Professional Diploma in PHOTOGRAPHY

Professional Diploma in

PHOTOGRAPHY

SUMMARY NOTESWhat Is Photography?

MODULE 1

THIS FIRST LESSON EXPLORES PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLES AND HOW THEY ARE USED AS FORMS OF COMMUNICATION. THIS LESSON ALSO EXPLAINS THE PROCESS OF CAPTURING AND RECORDING. UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF EXPOSURE, IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUR ABILITY TO CAPTURE THE SCENE, THE WAY YOU SEE IT. FINALLY WE TAKE LOOK AT THE VARIOUS TYPES OF CAMERAS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND WHY YOU WOULD USE ONE OVER THE OTHER.

What is an exposure?1.01Camera Types1.02

1.03 What Is Your Style?

1.04

LESSON 1

Tips To Get Started

WHAT IS EXPOSURE?

1.01What Is Photography?

On earth the primary source of light is from the sun, otherwise artificial light provides a source of light or us. But most objects around us do not emit light and do not have their own natural light source. The way that light allows us to see, is that all objects actually reflect light. Even the blackest object on the planet reflects some amount of light therefore allowing us to see them. So what’s actually happening is that light from sun or some article source is emitting light, its bouncing off or reflecting off objects and then enters our eyes allowing us to see. The pupils in our eyes controls the flow of light entering our eyes. They can opened to a large size and closed down quite small , or essentially get bigger or smaller to restrict light or allow more light in depending on the lighting conditions we are in. Too much light and we will be blinded by the objects, they will be too bright and we won’t be able to see them. Too little light and objects will be too dark and we won’t be able to see them properly. This is essentially exposure. Our eyes need a certain pupil size or setting in order for our vision to be correctly exposed for the scene we are looking at. Too much light and our vision will be over exposed. Too little light and our vision will under exposed.

Exposure works the same way in our photography. The digital sensor, which captures and records our images is light sensitive. Light entering the camera forms an image on the sensor, if we do not control the light entering the cameras our images will either become too bright or too dark. Too much light hitting the sensor and the image becomes over exposed. Not enough light and the image will be under exposed. What we want to achieve is the right level of brightness to replicate the scene as saw it. We refer to this as correct exposure.

We control the Volume of light using the camera’s Aperture.

Light - Aperture

We control the amount of Time that light is let in by setting shutter speed.

Time - Shutter Speed

We can increase or decrease the camera’s sensitivity to the light by altering ISO.

Sensitivity - ISO

To obtain correct exposure we must use 3 different functions and consider 3 different options. In Auto Mode the camera will control these settings for us.

The Exposure Triangle

1.01Module 1 - Lesson 1

CAMERA TYPES

The word camera comes from camera obscura, which means “dark chamber” and is the Latin name of the original device for projecting an image of external reality onto a flat surface. The modern photographic camera evolved from the camera obscura. The functioning of the camera is very similar to the functioning of the human eye. All cameras use the same basic design: light enters an enclosed box through a converging/convex lens and an image is recorded on a light-sensitive medium. A shutter mechanism controls the length of time that light can enter the camera. Most photographic cameras have functions that allow a person to view the scene to be recorded, allow for a desired part of the scene to be in focus, and to control the exposure so that it is not too bright or too dim. As technology has advanced we now have a range of different Camera types, each with its own functions and uses.

• Smart Phone Camera• Compact (Point & Shoot) Camera• Bridge Camera• Mirrorless Camera• Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR)• Medium Format

“All cameras use the same basic design: light enters an enclosed box through a converging/convex lens and an image is recorded on a light-sensitive medium”

What Is Photography?1.02

A camera phone is a mobile phone which is able to capture photographs. Most camera phones are simpler than separate digital cameras. Their usual fixed-focus lenses and smaller sensors limit their performance in poor lighting. The principal advantages of camera phones are convenience, ease of use and compactness.

