Getting to Know Your Camera
A lot of people that enjoy taking photos will eventually make the leap to a DSLR camera. Unfortunately for many of those same people, the camera ends up being so intimidating with its many buttons and settings, that they never make the leap from using the auto settings to the manual.
The first step to taking more personal and artistic photos is using those manual settings. Getting to know what your camera is capable of, and what the different settings are can be extremely helpful to getting the results you want.
Aperture/F Number
The aperture or F-number on your camera controls the depth of field, or where the focus will be on your photos. The lower the F-number, the blurrier the background will be in your photos. At the same time, the lighter your photos will be, because the lens will be letting in more light.
Shutter Speed
Your shutter speed determines how much light is let in, and therefore how clear and crisp your photos will be. The faster the shutter speed, the clearer your photos will be. Keep in mind, however, that in lower light settings, you may need to lower your shutter speed to let in more light.
ISO
Your ISO has to do with light, and how grainy your photos will be. The lower the ISO, the less grain your photos will have, but the darker your setting or the more your subjects are moving, the higher your ISO needs to be. Ideally, you want to shoot in the lowest possible ISO for your setting. Portraits and outdoor shots should be done around 100, but indoor shots are better at 400, and sports shots may get the best results at 800. You may need to play around to find the right setting for the situation.
RAW
You also have options on a DSLR in what format you take the photos in. RAW format gives you the most flexibility over the photo after you take it, meaning that you have a greater ability to manipulate things like your white balance or your colors than you will in a compressed format such as JPEG. Shooting in RAW format is usually a good idea if you plan to update your photos in photo editing software later.
Settings on the Dial
Your camera also has multiple settings or levels that you can choose to shoot in, all of which are shown on the dial of your camera.
• Auto setting means that your camera will pick the shutter speed, ISO, and aperture for each situation without your input.
• P means program mode, and means that you can choose from a set of preprogrammed settings, giving you slightly more control than auto mode will.
• The S setting on your camera will allow you greater control over the shutter speed; you pick the shutter speed, and the camera will adjust the other settings to match.
• The A setting works the same way, only with aperture; you choose the aperture and the camera will fill in the other settings.
• Manual setting allows you to choose individual settings for each of the different areas. This gives you the most control over every photo that you take. You will have to individually set the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed for each photo.
Get to know your camera to start taking better photos with a great control over the results than you were previously.