Tips from professional photographers. Simple and effective photography tips. Ask yourself what is happening in the photo

Publication date: 03.06.2015

How to make shots interesting, beautiful and understandable to the viewer?

It often happens that you show a friend a frame, and he asks: “What did you shoot here?”. And immediately it becomes somehow sad: either an inattentive comrade did not understand your creative plan; either you didn’t clearly show in the photo what you were so interested in when shooting. How to make a photo more understandable for the viewer? How to convey mood, emotions on it? We will talk about this in the article.

So, let's briefly formulate the first tip:

1. Before shooting, always clearly ask yourself what exactly you are shooting.

The picture will be clear to the viewer when there is a specific object on it, the “hero” of the photo.

How to find the right subject to shoot? Sometimes the subject is obvious, as in the case of shooting a portrait or a specific subject (for example, a book). But sometimes the “protagonist” is not easy to find. For example, when shooting a landscape. Landscape shots often come out empty for novice photographers. By pointing the lens into space, the photographer forgets that some interesting object, the “hero” of the frame, must be present in his picture. As a result, nothing attracts the attention of the viewer. Choose a subject that will make your audience look at the picture. It can be a stand-alone tree, a beautiful house, a bush with flowers, a path ... Anything that may be of interest.

By the way, something "incorporeal" can become the object of shooting. For example, natural phenomena: sunset, snowfall, thunderstorm.

Of course, there can be several main objects in the frame. To avoid confusion in the photo, they must be connected by a plot.

2. Ask yourself what is happening in the photo.

The picture can turn out boring if nothing is happening in the frame. A simple example: in one picture a man is standing with his arms outstretched at his sides, no emotion on his face. On the other - the same man smiles and waves his arms. What frame will be more interesting? The one where a person somehow manifests himself, right?

An excellent subject for a photo can be not only an action, but also a state. Flowers can bloom, the sun can set, and water can flow. Observe the object. Time passes very quickly, and any state of objects is fleeting. Try to show it in a photo.

The complete absence of a plot, idea, or at least some kind of stylistic decision is a common mistake of many staged portraits. To make the frame more interesting, try to evoke emotions in the model. At least - tell her what you want to get in the photo: sadness, joy, passion. And you can make good contact with her, then the emotions from your communication will appear on their own.

The plot for the photo can be some original idea the photographer himself (for example, searching for an unusual point of view on a particular subject). The plot may consist in the transfer of a certain aesthetics, style in the picture. You can also use it as a plot unusual combination objects in the frame: large / small, soft / hard and the like. It all depends on your imagination!

Remember that the task of the photographer is not only to find the plot, but also to convey it expressively in the frame.

It would seem that there is nothing simpler: we are looking for an interesting object and plot, and then we shoot. However, even here we may encounter difficulties. For example, when photographing a person, we will inevitably include other elements in the frame. And our object can drown in unnecessary details. So the next tip is also very simple:

3. Remove everything unnecessary from the frame!

If something is not involved in the plot - feel free to remove this element from the frame! However, it is important to remember that the background, the empty space around the object, can become part of the plot. And some additional details can complement the composition (for example, branches framing the landscape). You need to understand that they are also involved in the plot, and they should be left.

The more compositional elements are involved in your shot, the easier it is for the viewer (and yourself) to get confused in them.

Do not forget that you can independently choose the most favorable point for shooting. Use this when looking for the best angle!

4. Highlight the main thing in the picture!

Sometimes the main object in the photo is “lost”, merging with the background. How to be in this case?

Let's figure out how to select an object in a photo.

Size and shape. Obviously, the subject should be shown in the photo large enough - so that the viewer pays attention to it. Also, the object in the picture will stand out if it has some kind of exceptional, eye-catching shape.

Color and brightness. If your item stands out in color or brightness, it will be hard to miss in the photo. Do not forget that the brightness of an object directly depends on the degree of its illumination. It is enough to send more light to the object than to the background, and it will become brighter.

