Photography Basics: A Complete Guide

What is Photography? •Photography is the art and science of capturing light to create images. Whether it’s a fleeting moment, a striking landscape, or an intimate portrait, photography allows us to preserve memories and convey emotions. It is the art of capturing light with a camera usually with a film or digital sensor.

Schematic for DSLR and Mirrorless camera

2. History of Photography

•Camera Obscura-First known camera from 400-300BC. Similar to pinhole cameras did not take photographs, but rather focused the light through a lens (a small hole) and projected it onto a screen.

•The photographic camera: Historians believe that the first photographic camera was invented in 1816 by Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce and a photograph he produced on a paper-lined with silver chloride in 1826 is the oldest surviving photograph.

•Kodak-Film cameras in the late 1800s. A single Kodak camera came with 100 exposures and had to be sent back to the Eastman Kodak factory in Rochester, New York, for development

•35mm film camera: Between 1905 and 1913, camera companies introduced standalone rolls of 35mm film that could be inserted into and removed from the user’s own camera.

•From the daguerreotypes of the 1830s to modern digital cameras, photography has evolved immensely, shaping how we see the world.

Newer cameras

3. DX vs. FX Sensors

•Digital cameras often feature DX (crop sensors) or FX (full-frame sensors).

•Camera manufacturer’s designation regarding their camera sensor

•Fx sensors are equivalent to a frame of 35mm film, Dx or cropped-frame sensor is smaller

•Nikon uses Dx and Fx, Canon uses EF and EF-S

•Fx-low light, high dynamic range, better DOF but heavier, expensive and can use designated lenses that are more expensive

•Dx- Lower price, smaller and lighter, telephoto effect but smaller dynamic range and lower performance

*adobe website

4. Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO

These three elements control how light interacts with your camera.

•Shutter speed- The length of time the camera shutter is open

•Aperture- The size of the opening in a lens through which light passes to enter the camera. It is like the “pupil” of the lens. Aperture is also referred to as f-stop. Large f-stop numbers refer to small openings, where as small f-stop numbers refer to large openings. This is because f-stop= focal length/diameter

•ISO-The camera setting that determines how quickly the sensor/film captures an image. Low ISO will produce darker images with low noise, high ISO will produce brighter images with high noise.

•Exposure triangle- How the above three work together to produce a photo that is properly exposed image. If one variable changes, at least one of the others must also change to maintain the correct exposure. For any photograph, there is only one mathematically correct exposure but that may not be the most creative one.

•What is a “Stop” of Exposure in Photography? An exposure stop is a doubling or a halving of the amount of light during a particular exposure. A stop is not an absolute measure but a relative measure.

5. The Exposure Triangle-The exposure triangle is the relationship between shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Mastering this concept ensures balanced and creative exposures.

The Exposure Triangle

5. How do we put all of this together?

A stop of light

6. Various camera modes– Modern cameras feature modes like Program (P), Aperture Priority (A/Av), Shutter Priority (S/Tv), and Manual (M). Each mode provides varying levels of control.

7. Manual mode

•Manual mode gives you full control over your camera settings, empowering you to bring your creative vision to life.

•In manual exposure mode, you control both shutter speed and aperture.

•While the exposure meters are on, use the command dials to select aperture or shutter for creative purpose

•Select analogous Aperture or shutter speed to get proper exposure

•Shutter speed can be set to values between 30 s and 1/8000* s, or the shutter can be held open indefinitely in “Bulb” mode for a long time-exposure

8. Depth of field and Bokeh

In simple terms, how much of your image is in focus and sharp.

Technical definition-Distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that are in acceptably sharp

focus from an image captured with a camera

Same scene in both panels

Bokeh-Bokeh (pronounced bow·kay)- The effect of a soft out-of-focus. Background when the subject or scenery is shot at a wide aperture

Portrait with shallow depth of field and lights in Bokeh

9. How do we put everything together?

10. Long exposure photography

Long exposures create dreamy effects like silky waterfalls or light trails. Many phones now have modes to simulate this effect.

Skógafoss-Waterfall in Iceland

11. Wildlife and Sports Photography

Capturing fast-moving subjects requires fast shutter speeds and good timing. Telephoto lenses are often essential.

12. Astrophotography

Astrophotography involves capturing celestial objects. Use a tripod, wide aperture, and long exposures to photograph stars and the Milky Way.

Photograph of the milky way in Tanzania

13. Macro (or micro) Photography

Macro photography captures extreme close-ups of tiny subjects, revealing intricate details. A macro lens or extension tubes are often necessary.

14. Portrait Photography and Lighting Considerations

Portraits often require a blend of natural and artificial light. A light meter helps achieve proper exposure. Flash impacts the exposure triangle by reducing the need for high ISO or wide apertures.

Capturing the Moment: Celebrating Success with Stunning Graduation Portraits 🎓✨

15. Portrait Mode on Phones

Modern smartphones use computational photography to create shallow depth-of-field effects, mimicking professional cameras.

•Can you use your cell phone to take portraits?

•Can you achieve a shallow depth of field and lovely bokeh effect?

•Newer phones with dual cameras (or more) can mimic the result by using two or more different lenses. Although not a true bokeh, dual or multi-camera phones take multiple photos with different settings and combine them as one.

•Several third-party apps can also create a Bokeh effect. These applications use software to create a soft aesthetically pleasing effect.

16. Organizing, Cataloging, and Editing

Efficient workflows in Lightroom (LR), Photoshop (PS), Topaz, or Luminar help organize and enhance your photos. Editing can bring out colors, adjust exposure, and remove distractions. Incorporation of AI based tools in photo editing has made the traditional Adobe software’s to include it too

My workflow

17. Editing: A High-Level Discussion

Editing is where creativity shines. Tools allow you to fine-tune images, create composites, or stylize photos with presets.

18. Conclusion

Photography is a journey of constant learning. Beyond the auto mode lies a world of creativity and control. Experiment, learn, and most importantly, enjoy the process.