right” exposure doesn’t
mean you can just ignore the entire concept. Understanding what goes
into creating exposure, and how to control it with your camera, is the
foundation of great photography.
So keep in mind that exposure is all about getting the image to be as

bright as you’d like, through the combination of settings that will give you
the creative effect you’re looking for.
Learning time!

THE EXPOSURE TRIANGLE

There are three controls that affect your exposure. They exist in a give-and-take relationship. Each one can
make an image brighter or darker, and each has a different effect on the look of a photo. By combining them
all you get incredible creative control over your image. We’ll look at each one in depth on the following pages.
But for now, here’s a snazzy overview:
SHUTTER SPEED
Controls how long the shutter is open. The
APERTURE
Controls the size of the hole in the lens. The
longer it’s open, the more light that’s let in. more open, the more light that’s let in. Also,
Longer shutter speeds create motion blur. the more open the aperture, the shallower
Shorter ones freeze action. the depth of field (less in focus).
f/1.4 f/2.8 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16

1/1000 sec 1/500 sec 1/250 sec 1/100 sec 1/30 sec 1 sec
SHALLOW DEEP
ISO
DEPTH OF FIELD DEPTH OF FIELD
FREEZES ACTION MOTION BLUR
LETS IN LETS IN
LETS IN LETS IN Controls how sensitive the sensor is to light. MORE LIGHT LESS LIGHT
LESS LIGHT MORE LIGHT
The higher the ISO, the more sensitive. Also,
the higher the ISO the more noise (grain)
there will be in the photo.
100 200 400 800 1600 3200
note:
LESS NOISE MORE NOISE
These numbers are just examples. Your camera
may have higher, lower, and in-between values
for each setting.
LESS SENSITIVE MORE SENSITIVE
TO LIGHT TO LIGHT

ISO
ISO controls the sensitivity of the digital sensor to light. The higher the ISO EXERCISE:
value, the more sensitive it is. The lower the ISO value, the less sensitive. HOW ISO AFFECTS YOUR PHOTO
Basically, the more light you have, the lower the ISO you want. The less light 1. Put your camera into Manual mode (M).
you have, the higher the ISO you want. If it’s dark, and you don’t have a lot of
light, you’ll want a higher ISO to be able to pick up the little bit that’s available! 2. Adjust the ISO (check your manual for how
to do this) and take photos at the different
The downside of high ISO settings is that they introduce more “noise”, which is settings.
the graininess you sometimes see in digital photos. In the interest of clean
3. Notice how your image becomes brighter
photos, you’ll want to use lower ISO settings when possible. as you increase the ISO, and darker as you
decrease the ISO.
Here are typical ISO settings for different situations:
4. Put your camera into Program mode (P) and
repeat Step 2. Notice how images taken at
l
film vs. digita higher ISOs have more noise than images
taken at lower ISOs. (You may have to
BRIGHT SUN CLOUDY INDOORS NIGHT Grain looks good with film. zoom in to see the noise).
Not so much with digital.
TIPS
100 200 400 800 1600 3200 note:
Some cameras will let you
• ISO will usually be the first thing you set on
set your ISO in between
LESS NOISY MORE NOISY
these standard values.
your camera. Get in the habit of looking at
the light in the situation, and then setting
your ISO accordingly.
LESS SENSITIVE MORE SENSITIVE
TO LIGHT TO LIGHT
• Noise can be corrected to a certain extent
in post-processing, so don’t be afraid to
NOISE LEVELS AT DIFFERENT ISO SETTINGS: experiment and push your camera to higher
ZOOMED IN VIEW TO SHOW NOISE AT DIFFERENT ISO SETTINGS IN THE SAME SCENE
ISO settings if necessary.
• Some cameras have an auto-ISO function.

You’ll want to avoid it, as it might set your
ISO unnecessarily high.
iso 200 iso 400 iso 800 iso 1600 iso 3200

APERTURE
The aperture is a hole in the lens that controls how much light
goes into the camera. It also affects how much of the image is in
sharp focus. f/1.4 f/2.8 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16
The size of the aperture is described by a number known as the OPENING UP PHOTOSPEAK STOPPING DOWN
aperture value. It is written as an F-stop. The smaller the number,
the larger the lens opening. This seems a bit backwards, so make WIDE OPEN PHOTOSPEAK CLOSED DOWN
sure to study the diagram to get the hang of it.
LARGE APERTURE PHOTOSPEAK SMALL APERTURE
Depth of field is affected by the aperture. The lower the aperture
value, the more shallow the depth of field, and less is in focus.
With higher aperture values, there is a deeper depth of field and
LETS IN MORE LIGHT LETS IN LESS LIGHT
more of the image is in sharp focus. Check out the photos below
to see what this means!
SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD DEEP DEPTH OF FIELD
Lenses are often described by their maximum aperture, which is MORE BACKGROUND BLUR MORE IN FOCUS
the lowest possible aperture value. It varies from lens to lens. If a
lens is described as a 50mm f/1.8 then the lowest possible
aperture is f/1.8.
DEPTH OF FIELD AT DIFFERENT APERTURE VALUES:
f/1.6 f/2.5 f/4 f/6.3 f/10 f/14

APERTURE PRIORITY
SHOOT MODE M
A
Cameras have a few different shooting modes that give you options for how
S
AUTO
your settings are controlled. Aperture priority is a semi-automatic mode that
P
lets you control the aperture, and the camera will set the shutter speed for you.
Using this mode is a great way to get started taking control over your
camera. You get to make the creative choice over depth of field but won’t get Nikon dial in aperture priority mode
overwhelmed trying to balance all the settings.
Aperture priority mode also lets you get a decent exposure very quickly.
If you’re shooting in a situation where the lighting conditions are rapidly
changing it can really help out!
B
On the next page is a video and exercise to help you get comfy using aperture M
priority mode. Get your camera out, and get ready to shoot!
Av
Tv
P
Canon dial in aperture priority mode

VIDEO:
APERTURE
The Aperture Priority mode (A or Av) lets

you control the aperture while your camera
automatically sets the shutter speed.
In this video:
• Setting the camera to aperture priority

mode.
• Changing the aperture.
With a low aperture value the foreground and
• Seeing how aperture changes the depth of background objects are blurred.
Click above to view video 03-Aperture.mp4 field in the image.
Runtime: 3:29
EXERCISE: TIPS:
HOW APERTURE AFFECTS THE PHOTO
1. Set your camera to aperture priority mode. • When increasing the aperture, notice that
both the background and the foreground
2. Set your ISO (refer to the ISO chart). gradually come more into focus.
3. Set up three objects at different distances. • If shooting portraits, using a low aperture
value helps your subject to pop out of the
4. Focus on the middle object. image.
5. Start with your lowest aperture value and • If shooting landscapes, you may prefer a
take a photo. larger aperture value to get more of the
scene in sharp focus. With higher aperture values the foreground and
6. Close down the aperture (increase the
background objects are in sharper focus.
aperture value) and take photos at different
apertures.
7. See what happens to the foreground and

background objects.