Sharpness. The subject can be sharpened by blurring the background. This technique is often used in portrait photography. However, in other areas of photography, it is also quite appropriate. How to blur the background in a photo? Blurred background - a consequence of the shallow depth of field. We have a separate lesson on this topic. To achieve a shallow depth of field, it is worth photographing from a more or less close distance, at an open aperture and at maximum zoom.

It is important to keep in mind that these techniques can be applied not only separately, but all together.

5. The background is an important part of the picture!

The environment in which we shoot the hero, the background of the picture is an integral part of it. In order for the photo to be expressive and meaningful, special attention should be paid to working with the background.

The background should match the story. Not only that, it can perfectly complement it. At the same time, the background should not draw all attention to itself. Sometimes it's worth blurring it out by shooting wide open. This is usually done when shooting a portrait, so as not to distract attention from the hero of the frame. And in the landscape, they try to make the background sharp in order to include the whole plot in the depth of field.

When shooting in an apartment, extra things will constantly get into the frame. They will draw attention. It is not very convenient to shoot in the apartment, and there is not much light there. Try to look for other places for a photo shoot - interesting and with good lighting.

6. Use simple layout rules.

Simple frame composition rules are created as a "cheat sheet" for a novice photographer who has not yet developed his own feeling and vision of the frame. Using them, you can easily compose the frame so that it looks harmonious.

The rule of thirds. Contrary to popular belief, positioning the subject exactly in the center of the frame is not always good idea. Try using the rule of thirds. This rule is based on the law of the golden section. Position your subject closer to one of the corners of the frame. Or you can simply place the subject (in the case of a portrait, the character's face(s)) in the top third of the shot.

Conveniently, the rule of thirds grid can be displayed on the camera screen or in the viewfinder.

The rule of thirds allows for great liberties in its use. It is not necessary to check with jewelry precision whether the subject intersects with the intersections of the lines of the rule of thirds. The main point of this rule is to force the novice photographer to remove the subject from the center of the frame and think about the layout.

Don't overwhelm the horizon. A person always focuses on the horizon line, as on a strictly horizontal object. This rule also applies to photography. If everything in the picture is tilted to one side, it will be difficult for the viewer to perceive the photo: it will give the impression that everything is falling somewhere. Pay particular attention to the horizon when shooting landscapes and architecture. To keep the horizon in your photos horizontal, it is enough to remember about it and keep the camera level. Please note that even if there is no horizon line in the picture (for example, we are photographing in a city), the viewer’s eye will look for obviously horizontal and vertical objects (houses, lampposts, apartment walls) in order to orientate in the photo.

To check when shooting if your horizon is not littered, modern cameras have a digital level that you can always display on the screen. And in older models of Nikon DSLRs (for example, Nikon D7200, Nikon D750, Nikon D810) - even on the viewfinder.

Translator's note: This article is an introductory material that gives brief description simple but critical items for professional photography. For beginners, such tips will help to avoid many mistakes and get closer to professionals faster, as well as push them to further study the necessary materials.

If you want to take good photos, these tips, tricks and techniques from top-notch photographer Tigz Rice will help you improve your skills.

Whether you want to take pictures for design work, photograph models for illustrations, or anything else, these tips will come in handy for everyone.

In the next 15 paragraphs, Tigz will cover gear, lighting and editing - everything you need to know to get the best photos.

1. Make a plan

Before you take the camera, make a couple of sketches or a storyboard of what you want to get. This will allow you to stick to a certain idea during the shooting.

2. Background

A solid background color in the studio will make sure that the subject is the focal point and will be easier to separate in case you need to create a composition.

Gray is a great color as it suits most situations well. You can also shoot against a white background for a lighter composition, or black for dark shots.

Whichever background you choose, make sure the background color doesn't match the subject's color.

3. Light sources

Also, if you plan to make a composite image, you need to make sure that all the objects/people in it are shot with the same light source(s).

Before pressing the camera shutter button, think about where the subject will be located and at what angle the light will fall on it. Perhaps it needs to be illuminated from above or below?

It is also worth considering the type and color of lighting. We will talk about this in the next steps.

4. Natural light: "golden hour"

Everyone can benefit from natural light, although its quality varies greatly depending on location, time of day and weather.

