P ART I Basic Techniques CHAPTER 1 Getting Started Edward Steichen, Lotus, Mount Kisco, New York, 1915. Reprinted with permission of Joanna T. Steichen. GETTING STARTED It is not difficult to take photographs. Billions of photographs are made by the public every year with successful results for their purposes. However, pho- tography is a bit like sailing. With a little instruction it is not too hard to fig- ure out how to get the boat to move, but it can take a lifetime to master all the intricacies. This chapter will give you just enough information to get mov- ing. Once you have started producing photographs, you will probably want more information so that you can get even better results. Use the color edge tab guide to the photographic process on the front endsheets and the chapter references to locate more in-depth discussion of the steps covered in this chapter. If things do not turn out as well as you expected, chapter 7 can help you with some possible cures for your problems. Mastering the technical details that make up the craft of photography is only the beginning. To make photo- graphs that communicate your ideas or feelings, you will also have to learn the differences between human visual perception and the way photographs repre- sent reality. The best way to do this is to start making photographs, but you will find some helpful suggestions for improving your photographic seeing in chapter 9. Equipment and Materials To begin making photographs you will need film, camera, and a light meter, ei- ther the one built into your camera or a separate meter. Film Photographic film is a material that is sensitive to light. When a pattern of light falls on film, an image is produced. Chemical processing makes this image vis- ible and useful for producing photographs. Any of the many types of film avail- able, black and white or color, may be used for getting started. If you plan on See chapter 2 for complete film information. processing your own film, black and white is simpler to process. On the film box you will see a number labeled ISO. The higher this number is, the more sensitive the film is to light. A good starting film is one with an ISO See pages 16 and 33 for more on film between 100/21° and 400/27°. Several black-and-white films are available in sensitivity. this range: ISO 100/21° Kodak T-Max 100, Agfapan 100 Professional, Ilford Delta 100 ISO 125/22° Kodak Plus-X, Ilford FP4 Ilford XP2 Super and Kodak Black and White ISO 400/27° Kodak Tri-X, Kodak T-Max 400, Agfapan 400 Professional, ϩ400 are black-and-white films designed to be Ilford HP5, Ilford Delta 400, Ilford XP2 Super, Kodak processed in color print film developer (C-41). Black and White ϩ400 Color films for prints in this range are offered by Kodak, Konica, Agfa, and For a more complete listing of films, see Fuji, all available in ISO 100, 200, and 400. appendix G. Camera A camera is basically a lighttight box that holds the film and has a lens that gathers light from the subject, forming an image of the subject on the film. Many different types, brands, and models of cameras are available. For the 3 CHAPTER 1 See chapter 4 for information on camera purpose of discussing operation of the camera, we will use a basic 35mm cam- types. era, shown on page 5. This is a manual camera, meaning that you have com- plete control over all the settings. Other cameras may control some settings automatically. For high-quality images the film must receive the proper amount of light, called the correct exposure. Two controls on the camera alter film exposure: the aperture and the shutter speed. Aperture The aperture is a variable-size opening in the lens, much like the iris in the eye. It is adjusted with the aperture ring. The numbers on the ring are an indication of the size of the opening and are called f-stop numbers. A standard series of f-stop numbers has been established: Aperture Control Ring Set at f/8. 1.4 2 2.8 4 5.68111622 More Exposure ←→Less Exposure Contrary to what you might expect, larger f-stop numbers indicate smaller For more on aperture see pages 30 and 81. apertures, which admit less light. Setting the aperture at f/8 will give less ex- posure than setting it at f/4. For more on shutters see pages 29 and Shutter Speed The shutter shields the film from the image formed by the 59–63. lens until you are ready to take a photograph. When the shutter release (see “Locating Camera Parts,” page 5) is depressed, the shutter opens for the amount of time indicated on the shutter speed control dial, which is marked with a set of standard shutter speeds in seconds: 1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 1/1000 More Exposure (Slower Speeds) ←→Less Exposure (Faster Speeds) On the shutter speed dial these are indicated as whole numbers, but the actual shutter speeds are fractions of a second. The longer shutter speeds give more exposure to the film: 1/30 second will give more exposure than 1/125 second. Some cameras may have longer or shorter shutter speeds in addition to the ones given on this scale. Shutter Speed Dial Set for 1/125 Second. Light Meter A reflective-type photographic light meter measures the amount of light coming from a subject and gives settings for the aperture and shutter speed See pages 33–50 for complete information on to insure proper film exposure. Most small cameras made today have a light light meter types and their uses. meter built into them. Separate light meters in their own housings—hand- held light meters—are also available. A typical hand-held light meter is shown on page 9. A Procedure for Taking Photographs The following procedure explains how to make photographs with a manual camera. All cameras utilize the same controls, but the location and operation of those controls will vary, especially on cameras with automatic controls. If your camera is not like the one discussed, refer to your operator’s manual to see how the controls on your camera correspond to the controls shown here. 4 GETTING STARTED Chapters 3 and 4 also help explain the operation of different types of light meters and cameras. If your camera can be set to completely manual opera- tion, follow the procedures given here. Refer to the illustration below to lo- cate controls. Locating Camera Parts Vivitar V4000s 35mm Camera. 5 CHAPTER 1 Loading the Film into the Camera A. Pull up on the back cover release—rewind B. Leave the knob pulled up and insert the film C. Push the back cover release—rewind knob knob until the camera back pops open. cassette into the camera. The end with the all the way in, rotating it slightly if necessary. spindle projecting should be toward the Insert the end of the narrow film leader firmly bottom of the camera. Do not expose the film into one of the slots on the take-up spool. cassette to direct sunlight. D. Operate the film-advance lever until the film E. Close the camera back and press gently is securely wrapped around the take-up spool until it latches. Repeatedly press the shutter and both edges of the film are engaged with release and operate the film-advance lever the sprockets. If the film-advance lever will not until the frame counter reads 1. move at any time during this procedure, press the shutter release and continue. Developing Ideas for Photographs Most photographs are taken as a record of people, places, things, or events. Many other reasons for making photographs exist, and some of these are discussed in chapters 9 and 10. For now, photograph anything that interests you. 6 GETTING STARTED Framing and Composing Your Photograph A. When you take a photograph, only part of B. If you have one central subject, move what you see of the subject with your eyes will backward or forward until you have it framed be included within the borders—the “frame”— as you want it. Make sure that other objects of the photograph. To see what you are going appearing in the viewfinder do not distract to get in your photograph, look through the from the main subject. Unattractive viewfinder of the camera. backgrounds or strong shapes or patterns may C. Most cameras take a rectangular picture, draw attention from the subject. Move the so you can also turn the camera on end to get subject to a better place if possible, or change a different framing. This view shows the subject your position for a different point of view. closer up with vertical framing. Evaluating the Light on Your Subject Flex the book and look for red and orange edge tabs for information throughout the book on composing and lighting the subject. A complete guide to the color edge tabs can be found inside the front cover. A. Start thinking about how the light falls on B. The easiest way to control the light on your your subject, the quality of the light, the subject is to simply move the subject so that the direction the light comes from, and the resulting light strikes it in a more desirable way. Other pattern of light and shade on your subject.