A SHORT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography can be a rewarding pursuit. It is a broad and disciplined field that can take years to master. But the pleasure in making photographs and the joy of capturing a magical moment cannot be compared. This guide is an introduction to some basic photographic principles.

The lens aperture controls not only exposure, but also depth of field; the area between the closest and the furthest object in focus. The larger the aperture value, the greater the depth of field and the longer the shutter speed needed to make the exposure. The smaller the aperture value, the shallower the depth of field and the faster the shutter speed needed to make the

exposure. Usually landscape photographs use a large depth of field (large aperture value) to keep the foreground and background in focus, and portraits use a shallow depth of field (small aperture value) to separate the subject from the background.

The shutter controls not only exposure, but also the ability to stop motion. Fast shutter speeds are used in sport photography to stop action. Slow shutter speeds can be used to show the flow of motion such as water cascading over a waterfall. The use of a tripod is recommended with slow shutter speeds.

Depth of field also changes with focal length. The wide-angle position of the lens has a large depth of field; the telephoto position has a shallow depth of field.

The change in aperture and shutter speed is not apparent in the live image. Unlike film cameras, test photographs can be taken and immediately viewed. For critical work, take a test photograph at the set aperture or shutter speed and view the result in Quick View. The image can be deleted if not acceptable and another test image can be taken at a different setting.

66 A SHORT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY 67

Page 34
Image 34
Konica Minolta S414 instruction manual Short Guide to Photography