Digital SLR Settings and Shortcuts For Dummies^®

Introduction

Many people graduate to a digital SLR and think it’s the ticket for creating great photos. Well it is, but there’s a bit of technique involved. Part of that is your creativity and the way you see the world around you. You translate the vision that is in your head into an image when you capture it with your digital SLR.

To fully master your digital SLR and create compelling photos, you have to venture forth into a brave new world that involves making decisions about settings that will enable you to capture the images you see in your mind’s eye. This does not happen when you shoot in your camera’s Automatic mode. When photographers have the urge to branch out, they turn to the manual for help. And then they get more confused. Which is where this book comes in. My goal in writing this book was to demystify taking photographs with a digital SLR.

About Digital SLR Settings & Shortcuts For Dummies

If you need to know how to photograph your children playing sports, there’s a chapter for that. If you want to know how to photograph a racecar traveling 200 miles per hour, there’s a chapter for that as well. In fact there are 100 chapters that show you which settings to use to take specific images.

Some of the things you can do with this book include learning to

Determine which shooting mode to use for each picture-taking scenario.

Photograph marathoners running, bicyclists racing, and horses galloping.

Photograph artists at work, waterfalls, and pet birds.

Photograph a newborn baby, animals in the wild, and city skylines.

Overcome the challenges and pitfalls inherent to certain picture-taking scenarios. (I include a “Troubleshooting” section at the end of each chapter to help you overcome these challenges.)

Master depth of field to control what's in focus.

Make the histogram work for you.

Calculate the 35mm equivalent of a focal length.

In addition, you’ll learn many tips and tricks from a professional photographer who’s been there, done that.

Foolish Assumptions

There are certain prerequisites for using this book effectively. First and foremost, you must have a digital SLR with at least one lens. Second you must have the desire to break free from the point and shoot mentality and stop using the automatic and scene modes. You must also have the desire to be a better photographer. Your digital SLR is a wonderful tool for expressing to others how you see the world. But it takes some thought and creativity to create a picture that makes people give it more than just a casual glance. If you have the desire to break free from the mode of point and shoot photography, read on.

Conventions Used in This Book

To help you navigate this book efficiently, I use a few style conventions:

Terms that I want to emphasize are italicized (and defined).

Web site URLs are shown in a special monofont typeface, like this.

Numbered steps that you need to follow are set in bold.

What You Don’t Have to Read

This book is designed to show you how to master specific picture taking scenarios. You don’t have to read every chapter in this book, only the ones that pertain to the pictures you want to take. If you really want to cut to the chase, you don’t have to read the introductory paragraph in each chapter.

What I Encourage You to Read

I do suggest that you read the “Setting the Camera” section of each chapter. This section shows you the logic behind the settings I suggest you use to take each type of picture. I also suggest that you read the steps in the “Taking the Picture” section as they contain important information and tidbits related to taking the photo. So if you’re in a real hurry to learn how to take a picture of your wife twirling a baton while cooking tacos — kidding — or any picture scenario in this book, all you need to do is open the book to the chapter, dial the Camera Settings into your camera, read through the steps, and take the picture. And please take lots of pictures. That’s how you’ll master the settings and steps and make them your own.

I also strongly suggest that you read the appendix: “Beyond Point and Shoot Photography.” This appendix contains a lot of information about digital photography, including some very important information about the sensor in your camera model, and the difference it can have on the way a lens sees the scene in front of you. All digital camera sensors are not created equal.

If you don’t have time to read the entire appendix, please read “Understanding focal lengths.” This section takes about five minutes to read and demystifies what different focal lengths will do and how these focal lengths react on cameras with different size sensors.

How This Book Is Organized

Digital SLR Settings & Shortcuts For Dummies is split into six parts. You don’t have to read it sequentially, and you don’t even have to read all the chapters in any particular part. You can use the Table of Contents and the index to find the information you need and quickly get your answer. In this section, I briefly describe what you’ll find in each part.

Part I: Action

This part of the book shows you how to photograph action. If you’ve wanted to photograph a marathon runner, a bike racer, or freeze a racecar dead in its tracks, you’ll find out how to take those kinds of pictures in this part. You’ll learn some creative techniques for portraying motion artistically as well.

Part II: Animals

If you want to create a portrait of your cat, take a picture of your dog catching a Frisbee, or photograph birds, I show you how to take these kinds of pictures and more in this part of the book. I also show you which settings and techniques to use to photograph animals in the wild, dangerous animal, and birds of prey.

Part III: Landscapes and Nature

If you live near a beautiful state park, or are going on vacation to a place like Yosemite, this is the section where I show you the settings you use to capture great pictures of the landscapes and nature you find there. In this section, I show you the settings to use to take pictures of waterfalls, sunsets, mountain ranges, rainbows, flowers, and much more.

Part IV: People

Whether you want to create a great portrait of your wife, or capture a candid shot of your child being himself, this is the part of the book where I show you how to take these types of pictures. You’ll also find settings you use to photograph weddings, people at work, and so on.

Part V: Places

There are interesting things in the places you visit and the place where you live. In this part, I show you how to photograph these things. So if you have a beautiful church, historic buildings, or memorable skyline you want to photograph, check out the chapters in this part.

