Digital Photography III

Content of the lesson:

Photographing in Practice

• Using full automatics - This mode allows the camera to gain full control over the process of taking photos. You do not have to take care about any settings, you can rely on your camera. This mode sets the time of exposure, aperture value and ISO itself. Also parameters like white balance, sharpening, color balance etc. are set automatically
• Scene modes (auto modes) - These modes simplify your work. You do not have to evaluate the concrete situation or environment and risk getting poor photos. Scene modes are marked with images according to their usage.
  • Portrait - For taking photos of people from a small distance, the camera is set to focus on the main objects and to blur the background. This can be achieved by setting a small aperture value. The time should not be longer than 1/60 but also a fine ISO value should be used. The device also decides whether the flash will be used or not.
  • Landscape - Unlike the portrait, a high aperture value is used in this case to get higher depth of sharpness. When photographing landscape you want to get sharp foreground and background at once. Flash is disabled, additional sharpening is enabled, contrast is increased and colors are more significant. Appropriate time and ISO are set again.
  • Macro (close objects, details) - Focusing is realized on close objects - suitable aperture, time and ISO are set.
  • Sport (movement) - You prepare the camera to expect fast and dynamic movements. High time values are set to freeze the movement. To be able to use short time, ISO is increased so you can expect noise. Automatics set an appropriate aperture value (usually smaller values). The device also activates the possibility to take sequence of photos when holding the trigger button.
  • Night portraits - Device expects lack of light. Flash is enabled but also longer exposure time is set. It is a good idea to use a tripod sometimes because it is more difficult to take such photos from hands to avoid blurred images.
  • No flash - Using this way you can disable flash. The device will be able to take photos only without flash so it will have to adjust the settings properly.

• Creative modes (semi-auto modes) - These are modes which allow you to set time, aperture of ISO manually or to cooperate with automatics. They can be used for creative photos when you want to get a photo according to your intentions. Automatics will take care about final compensations but the photographer is responsible for the result.
  • Automatic exposure setting - You might think this is the same as full-auto mode. However, this is not true. Time and aperture value are automatically set but you can set ISO, white balance and more manually.
  • Exposure time priority - Using this mode you can set the exposure time manually. You can use it when photographing dynamic photos with moving objects or people, like a sport event. It is possible to freeze all movements using a short time. The automatics will compute aperture value. However, you might want to highlight the movement. You might want to photograph a running water in river. This will require a tripod. You can set a longer time to blur water inside river to create an illusion of movement.
  • Aperture priority - This mode allows you to set the depth of sharpness. The more opened aperture, the smaller depth of sharpness and vice versa. This mode is used when photographing portraits or in case you want to separate an object from background (to highlight it). Time is computed by camera in this case.
  • Manual exposure settings - Mode which allows you to take full control over the camera. You can set all parameters which will affect the final photo. Automatics display details about the scene and can help you but cannot set anything without the action of user. This mode is usually used together with flash lamps because automatics cannot evaluate dark environment inside a studio. Too short time might result in light gradients in photo which will not look naturally.

• Focusing - We have to mention two terms in this section - motion blur and image blur.
  • Manual focus (MF) - Camera can be manually focused on any object. This is usually used for reflex cameras (you can see the result inside viewfinder) in case that automatics cannot work properly (usually because the lack of light or because of small distance to main object). Automatics can cause problems when photographing through a glass window or at objects without edges with sufficient contrast. Manual focus is also used when you want to photograph something fast - you do not have time for focusing. In this case you should pre-focus and then only press the trigger button.
  • Auto focus (AF) - There are two types, active and passive. Active focusing measures the distance using a signal which is reflected by objects. Passive focusing uses a set of lens and evaluates the scene similarly to human brain.
    • Matrix, ratio or zones - Computing is done in every sector of the scene. Each sector is evaluated separately and the average value is finally used.
    • Centre-weighted scenewide - Focusing is realized using the whole scene but the center of scene has 3/4 authority.
    • Spot - Camera focuses on a spot which can be set. You should think about each photo because the center object will be precisely sharp. In case you want to focus on an object which is not in center, you have to lock the focus (press trigger button to half) and then move the camera and press the button fully.
  Note: When taking a portrait photo you should always focus on eyes.

