Photo Techniques

Techniques and equipment.

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Photo Techniques

Postby bigalpha » Feb 8, 2006 7:34 pm

I take lots of pictures, and I think some are half decent. However, I do not know much about the techniques or about manual cameras (I own a Sony Cybershot and I have an older manual camera). I'm looking for a good resource to explain the workings of the different camera parts and how to use them effectively...thanks

Here is just a super small sampling of some "better" pictures of mine:

Cick Me
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Postby Realms » Feb 8, 2006 7:58 pm

Well man there are numerous sources out there. I'm sure folks will reply with some great ones. There are some publications out there that deal with operation of a manual film camera and digital alike. Check your local book seller and look in the photography section. Two books that helped me a good deal with cave photography were Images Below by Chris Howes and On Caves and Cameras which was just released last fall.

May I ask which Cybershot you own? Some models will give you some manual functions.
Another good resource is to simply study the photos of others. That helped me out so much. Look at how and where they place the lighting. Some will list the camera setting and types of flashes used. There are many ways to learn the tips and tricks but when it all comes down to it, experiment and trying these things yourself will be the key to getting what you want. In the end that is something only you know.

Good luck and check out those resources.

Realms
http://www.realmsofreality.net/
never stop imagining what could someday come to pass...
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Postby rcoomer » Feb 8, 2006 10:03 pm

Go to your local library, or any bookstore and pick up anything from John Shaw.

http://www.johnshawphoto.com/

His books are on traditional photography, but other than film specific items, most of it applies to digital photography, especially when you look at manual techniques required for the best shots.

He also has an ebook on the digital workflow.

For specifics on cave photography see the books listed above.

The best advice is to join a local photo club, or even an online club and watch and learn.

http://www.naturephotographers.net
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Rob Coomer
Fine Art Cave and Nature Photography
http://www.robertcoomer.com
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Postby bigalpha » Feb 8, 2006 10:23 pm

Awesome! I think what I really need help with is using the manual settings. My digi camera, [img=http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05021912sony_dscs60s90.asp]SONY DSC 60[/url] has a lot of manual settings that I can use.

I also have a an old Vivitar manual camera that was given to me -- and I don't know squat about how to use it properly. I don't know what any of the numbers on the lens mean, things like that.

I checked out some stuff from our library here, but none of it was helpful in the way I needed it to be. So, I figured that I'd ask you guys, since you all take awesome pictures.
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Postby Teresa » Feb 9, 2006 11:33 pm

bigalpha wrote:Awesome! I think what I really need help with is using the manual settings.

I also have a an old Vivitar manual camera that was given to me -- and I don't know squat about how to use it properly. I don't know what any of the numbers on the lens mean, things like that.


Numbers around the barrel of the lens are apeture settings in f-stops. Big number is small opening, small number is big opening. The camera (even a manual) should have a meter. Does it work? Meters figure out how much light you need (what f-stop to use, by getting a needle to swing inside a little box, or green or red lights to come on. You also have a shutter speed. This tells you how long the shutter will be open. The smaller the number of the f-stop, the shorter your focal length (i.e. the part of the picture which will have good focus (depth of field). The range of good focus at f.2.8 is much smaller (a few feet) than at f22 (practically to infinity).

Your job, should you choose to accept it: is to combine the shutter speed and the aperture to correctly expose the picture in terms of bright/darkness, and to get your subject into the sharpest focus possible.

Rule of thumb for outdoor photo during the day: f 5.6-8 for cloudy, F 8-11 for partly cloudy, F11-16 for bright sun and F 22 for snow or bright desert.

Shutter speed: 1/60 or 1/125 is standard for daylight shooting of non-moving objects. 1/250 for slowly moving objects, 1/500-1/1000 for stop action. Now, you realize as you go to a shorter shutter speed, you limit the light admitted, so you have to open the aperture to compensate.

You can also compensate by using different film speeds. 125 or 200 ASA is median and 'normal' -- 400-800 is for dim, totally overcast/evening. The faster the film speed, the shorter the exposure needs to be. Conversely 64 speed film takes longer exposures, and for 25, you better have a tripod.

Usually cameras are flash-synched at 1/30 or 1/60 of a second. This means you MUST set the camera to those speeds, and compensate for lack of light via a distance chart (usually dependent on flash rating which are found on most modern flash units) by changing the aperture size based on that chart. This is based on an 18% neutral gray reflectivity--i.e., some ambient light.

In a cave, using only artificial flash, you are furnishing the light. Usually I open the aperture an extra 1 or 2 f-stops from what the flash says and take multiple pictures. This does not apply in an alabaster or white walled cave, which has reflectivity of 18% or more. Also, if shooting an object less than 6 feet away, I don't compensate--there is enough flash you can use the numbers, but even so I will bracket a stop or two.

Buy lots of film. Practice above ground, so you can see what your camera does under different light conditions. Then take it caving.
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da book

Postby tropicalbats » Feb 10, 2006 1:00 am

Alec,

From what I can gather by your questions, what you need is nothing more than the instruction manual to the camera. If you don't have the one for your specific model, anything similar will do. That is a great resource to learn what all the parts are and how they work, which seems to be your question. Probably any major camera store in your area that sells used equipment will have an extra instruction manual around.

However, I'll agree with whoever first said that you probably should take a photography class. I looked at the photo highlights you linked to, and obviously you have some skills. Now get dirty and learn the basics of cameras and how things relate (Teresa's post summarized part of that). It's much easier in a class or as an apprentice.

Being good at photography takes talent, being great takes work, which is why I pretty much have to count on luck.

Keith
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