SHUTTER SPEED
You can think of the shutter as curtains that quickly open and close
to allow light to hit the sensor. The curtains can be opened and
closed for different amounts of time, known as shutter speed. This
1/1000 sec 1/500 sec 1/250 sec 1/100 sec 1/30 sec 1 sec
is measured in seconds (usually in tiny fractions of a second).
Different shutter speeds allow you to show motion blur or freeze FASTER PHOTOSPEAK SLOWER
action depending on how long the curtains are open for.
SHORTER EXPOSURE PHOTOSPEAK LONGER EXPOSURE
TIPS:
• Shutter speeds that are 1 second and longer LETS IN LESS LIGHT LETS IN MORE LIGHT
use the shorthand 1”. So a shutter speed
that is 30 seconds long is written as 30”.
• Longer shutter speeds (like 1/15 sec and
FREEZES ACTION MOTION BLUR
longer) often require a tripod to avoid blur
due to camera shake.
MOTION BLUR OF A MOVING OBJECT AT DIFFERENT SHUTTER SPEEDS:
1/15 sec 1/30 sec 1/60 sec 1/125 sec 1/250 sec 1/1000 sec

SHUTTER PRIORITY
M
A
SHOOT MODE P
S
AU
Shutter priority is another semi-automatic shooting mode. This time you control
TO
the shutter speed and your camera controls the aperture.
Shutter priority comes in really handy when you want to control the shutter
speed for a creative effect. If you’d like to purposefully create some motion blur, Nikon dial in shutter priority mode
shutter priority is a great mode to play with!
On the next page is a video and exercise to help you get familiar with using
shutter priority mode! Pick up that camera and let’s go!
B
M
Av
Tv
P
Canon dial in shutter priority mode

VIDEO:
SHUTTER SPEED
The shutter priority (S or Tv) mode lets you

set your shutter speed, and the camera will
control the aperture.
In this video:
• How shutter priority works.
• Setting your camera to shutter priority
mode.
Slow shutter speeds create motion blur.
• Seeing how different shutter speeds affect
motion blur.
Click above to view video 04-Shutterspeed.mp4
Runtime: 2:46
EXERCISE: TIPS:
HOW SHUTTER SPEED AFFECTS THE PHOTO
1. Set your camera to shutter priority mode. • Faster shutter speeds require more light so
do this exercise in a well lit area.
2. Set your ISO (refer to the ISO chart).
• Shutter speed has many creative uses! Play
3. Set up your moving object. with it!
4. Start with a shutter speed of 1/15 sec, and • If you want to show the motion of an object,
take a photo use a slower shutter speed like 1/15 sec.
5. Increase one step faster to 1/30 sec, and take • If you want to freeze the subject’s motion
a photo. then a faster speed like 1/500 sec will be Fast shutter speeds can freeze action.
useful. This is great for sports photography
6. Continue increasing and taking photos or action shots.
until you can’t increase any more (this will
happen at your maximum aperture. Any
more increases will make the image darker,
since the camera can’t balance with aperture
anymore).
7. See how the look of the moving object

changed.

POP QUIZ!
Whew! That was a lot! Let’s take some time to review, and make sure you got it all!
#1. Define Exposure.
#2. What are the three settings that control exposure?
#3. What is a side effect of increasing the sensitivity of the sensor (ISO) to light?
me!
Take your ti
#4. How does Aperture control the look of an image?
ush!
There’s no r
#5. For creative purposes, when would you use a fast shutter speed?
When would you use a slow shutter speed?

ANSWERS
Ok, so how did you do?
#1. Define Exposure.

A good exposure is how bright you want the image to be.
#2. What are the three settings that control exposure?

Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO.
#3. What is a side effect of increasing the sensitivity of the sensor (ISO) to light?
Greater levels of noise in the image.
#4. How does Aperture control the look of an image?

By controlling depth of field, making more or less of the image in focus.
#5. For creative purposes when would you use a fast shutter speed?
When would you use a slow shutter speed?
Fast when you want to freeze action, slow when you want motion blur.

THE LIGHT METER

Remember how we said that photography is all about light? Well your camera
has a super handy feature built in that will help you measure the light in the
scene you’re shooting! Sweet!
That device is called a light meter and it’s going to become your best friend.
It measures the light coming through the lens and, based on your aperture/
shutter speed/ISO combo, does one of two things:
1. It might tell you if the image will be overexposed, underexposed or neutrally

exposed.
2. Or it may actually change settings for you! More on that soon... This fancy gadget is a light meter.
It measures the light in the scene.
Your camera has one of these nifty
things built right in!

METERING MODES
Most cameras offer a few different ways for the light meter to measure
the light coming through the lens.
winner!
ICON: AREA OF METER: ICON: AREA OF METER: ICON: AREA OF METER:
CANON
CANON
CANON
NIKON
NIKON
NIKON
MULTI-ZONE: SPOT: CENTER:
Measures across the whole scene. Measures only at the very center Measures across the whole scene,
Useful in evenly lit situations, of the frame. Great in tricky light but gives weighting to the center
but can have difficulty with situations, but requires careful (where the subject frequently is).
tricky lighting situations. (aka. use to ensure the right subject is A good all-around setting.
Evaluative, or Matrix) metered for.
note:
TIPS: Your camera might have more
modes, like Partial, but the three
• Getting used to using only one mode above are the most common.
(center) can be better than constantly
changing. You’ll have a better Make sure to check your manual
understanding of light, and when you for the icon for each mode. They’re
need to overexpose/underexpose to pretty inconsistent across cameras!
achieve the look you’re going for.

THE EXPOSURE INDICATOR

The exposure indicator is a scale usually found on the LCD or through the
viewfinder. It gives you an idea of what your exposure will be like if the
photo is taken with the current aperture/shutter speed/ISO settings.
Different types of cameras have different exposure indicators. Here are a

few common ones.
CANON: NIKON: OTHER:

VIDEO: heads up!

LIGHT METER & EXPOSURE INDICATOR
AUTO EXPOSURE LOCK
The light meter and the exposure indicator work
(AE LOCK)
together to help you get a good exposure.
When you press halfway down on the
In this video: shutter release your camera’s autofocus
• Activate the light meter. will activate, as well as take a meter
• See how the light meter automatically changes set- reading. If you then recompose your
tings in Aperture and Shutter Priority shoot modes. image your meter readings may change,
since the scene is now different.
• See how the light meter changes the point on the
indicator scale in Manual mode. This could have the result of giving you
an incorrect exposure.
Click above to view video 05-Lightmeter-Indicator.mp4 • Get exposure readings from darker and brighter
Runtime: 4:01 scenes.
EXERCISE: TIPS: WHAT TO DO?

USING THE EXPOSURE INDICATOR
Your camera may have a function called
AE Lock. Check your manual for it! It’s
1. Put your camera into Aperture Priority (Av • You don’t need to hold the shutter release
usually a button that you can press and
or A) mode. down. Just a half press activates the meter.
hold once you have a meter reading on
2. Set your ISO (refer to the ISO chart). • Get into the habit of reading the exposure your subject. You can then recompose
indicator through the viewfinder while your image without the settings changing.
3. Press the shutter release half down to you’re shooting.
activate the light meter. You may also be able to set your camera
• If the light meter/exposure indicator shuts so that AE Lock happens at the same time
4. Point your camera at a darker part of the off just half press the shutter release again. focus is locked.
scene and a brighter part, and see how the
camera changes the shutter speed. Finally, if you shoot in manual mode you
don’t really have to worry about locking
5. Put your camera into Shutter Priority mode your exposure since you’ll be setting
and repeat steps 3 - 4. But notice how the exposure manually!
camera now changes the aperture.
6. Put your camera into Manual mode. Repeat

steps 3 - 4, and notice how the point on the
exposure indicator moves.

