Introduction to DSLR Photography. Created by Deirdre J. Dolan for The Port Jefferson Free Library October 28, 2020 Workshop 1 of 3

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Introduction to

DSLR Photography

• Created by Deirdre J. Dolan for The Port Jefferson Free Library

• October 28, 2020

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Agenda

• Cameras, Features and Settings

• Types of Cameras

• How DSLR Works

• Why DSLR?

• DSLR

–

Common Features current models

• Overview of Menus and Some Key Features/Settings

• Points to Shoot

–

Part 1

• Shooting in good and/or changing light

• Focal Points

• Manual Mode

• Understanding some basic settings

• How to change these settings

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Cameras, Features

& Settings

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Types of Cameras

• Compact (Point and Shoot): Small, less expensive and super simple to use.

Most are aimed at beginners, shooting indoors and taking mostly family shots.

• DSLR: “Digital Single

-

Lens Reflex” have grippable bodies, clear viewfinders,

great battery life, and good value for the money. Models for both

beginners/enthusiasts and experts/pros. They offer high quality images, ability to

use a variety of lenses and have lots of features.

• Mirrorless: Newer trend. Lighter, compact, better for video than DSLR but

with less lenses and accessories to choose from.

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Overview of

how DSLR

Works

• A DSLR system consists of two main elements: the lens and the camera body. These can be interchanged to an extent. Understanding their basic concept is not rocket science. It is explained best by showing the way of light.

• First, light (blue line) hits the lens from the front. Then, it travels through the lens, which shapes it to a form the photographer desires. It then makes its way through the lens mount to the camera.

• Then it encounters the main mirror. The mirror reflects most of it upwards, to the viewfinder. There, a pentaprism or a

pentamirror directs it to the viewer’s eye. This allows you to see exactly what the lens sees.

• In SLRs and DSLRs withautofocus, a small portion of the incoming light actually passes through the main mirror. There, it hits the secondary mirror. This directs it down to the autofocusing sensor.

• In this state, none of the light hits the imaging sensor. This is a key trait of DSLRs.

• When you press the shutter button to take a photo, the mirrors flip up. This enables light to hit the sensor. Because the main mirror no longer reflects anything, there is a blackout in the viewfinder.

• The shutter mechanism, right in front of the sensor, opens up. It exposes the image and closes down after a set amount of time. That time is called theshutter speed.

• After the exposure, the moving parts go back to their previous state.

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Why DSLR?

• You’ve grown beyond taking family snaps or only ever using your smartphone.

• You want to take specific photos of a subject matter and require additional

features/lenses to do so successfully.

• You want the flexibility of being able to buy and use various kinds of lenses.

• You want a higher quality image - you hope print/frame, sell or publish your images.

• You want to learn and have a camera you can grow with.

• You have an epic vacation coming up

–

and you want to get the best photos possible!

• You want a super cool picture of the moon or a bird or a bug. Or all 3!

• You have a business you want to promote and take some photos for.

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DSLR

Cameras

• Touchscreen

–

Makes navigating more intuitive. You can pinch and zoom and hold and drag items.

• Optical Viewfinders

–

allows you to view the scene directly through the lens.

• Sensors

–

APS-C or Full Frame

• Wifi

– connect to your camera over it’s WIFI from a tablet or PC. Download images directly. App usually

required.

• Remote Live Shooting

– Using their app you can connect on the camera’s WIFI and remote live shoot.

• HDR Mode

–

uses multiple photos taken at different exposures to add dynamic range

• Face Detection

–

A function that automatically detects human faces and then sets focus and appropriate

exposure to capture them.

• Brightness Control

–

Allows the camera to adjust the brightness of a captured image for optimal exposure

• Burst Mode

–

AKA Continuous shooting

–

allows for multiple shot in rapid succession

• In-Lens Image Stabilization

–

helps reduce image blurring from camera motion. An element within the

lens moves automatically to counteract detected motion.

• White Balance Modes

–

settings that calibrates how the color white is rendered in an image/video,

reducing the appearance of unnatural contrasts caused by various light sources

• Autofocus

–

Allows the camera to automatically focus through the lens rather than by adjusting the lens

manually

Common Features in newer models

There are a bunch more beyond these!

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DSLR

Cameras

• All your Basics are here for you to get Started

–

use the Q

button & the Quick Menu

• Use dial button to advance through each box. Use middle

button (“Set”) to click in and change the settings

Introduction to Settings and

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DSLR

Cameras

• Diopter Dial

–

if you wear glasses

– and even if you don’t –

adjust this dial so that you are able to use the viewfinder

set to your sight. The dial is usually located right near the

viewfinder.

