Anyone can be a photographer, and just because a certain person has top-of-the-line equipment doesn't necessarily mean that they're good at taking pictures. You could have a disposable film camera that you bought at Walmart for a dollar, or you could go all out and buy a Digital SLR. Regardless, you're considered a photographer all the same.
It has become a stereotype, really. For example, if you see a guy walking down the street with a Nikon D300s, you automatically believe, regardless if you've seen his work or not, that he's a professional photographer. On the other hand, if you see an elderly man with a small point-and-shoot camera, you believe that he has no idea what he's doing. You have to learn not to develop a bias towards people and the equipment of their choosing because in some cases, the man with the professional camera has no idea how to truly take advantage of it, and the man with the disposable camera knows just what he wants.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Shutter Speed and Aperture
What did you call me?! Aper-what?
These terms may have complicated names, but they are an essential part in composing good photographs. Today, I'm going to give you an overview of what they mean, and how they affect your photographs.
Shutter Speed
More simply put, "Shutter Speed" is the speed that the shutter closes when you press down on that button on top of the camera. The slower the shutter speed, the more light allowed to be tracked the image sensor. The more light that is allowed to be tracked by the camera's image sensor, the brighter your photographs will be.
This aspect of the camera is especially important to photographers that shoot in low-light situations, because they need to be able to let an adequate amount of light into the sensor without shaking the camera with their hands.
To aid in this struggle, photographers often use flash bulbs or "Speedlights"
Aperture
The aperture of a camera is the hole within the camera's lens. In simple terms, this means that you need a wider opening to achieve a desirable brightness in low-light conditions. In sunlight, this opening may be smaller. The Aperture directly affects photographs by means of "Depth of Field," but I'll save that until next time.
These terms may have complicated names, but they are an essential part in composing good photographs. Today, I'm going to give you an overview of what they mean, and how they affect your photographs.
Shutter Speed
More simply put, "Shutter Speed" is the speed that the shutter closes when you press down on that button on top of the camera. The slower the shutter speed, the more light allowed to be tracked the image sensor. The more light that is allowed to be tracked by the camera's image sensor, the brighter your photographs will be.
This aspect of the camera is especially important to photographers that shoot in low-light situations, because they need to be able to let an adequate amount of light into the sensor without shaking the camera with their hands.
To aid in this struggle, photographers often use flash bulbs or "Speedlights"
Aperture
The aperture of a camera is the hole within the camera's lens. In simple terms, this means that you need a wider opening to achieve a desirable brightness in low-light conditions. In sunlight, this opening may be smaller. The Aperture directly affects photographs by means of "Depth of Field," but I'll save that until next time.
Spirit Check '09
Taken By Me w/ a Nikon D90 DSLR
A fast Shutter Speed was required to capture movement.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Types of Cameras
There are many different elements that define a photographer, and what kind of camera they use is definitely one of them.
There are two main types of cameras in Digital Photography:
Point-and-Shoot:
This is the type of camera that you're probably already familiar with. They provide consumers with affordable solutions to produce quality photographs. A majority of these cameras lack the level of customization that is provided by more advanced equipment. These cameras are ideal for people that just want pictures in an instant.
Digital SLR:
These cameras are not for the faint of heart, and are usually the ideal choice for more advanced photographers looking to expand their creative horizons. These cameras differ for traditional "Point-and-Shoot" cameras because they allow you full reign over settings like Shutter Speed and Aperture. The take higher resolution images and contain a series of mirrors that are crucial in the creation of a photograph. While these produce higher quality images, they can run at rather steep prices.
Maybe you should keep some of this information in mind next time you're in the market for a new camera.
Happy photographing!
- Classroom Paparazzi.
"Opening Rally '10"
Taken by me with a Nikon D90 DSLR.
Digital SLR:
These cameras are not for the faint of heart, and are usually the ideal choice for more advanced photographers looking to expand their creative horizons. These cameras differ for traditional "Point-and-Shoot" cameras because they allow you full reign over settings like Shutter Speed and Aperture. The take higher resolution images and contain a series of mirrors that are crucial in the creation of a photograph. While these produce higher quality images, they can run at rather steep prices.
Maybe you should keep some of this information in mind next time you're in the market for a new camera.
Happy photographing!
- Classroom Paparazzi.
"Opening Rally '10"Taken by me with a Nikon D90 DSLR.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Blog Start.
Alright, so I haven't posted a full-fledge blog in about 2 years, but seeing as Ms. Weltchek wants me to start one for Junior English I couldn't say no.
I was told I could write about anything I wanted, and I can honestly say that I had a hard time figuring out what that was going to be until I took a look at my wall. There are pictures everywhere.
You know what they say! "A picture is worth a thousand words" and after 2 years of freelance photography, I can say that I whole-heartedly agree. This blog is where I'm going to express my love for photography with my own photos, equipment, and technical photography insight. Let's do it.
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