EXPOSURE VALUE
EQUIVALENT EXPOSURE VALUES
WITH DIFFERENT SETTINGS:
SHUTTERSPEED APERTURE ISO
The steps in the exposure indicator scale are measured by the 1/3200 f/20 3200
exposure value (EV). These steps are commonly known as “Stops”. 1/1600 f/16 1250
1/1250 f/11 800
1/500 f/8 500
The combination of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO produces the 1/125 f/5.6 320
exposure. You can change the settings to get different exposure stops 1/100 f/4 200
1/50 f/2.8 125
along the scale. 1/30 f/2
1/25 f/1.4
You can also achieve the same exposure by using different 1”
combinations of the three controls. They all balance each other!
SHUTTERSPEED APERTURE ISO

1/3200 f/20 3200
MINUS TWO EV PLUS ONE EV 1/1600 f/16 1250
or or 1/1250 f/11 800
MINUS TWO STOPS PLUS ONE STOP 1/500 f/8 500
1/125 f/5.6 320
1/100 f/4 200
1/50 f/2.8 125
1/30 f/2
1/25 f/1.4
1”
FINE TUNE
You can usually control SHUTTERSPEED APERTURE ISO
the exposure in 1/3 stops. 1/3200 f/20 3200

1/1600 f/16 1250
1/1250 f/11 800
1/500 f/8 500
1/125 f/5.6 320
1/100 f/4 200
1/50 f/2.8 125
1/30 f/2
1/25 f/1.4
1”

OVER/UNDER
The exposure indicator tells you if your image is underexposed,
neutrally exposed or overexposed. But note: it’s not telling you if
it’s a “good” exposure, just what it is relative to neutral.
UNDEREXPOSED BY 2 STOPS: NEUTRAL EXPOSURE: OVEREXPOSED BY 2 STOPS:
CANON:
NIKON:
OTHER:

TRICKY LIGHT
Tricky light can fool the light meter. The neutral exposure it gives you can
sometimes look totally wrong. You’re going to encounter these situations a
lot, and knowing how to read the indicator, and get the exposure you want
is important! Here are a few light situations, and how the indicator will look
when you take your “good exposure”.
DARK BACKGROUND: EVEN LIGHT: BACKLIT:
When the background is much darker This is the situation that your exposure When the background is much brighter
than your subject, your meter will think indicator was meant for. The subject than your subject, the meter will think
that the scene is underexposed. and the background are relatively that the scene is overexposed.
evenly lit, so the meter has no problem
CANON: finding the right exposure.
CANON:
NIKON: CANON:
NIKON:
OTHER: NIKON:
OTHER:
OTHER:

BACKLIT:
VIDEO:
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
Exposure compensation is used in Aperture /

Shutter Priority and Program mode. It lets you
compensate for a brighter or darker image.
In this video: Before exposure compensation After exposure compensation

• How exposure compensation works. The camera tried to balance out Exposure compensation is added
• What happens with tricky light. the very bright background, and to “overexpose” the image, and
ends up making the subject too brighten up the subject for a
• How to brighten images that are too dark. dark. “good” exposure.
• How to darken images that are too bright.
Click above to view video 06-Exposure-Compensation.mp4
Runtime: 4:43
DARK BACKGROUND:
EXERCISE: TIPS:
ADJUSTING EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
1. Put your camera into Aperture Priority (A or Av) • If your image is too dark, adjust your
mode. exposure compensation in the positive
2. Set your ISO (refer to the ISO chart). direction to brighten it up.
3. Place your subject so there is a bright light behind • If your image is too bright, adjust your
them (a window works well!). Put your exposure
exposure compensation in the negative
compensation to 0, and take a photo. You should Before exposure compensation After exposure compensation
direction to darken it up.
see that backlighting has fooled your light meter
and your subject is too dark. The camera tried to balance out Exposure compensation is added
• Try to anticipate these tricky lighting the very dark background, and to “underexpose” the image,
4. Increase exposure compensation in the positive situations, and compensate before you even ended up making the subject too and darken up the subject for a
direction to “overexpose” the image, and brighten take the photo. bright. “good” exposure.
up your subject for a “good” exposure.
Take a photo!
5. Bring your exposure compensation back to zero.
6. Place your subject so there is a dark background,
and take a photo. You should see that the dark
background has fooled your light meter and your
subject is too bright.
7. Decrease exposure compensation in the negative
direction to “underexpose” the image, and darken
up your subject for a “good” exposure.

POP QUIZ!
That was some cool stuff! Let’s review!
#1. How does the Light Meter affect aperture priority mode?
Shutter priority mode? Manual mode?
#2. What feature can you use to correct images that are too bright,
and images that are too dark?
#3. What are two lighting situations that may trick your camera’s light meter?

ANSWERS
Ok, here are the answers!
#1. How does the Light Meter affect aperture priority mode?
Shutter priority mode? Manual mode?
In aperture priority mode, information from the light meter is used to automatically set
the shutter speed.
In shutter priority mode, information from the light meter is used to automatically set the
aperture.
In manual mode, information from the light meter changes the point along the exposure
indicator. It tells you whether the photo will be overexposed, underexposed or neutrally So??
exposed if it’s taken with the current shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings. do??
How did you
#2. What feature can you use to correct images that are too bright,
and images that are too dark?
Apply exposure compensation in the negative direction for images that are too bright, and
exposure compensation in the positive direction for images that are too dark.
#3. What are two lighting situations that may trick your camera’s light meter?
Your camera handles evenly lit scenes best. Two situations that could trick your camera are scenes
with strong backlighting, or scenes where your subject is against a very dark background.

SHOOTING MODES
We’ve talked about a few shooting modes on your camera. They are all a bit
different, and excel in different situations. Let’s have an overview:
A or Av S or Tv M
APERTURE PRIORITY: SHUTTER PRIORITY: MANUAL:
You set the aperture, the camera sets You set the shutter speed, and the You set the shutter speed and aperture.
the shutter speed. Excels in evenly lit camera sets the aperture. Excels in Gives full creative control over the
situations where you need to quickly evenly lit situations where you want camera. Great for tricky lighting
get the shot, and don’t have time to set a certain shutter speed for creative situations. Forces you to think about
your shutter speed. control, and don’t have time to set the light, and decide on the look you
your aperture. want for your image.
B P
AUTO
or
BULB: PROGRAM: AUTO:
Keeps the shutter open for as long as Automatically sets the shutter speed Everything on the camera is
the shutter release is held down. When and aperture. You can set autofocus automatically set for you. You don’t
used with a wireless remote it can be modes, drive modes, and metering. have control over anything. Useful
great for astrophotography, fireworks, Useful if you don’t know anything if you don’t know anything about
or light trails. about photography (but now you do! photography (but now you do! So
So don’t use this mode.) don’t use this mode.)
NOTE: Bulb is a separate mode with Canon
cameras. Nikon cameras need to be in M mode,
NOTE: We’ll talk about what “drive mode” is later
and have the shutter speed decreased until Bulb is
on in the tutorial!
activated.