Introduction to Settings and

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Points to Shoot,

Part 1

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Focus and

Light

• Manual focusing vs. auto

–

Start with auto focus, use manual if/when the

camera is not picking up the subject properly or if you are shooting macro

shots as an example.

• This setting is a switch right on your lens

• The auto modes (Auto, Program), on your camera are great places to start!

Cameras are very advanced

–

let them do most of the work!

• Picture Style

–

change as you shoot. Portraits, Landscape, Monochrome

–

etc.

• Exposure Dial

–

adjust base on conditions

• Shooting in changing light

– In your quick menu change for “

Dayligtht

”,

“Shade”, “Cloudy” –

etc. This can help to prevent exposure issues

• Focal Points

–

for your focus (above) to work well you should be reviewing and

updating your focal points based on what you are shooting.

• Progress to semi automatic modes (Aperture Priority

–

Av, and Shutter

Priority- Tv) as you feel comfortable or want to control these aspects.

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These 3

Things

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Manual

Mode

• Manual mode allows you to manually adjust your shutter

speed, aperture and/or ISO settings for certain subjects

where the camera itself can’t properly sense and adjust for

you or if you would prefer to control these settings yourself

• These three settings work together to control the how

bright or dark your photo is (known as exposure), as well as

change the overall look of the image (sharpness).

• Shutter Speed

• Aperture

• ISO

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Manual

Mode

• For Canon -

Turn your dial to “M”

• Open your menu options (Canon would be the “Q”

button)

• Use your dial to progress left to

right, “Set” to click in and

change

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Assignment:

Shoot the moon!

• Over the course of this week try to take some photos of the moon.

• Use the camera and lens you have

–

if not ideal it is still a learning experience.

• It can be a daytime moon or nighttime moon.

• It can be the full moon (The Blue Moon is on Halloween!)

• It can be any day you see the moon out (waxing or waning)

• If you don’t have the opportunity to see the moon this week take a photo of the sky maybe in

early morning or later in evening. Sunrise or sunset.

• Review as you shoot. Try manual mode especially if shooting in low light or at night

• Email your photos by 4pm next Wednesday to [email protected].

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Day time

Moon

• You don’t need to do the “NASA” shot.

• Daytime moon shots can be just as neat.

• Use the environment to your advantage such as trees,

planes, clouds

–

etc. Composition and color!

• You should be able to shoot in auto mode and maybe

just adjust your scene/light conditions settings.

• Try to use a manual focus as autofocus may have some

challenges picking up the right focus points.

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Edit to

Enhance

• You can edit to enhance your image as long as

you’ve got the basics accomplished (no white blobs!)

• Your sharpness & structure edits can bring out the details of craters and such on the surface more

• Your brightness and contrast can also help to enhance your shot

• Yes the moon has color! And certain times of the year it can appear orange or red!

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Starting Point

–

Tips & Settings

You will need to do some tests shots and adjust your

settings possibly a few times. Be patient!

Test &

Adjust

Factors will be your camera/lens and how bright and

full the moon is that night, other light sources and how

clear the sky is.

Factors

Remember to use a tripod if you can or prop yourself

on a table, fence or something to stabilize you. It

matters a lot with the moon at night!

Remember

Photographing Just The Moon:

• Use a long lens (> 200mm) and

zoom in as far as you can.

• Set the camera to ISO 100.

• Choose

aperture

. f/11 to f/16

(find the sweet spot for

sharpness)

• Choose shutter speed. Shutter

speed around 1/60th to 1/125th.

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Example of

Settings

Unedited: Conditions were partly cloudy, taken Oct 1,2020

• 1/800

• F5.4

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Upcoming Lunar

Events

• Fall and Winter’s crisp, dry air usually means great sky watching!

• 10/31 -

“Blue” Moon –

a blue moon is when there are 2 full moons that fall in the same month.

The second one is called the “Blue” moon. No it will unfortunately not look blue in color.

• 11/30 -

“Beaver Moon”

• 12/29 -

“Cold Moon”

• Next Supermoon

–

March 28, 2021. Supermoons are ideal for photographing

–

they appear larger

and brighter than a regular full moon.

• Next Lunar Eclipse

– Nov 30, 2020 at 2:32 am. It’s a penumbral eclipse (Moon travels through

Earth’s penumbra – it will look sort of like just a full moon). The Earth’s shadow will begin to