Aperture Edition | basic photography

Some things to think about when learning how to shoot in manual with your digital single lens reflex camera (dslr):

-Keep your shutter no lower than 1/100. This will help prevent blurry or shakiness in you photo from motion happening either from the photographer slightly moving, or your subject moving fast. Ideally, if your subject is moving fast, your shutter would need to be around 1/200 to insure your subject isn’t blurry as well.

-Play around with your ISO.

-Change your f-stop/aperture. Get comfortable playing around with your settings.

-Shoot a variety. Walk around your subject and shoot from all directions.

-Photograph subjects near and far, shade, and in the sun.

-Photograph different types of subjects. For example, portraits, landscape, and action shot.

-You can also photograph still life. For example- a wooden chair, flowers, books, bike, car, makeup, pottery, etc.

**Let me also say, you can photograph inside, but only with a good source of natural light. For example, bring your subject next to a window and use the window lighting. When you are first learning photography, it is easiest for you to shoot with natural light.

Keep a journal of the lenses you are using, the focal length (18mm, 50mm, 75mm, etc), shutter speed, aperture, iso, sun, shade, etc.

ISO? What does that even mean? The best and easiest way I like to describe it is like this…

Remember when you would purchase film at the grocery store? They would have 100 speed, 400 speed, 800 speed, etc. The ISO provides your camera with the amount of light you need on your camera’s image sensor for digital cameras and film for, well film cameras.

If it’s sunny outside, you don’t need extra help with light. The light source you are using is already provided…the SUN! But as the day goes on, it can get cloudy or evening time comes around and you lose that light. So what do you need to do to give your camera more light? Answer-Increase your light source by increasing your ISO.

I know it can be confusing, so I made this ISO CHEAT SHEET for you. When I first learned about my camera, it took me a while to put all the steps together. I’m hoping this form will help it all make more sense.

For example, if it’s sunny outside around 10 am, you would set your ISO to 100. Then, in the same day, as the sun goes down, say around 6 pm, you would raise your ISO to 400-800.

Let me also remind you, the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture (f-stop) all work together to make an even exposed photograph. If you’d like to learn more about how to shoot with your digital camera, I’d love to teach you at my DSLR Workshop!

Right now I’m offering a special on group workshops until April 30, 2019. Grab your friends and we will make a fun day out of it!