!
full awesome
MANUAL MODE
Using Manual mode (M) is a lot less complicated than you might think!
4 REASONS TO SHOOT
IN MANUAL MODE
It gives you full creative control, and maximum consistency.
1. Full creative control over the look of your
photos.
It also forces you to be aware of all of your settings, so you end up with
the best image possible. 2. Consistent and predictable results.
3. Helps you learn more about light.
So it’s now time to bring together what you’ve learned about ISO, 4. More confidence with your camera.
aperture and shutter speed, and go full awesome with manual mode!
VIDEO: EXERCISE:
MANUAL MODE USING MANUAL MODE
Manual mode gives you full control over 1. Set your camera in Manual Mode (M).
your camera, so you make the decisions! 2. Set your ISO based on the lighting conditions.
3. Set your aperture based on how much depth
In this video: of field you want.
• Learn why manual mode is so great.
4. Check your exposure indicator.
• Learn the three steps to getting your
5. Set your shutter speed to get neutral exposure.
exposure with manual mode.
Click above to view video 07-Manual-Mode.mp4

Runtime: 3:15
Note: See the next page for Troubleshooting in Manual! More to learn!

TROUBLESHOOTING IN MANUAL
When you’re shooting in Manual mode, you need to be able to troubleshoot. It’s
all about balancing your settings to get the exposure you’re looking for! You start
off with your exposure indicator in the neutral position, and check the result. If it’s
not the exposure you’d like, then head into troubleshooting mode.
THE IMAGE IS TOO BRIGHT: THE IMAGE IS TOO DARK:

You have too much light! So get less. You have too little light! So get more.
First, try a faster shutter speed to take in less light, without First, try a slower shutter speed to take in more light,
significantly changing the look of the image. without significantly changing the look of the image.
tricky situations tricky situations
If you’re already at the maximum shutter speed and you If your shutter speed gets too low, and you end up with
can’t go higher, then you can lower your ISO to make the unwanted motion blur, then you can increase your ISO to
sensor less sensitive to light. make the sensor more sensitive to light.
If you want to use a slow shutter speed to get motion blur, A good rule of thumb is to keep your shutter speed at 1/
you can also lower your ISO. [focal length of your lens] sec or faster in order to avoid
blur from camera shake when hand holding the camera. So
If you are at the lowest ISO and the fastest shutter speed, if you’re shooting with a 50mm lens, you won’t want to go
and it’s still too bright, then you will have to increase the lower than 1/50 sec. (If you don’t know what focal length
aperture to let less light in! But that will change the depth means, don’t worry. We’ll cover it soon!)
of field in the image.
If your subject is moving you might need an even faster
shutter speed.
When you need to have a fast shutter speed, set it where

you need, and then increase the ISO until you get the
exposure you want.
If you don’t want to raise your ISO any further, due to noise,
then you can decrease the aperture value to let in more
light. But remember, that will change the depth of field!

POP QUIZ!
That was short, but important, so let’s go over it!
#1. What is the 3 step process of adjusting your settings in manual mode?
#2. If the exposure indicator is showing over exposure what settings

can you change to correct it?
You can do it!
#3. Let’s say you want to show motion blur. How would you get your settings
for that in Manual mode?

ANSWERS
Those questions were a bit tricky! Hope you did well!
#1. What is the 3 step process of adjusting your settings in Manual mode?
Step 1. ISO depending on lighting conditions.
Step 2. Aperture, depending on how much you want in focus.
Step 3. Adjust shutter speed to fine tune to the level of exposure you would like.
#2. If the exposure indicator is showing overexposure what settings

can you change to correct it?
You need less light! Try a faster shutter speed. If you’re already at the fastest shutter speed,
lower your ISO (making the sensor less sensitive). Or you can increase your aperture value, but
remember that it will change your depth of field.
#3. Let’s say you want to show motion blur. How would you get your settings
for that in Manual mode?
First you’d set ISO depending on the lighting situation. Then, because motion blur is a priority,
you’d set your shutter speed next. You’d pick a slow one to get motion blur. Then you’d fine tune
the exposure with the aperture. (If aperture is also a priority, then you can fine tune with ISO).

LENSES
Parts of the Lens .............................. 54
Talkin’ ‘Bout Lenses ......................... 55
When To Use Which Length ..........60
Cropped Sensor Cameras .............. 61
Focal Length ..................................... 56 Zoom Lenses .................................... 62
Focal Length Demo ......................... 57 Prime Lenses .................................... 63
Compression .................................... 58 Specialty Lenses ...............................64
Compression in Action ................... 59

PARTS OF THE LENS

Lenses all do the same thing. They let light in and focus it on the sensor or film. A typical lens contains many
pieces of glass (known as elements) that work together to magnify and focus the light that goes through it. Here
are some typical features of a lens for an SLR camera. See if you can identify these on your lens!
note:
Your lens might have not have all
these features. Check your manual
for more details!
FRONT ELEMENT
24 -70mm
The piece of glass on the
front of the lens.
1:2.8
70
ZOOM RANGE
24-70mm
The range of focal lengths possible
m
with the zoom lens.
ft
50
APERTURE
35
The hole inside of the lens that
NS
opens and closes. Since it’s inside

ZOOM LE
the lens is can be difficult to see.
10 20
24 28
DEPTH OF FIELD SCALE
3 5
A scale that gives a rough estimate
of how much of the image will be in
sharp focus at different distances and
different apertures.
AF MF
MARKINGS ZOOM RING

Most lenses will have various Changes the focal length of the lens, allowing
markings that indicate the focal you to switch from a wide angle perspective
length and maximum aperture. FOCUS RING to a more zoomed-in, closer perspective.
Allows you to manually focus an
image. Useful if your camera is AUTO FOCUS ON/OFF
A switch you can use to turn off
having trouble focusing.
auto focus. Use when you want to
manually focus an image.

TALKIN’ ‘BOUT LENSES

Lenses are generally described by two things: the focal length (which we’ll talk about
soon) and the maximum aperture (the lowest F-stop value possible).
The quality, and price of a lens is often determined by its maximum aperture. The larger
the maximum aperture (lower numbers), the more expensive it is! It will also be physically
larger, because the glass needs to be bigger to allow for the wider opening.
Lenses with larger apertures can collect more light and are useful in darker lighting
heads up!
conditions where there is less light available. Most lenses don’t look their sharpest
at their maximum aperture. So you’ll
They also have the ability to produce shallower depths of field. That can be really fun to usually want to “close down” the lens
use when creating blurred out backgrounds in portraits, helping to isolate your subject. (increase the aperture value) a bit.
MAXIMUM 50mm 1:1.2

APERTURE
PHOTOSPEAK
50mm 1:1.8
Large aperture lenses are known as “fast” lenses because

they collect more light so faster shutter speeds can be used.
Lenses with smaller apertures are known as “slow” lenses

because they collect less light and so slower shutter speeds
must be used to achieve a good exposure
Now with digital photography, if you’re using a “slow” lens

you can easily increase your ISO to get faster shutter speeds.
So, don’t worry if you don’t have an expensive large aperture

FOCAL LENGTH: 50MM FOCAL LENGTH: 50MM lens. You can definitely use the one you have to create
incredible photos!
MAXIMUM APERTURE: F/1.8 MAXIMUM APERTURE: F/1.2

FOCAL LENGTH Angle of View

200mm
Focal Length
The focal length (measured in mm) determines the angle of view the
lens will capture. There are a few terms that describe where lenses
85mm
fall on the range of angles.
50mm
WIDE ANGLE: 35mm
A wide angle lens covers a large part of the scene and has
a short focal length. The 15mm fisheye, 15mm regular,
24mm and 35mm lenses are considered wide angle. 24mm
NORMAL:
A normal lens covers an area of the scene similar to human 15mm (regular)
100
vision. They have a medium focal length around 50mm.
TELEPHOTO:
A telephoto lens covers a very small portion on the scene
and has a longer focal length like 85mm to 200mm+.
fun fact!
The focal length refers to the distance between the
center of the lens and the sensor! So those millimeters
Values are for 35mm cameras. The angle of view for a given
actually mean something! focal length will change depending on how large the sensor is.
More on that when we talk about cropped sensor cameras!

