1. Buxton & District U3A Digital Photography Beginners’ Group 29 October 2013 Lesson 4:Camera Modes and Scenes & Composition Part 2 © Copyright John Estruch

2. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Programme 19 SeptemberExploring your camera 1 OctoberYou’ve taken some pictures now what? (Viewing pictures; filing on your computer) 15 OctoberPrinting & Composing a better picture (part 1) 29 OctoberCamera modes/scenes & Composing a better picture (part 2) 5 NovemberSimple editing to improve your pictures 19 NovemberUnderstanding exposure 3 DecemberControlling exposure/focal length/perspective/composition for a better picture & Taking Pictures of people 17 DecemberEverything you want to know about digital photography but never dared ask. © Copyright John Estruch

3. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Last Time Printing photos – What are the options for printing Photos – Explore the different options – Printing calendars, photo-books etc. Composition Part 1 © Copyright John Estruch

4. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Last Time Specialist photo-printer Ink-jet printer High Street shop On-line print service Options for printing Photos © Copyright John Estruch

5. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Last Time Most on-line services (and shops) have more advanced print services: Large framed prints Calendars Books Mugs etc. Printing Calendars etc. © Copyright John Estruch

6. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Last Time Composition part 1 1.Look at what is in the picture 2.Avoid the middle / fill the frame 3.The “rule of thirds” 4.Frame the picture 5.Leading lines © Copyright John Estruch

7. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Homework Try printing at home (if you have a printer): Have a look at the on-line print services – Try uploading pictures to print (you don’t have to pay until the end – so you can just try) Think about Xmas presents. Take some pictures, thinking about the composition – bring your favourites to the next session. © Copyright John Estruch

8. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners This Time How to improve my pictures. Camera modes and scenes Composition part 2 © Copyright John Estruch

9. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Cameras have lots of settings But not all cameras are the same: © Copyright John Estruch

10. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners “Point and shoot” Automatic Mode You frame the picture & camera takes the picture according to the programme set up by manufacturer Takes perfectly good pictures Sometimes it’s possible to do better Sometimes it’s just no good. Programme Mode In some cameras (e.g. my DSLR) this is “automatic” mode In many cameras (modern compact cameras) there are many options under Programme Mode The different options try to deal with situations when Auto doesn’t work – most of the time © Copyright John Estruch

11. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Modes /scenes Manufacturers give you options to take pictures that might not come out perfectly in Auto Mode Called “Mode” or “Scene” – varies between cameras but some common ideas. May deal with: Close upFar awayMovingDarkBright High Contrast IndoorsSunlightSunsetBacklighting FacesPanoramaSpecial effects …….. © Copyright John Estruch

12. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Most Common Modes Macro/Close-Up - This mode used for taking close-up pictures. Portrait - Camera will try to focus on the foreground and may blur the background. Landscape - Camera will attempt to capture detail in both foreground and background. Sports - Camera will try to freeze the motion in an action shot. © Copyright John Estruch

13. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Other Modes/Scenes Any 2 cameras (even if same manufacturer) will probably have different options So you really need to look at your own camera and manual. Lets do it now ……..

14. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Or you can take control Aperture Priority Shutter Priority Manual More about these in a future session © Copyright John Estruch

15. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners This Time How to improve my pictures. Camera modes and scenes Composition part 2 – Zoom & Perspective © Copyright John Estruch

16. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners 18 mm 1x 39 mm 2x 100 mm 5.5x 250 mm 14x Wide Angle Telephoto SLR Compact What’s focal length all about? © Copyright John Estruch

17. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Homework 1- Zoom / Magnification 1.Make sure you know how to change the focal length (zoom) on your camera. 2.Take a range of pictures of similar scenes at different focal lengths. i.Find out how to get the focal length information from the camera or on the PC when you have downloaded the picture ii.How much bigger is an object if you double the focal length? 3.Find what is the closest distance you can focus on an object? How does it change as you zoom in and out? © Copyright John Estruch

18. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Perspective (relative size of objects at different distances) How can I make the bollards look bigger? Zoom………. Or get closer. Relative sizes of bollard, car and road sign stay the same. Bollard has got relatively much larger than sign and house. © Copyright John Estruch

19. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Perspective – what happens to parallel lines 45mm lens 1 m distance 140mm lens 3 m distance Wide angle and close to front bottle makes closer bottles appear relatively larger so parallel lines running along top and bottom of bottles come together quickly Long focal length and further from front bottle makes closer bottles appear relatively less difference in size so parallel lines running along top and bottom of bottles come together gradually © Copyright John Estruch

20. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners What happens when I get closer? © Copyright John Estruch

21. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Homework 2- Experiment with Perspective 1.Experiment with taking shots with different perspective of the same scene: i.Take shots closer with wider angle then move back and take shots with longer focal length. ii.How do the relative sizes of foreground and background objects change? iii.How does this change the emphasis on the objects in the picture? (Composition?) 2.Take pictures looking along a street. Again take shots closer with wider angle lens and further back with longer focal length. i.Find a line joining points of similar heights along the street (e.g. along the top of the buildings or joining 1 st floor windows). ii.Compare this to a line running along the foot of the buildings. iii.How does the angle between these lines compare if I move back to take the shot? iv.How does the angle compare if you stay in the same place and change the focal length? © Copyright John Estruch

22. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Next Time Simple editing to improve your pictures © Copyright John Estruch

23. Buxton & District Digital Photography Beginners Course notes I will put this presentation on the Buxton and District U3A website at : http://u3asites.org.uk/code/u3asite.php?site=179&page=25298 Or 1.Go to www.buxtonu3a.org.ukwww.buxtonu3a.org.uk 2.Select “Groups” 3.Select “Digital Photography: Beginners” 4.Select “materials from previous sessions” from the links on right hand side of page © Copyright John Estruch