If you rely on natural light, the best time to shoot is during the so-called "golden hour". This is the last hour before sunset, when the sun is already close to the horizon.

5. Natural light: hard light

At noon, when the sun's rays fall almost perpendicular to the ground, hard shadows are obtained, especially under the eyes and chin. If you have to shoot at this time of day, place your subject in the shade or use a reflector to diffuse some of the light and soften the shadows.

Alternatively, you can try shooting indoors near a window, using mesh curtains to diffuse the light. However, hard light can be used to your advantage - great for capturing textures!

6. Artificial light

If natural lighting is not an option, you can always create it yourself. Light sources such as lamps can be a great help in illuminating areas of the frame and are probably always readily available.

If you don't want to tread on the beginner's level, a flash, along with wireless shutter releases, or even a set of portable lights, is a good investment.

7. Camera

Obviously, if you want the best results, a DSLR or a compact mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses is a must. Both views provide full control over settings. How to properly dispose of them - read in the following paragraphs.

There are plenty of camera options for every wallet, so you can always find the best model.

8. The right lens

To some, this point may also seem too simple, but it would still be nice to recall it. The lens is an important part of the camera and should be chosen wisely. Each lens has its own focal length, which ranges from wide (14mm) to telephoto (200 - 400mm).

50mm is the best option for most situations if you're just trying your hand at photography and want something cheap, simple, and better than a kit camera lens.

The next step is to invest in 85mm/135mm for portrait and detail shots, and 35mm for landscape photography.

9. Shoot in RAW

If you're using a DSLR or mirrorless, make sure you're shooting RAW and not JPEG.

This will allow the camera to shoot and process images without compression, leaving more room for processing in Lightroom or Photoshop in case you need to correct the exposure.

10. Working in the dark

Whether you're shooting with a DLSR or a compact mirrorless camera, you've got a lot of flexibility in how you control your sensor sensitivity with the ISO control.

The higher the value, the more noise there will be in the picture, so try to set the ISO to the minimum allowable mark. Here are some examples for different situations.

Outside in sunny weather: 100-200
Outside on a cloudy day: 400
In a well lit room: 800-1000
In a dark room: 1600-2000

11. Depth of field

Aperture doesn't just adjust the size of the hole that lets in light, it also controls how much of the frame is in focus depending on the distance.

If you need sharp focus from foreground to background, shoot at f/8 or higher. Otherwise, if you want blurry backgrounds and a sense of depth, experiment with f/1.8.

12. High-speed shooting

Fast shutter speeds (1/200s or faster) are great when you want to freeze the moment, while slow shutter speeds (1s or more) can help convey a sense of movement or create a slow-motion effect.

When working with slow shutter speeds, remember to take a tripod and shutter release with you to prevent camera shake.

13. Different options

Once you've got the shot you want, take a couple more shots, varying the data. The main challenge is posing, so once you're done, try shooting from different angles, settings, and lighting styles. If a lot of time is spent on framing a shot, then this approach can save a lot of time later.

14. Color harmony

If conditions are limited and you have to use different light sources, you may need to correct the colors to make the picture look harmonious.

This can be done with the tool white balance(White Balance) in the Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom module. Or you can read the tutorial.

15. Smart background cropping

After release Adobe Photoshop With CC 2015.5, it's even easier to cut out the background. Why not take advantage of this? Read about it in the article How to use the tools

Often, newbies in photography have a question: where to start as a beginner photographer? For those who are just about to learn the art of photography, we have put together practical tips that will help a novice photographer learn the most important things. Have good camera- half the battle, even less. And to be able to use it correctly is a whole science. Let's figure out what a beginner photographer needs to know.

