Digital Photography 101

EJ Azucena

MegaPixels

• What are pixels?– Pixels are dots used to display an image on a

screen or printed matter.

MegaPixels

• Dimensions in pixels

• 800x508 = 406,400 pixels = 0.4 MegaPixels• 2400x1596 = 3,830,400 pixels = 3.8 MegaPixels

Resolution

• DPI : dots per inch– Screen: 72-96dpi– Print: 150-300dpi

• Press quality print: 300dpi

Print Size

• For press quality print at 300dpi

• 800/300dpi = 2.6inches

• 508/300dpi = 1.7inches

Print Size

• For a full-page photo on an 8.5x11 inch document– What camera to use?– (8.5inchx300dpi) x (11inx300)– 2550 x 3300– 8,415,000 pixels – 8.4 MegaPixel Camera

Flash Photography

• Effective range of built-in flash.– 2ft to 20ft (depending on ISO setting)

Flash Photography

• Using an external Flash (Direct)

Flash Photography

• Using an external Flash (Bounced)

Ambient Light

When to use a tripod?

• Tripods – prevent camera shake

• When is it safe to hand-hold a camera and not blur the shot?

• Check focal length of lens– Any shutter speed slower than 1/(focal length)

• Use a tripod!

Composition

Composition

• If there’s one element that can radically improve your photographs, one feature that can lift your picture from snapshot to art, it’s a sense of composition.

• Make your photos sing– Just as a composer to his music, decide

which instruments to use.

Framing

• Gives the photo context• Gives images a sense of depth and layers• Leads the eye towards the main focal point• Intrigues your viewer

Framing

Reflections

• Gives balance & symmetry• Resolves a three dimensional scene• Provides an alternative perspective

Reflections

Lines

• Train your eye to look for lines and shapes within a scene. They’re the building blocks of your photograph. Each can be used to enhance your image to ensure your message gets across effectively.

• Horizontal lines – “Restful”• Vertical lines – “Strength”• Diagonal lines – The most interesting and

visually exciting lines-”Dynamic”

Shapes

• The most active of shapes use diagonal lines – the triangle is an eye-catching building block for your picture

Shapes

• Which one is better?

Leading Lines

• They can create depth and perspective to an image.

• They can convey distance and provide a relationship between the foreground and background of the image.

• They draw the eyes into a picture, leading them through a scene or directing them to an area in the image that the viewer would otherwise not have noticed.

Leading Lines

Leading Lines

• Which is better?

Rule of Thirds

• based on the fact that the human eye is naturally drawn to a point about two-thirds up a page

Rule of Thirds

• Fibonacci spiral

Rule of Thirds

Rule of Thirds

Active Space leave space in the frame for your subject to ‘move into’

Active Space

Varying View Points

• Photographing from a different viewpoint or camera angle can often add drama and excitement or even bring out an unusual aspect of a subject

• Most of the subjects are three-dimensional and should be photographed from an angle (to the right or left of and/or from higher or lower than the subject) that allows the viewer to see more than one side of the subject

Varying View Points

Varying View Points

• Worm’s eye view. • Distort scale or add strength to a picture or to

emphasize certain elements within the picture. Low angles tend to lend strength and dominance to a subject and dramatize the subject. Low angle shots are used when dramatic impact is desired. This type of shot is very useful for separating the subject from the background, for eliminating unwanted foreground and background, and for creating the illusion of greater size and speed.

Varying View Points

Varying View Points

Varying View Points

• Bird’s eye view - High viewpoints and high camera angles help orient the viewer, because they show relationships among all elements within the picture area and produce a psychological effect by minimizing the apparent strength or size of the subject

Varying View Points

Depth of Field

• It can isolate a subject from its background and foreground (when using a shallow depth of field) or it can put the same subject in context by revealing it’s surrounds with a larger depth of field.

Depth of Field

Depth of Field

• For landscape, use f1.4-f8

Depth of Field

• For landscape, use f16-f22

Composition Tips

• Background.. Background.. Background..– When framing a shot, pay as much attention

to the background as you do your subject. A complimentary background can enhance a mundane subject – a poor choice of background will make a great subject fall flat.

• Mind the foreground as well

Composition Tips

• Keep it Simple– The strongest compositions are ones that get

their message across quickly. Look for the building blocks of a great photograph in lines and shapes.

– Cut the Clutter / Fill the Frame / Zoom in

Composition Tips

• Watch the Cropping– When you’re framing people, avoid chopping

them off at the knees or ankles.

Composition Tips

• Think About Numbers– Odd numbers of things tend to be visually

more exciting than even amounts. Triangles are more dynamic than squares or rectangles, which echo the boundaries of the frame. Three’s the magic number…

Composition Tips

• Shooting Portraits & Full-body

Composition Tips

Composition Tips

• Shoot Plenty of Frames– Your first shot is rarely your best one and

you’re not wasting film anymore. Work through early framing options to chisel your vision and weed out the duff ideas.

Thank you!