Composition Techniques

• filling the border - very common mistake is that you do not come closer or use optical zoom so there are many unwanted objects around which distract from the main motive. You should use the whole border of photo but keep some space around the main object - it should not touch the border
• rule of periods - one of the most used rules when photographing, you can divide scene horizontally and vertically to periods - imagine two lines in both directions and try to place main objects in places where these virtual lines intersect. A person cannot perceive the whole photo at once but he examines it gradually so centering the main object creates unrest, especially for scenes with horizon.
• rule of diagonals - photo which uses this rule can express rise or fall, you can get such n exposure by simply rotating the camera - the main line will go from corner to corner. Such a photo will cause a restless feeling but will express dynamics
• rule of odd number - in case that there is odd number of objects in the scene, you can place one object to the center and border it with the other objects
• foreground of photo - you should place those objects to the foreground which should attract attention of a viewer, especially when photographing landscape or architecture you can use the foreground to place an object to increase the spatial impression, this technique also adds an idea of size and scale for the viewer.
• background of photo - the background should not affect the perception of the whole photo, it should not distract the viewer. Usually the depth of sharpness is used to adjust background - when using bigger depth of sharpness you should be aware of objects growing from head (like lamps etc. )
• view from top to bottom (overview) - this view is also called bird perspective and it allows you to highlight the foreground, objects appear to be inferior, helpless - this view is not usual so it can be interesting
• view from bottom to top (underview) - this view is also called frog perspective, it again allows you to highlight the foreground, objects are dominant, superior. We are not accustomed to this view so it can be interesting
• portrait or landscape - this decision is important when using classical flash because when photographing portraits, shadows are not hidden behind the objects which is not ideal

Types of Photos

From Technical View

These photos are very similar and very different at once. In case you take an analogue of digital camera you can catch moments around you because the device will record the light using set of optics. The second part is only the way how the light is recorded.

• Analogue photo - Creation of an analogue photo is a long way. The principle is the ability to change the behavior of certain materias because of the light. The film is made of these materials and scenes are recorded using a set of lens. The film is placed in dark and after opening the shutter, the light has access to it. When the film is whole recorded, you have to develop it. This is a chemical process which results in negatives which are used to create the final photos.
• Digital photo - Creation of a digital photo is much easier. The sensitive film is replaced by a sensor. This sensor uses the light which travels to it and converts it to a signal which is processed by electronics inside the device. The signal is digitally recorded (using ones and zeros) on a memory card. The advantage is that you do not have to develop images inside a dark chamber not to damage them. You only have to insert the memory card inside to computer and print them using a color printer. There is no problem to store these photos on a hard drive and take them to a fotolab, or you can send them via Internet.

From the View of Colors Usage

Do you think that color photos would sometimes be better as black and white photos and vice versa? What affects our perception? You can think about the difference between color and black and white photos. You can take black and white photos using filters inside your camera or you can process a color photo inside computer to become black and white. Black and white photos are usually created using a computer because you can compare it with the color variant.

• Black and white photo - This photo is still important because there is something different inside it. A black and white photo is simpler because of the lack of color. Color has its place when taking photos and our brain has to involve it when evaluating the photo. Color has to be balanced according to the whole composition. When looking at a black and white photo you can focus on the composition and are not distracted by the factor of color balance. Also the contrast is much higher in black and white photos. Objects will be better divided than in a color photo.
• Color photo - This photo is much more difficult than black and white photo. You have to take care of color balance according to the whole composition. It is true, that black and white photo can hold more errors so you should use it when you feel that the color photo was not taken as you wanted. You might get a better result. You can also try color toning.

Whether you decide to take color photos or black and white ones, you should realize how the photo will look like. You have to decide whether the color is more important than shapes for you.