If you are serious about taking up photography, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Don't chase newfangled technology. A soap dish and a DSLR are different things, there is nothing to argue. But do not try to get the coolest camera and think that the pictures will be of high quality. In skillful hands, even photos taken with a soap dish will look beautiful and bewitching. And vice versa, good reflex camera in the hands of an inept photographer will not make spectacular shots. Everything depends not on pixels and other camera parameters, but on the ability to take pictures, see the frame, and set up the camera. For the first time, an ordinary SLR camera will be enough, you can use it. Here it is important to be careful and not run into a failing equipment. Do not run around the shops in search of a popular and fashionable camera, this can significantly empty your wallet and not lead to the desired effect. Spend this time learning the art of photography.
Once you've got your camera, get to know it. Read the instructions carefully, understand the settings. Pictures taken in auto mode will not have the same effect as photos taken with manual settings. The camera should be your friend. It is important to know the settings up and down in order to always be on “you” with your friend.

Start learning from the basics. Go to courses where the teacher will give the necessary knowledge base, direct you in the right direction. You can ask a knowledgeable person your questions. If you can't take a course, don't be discouraged. Start learning the art of photography on your own by purchasing special literature or using the Internet. Do not be intimidated by the amount of information that will seem overwhelming. Stick to the training plan and in small steps you will come to the result.
Practice. Remember how in the song “I always take a video camera with me”? Also in life. Take your camera with you and take pictures. The more you practice, the better. Learn to see the frame, build a composition, change settings and get used to the camera. This does not mean that you need to thoughtlessly photograph everything in a row, but you should not leave the camera for a long time. Let it be in business, and not gather dust on the shelf.

Try to notice interesting things around. Even if you don't have a camera with you, learn to see good shot, think over the composition and understand how to build the light and what settings to apply. The ability to notice interesting things around you will become a habit over time, which will certainly affect the quality of your pictures.
Don't stop learning. Study pictures of other photographers that you admire, whose work you usually admire. Try to understand what is the secret of their success? What is special about their photographs? Try to take a similar photo, it will not be copying, just one of the steps of learning. It will not work to make exactly such a frame, but you can discover something new for yourself.
Don't stop taking pictures if you don't like your pictures. Try to understand why the frame failed, what's wrong? There is work on mistakes in any school, university, this is a normal process. No one succeeds in doing everything perfectly the first time. We all make mistakes, learn, step on the same rake. The most stubborn reaches the end. Don't be discouraged if the pictures aren't as beautiful as you'd like. Do you think famous photographers succeed with the first press of the camera button? You are deeply mistaken. Sometimes you have to take hundreds, or even thousands of frames, in order to choose the most beautiful 5-6 photos from them, which will cause admiration. The profession of a photographer is labor, the ability to see a frame, make it, process photographs. This is a creative process that requires concentration and diligence. Lazy photographers never succeed. They take mediocre photos, don't learn from their mistakes. Do you want to be numbered among them? Then do not be afraid to make mistakes and go ahead, honing your skills.

You don't have to worry about your camera. For starters, we advise you to buy a used camera that you can take with you everywhere, actively use it, and not follow every scratch or crack. It's a technique! Yes, she is your photographer's assistant, but nothing more. This is not a child who needs constant eye and eye. Of course, you don’t need to carelessly handle the camera, but blow off dust particles too.

Let's take a look at camera settings. What do you need to pay attention to?

Manual shooting modes

M- manual mode;
A/AV- aperture priority, in this case the camera will set the shutter speed;

Advice:
in the case when the shutter speed is 1/60 s, it is recommended to use a tripod.

S/TV- shutter priority, the camera will automatically set the aperture value, it is convenient to use when you need to capture movement in sharpness;
P- program, almost automatic shooting mode, suitable for the first exposure measurement.

exposition

exposition- the amount of light falling on the camera matrix when the shutter is opened. A lot of light - the frame is overexposed, little - underexposed.

Diaphragm A device in the lens that adjusts the size of a circle by changing the amount of light passing through it. The larger the value, the more the aperture is closed, the less light enters the matrix. If you want to shoot a landscape, then use a closed aperture of f / 8, then the entire frame space will be in sharpness. For a portrait, an open aperture of f / 1.4 - 3.5 is an excellent option.

Shoot with a wide aperture in spot focus mode.

exposure meter- this is a scale on the camera screen, in the viewfinder. The exposure meter readings depend on the mode of its operation.

matrix- takes a measurement of a significant part of the frame, suitable for most types of shooting.