FOCAL LENGTH DEMO

Notice how shorter focal lengths provide a wider perspective and you see more of the scene.
As the lens focal length becomes longer your perspective becomes narrower.
Note: All photos were taken from the same position!
FOCAL LENGTH: 24mm FOCAL LENGTH: 35mm FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm FOCAL LENGTH: 70mm
FOCAL LENGTH: 80mm FOCAL LENGTH: 95mm FOCAL LENGTH: 135mm FOCAL LENGTH: 200mm

COMPRESSION
Compression describes the way different focal lengths can change the look of a photo. When you
use shorter focal lengths, it makes it appear as though the distance between the objects is far. As
you use longer focal lengths to capture the same image (with the same subject size), the distance
between the objects appears to be compressed. The background appears bigger in relation to
your subject as you use longer focal lengths.
In the following photos, the objects were not moved. Different lenses were used, but different
camera-to-subject distances were required to keep the subject the same size. It’s this camera
movement backwards, and use of longer focal length lenses, that creates the compression effect.
FOCAL LENGTH: 35mm FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm FOCAL LENGTH: 85mm

Here the dinosaurs seem quite far away A longer focal length is used. The When an even longer focal length is used,
from the subject (the action figure). camera has to move backwards to the compression is more noticeable. The
They also appear relatively small. keep the same subject size. Now the dinosaurs look their largest here, and the
dinosaurs appear closer, and larger. distance between the subject and the
dinosaurs is compressed.

COMPRESSION IN ACTION
Using longer focal lengths can make your background a larger part of the frame. If you
have a neat background, use a long focal length to get good use out of it!
35mm 50mm 70mm
95mm 140mm 200mm
Compression has a big effect on the way faces look! Wide focal lengths make them look
goofy. Longer focal lengths have a more flattering result!
25mm 28mm 35mm 43mm 55mm 70mm 85mm

WHEN TO USE WHICH LENGTH

Experimentation and preference are the keys to knowing which lens to use for
which situation! The following chart will help provide some starting points!
Name: Focal Length: When to use it:
Perspective looks distorted with straight

SUPER WIDE ANGLE fisheye, 8mm-15mm lines appearing curved (fisheye). Mainly used
to exaggerate perspective.
Landscape, interior and

WIDE ANGLE 15mm-35mm
architectural photography.
NORMAL 35mm - 70mm Photojournalism, portraits.
TELEPHOTO 70mm - 200mm Portraits, sports, weddings.
SUPER TELEPHOTO 200mm - 1200mm Mainly used for sports and nature photography.
Note: The focal lengths are for 35mm full frame cameras. More on what that means on the next page...

CROPPED SENSOR CAMERAS

Different digital cameras have different sized sensors. A full frame camera has a sensor
equal to the size of a typical film negative (known as 35mm film). Many digital cameras
have sensors smaller than the full frame 35mm standard and are known as cropped
sensor cameras. The ratio of the sensor size, relative to standard, is the crop factor.
Full Frame Sensor
FULL FRAME Crop Factor: 1.0X
Real Focal Length: 50mm
Equivalent Focal Length: 50mm
Type of Camera: High-end DSLRs, and all
APS-C 35mm cameras
MICRO 4/3
APS-C Sensor
1/1.7” Crop Factor: 1.6X
Type of Camera: Entry - Midrange DSLRs
Micro 4/3 Sensor

Crop Factor: 2.0X
Type of Camera: Micro 4/3
1/1.7”
Crop Factor: 4.5X
Type of Camera: High end point-and-shoot
As you can see, the sensor size affects the perspective of lenses. A 50mm on a full frame
camera will look different than a 50mm on an APS-C camera! Knowing your camera’s crop
factor will let you choose the right lens for you!
note:
To determine how a lens will look on a cropped sensor camera multiply the crop factor by the If you don’t know your camera’s
real lens focal length. This gives you the equivalent focal length. Here’s the easy math: crop factor, search Wikipedia for
the model. The information about
[Real lens focal length] x [Crop factor] = [Equivalent focal length] sensor size and crop factor is often
there!
Eg. 50mm [Real lens focal length] x 1.6 [Crop factor] = 80mm [Equivalent focal length]

ZOOM LENSES
Zoom lenses cover a range of focal lengths and allow you to shift (zoom!) between any
focal length within the range. Zoom lenses come in many different ranges.
A few examples: 12-24mm, 17-40mm, 18-55mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 24-105mm.
ZOOM RING
Changes the focal length of the lens, allowing
you to switch from a wider angle perspective PROS
to a more zoomed-in, closer perspective.
• Zoom lenses allow you to quickly

change the perspective you see through
your lens (great for photojournalism).
• One lens can give you multiple
focal lengths, reducing the need to carry
around multiple lenses.
28MM
CONS
• The maximum aperture is often smaller

than lenses with a fixed focal length.
• Fast zoom lenses often have maximum
apertures around f/2.8 (which isn’t nearly
as fast as most prime lenses), and are
expensive!
88MM • Slow zoom lenses can have maximum
apertures between f/3.5-f/5.6.
Two photos taken with the same zoom lens. Two
very different perspectives can be achieved from
28-105mm Zoom Lens the same shooting position.
ZOOM RANGE
The range of focal lengths
possible with the zoom lens.

PRIME LENSES
Prime lenses have a single fixed focal length. If you want to change perspective you
need to either move closer or farther away from your subject, or switch lenses. Prime
lenses come in a variety of focal lengths. Some common prime focal lengths are: 35mm,
50mm, 85mm and 100mm.
35MM PROS
• Larger maximum apertures mean prime lenses

are able to collect more light. Common fast
apertures are f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8, and f/2.0.
• Larger maximum apertures also mean shallower
depths of field are possible.
• Entry level prime lenses are more affordable than
zoom lenses.
• Usually better image quality (sharpness, colour).
35mm Prime Lens
CONS
• Really fast prime lenses (f/1.2) are often quite

a bit more expensive than equivalent range
zoom lenses.
• Limited to one focal length. Can involve a lot
of moving around and lens changing.
85MM
Two photos taken with two different prime lenses.
85mm Prime Lens To get the different perspective you need to switch
lenses.

SPECIALTY LENSES
Different specialty lenses can help produce unique effects!
Here are a few of the most popular types.
MACRO LENS FISHEYE LENS TILT SHIFT LENS

Macro lenses help you get close-up Captures a super wide angle Lets you change the plane of focus.
shots of your subject. They can focus perspective. Often exaggerates Originally used in architectural and food
closer than regular lenses and often straight lines making them appear photography to control focus and per-
magnify subjects larger than life size. curved. spective. It is now also used in portraits
for neat effects. Check out our article on
tilt shift for more info.
100MM 15MM 24MM

MACRO FISHEYE TILT SHIFT

POP QUIZ!
Man, you just learned a ton of stuff! Time for a quiz!
#1. How does focal length change the perspective you see looking through
the camera?
#2. Give an example of when you would want to use a wide angle lens.
What about a telephoto lens?
#3. What is the difference between zoom lenses and prime lenses?
#4. How does sensor size affect focal length/perspective?