From the View of Photographed Object or Scene

• Landscape photo - Probably much more difficult than you might think. When you go somewhere to photograph landscape you see it as a complex. You see the environment, sounds, smells... and all of this creates an impression. You have to express much more than only documenting the environment when you take a photo. It is even more difficult because some information cannot be recorded. It is important to determine a point which will have its place inside your photo. This point will represent the main motive and you will return to this motive when viewing the photo. You can also try to catch landscape to induce the impression of something great. If you place a small object in foreground, you will enlarge this impression. An important part is also the light. The landscape can appear differently in the morning and in the afternoon, and you can also notice differences between a sunny and a cloudy day.
• Photo of architecture - We can say that this type of photos is similar to landscape photos. Your attitude is very important - you can take standard documentary photos or creative artistic photos. When photographing architecture, you should think about the angle of view. You can also photograph only several parts, not only the whole objects.
• Photo of animal - These photos are very difficult, especially in the wild. The time of day and also the place are very important, but you have to be patient. You have to behave quietly and unobtrusively.
• Photo of people - This group can be divided to arranged photos and snapshots. Arranged photos require a lot of preparations and also proper equipment (external flashes, flash lights, different objectives, reflective plates etc.). You try to photograph a person from many angles and try to stylize him/her to get a fair result. When taking a snapshot you have to catch the right moment. These photos have to express more than the image. You should catch the expression, dynamics and also characters of people.
• Macro photo - This means photographing objects to capture their smallest details. The final photo will contain common objects but using an unusual view. Objects have to be photographed from very small distance so they will appear to be much enlarged in photos.
• Photo of sport - This means taking report photos. You should know that this is a dynamic business and the key is to catch the right moment (you will need a good luck of course). You can find information about the sport you want to photograph to better orientate while taking photos. The selection of place is also important because you should find a place which has good light conditions.

Formats for Storing Images

When choosing your camera you should not forget this important detail - saving photos (data). Cameras use different formats for storing photos.

• Jpeg (Joint Photographers Expert Group) - This is a dominant format for saving photos and was designed for this purpose. It uses a lossy compression which removes small details which cannot be detected by human eye. The compression can differ. When the image is compressed too much, you can see a loss of quality.
• Tiff (Tagged Image File Format) - This format can hold more details and is used in printing industry for high quality of printed materials. It can be compressed and uncompressed, but the compression is not lossy.
• RAW - This format allows you to store data in "raw" version. The difference is that cameras do not make any adjustments of the photo (cameras have a small processing unit which adjust the color, contrast, sharpness etc.). If you switch your camera to save images in RAW format, an additional special file will be created for each image. This file can be edited in computer programs and can be used to gain much better results also in case of very bad light conditions. Every manufacturer has its own RAW format which usually uses a different extension.

Plug-ins and Technologies for Digital Photography

• Adobe Camera RAW - This is a free plug-in for Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom, it cannot be used separately. This plug-in allows you to work with RAW format using several tools and functions.
• HDR (or HDRI - high dynamic range imaging) - This is a technology which can display a higher dynamic range of captured scene. This means that the contrast between the brightest and the darkest place will be large. To create such a photo you need 3 photos of the same place at least. Your camera should be set to underexpose the first one, overexpose the second one and take a standard photo as the third one. You can use the function "auto-bracket" in menu of several cameras which can help you with taking a set of HDR photos. You can also use one RAW image and prepare 3 different images. Then you have to merge those using special graphic editors and special functions, or add a plug-in which can do this for you. The result photo is clear and has perfect contrast and details - for example a dark room with a window. Such a photo could not be taken - you would get too dark room or too bright window. Using HDR you can also create photos which express known scenes in unusual ways.

Questions

1. What are scenic and creative modes and how can you use them?
2. Which composition techniques do you know?
3. Explain types of photos from the view of photographed object or scene.
4. Which reasons can lead to a black and white?
5. Which formats can be used for saving images?