Spot metering- produced in the central square. Perfect for shooting in difficult lighting conditions, as well as for shooting portraits.

center weighted- Measures the amount of light throughout the frame, focusing on the central area. It is necessary when you need to take a photo of an object in the center of the frame.

white balance

White balance is the process of adjusting the colors of a photograph according to light sources so that white objects do not appear warm or cold. All colors in a photo depend on the white balance setting. If you change the lighting conditions, then the white balance also needs to be re-adjusted.

Take pictures in RAW format, this will allow you to change the white balance in processing programs.

It is impossible to tell everything for a novice photographer. There is a lot of information, it is constantly updated, appears new technology, respectively, the possibility of using the camera. We shared useful information for beginner photographers. If you feel a great desire to take pictures - do not put it off for later! Maybe a hobby will grow into a life's work.

Most take photos for social networks on smartphones, many take pictures with professional and semi-professional cameras - it has become an art, a fashion hobby and a daily practice. Modern high-quality shooting requires special knowledge and skills.

How to learn to shoot

The success of the shot depends on the photographer, not the high cost of the camera and related equipment. The path to the perfect shot lies through the search for an interesting plot, beautiful light, creativity, the ability to properly set up the camera and equipment.

Choice of technique: instruction

The first step on the way to quality work is choosing a camera. The world of megapixels, sensors, apertures, shutter speeds and lenses seems confusing and complex at first. A storm hits the newbie specifications in which it is difficult to navigate independently. What to pay attention to first of all? A short video about the types of cameras, the principles of operation and the advantages of models will help you to choose equipment consciously.

Manual shooting mode

Having decided to become a professional, it's time to move beyond the automatic shooting mode and master the manual one. An idea about the device of the camera and the processes of work helps to quickly understand the intricacies of manual settings. We offer a detailed lecture where, for clarity and memorization, the internal structure of the camera and its operation are compared with the human eye. No complicated terms at the intersection of anatomy and photography. The video shows examples of settings and the result.

Composition in pictures

The success of a shot is 80% dependent on the composition. Knowledge and application of special rules create depth, space and volume in photography. With the help of compositional techniques, the pros are able to manipulate the viewer's gaze, draw attention to the desired object and create a certain mood. Remember the law of linear perspective from the drawing course at school? The master class will complement school knowledge with two more types of perspectives: aerial and tonal, and will also demonstrate other ways to get a balanced shot.

Focus Masterclass

Knowledge of the basics of composition for a good composition of the frame is not enough. Due to camera and hand shake, incorrect focusing, the image is blurry. Masters prefer manual adjustment, the frame is as clear as possible. The lecturer notes more than fifty focus points. Which way to choose - everyone decides individually and experimentally.

Mistakes with light

Proper lighting guarantees bright shots. Before each click of the shutter, it is recommended to monitor the light sources and its quality. The results of errors with light are sharp shadows on the face, “dirty light”, greenish or faded skin color, “black holes” instead of body parts, smeared silhouettes. A lesson for beginners on the correct placement of light sources and objects in the frame will help to increase the level and quality of work.

How to use an external flash

The design of modern flashes and their functionality are quite complex and hardly amenable to intuitive mastery. In the master class, blog host Mark Rybak talks about flash control, modes and buttons, reflectors and light diffusers, ways to shoot "through the ceiling", "through the walls" and "head on". After watching the video, you will be able to adjust the flash depending on the lens width and focal length, the height and width of the room, and weather conditions. Learn how to avoid overexposure, eye flare, and other professional effects.

Studio work

When shooting in the studio, you can immediately see what the photographer really is: an amateur or a professional. A real specialist is well acquainted with studio equipment and knows how to use it competently. There are several lighting schemes with single and multiple light sources that help to get harmonious shots. The main thing is to place the light sources and reflectors at the right distance and point in the right direction. The result is diffused light and soft shadows. The tutorial video demonstrates a set of lighting schemes for different types of filming.

