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Photography Technique


Technical Articles


Digtial Photography Class - Digital Single Lens Reflex

 

Congratulations, you are in the big league.

 

Your digital camera has a removable lens. When you look through the viewfinder you are looking through the lens. That is why they are called Single Lens Reflex. These cameras can help you take great photographs. However, you need to learn about how to use the digital camera so that you can take advantage of all of its capabilities.

The class is a very hands on class. There will be exercises which will help you better understand your camera. This class schedule may be a little aggressive and may change once we get in the class. Over the time of teaching these classes I have found that each class has its own characteristics in skill level.

 

Exercises:

Photography Class Preparation

What to bring:

  • Examples on media cards
  • Fresh Batteries
  • Cameras
  • External Flash Units
  • All of your Lens
  • Manuals

Class format

  • The class will be free flowing
  • The class will start with an exercise to allow you to take pictures in a particular scenario. We will then look at some of the photos and discuss how to improve the pictures. After that discussion you will have the option of repeating the exercise to see if the results have changed.

What you need?

  • Internet Access - Many of the class discussions will reference this website and www.forphotography.com
  • The time to work through some of the exercises.

Outline – This will change.

 

Getting acquaintedDay 1

  • Getting Acquainted
  • Art's Background
  • Each student talks about their:
    • Cameras
    • Software
    • Favorite Subjects
    • Photo frustrations
    • What drives them crazy?
  • Students will tell three things they want to get out of the class.
  • What do you currently do with your photos?
Review Class Goals
  • Photography class goalsHave more fun with pictures and learn how to really use your camera's features. In other words: There is life beyond automatic!
  • Better understanding of how your camera works
  • Composition
  • Using your camera in various settings
  • Better understanding of composition
  • Basic Photo editing
  • Printing
  • File Handling
  • Archiving

Photography Terminology

  • Basic List (On this site)Photo Terminology
  • More Involved List (A new window will open to For Photography.com)

    The basic list of terms is scaled down to apply to basic digital cameras and this class. The more involved list covers topics for more advanced photographers.

Your Camera - Parts

  • Electronic Flash
  • Focusing
  • Batteries
  • Media Cards

Your Digtial SLR

  • How your digital camera works.
    • Mechanically
    • Electronically
    • Software - It is really just a computer
  • Camera limitations - When your camera will work for you and when it won't.
  • Camera Types
  • Common Camera Features, Options, Modes
  • What is a DSLR or SLR
    • An SLR is a still image camera that uses a single lens reflex mechanism.

      Two main differences in DSLRs and standard digital cameras are the Removable Lenses and the fact that when you look through the viewfinder you are looking through the lens.

Shooting Film V Shooting Digital

  • Contrast issues
  • Importance of Exposure
  • Over vs under exposure
  • Workflow


Camera Modes - What are all those settings

  • Review various camera modes, sports, portraits, Auto, Program and more See Camera Modes
  • Fill flash, red eye
  • Changing your ISO

Review Photos brought by students.

Exercise

  • Take photos of a subject using the various camera modes
  • Follow the Flash and Portrait Mode exercises
  • Take notes
  • Share next week.

 

Day 2

Review exercise photos and discuss how the camera settings changed the images.

Camera Care

Camera Lens

  • Camera Lens Terminology
  • Working with your lens. We will explore what camera settings are best for which lens. Understanding these principals will improve your photographs.
  • Understanding the difference in lens specifications. Why is one lens $200 and one is $1,000 when they have the same zoom range. Are the pictures that different?

 

Using the adjustment setting on the camera. (See digital camera adjustments page.)

  • Todays exercise will continue with using the flash. You will photograph an object and see what you have to change on your camera to improve the image. The purpose of the exercise will be to learn what type of scenarios may cause a problem with your flash.

 

Day 3

Photography Basics

Recap of technical skills

Day 4

Taking Pictures

I am still re-writing the class at this point.

Day 5

Composition - Learning to see

  • General Rules of Composition

    • Backgrounds/foregrounds

    • Bright objects

    • Lines


  • What makes good composition
  • Complimenting your subject
    • Camera angles
    • Wide angle vs telephoto

Day 6 - Review Student Photos

 

 

File Formats

  • JPG
  • Gif
  • Tif

File Handling

  • Copying your files
  • Backing up your files.
  • Great deals on CDs. (Not)
  • Image Handling/Inventory
  • Google's Picassa and ACDSee's Program Suite

Photo Software

Digital Editing

  • General Terminology
    • Levels
    • Contrast
    • Clone
    • Sepia
    • B&W
    • White balance
  • File Format
  • Monitor/printer calibration
  • Color Management
  • Resizing
    • When to resize?
    • Why to resize?
    • Software options
    • Attaching photos
    • Imbedding Photos
  • Emailing Photos

 

 



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