Aperture / Lenses 2

The Exposure Triangle FUNDAMENTAL TO ALL CAMERAS AND THE KEY TO CREATIVITY

1 Who Am I? • Chas Sumser Photography ◦ Established January 1, 2016 • Specialties ◦ Performance Images: Sports, Dance, Drama ◦ Athletic Portraiture ◦ General Portraiture • Current Connections ◦ Victor O’Neill Studios (2015-) – Sports and Candid Photography ◦ Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company (Official Photographer) ◦ Professional Photographers of America (PPA) ◦ Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI)

2 Introductions • Who are you? • What kind of camera do you use? • What kind of photography are you passionate about? • What do you like to photograph? • What do you want to learn today?

3 Workshop Agenda 1. Exposure / Aperture / Lenses 2. Shutter Speed 3. ISO and More

4 Assignments • Optional after the first two sessions • Submit photos to be shown at the following session

5 Considerations • All topics apply to all cameras ◦ Cell phone cameras, DSLR’s, film cameras, antiques, etc.

• Camera controls vary ◦ Understand your camera by reading the manual and practicing

• You can get great photos in automatic mode ◦ You can get even greater photos when you learn how to use your camera creatively

• The Experimental Method ◦ Change one variable at a time to see how it affects others

6 A Good Photograph… • …has a clear subject (or theme) ◦ The viewer immediately sees the subject • …focuses attention on the subject ◦ The viewer is drawn to the subject • …is simplified ◦ Includes only those elements that draw the viewer to the subject ◦ Excludes elements that might draw attention away from the subject

7 Getting Started INTRODUCING THE EXPOSURE TRIANGLE

8 Three Adjustable Elements • Aperture ◦ The size of the opening in your lens • Shutter Speed ◦ The amount of time light is allowed to come into your camera • ISO ◦ How sensitive your camera is to light

9 www.petapixel.com 10 www.slrlounge.com 11 Aperture vs Shutter Speed Relationship

Aperture Shutter Speed

Wide f2.8 1/15 Slower f4 1/50 f5.6 1/60 Good f8 Exposure 1/125 f11 1/250 f16 1/500 Narrow f22 1/1000 Faster

12 Exposure FROM AUTOMATIC TO MANUAL

14 Exposure Modes You and Your Camera

Mode Aperture Shutter Speed ISO*

Auto Camera Camera Camera Camera Control

Aperture Priority You Camera You

Shutter Priority Camera You You

Manual You You You

* Assumes Auto ISO Sensitivity Control is Off

16 Note: This camera is in Manual (M) mode. In other Reading Exposure modes, the display will differ Shutter Exposure Aperture ISO Speed Indicator

Good Exposure

Overexposed by a full stop

Underexposed by a full stop Aperture

21 What is Aperture?

• Definition ◦ A space through which light passes in an optical or photographic instrument ◦ Especially the variable opening by which light enters a camera • Just like the pupil of your eye ◦ Your pupil is on an automatic setting except at certain times Note: The mechanism that controls the aperture is called a • Your pupil automatically adjusts to the amount “diaphragm” or an “iris” of light it senses ◦ To protect your retina from overexposure ◦ To gather only the light it needs given the environment ◦ The wider your pupil gets, the more light it lets in

23 www.diyphotography.net 24 F-Stop Scale • Aperture is measured using the f-stop scale • Stopping the Aperture Down ◦ The aperture decreases by half allowing 50% less light through the lens • Opening the Aperture Up ◦ The aperture doubles allowing 100% more light through the lens • The Aperture is “Wide Open” ◦ Means that the aperture for your lens is at its maximum • Everything in Between ◦ Your camera probably allows you to set the aperture at intermediate stops ◦ Typically by 1/3 increments

26 • DoF is the zone of acceptable sharpness or relative focus

• Depends on your vision for your photo How does the aperture affect exposure? • Makes the scene brighter ◦ Assuming that ISO and shutter speed are kept the same • Increases / decreases depth of field ◦ What’s in acceptable sharpness (relative focus) and what’s not • Depth of Field is the distance at which the image will stay in focus in front of and behind the main point of focus ◦ Wide aperture (e.g., f/1.4) = shallow DoF ◦ Narrow aperture (e.g., f/22) = deep DoF

30 Note: Individual portrait settings are typically f/5.6 When to Change Your Aperture to f/8

Aperture Use f/1.4 • This is great for shooting in low light, but be careful of the shallow DoF • Best used on shallow subjects or for a soft focus effect f/2.8 • Good for low light situations, but allows for more definition as it has a deeper DoF • Good zoom lenses usually have this as their widest aperture. f/4 • The minimum aperture to use when taking a photo of a person in good lighting F/5.6 • Good for photos of 2 people f/8 • Good for large groups as it will ensure that everyone in the frame remains in focus. f/11 • This is often where your lens will be at its sharpest so it’s great for portraits. f/16 • Shooting in the sun requires a small aperture, making this is a good ‘go to’ point for these conditions. f/22 • Best for landscapes where noticeable detail in the foreground is required.

57 Lenses

59 Focal length is…

• The distance from the point where light rays converge to the digital sensor • Not a measurement of the actual length of a lens

60 Types of lenses • Wide Angle (< 35mm focal length) • Macro ◦ Gives a wider field of view than your eye can see ◦ Specially built for close-up work • Standard or Normal (50mm) • Telephoto (> 70mm) ◦ Produces an image that roughly matches what ◦ Gives a narrow field of view and a magnified the human eye sees image • Kit (35-70mm) • Zoom ◦ The one that came with your camera ◦ A lens with a range of focal lengths • Prime • Super Zoom ◦ A lens with a fixed focal length ◦ A zoom lens with a wide range of focal lengths

61 What your eyes see What do the numbers on My lens mean?

• Focal Length ◦ On prime lenses this will be a single number in mm (e.g., 50mm) ◦ On zoom lenses this will a range in mm (e.g., 70-200mm) • Maximum Aperture ◦ On prime lenses this will be a single number expressed as an f stop ◦ On zoom lenses this will be a single number or a range of numbers depending on the lens • Focusing Range and Distance Scale ◦ Usually marked in two scales, feet and meters ◦ Look for the infinity symbol at one end ◦ The other end will show how close your lens can focus, or its minimum focusing distance.

65 Focusing Range and Distance Scale

Focal Length Max Aperture What is Auto ISO Sensitivity Control? • When on ◦ In some modes, your camera will adjust ISO if a good exposure cannot be achieved with your current settings • Minimum Sensitivity ◦ Automatically set to the lowest ISO on your camera • Maximum Sensitivity ◦ You tell your camera how high it can go when adjusting your ISO • Minimum Shutter Speed (in P or A mode) ◦ Your camera may adjust shutter speed when the ISO maximum is reached

75 Homework 1. Technical: Changing Aperture in Aperture Priority Mode ◦ Choose a scene ◦ Should be a bright scene with foreground, middle ground, and background interest ◦ Using the f-stop scale, take a series of photos by varying the aperture only ◦ Note what happens to the shutter speed and to the depth of field ◦ Submit 3 photos: one with the largest aperture, one with the smallest, and one in between 2. Technical: Changing Aperture in Manual Mode ◦ Choose a scene ◦ Should be a bright scene with foreground, middle ground, and background interest ◦ Establish a “correct” exposure using the exposure indicator ◦ Using the f-stop scale, take a series of photos by varying the aperture only (leave the shutter speed alone) ◦ Submit 3 photos: correct exposure, overexposed, underexposed • Submit your photos by Sunday, July 28 • Please do not submit more than the requested number of photos

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