ANSWERS
Here are the answers for you! How did it go?
#1. How does focal length change the perspective you see looking through
the camera?
Shorter focal lengths (8mm - 35mm) show a wider (wide angle) perspective, longer focal lengths
(85mm - 200mm+) show a more narrow perspective (telephoto).
#2. Give an example of when you would want to use a wide angle lens.
What about a telephoto lens?
Wide angle lenses can be useful for landscapes, architecture, or any scene where you want to
capture a wide angle of view. Telephoto lenses can be useful for subjects like nature, sports
or wedding photography when you may not be able to get close to your subject and need the Lenses are pretty
reach of a long lens.
cool, aren’t they?
#3. What is the difference between zoom lenses and prime lenses?
Zoom lenses allow you to shift between multiple focal lengths. With prime lenses you are
limited to a single focal length.
#4. How does sensor size affect focal length/perspective?

Cameras with cropped sensors (smaller sensors) appear to have their focal length magnified. So
a 50mm lens on a cropped sensor body with a crop factor of 1.6X will appear to be an 80mm
lens. This can affect lens choice.

DEPTH OF FIELD
Definition ...........................................68
Depth of Field Demo .......................69
4 Ways to Pop ...........................................................70
When To Shoot With Deep Depth of Field ..........72

DEFINITION
Depth of field is a technical aspect of photography that you can creatively
control to emphasize different elements of your image.
PHOTOSPEAK
The distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a

scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image. - Wikipedia
REALSPEAK
The range of focus in your image. How much of your

image is sharp in front of and behind the point you’re
focused on.

DEPTH OF FIELD DEMO

The depth of field has a huge effect on the look of the image! It refers to how much of the
image is in sharp focus. The terms shallow and deep are used to describe it. The primary
way to control it is with aperture.
APERTURE: f/1.4 APERTURE: f/14
SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD DEEP DEPTH OF FIELD

Only the foreground in this image is in focus, Both the foreground, and the background (and
with the background being very blurred out. everything in between) is in sharp focus.
PHOTOSPEAK
The term “bokeh” (pronounced bo-keh) sweet bokeh!

is used to describe the quality of the blur
in the image, especially with points of
light. It can add a really beautiful effect
to your photos!

4 WAYS TO POP
Getting your subject to “pop” out of the image is a really powerful technique.
It’s especially useful with portraits of people where sharp backgrounds can
be distracting. There are a few ways to get that “pop” effect.
1. SHOOT AT LARGE APERTURES

(SMALL F/VALUES)
Small aperture values (f/1.2, f/1.8, f/2.8)
create shallower depths of field.
FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm

APERTURE: f/8 APERTURE: f/1.8
2. SHOOT AT THE MINIMUM

FOCUSING DISTANCE
The minimum focusing distance of a

lens is the closest distance your lens can
focus on an object. Any closer and your
lens wouldn’t be able to focus. Shooting
as close to your subject as possible
(but not closer than the minimum
focusing distance) will help blur out the FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm
background, even with the same lens and APERTURE: f/4 APERTURE: f/4
aperture value!
Note: Shooting at the minimum focusing

distance will exaggerate distortion,
especially with wide angle lenses.

3. BRING YOUR SUBJECT AWAY

FROM THE BACKGROUND TIPS:
The farther away your subject is from the
background the more the background • Try using combinations of the
will be blurred out. different ways to pop.
• Some zoom lenses don’t have large
apertures, but if you zoom into the
FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm longest focal length and get as close
APERTURE: f/3.5 APERTURE: f/3.5 as you can to your subject you’ll find
you can still blur out the background.
• If you can’t use a long lens, but you
can still get super close to your subject
4. SHOOT LONGER FOCAL LENGTHS then the background will still blur out.
• If you can’t get close to your subject
Long focal lengths (i.e. 85mm or longer) then a larger aperture and longer
give the appearance of shallower depths lens will help separate them from the
of field compared to wide angle lenses. background.
Even at smaller apertures like f/5.6 you • If both your subject and background
can still blur out the background if you’re are quite far away your lens will focus
shooting at a longer focal length. on “Infinity” and they will both be in
FOCAL LENGTH: 35mm FOCAL LENGTH: 200mm sharp focus with no background blur.
If you’re using a zoom lens, try zooming APERTURE: f/5.6 APERTURE: f/5.6
in as much as possible to produce the
shallowest depth of field. You may have
to take a step or two back in order to get
things in your frame, but you’ll be able to
isolate your subject a lot more!

WHEN TO SHOOT WITH

DEEP DEPTH OF FIELD
In some situations you’ll want to have a deep depth of field, and get a lot more in
focus! This is pretty much the opposite of “pop”. Shooting with wide angle lenses and
smaller apertures (higher values) help ensure more of the scene is in sharp focus.
LANDSCAPES TRAVEL PEOPLE

One instance is with landscape photography Often with travel photography you want to be When you’re shooting a group of people, and
where there are interesting elements in both able to show the entire amazing scene. A deep some are closer to you than others, a deeper
the foreground and background. depth of field will really capture the location. depth of field will ensure they’re all sharp.
FOCAL LENGTH: 17mm FOCAL LENGTH: 35mm FOCAL LENGTH: 17mm

APERTURE: f/18 APERTURE: f/9 APERTURE: f/5.6

POP QUIZ!
Are you ready for the last quiz? Of course you are!
#1. What is depth of field? What is the main way of controlling it?
#2. What are 4 ways you can help your subject “pop” out of your image?
Last one! Finish
strong, my friend!
#3. When would you want a deep depth of field?

ANSWERS
The final answers! Did you rock it?
#1. What is depth of field? What is the main way of controlling it?
How much of your image is in sharp focus, mainly controlled by aperture.
#2. What are 4 ways you can help your subject “pop” out of your image?
1. Shoot at larger apertures (small aperture values).
2. Shoot at the minimum focusing distance.
3. Bring your subject away from the background.
4. Shoot longer focal lengths.
#3. When would you want a deep depth of field?

You would want a deep depth of field when you’d like a lot of your image to be in focus.
Examples are landscape photos, travel images, and group photos where some people are closer
to you than others.

CAMERA SETTINGS
File Quality ........................................ 76
White Balance .................................. 77
Drive Mode ........................................ 78

FILE QUALITY
Most digital cameras allow you to change the quality of your photo files. Here
are some details. 10 QUICK REASONS
TO SHOOT RAW
RAW VS. JPEG 1. Get the highest level of quality
RAW is the highest quality format. It records all the information captured 2. Record greater levels of brightness
by the sensor. The JPEG format is still high quality but it compresses infor- 3. Easily correct dramatically over/under
mation for smaller file sizes. Basically it processes the file for you, and then exposed images
throws away some of the data. RAW files are larger and need to be processed
in a program like Adobe Lightroom. The upside is that RAW also provides the 4. Easily adjust white balance
most flexibility when it comes to processing! 5. Get better detail
6. Enjoy non-destructive editing
IMAGE SIZE + FINENESS 7. Potential for better prints

8. Select colour space on output
Image size determines the maximum resolution of the image (usually
measured in thousands of pixels or megapixels). Unless you know there is 9. Have an efficient workflow
no chance the file will be printed, then you’ll generally want to shoot at the Smooth
10. It’s the Pro option
largest image size possible. Fineness (often measured with staircase and
smooth icons) determines the level of JPEG compression. If you are shooting
JPEG, then you’ll definitely want to select the smoothest icon in order to get If you’d like more details, check out our
Staircase
the best quality for your photos. article, 10 Reasons to Shoot RAW
conclusion can’t decide?
For the best prints possible and the most If you can’t decide, many cameras offer
flexible post processing, shoot RAW the option of shooting RAW and JPEG
format and select the largest image size simultaneously. The downside is that it
possible. takes up more space.