Shooting a portrait on the street

Natural light footage can look vibrant even without post-processing. A few minutes spent learning the secrets of street photography can save you hours of Photoshop work. The pro talks about the need to switch attention from place to light when choosing a location for shooting. How to learn to see the light? What hours are prohibited for outdoor work? How to position the model relative to the incident light? You will learn the answers from a short video with an example of a successful portrait picture taken on the street.

macro photography lesson

The genre of macro photography allows you to consider the invisible world of nature. Plants and insects enlarged many times seem fabulous, and the frame catches the eye for a long time. A master class on shooting the macro universe is given by master Ilya Gomyranov: he teaches how to create interesting color patterns and dynamics, shows the equipment and the necessary items for such a walk.

Artem Kashkanov, 2019

The article you are reading has been in existence since 2008 and once every couple of years it is thoroughly edited in accordance with current trends and trends in the field of photography - amateur and professional. This is due to the fact that we now live in a critical era, when photography has turned from the lot of professionals and enthusiasts into a general hobby. And not even a hobby, but an integral part of everyday life.

On the one hand, this is very cool, but on the other hand... Photography ceases to be an art because of its mass nature. Every day, millions (or even billions) of the same type of photos with flowers, cats, plates of food, selfies are uploaded to the Internet, and oddly enough, all this finds its audience - “Instagram stars” gain thousands of likes for unsharp photos like “me and my cat". Just because their pictures are understandable and close to the majority. Photos of recognized masters have a much lower rating among the general public - they do not understand them. Their creations will be appreciated by true connoisseurs of art. This is about the same as comparing two areas of music - pop and, say, jazz.

Let's get back to the question - why do you want to learn photography? If you are doing this only because it is “fashionable”, “prestigious” or “friends advised” - do not bother. This "fashion to be a photographer" will pass sooner or later. If you really want to "rise above the hustle and bustle", this article is for you!

What is the best camera to buy for learning photography?

There is a choice of camera on the site, so here I will list only brief theses.

If you really want to learn how to take pictures, you need a camera, not a smartphone. It is highly desirable that this camera be with interchangeable lenses. Smartphones are conceptually sharpened for shooting on the machine. Creativity requires manual mode.
To learn photography, it is not necessary to purchase the most modern and expensive equipment. Now amateur technology has developed so much that it satisfies the requirements of not only amateurs, but also advanced photographers with a large margin.
The main element in a modern camera is the lens. Buying a simpler carcass, but with a cool lens is a perfectly reasonable idea.
The regular ("whale") lens is not as bad as they write and say about it. He gets to the camera almost for free and you should not refuse him. Read more about optics in.
There is no point in chasing the most modern models. They are expensive and usually do not offer any significant advantages over the previous model cameras. Prices for new items are unreasonably high.
Frank "junk" is also not worth buying, well, maybe used for a symbolic price.

Introduction to basic camera features

So, the camera is bought, now we need to get acquainted with its capabilities. To do this, it is advisable to be patient and study the instructions for the camera. Unfortunately, it is far from always written simply and clearly, however, this does not eliminate the need to study the location and purpose of the main controls.

As a rule, there are not too many controls - a mode dial, one or two dials for setting parameters, several function buttons, a zoom control, an autofocus and shutter button. It is also worth learning the main menu items in order to be able to configure things like . image style. All this comes with experience, but over time, you should not have a single incomprehensible item in the camera menu.

It's time to take the camera in hand and try to portray something with it. First, turn on the auto mode and try to take pictures in it. In most cases, the result will be quite normal, but sometimes photos turn out too light or, conversely, too dark for some reason. The time has come get to know such a thing as exposure.

Exposure is the total light flux that the matrix caught during the shutter release. The higher the exposure level, the brighter the photo. Photos that are too bright are called overexposed, and photos that are too dark are called underexposed. It's very short. If you want more details, read on. If you know all this - click on the "skip the boring theory" link.

A bit of boring theory - shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, depth of field.

The picture is exposed when the shutter opens. If fast moving objects enter the frame, then during the time the shutter is opened, they have time to move and the photos turn out to be slightly blurry. The time for which the shutter opens is called endurance.

Shutter speed allows you to get the effect of "frozen motion" (example below), or, conversely, blur moving objects.