Smart Phone Camera

• Small & Portable• Lots of Useful Apps

• Instant Sharing

• Limited Control

• Lower Quality Images

• Can Be Very Expensive


A point-and-shoot camera, also known as compact camera, is a still camera designed primarily for simple operation. Most use focus free lenses or auto-focus for focusing, automatic systems for setting the exposure options, and have flash units built in. Point-and-shoots are by far the best selling type of separate camera.

Compact Camera

• Small and portable• Fast and easy to use • Zoom lenses offer options • Small image sensors • Variety of shooting modes • Can be expensive


Bridge cameras are cameras that fill the niche between the single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs) and the point-and-shoot camera. The term “bridge camera” was originally used to refer to film cameras which “bridged the gap” between point-and-shoot cameras and SLRs. Like other cameras, most current bridge cameras are digital.

Bridge Camera

• Larger size• Very convenient for travel • Great for budding photogra-

phers• Offer more control over com-

pacts and phones • Enormous zoom ranges • Lens cannot be changed • Limited in quality compared

to DSLRs


A mirrorless interchangeable lens camera features a single, removable lens and uses a digital display system rather than an optical viewfinder. The word “mirrorless” indicates that the camera does not have an optical mirror.

Mirrorless Camera

• Interchangeable Lens

• Small Size

• Full Control

• Lots of Functions & Modes

• Expensive

• Less Durable• • Range of Available Lens


A digital single-lens reflex camera is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor, as opposed to photographic film. The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a DSLR and other digital cameras. In the reflex design, light travels through the lens, then to a mirror that alternates to send the image to the viewfinder or the image sensor.

Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR)

• Full Control

• Range of Lens Available

• Wide price Range

• Professional Quality

• Knowledge Needed

• Heavier Camera

• Can Be Very Expensive


In digital photography, medium format refers either to cameras adapted from medium-format film photography uses or to cameras making use of sensors larger than that of a 35 mm film frame. Often, medium-format film cameras can be retrofitted with digital camera backs, converting them to digital cameras.

Medium Format

• High Quality Photos

• Large Image Sensors

• High Quality Lens

• Very Expensive

• Challenging to Use

• Cumbersome


WHATS YOUR STYLE?

Landscape photography illustrates the beauty of a natural world. Landscape it is not always filled with mountains, lakes and trees but can be Urban set.

Landscapes

Portraiture refers to photographing a person or group of people to capture their expression, personality and mood. Typically but not always the face is usually the focus of the image.

Portraits

Location is often important for sports photography. At big events, professional photographers often shoot from VIP spots with the best views, usually as close to the action as possible

Sports & Action

Wildlife photography is a genre of photography concerned with documenting various forms of wildlife in their natural habitat.

Wildlife

Food photography is a style of photography aimed at capturing images of food in a creative, attractive and interesting way.

Product & Food

The style revolves around shooting People bets or newborns and is very popular. It can include techniques from Portraiture.

Family, Newborn & Pets

Photojournalism is similar to documentary photography in that you are usually highlighting a particular subject or issue. However the difference with photojournalism is that the subject you are photographing is a current event.

Photo Journalism


Landscape

Wildlife


TIPS TO GET STARTED

One of the best investments you can make is a solid tripod. A good tripod will last a long time. Be sure to try before you buy.

Tripods

Auto focus systems have advanced but can still get it wrong. They can be noisy or slow. Manual focus allows for greater control and seamless focus changes.

Manual Focus

We make connections through the eye contact, this is were the view looks first. Always take care to ensure that the eyes are sharp.

Focus on the Eyes

Don’t just shoot from eye level. Mix it up with angles to keep your viewer engaged and tell your story in an interesting and unique way.

Angles

Experiment with your photography. Photograph new subjects. Take your time and keep learning and improving. Share your photos and don’t be hard on yourself.

Enjoy

The word “photography” was created from the Greek word (phōtos) meaning “light“ and (graphé) meaning drawing”, together meaning “drawing or painting with light”.


What Is Photography?

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Professional Diploma in PHOTOGRAPHY

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