WHITE BALANCE
White balance determines what the correct colour for white and neutral
tones in an image should be. Your camera has different settings to control
the white balance for different lighting conditions. By properly white
balancing your image you’ll be able to avoid yucky looking colour casts!
Note: This is like exposure. “Right” depends on what you want! Tungsten light - Not white balanced Tungsten light - White balanced
COLOUR TEMPERATURE OF LIGHT TWILIGHT

Different light sources produce different colours. We don’t normally notice the
difference in colour because our eyes automatically adjust. The different colours
are measured on a scale of temperature from hotter/redder colour temperatures OPEN SHADE
like candle light, to cooler/bluer temperatures like shade.
OVERCAST SKY
AUTO WHITE BALANCE
Your camera can automatically set the correct white balance for you. It usually
does a pretty good job but, like most automatic settings, it doesn’t always make BRIGHT SUNSHINE,
CLEAR SKY
the right choices. You can also choose to manually set white balance in camera by
selecting from various colour temperature presets. The icons generally match the
different shooting situations, as you can see in the diagram. SUNLIGHT AT MIDDAY
ELECTRONIC FLASH
MIXED LIGHTING
One problem photographers often face is mixed lighting conditions. You may be in
a room with light coming in an open window while ceiling lights are on. Because
the two light sources have different colour temperatures it may be difficult or SUNRISE + SUNSET
impossible to properly white balance your image. This results in a mix of colour
casts. Try turning off room lights, or closing a window to limit light to one colour.
HOUSEHOLD (TUNGSTEN)
LIGHT BULB
RAW VS. JPEG CANDLE LIGHT

One of the added benefits of shooting RAW is the ability to adjust white balance
after the image is taken without any loss of quality. If you’re shooting JPEG then
you’ll want to make sure white balance looks good in camera as it’s difficult to FLUORESCENT
Doesn’t fit on the same colour temperature scale.
adjust after the image is taken. It neutralizes the green cast from fluorescent light
by shifting the balance to pink.

DRIVE MODE
The drive mode controls the number of frames-per-second that your camera
shoots, as well as the self timer.
Single Drive mode will take one photo per press of the shutter release.
Continuous Drive mode will allow you to continue taking photos as long
as the shutter release is held down. Some multiple frame modes can also
control the rate of frames-per-second that the camera shoots at.
SINGLE DRIVE CONTINUOUS DRIVE SELF TIMER

Only one photo is taken per Multiple frames are taken with Allows you to set a delay between when
press of the shutter release. one press of the shutter release. the shutter release is pressed and when the
May be able to control the rate photo is taken. Great for group shots that
the photos are taken at. you want to be in, and tripod shots where it’s
necessary for the camera to be perfectly still.
Photos taken with continuous drive mode, at 7 frames per second.

WRAPPING UP
Graduating From Auto ....................80
5 Ways To Get Creative ................... 81
Come and Share ..............................86
Learn More ........................................ 87
Was This Helpful? ............................ 85 Glossary .............................................88

GRADUATING FROM AUTO

Congrats! You made it through the entire tutorial! High five!!!
Since you’ve now learned how to take control over your camera, here are all
the places that you can graduate from auto mode!
SHOOTING MODE FOCUS POINT

By shooting in manual mode you’ll have full control over Don’t let your camera choose the focus point for you! Select
shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. the focus point yourself. Learn to use the center point to focus
and then recompose your image.
LIGHT METER WHITE BALANCE

Evaluative or matrix is the automatic mode for the light The camera’s automatic white balance setting does a decent
meter. By learning to use center weighted you’ll see job most of the time but it can be fooled. Set your camera’s
predictable and consistent results as you learn more about white balance to the appropriate setting depending on light
light. You can also use partial and spot metering, but if conditions, or shoot in the RAW mode for the ability to easily
you learn how to use center weighted you’ll require these correct while balance with processing.
modes less.

5 WAYS TO GET CREATIVE

You’ve also learned a TON about getting creative with your camera. So let’s review
the 5 main ways to get control, and get creative.
1. EXPOSURE 4. FOCUS
You can now decide how bright or dark you’d like your You decide what you want to focus on in your image. Using
photo to be. You don’t have to rely on the camera to make the focus-recompose technique you’ll be able to focus quickly
the decision. Experiment with this, and see how it opens on anything in your frame. This technique will also allow
up a ton of potential to see scenes in a different way! you to create more interesting and creative compositions.
Experiment with choosing different things to focus on, and try
out a variety of compositions for each image.
2. DEPTH OF FIELD 5. LENS SELECTION

Do you want a lot of your image to be in focus (deep Your choice of what lens to use will affect the way your image
depth of field) or do you want a small part of your image looks. Do you want to capture everything in the scene? Then
to be in focus (shallow depth of field). You can now affect a wide angle lens will work well.
depth of field with your aperture. Try shooting at different
apertures to change the way your photo captures the Is your subject far away and you’d like a closer shot of it?
scene. Then you might want a telephoto lens.
Do you want to exaggerate distance or compress the image?

Your lens selection affects that too!
3. MOTION + ACTION You can also decide between zoom lenses with multiple focal
You can now either show motion, or freeze fast action. lengths and prime lenses with one focal length.
Use a slower shutter speed to get motion blur, and a fast
one to freeze action. Experiment with this, and how it Experiment shooting the same scene with different lenses to
can change the feeling of the image. see how it really changes the creative effect!

big idea
Get out there.

Photography is about doing. You have to get out there with your camera
and just start shooting.
Make mistakes, experiment, try out everything you’ve learned, go back

and review. Then get out there again!
Now that you know how to control your camera, your photography
journey is beginning! Yep, this is the start. See, photography is all about
communicating something with your viewers. Now you get to decide
what you want to say, and use your camera to express it.
So go. Play. Enjoy yourself. It’s going to be an amazing adventure!

big idea #2
Rules? Or no rules?
There are a lot of “rules” in photography, and we’ve chatted about a ton
of them in this tutorial. It can feel like you have to follow them if you
want to create great photos.
But here’s the thing about these “rules”. They’re really just guidelines.
They’re important to know, so you have a solid grasp of the technical

stuff of photography. But once you’ve gotten comfy with them, you can
start breaking them if you want to!
Don’t be afraid to go outside the box. It’s fun out there.

big idea #3
Photography is for life.

You have just learned skills that will be with you for the rest of
your life. How cool is that????
But even more than that, photography is something that you

can keep enjoying forever. Every big trip, every new life stage,
every friend, family member, every experience, and every day.
Photography is for life, and about life. So start shooting yours.

