Your Digital Camera Using Your Icons and More

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Your Digital CameraUsing Your Icons and More

• How to use your camera, and take better
  photographs!

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Who I Am

• Harvey Gershenson
• Palmia resident since July 2007
• Photography enthusiast since childhood
• My email address is consultme_at_msn.com
• My home phone is 949.600.5574
• Do not hesitate to contact me

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My Goals for This Class

• Teach you how to use your camera
• Make you a better photographer
• Perhaps have some photo fun, by taking trips to
  nearby locations.
• Make this class more like a photography club
  where we can share our pictures and enjoy them.

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Your Digital Camera

• What are those funny numbers near my lens?
• One set of numbers is the aperture settings.
• We will discuss aperture to a greater extent in
  just a few minutes.

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Your Digital Camera

• The other set of numbers deals with the lens
  magnification.
• The small number is the wide angle.
• The larger the second number, the greater the
  telephoto range.
• Please remember, optical zoom is better than
  digital zoom.

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Point Shoot Cameras

• Different cameras use different icons.
• The icons are there to make your life easier and
  provide a greater command over your camera.
• To use your icons you must read your boring but
  useful camera manual or listen to me.
• Another name for the icons is scene modes.

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My Scene Modes

• Portrait Use at maximum telephoto
  
• Soft Skin Softens skin texture
• Scenery Auto focus is set at infinity
• Sports Faster shutter speed
• Night portrait Subject still for 1 second
• Night scenery Shutter 8 seconds tripod
• Panning Fast subject blurred background
• Food Take picture without flash

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My Scene Modes

• Party Picture indoors more nat.
  color
• Candle Light Pictures with atmosphere tripod
• Fireworks Use a tripod
• Starry Sky Dark subject use a tripod
• Baby 1 Enter childs birth date
• Baby 2 Enter childs birth date
• Snow Adjust exposure white
  balance
• High Sensitivity ISO is increased

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What Are Icons?

• Look at your camera
• Does it have little pictures around a control
  knob or dial?
• Those pictures are icons.
• They can give you immediate control over your
  aperture, shutter speed and ISO (equivalent to
  film speed).

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What is Aperture?

• Your camera has an iris, much like your eye.
• The aperture is what controls the amount of light
  that comes in contact with the sensor in your
  camera.
• The area that is in focus is also controlled by
  your aperture. This is known as depth of field.

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Depth of Field

• You may want to control your depth of field for
  various reasons. Creativity is 1
• When you photograph scenery that is in the
  distance your aperture gets very small.
• The smaller the aperture the greater the depth of
  field.
• Conversely, the larger the aperture number, the
  more shallow the depth of field.

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Using Depth of Field

• If you want to take pictures of insects or
  flowers you want a shallow depth of field.
• This means you want a larger aperture.
• If you want to capture your subject and the
  beautiful background you want a smaller aperture.

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Depth of Field Confusion

• The smaller the number the larger the aperture.
• In the days of film these aperture settings were
  known as F Stops.
• Example, F 2.8 in a point and shoot is a large
  aperture.
• Photographers still use the expression F stop.

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Depth of Field Confusion

• An F Stop of 16 is a very small aperture.
• Look at your camera and you should see the scope
  of the F Stops available to you.
• Remember, if you want everything in focus you
  want to use the smallest aperture setting.

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Depth of Field Clarified

• Now you know what those numbers are.
• Now you know they can be used to enhance
  creativity.
• Your camera will allow you to use that creativity
  in a number of ways.
• It all depends on your cameras manufacturer and
  the model.

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Depth of Field Icons

• The landscape icon is usually indicated by
  mountains.
• This is the maximum depth of field
• Works with a wide angle setting or a wide angle
  lens.
• Works with a telephoto lens.
• Your flash should be turned off.

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Depth of Field Icons

• The portrait icon controls your depth of field.
• There is a minimum depth of field to prevent a
  distracting background.
• A longer lens is preferred. In a digital camera
  75 mm or longer is great!

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Aperture and Depth of Field

• Portrait mode large aperture
• Landscape mode small aperture
• What happens when you use a small aperture?
• Less light enters the camera.
• The shutter speed has to slow down or the ISO
  increased.

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Shutter Speed Icons

• Sports is a good example of a fast shutter speed.
  
• The desire is to freeze the action. That is why
  they show a man running.
• Because the shutter is working fast the aperture
  may open wider.
• You lose some depth of field because of the wider
  aperture.

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Shutter Speed Icon

• When you use the night time mode the shutter
  speed works in conjunction with your flash.
• Your aperture will be open thus cutting down on
  your depth of field.
• Consider resting your camera on a railing or
  against a building to capture a scene without the
  flash turned on.

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Close Up or Macro Mode

• If you enjoy getting intimate with flowers this
  is the mode for you.
• If you like insects this is the mode for you.
• The depth of field is shallow.
• If you have an SLR consider buying a macro lens.

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Other Settings

• The auto mode sets your shutter speed and
  aperture for you. Sometimes you will see AE
  indicating this mode. My camera has the letter P
  to indicate the auto mode.
• This works over 90 of the time.
• As stated previously, all the different controls
  are there for you to get creative.
• If you are not worried about creativity stay in
  the auto mode and you might be able to use your
  computer to create different effects.

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Other Settings

• A indicates aperture priority.
• This means you adjust the F Stop and the camera
  will adjust the shutter speed.
• S indicates shutter priority.
• This means you adjust the Shutter Speed and the
  camera will adjust the aperture.

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Other Settings

• M indicates manual mode.
• You have to set the shutter.
• You have to set the aperture.
• You have to worry about everything.
• Dont do it unless you have more knowledge.

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More Settings

• Backlight setting can be indicated by bright sand
  or snow.
• Your subject will come out dark because the
  aperture shuts down due to excessive light.
• When you turn on the backlight setting your
  subject is no longer dark.

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DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

• Digital Photography has changed the way people
  record their lives.
• You have the power to change the images that you
  create.
• You can correct your mistakes. If you dont know
  how, and want to learn, take Don Yenches class
  on the 4th Friday of each month. You can also ask
  me.

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Sharing Our Pictures

• You can bring in prints.
• You can bring in a jump drive.
• You can bring in a CD or DVD.
• You can bring in a slide show.
• Does this interest you?
• I brought some prints and a slide show.

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Photo Shoots

• Who is interested in going on a field trip for a
  photo shoot?
• Suggestions for an interesting location would be
  appreciated.
• Somebody suggested photographs around Palmia
• We can do this in addition to our SIGs.

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THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!

• The next class is Friday July 17.
• Starting time is 3 PM
• If you have any questions regarding your camera
  or photography, lets talk!