Short exposure photo

The shutter speed is displayed as a unit divided by some number, for example, 1/500 - this means that the shutter will open for 1/500 of a second. This is a fast enough shutter speed at which driving cars and walking pedestrians will be clear in the photo. The faster the shutter speed, the faster the movement can be "frozen".

If you increase the shutter speed to, say, 1/125 second, the pedestrians will still be clear, but the cars will already be noticeably smeared. If the shutter speed is 1/50 or longer, the risk of getting blurry photos due to the shaking of the hands of the photographer increases and it is recommended to install the camera on a tripod , or use an image stabilizer (if available).

Night photos are taken with very slow shutter speeds of several seconds and even minutes. Here it is already impossible to do without a tripod.

To be able to fix the shutter speed, the camera has a shutter priority mode. It is designated TV or S. In addition to a fixed shutter speed, it also allows you to use exposure compensation. Shutter speed has a direct effect on the level of exposure - the longer the shutter speed, the brighter the photo.

What is a diaphragm?

Another mode that can be useful is aperture priority mode.

Diaphragm- this is the "pupil" of the lens, a hole of variable diameter. The narrower this aperture, the more IPIG- the depth of the sharply depicted space. Aperture is indicated by a dimensionless number from the series 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, etc. In modern cameras, you can choose intermediate values, for example, 3.5, 7.1, 13, etc.

The more aperture value, the greater the depth of field. Large depth of field is relevant for when you need everything to be sharp - both foreground and background. Landscapes are usually shot at apertures of 8 or more.

A typical example of a photograph with a large depth of field is the zone of sharpness from the grass under your feet to infinity.

The meaning of a small depth of field is to focus the viewer's attention on the subject, and blur all the background objects. This technique is commonly used in . To blur the background in a portrait, open the aperture to 2.8, 2, sometimes even up to 1.4. At this stage, we come to the understanding that the 18-55 mm whale lens limits our creative possibilities, since at a "portrait" focal length of 55 mm, the aperture cannot be opened wider than 5.6 - we begin to think about a fast aperture (for example, 50mm 1.4) in order to get a similar result:

Small depth of field is a great way to switch the viewer's attention from the colorful background to the main subject.

To control aperture, you need to switch the control dial to aperture priority mode (AV or A). At the same time, you tell the device what aperture you want to take pictures with, and it selects all the other parameters itself. Exposure compensation is also available in aperture priority mode.

Aperture has the opposite effect on the exposure level - the larger the f-number, the darker the picture is obtained (a pinched pupil lets in less light than an open one).

What is ISO sensitivity?

You have probably noticed that photos sometimes have ripples, grain, or, as it is also called, digital noise. Noise is especially pronounced in photographs taken in low light. For the presence / absence of ripples in the photographs, such a parameter is responsible as ISO sensitivity. This is the degree of susceptibility of the matrix to light. It is denoted by dimensionless units - 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, etc.

When shooting at the lowest sensitivity (for example, ISO 100), the picture quality is the best, but you have to shoot with a slower shutter speed. With good lighting, for example, during the day on the street, this is not a problem. But if we go into a room in which there is much less light, then it will no longer be possible to shoot at the minimum sensitivity - the shutter speed will be, for example, 1/5 second and at the same time the risk is very high. shakers”, so called because of the trembling of the hands.

Here is an example of a photo taken at low ISO with a long exposure on a tripod:

Note that the swell on the river washed out in motion and gave the impression that the river was not ice. But there is almost no noise in the photo.

To avoid "shake" in low light, you need to either increase the ISO sensitivity in order to reduce the shutter speed to at least 1/50 second, or continue shooting at the minimum ISO and use. When shooting with a tripod at slow shutter speeds, moving objects are very blurred. This is especially noticeable when shooting at night. ISO sensitivity has a direct effect on the exposure level. The higher the ISO number, the brighter the picture will be at a fixed shutter speed and aperture.

Below is an example of a shot taken outdoors at ISO6400 late in the evening without a tripod:

Even in web size, it is noticeable that the photo turned out to be quite noisy. On the other hand, the grain effect is often used as an artistic technique, giving the photograph a "film" look.