WAS THIS HELPFUL?

We’re a two person, husband and wife team who think that photography education should be
fun, affordable, and most of all, easy to understand! This tutorial was the result of a desire to
help folks get more out of photography, and stop being so scared of their cameras! We really
hope it helped you!
If you enjoyed this tutorial we’d be so grateful if you helped us spread the word about it! You
probably know a ton of people who would like to learn more about photography!!
• Share the link to the tutorial website on Twitter or Facebook
• Share the tutorial website link by email
• If you have a website or blog, a review would be super nice!
For mega-awesome points, we would totally appreciate a short testimonial to put on the sales
page, to help others decide if the tutorial is right for them! Just email it to us!
If you didn’t find the tutorial helpful, then please let us know! We truly want to help
photographers, and are always trying to learn and improve ourselves!
Email us at hello@photographyconcentrate.com

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GLOSSARY
A EXPOSURE COMPENSATION: Adjusting the settings on your camera in order to
APERTURE: The hole in the lens through which light passes. You can control the make an image brighter or darker.
size of the hole, making it as large as possible to let through the most light, or
making the hole smaller to let through less light.
EXPOSURE INDICATOR: A scale usually found on the LCD or through the view-
finder that gives you an idea of what your exposure will be like if a photo is taken
APERTURE PRIORITY MODE: A shooting mode that allows you to set the aper- with the current aperture / shutter speed / ISO settings.
ture while the camera automatically sets shutter speed.
EXPOSURE VALUE: The different steps along the exposure indicator scale give
ANGLE OF VIEW: The maximum angle a lens covers of a scene. Wide angle lenses different exposure values known as stops. The indicator scale usually goes from
cover a large angle. Telephoto lenses cover a very small angle. -2 stops to 0 to +2 stops.
B F
BULB MODE: A shooting mode that keeps the shutter open for as long as the FOCAL LENGTH: The distance between the optical centre of a lens and the
camera sensor. Measured in millimeters (mm). Short focal lengths are wide angle
shutter release is held down. ISO and aperture still need to be set manually.
lenses which show a large portion of the scene. Long focal lengths are telephoto
lenses that cover a very narrow part of the scene.
C FOCUS-RECOMPOSE: A technique where the center focus point is selected,
CROPPED SENSOR: A sensor smaller than the typical full frame size, which is
equivalent to 35mm film. focus is locked on the subject under the center point, and then you recompose
the image to take the photo.
D FULL FRAME: A camera sensor equivalent in size to 35mm film.

DRIVE MODE: Controls how many pictures your camera will take when you hold
the shutter release down (one or multiple). A self timer setting is also usually in-
cluded with the drive mode function. F-STOP: Different aperture values are known as f/stops. Eg. f/1.8, f/5.6
DEPTH OF FIELD: The range of sharp focus in your image. I

ISO: Stands for International Organization for Standardization. Controls the
E sensitivity of the sensor or film to light. Low ISOs require more light for a good
exposure. Higher ISOs require less light, but also produce more noise or grain.
EXPOSURE: (Non-technical) A good exposure is how bright you want the image
to be. (Technical) A combination of lens aperture, shutter speed, and ISO used in
taking a photograph.
Remember you can click “Back” to Continued on the next page...

return to the page you were just on!

J S
JPEG: An image file format that compresses the image data. SHUTTER: Curtains that open and close to allow light to enter the camera.
L SHUTTER PRIORITY MODE: A shooting mode that allows you to set the shutter
speed while the camera automatically sets aperture.
LENS: Focuses and magnifies light coming into the camera.
SHUTTER RELEASE: The button you press to take the photo. Half pressing the
LIGHT METER: Measures light entering the camera through the lens. The result- button will activate focus and activate the camera’s light meter. Fully pressing the
ing information is used to automatically adjust settings in program, aperture button will take the photo.
priority, and shutter priority modes. In manual mode it shows how an image will
be exposed by a point on the exposure indicator.
SHUTTER SPEED: How long the camera’s shutter is open for. Slower shutter speeds
help show motion. Faster shutter speeds freeze action.
LIVE VIEW: Newer digital SLRs and most point and shoots will allow you to com-
T
pose your image using the LCD instead of looking through a viewfinder.
M TELEPHOTO: A lens with a long focal length that covers a narrow part of the
scene.
MANUAL MODE: A shooting mode that lets you take full control of ISO, shutter
U
speed, and aperture.
N UNDER EXPOSURE: An image (or part of an image) that is darker than you want.
W
NORMAL LENS: A lens focal length which produces images with a similar angle of
view to human vision.
WHITE BALANCE: Adjusting the colour temperature of the neutral (or white) tones
O in an image so that no colour cast is present.
OVER EXPOSURE: An image (or part of an image) which is brighter than you
want. WIDE ANGLE: A lens with a short focal length that cover a wide view of the scene.
P Z
PROGRAM MODE: A shooting mode that sets aperture and shutter speed auto- ZOOM LENS: A lens that allows you to shift between different focal lengths.
matically, but often allows you to control functions like ISO and focus points.
PRIME LENS: A lens with a single focal length.
R
RAW: An image file format that leaves image data uncompressed. A higher quality
file setting. If you’ve come to the second page of the
Glossary, you can press “Back” twice to
return to your spot in the tutorial.

Extremely Essential Camera Skills

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Extremely Essential Camera Skills

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PHOTOGRAPHY

I’m Lauren, professional photographer and

Hopefully it will only take you a few hours

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If you’re interested in purchasing an educational license please contact us at

This tutorial is only available for purchase from www.photographyconcentrate.com. If you

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Parts of the Camera - Front ............................. 13

EXPOSURE Focal Length ....................................................... 56

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1. Right click on one of the videos included with this tutorial.

2. Select “Open with...”, and then “Choose Default Program”.

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GETTING THE MOST OUT

#1. It’s designed to be followed in chronological order, with VIDEO:

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Head back to the page you were just on,

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TO FLASH OR NOT TO FLASH

So, for the exercises in this tutorial, we highly recommend using a

Window Light: Soft, nice shadows, nice background,

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GETTING TO KNOW SENSOR

Digital photography has changed the game. It’s now easier

But relying on fixing mistakes afterwards can lead to sloppy

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DIG OUT THAT MANUAL

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: TIPS:

• Exposure indicator/exposure display (an exposure scale from -2 to +2)

Don’t worry if you don’t understand some of these terms. We’ll be

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And remember that every single photographer in history was exactly at

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PARTS OF THE CAMERA

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LCD SCREEN CONTROLS

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VIDEO: how it work

EXERCISE: When you open up the first video, a window

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THE CONTROL PANEL

SHUTTER SPEED APERTURE

BATTERY DRIVE MODE

EXPOSURE INDICATOR IMAGE QUALITY METERING MODE ISO

note: don’t panic!

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#2. Name at least 3 features common to cameras.

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#2. Name at least 3 features common to cameras.

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your image. Simple!

It’s a fundamental aspect of photography, and well worth learning about.

Having a great focusing technique is one of the biggest secrets to sharper

Autofocus is based on using a number of focus points. Depending on

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ALL POINTS FOCUS: FLEXIBLE OR MULTI-POINT FOCUS:

This is the setting you’ll want to use for the majority of

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Learning to focus properly will help you

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#1. What are the main three focusing modes?

#3. In portraits of people where should you focus?