Relationship between shutter speed, aperture and ISO

So, as you may have guessed, there are three parameters that affect the level of exposure - shutter speed, aperture and ISO sensitivity. There is such a thing as “exposure step” or EV (Exposure Value). Each next step corresponds to an exposure 2 times greater than the previous one. These three parameters are interrelated.

if we open the aperture by 1 stop, the shutter speed is reduced by 1 stop
if we open the aperture by 1 stop, the sensitivity decreases by one stop
if we reduce the shutter speed by 1 step, the ISO sensitivity increases by one step

Programmed exposure mode

Programmed exposure mode or “P mode” is the easiest creative mode. It combines the simplicity of auto mode and at the same time allows you to correct the operation of the machine - to make photos lighter and darker (exposure compensation), warmer or colder (white balance).

Exposure compensation is usually applied when either light or dark objects dominate the frame. Automation works in such a way that it tries to bring the average exposure level of the image to 18% gray tone (the so-called "gray card"). Please note that when we take more of the bright sky into the frame, the ground turns out to be darker in the photo. And vice versa, we take more land into the frame - the sky brightens, sometimes even whitens. The exposure compensation function helps to compensate for shadows and highlights that go beyond the boundaries of absolute black and absolute white.

Even in the program exposure mode, you can adjust the white balance, control the flash. This mode is convenient in that it requires a minimum of technical knowledge, but at the same time it is able to provide a much better result than full automatic.

Also in program exposure mode, you should be familiar with such a thing as bar graph. This is nothing more than a graph of the distribution of the brightness of the pixels in the picture.

The left side of the histogram corresponds to the shadows, the right side - to the highlights. If the histogram looks "cropped" on the left, then the image contains black areas with lost color. Accordingly, the "cropped" histogram on the right indicates the presence of light areas "knocked out" into whiteness.

Most modern cameras have a "live histogram" function - displaying a histogram over the image in the viewfinder in real time. When adjusting the exposure, the histogram will shift to the right or left, while the picture, respectively, brightens or darkens. Your task is to learn how to control the histogram and not let it crawl beyond its limits. In this case, the exposure of the picture will be correct.

Manual mode

In manual mode, the photographer has the ability to control everything. This is necessary when we need to rigidly fix the exposure level and prevent the camera from being "amateur". For example, darken or lighten the foreground when more or less sky enters the frame, respectively.

Manual mode is useful when shooting in the same conditions, such as when walking around the city on a sunny day. Once adjusted and in all the photos the same exposure level. The inconvenience in manual mode begins when you have to move between light and dark locations. If we go from the street, for example, to a cafe and shoot there at “street” settings, the photos will turn out to be too dark, since there is less light in the cafe.

Manual mode is indispensable when shooting panoramas and all thanks to the same property - maintain a constant exposure level. When using auto exposure, the exposure level will depend heavily on the amount of light and dark objects. We caught a large dark object in the frame - we got sky flare. And vice versa, if light objects predominate in the frame, the shadows have gone into blackness. To glue such a panorama then one torment! So, to avoid this mistake, shoot panoramas in M mode, setting the exposure in advance so that all fragments are correctly exposed.

The result - when merging, there will be no "steps" of brightness between frames, which are likely to appear when shooting in any other mode.

In general, many experienced photographers and photography educators recommend using manual mode as the main one. They are somewhat right - when shooting in manual mode, you completely control the shooting process. You can choose the most correct combination of settings for a given from hundreds of options. The main thing is to know what you are doing and why. If there is no clear understanding of the principles of work in manual mode, you can limit yourself to semi-automatic ones - 99.9% of viewers will not notice the difference :)

In reporting conditions, the manual mode is also not very convenient, since you need to constantly adapt to changing shooting conditions. Many do it tricky - in M mode, they fix the shutter speed and aperture, while "releasing" the ISO. Although the mode selector is M, the shooting is far from being in manual mode - the camera itself selects the ISO sensitivity and flash power, and can change these parameters over a wide range.