Part VI: Things

If you’ve had your share of photographing people and places, you may be interested in photographing things like buildings, lighthouses, cars, motorcycles, and so on. If so, the chapters in this section are right up your alley.

The Appendix: Beyond Point and Shoot Photography

The appendix introduces you to the wonderful world of digital SLR photography. It demystifies technical photography terms in non-technical lingo. It introduces you to the different shooting modes you’ll use and discusses other items such as lens focal lengths, how an image is exposed, and much more.

Read this appendix before you read any other part of the book, and you’ll have a huge heads up on the information I discuss in each chapter.

Icons Used in This Book

What’s a Dummies book without icons pointing you in the direction of really great information that’s sure to help you along your way? In this section, I briefly describe each icon I use in this book.

The Tip icon points out helpful information that is likely to make your job as a photographer easier.

This is like a virtual piece of string. When you see this icon, it contains a fact that you should remember to help you perform the task at hand more efficiently.

This icon notes a pitfall that your friendly author has discovered so that you won’t make the same wrong move.

When you see this icon, you’ll find an interesting technique to try that’s associated with the photograph I show you how to create.

Where to Go from Here

Now that you’ve read the Introduction, you have a good idea of what’s in this book. To learn the settings and steps involved in taking a specific photograph, jump to the Table of Contents or index. Find the chapter for the type of photograph you want to take, read that chapter, and take some photographs.

Refer to this book whenever you need settings to take a specific type of photo. But first I recommend you read the appendix, “Beyond Point and Shoot Photography.” After you do, the individual chapters will be much easier to digest.

Use your camera often, take lots of pictures, and have a great time taking pictures of the people, places, and things that matter to you.

Please note that some special symbols used in this eBook may not display properly on all eReader devices. If you have trouble determining any symbol, please call Wiley Product Technical Support at 800-762-2974. Outside of the United States, please call 317-572-3993. You can also contact Wiley Product Technical Support at www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Part I

Action

If you like action such as a marathon runner racing toward the finish line, a horse and rider negotiating a steeplechase obstacle, or a race car gobbling up asphalt at top speed, but don’t know how to capture the beauty of motion and speed with your digital camera, the chapters in this part will get you going in the right direction. In this part, I show you the settings to use to freeze action and to artistically depict the beauty of athletes and machinery in motion.

Chapter 1: Children Playing Sports

Corbis Digital Stock

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot or Continuous

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/250 of a second

ISO Setting: The lowest ISO setting for available light conditions

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: 100mm or longer (35mm equivalent; see “Understanding focal lengths” in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

If you’re a soccer mom, you probably drive your kids to and from each soccer practice and match. Did you ever think of taking pictures of your children while they play? The resulting pictures can provide many wonderful memories in years to come. You just need to bring your camera to every practice and match. Your camera gear, your wonderful athlete, and the settings in this chapter provide the recipe for some wonderful images.

Setting the Camera

You may find creating great pictures of your children playing sports very rewarding. You can be the proud dad who shows all your coworkers what a great athlete and kid you’re raising. You can use a Single Shot Drive mode for this type of photography or Continuous Drive mode to capture a series of images of your child scoring a goal. To stop action, shoot in Shutter Priority mode. The suggested shutter speed freezes the action. The focal length gets an up-close-and-personal image without requiring that you get up close and personal when taking it.

Taking the Picture

You have to be quick when you’re photographing children playing sports. Unless you’re really fit, they can give you a run for your money — especially if you’re photographing football practice while your son is racing down the field toward the goal line.

1. Enable the camera settings discussed earlier in this chapter.

2. Patiently wait until the kids begin playing.

3. When your child is ready to score a goal or do something exciting, zoom in on her, and then press the shutter button halfway to achieve focus.

When you photograph with Continuous Auto-Focus mode enabled, the camera updates focus when your child moves, as long as you keep your finger pressed halfway on the shutter button. You may have difficulty composing an image when your child is in the heat of battle, but do your best. If your child is at a practice session, ask the coach whether you can get near the sidelines and photograph your child dribbling the soccer ball (see Figure 1-1).

PureStock

Figure 1-1: Photograph your athlete from a unique vantage point.

4. Press the shutter button fully to take the picture.

If you photograph by using Continuous Drive mode, the camera continues taking pictures as long as you continue to hold your finger on the shutter button. The camera stops taking pictures when you release the shutter button.

Tag along when your husband teaches your son how to bowl or play pool and then find an interesting vantage point. If your son is learning how to play pool, take a shot from overhead as your husband positions your son’s hand over the pool cue. If your son is learning how to bowl, walk down the lane (when it is almost empty), and photograph your husband showing your son how to hold the ball. Just make sure your son doesn’t send the ball down the alley while you’re still there.

Troubleshooting

My child is not in focus. Make sure the auto-focus point is your son when you press the shutter button halfway, and make sure the auto-focus point illuminates to signify that the camera has focused on your child.

The depth of field is too shallow. You may have this problem when you photograph a sporting event in low-light conditions. To compensate for the low light, the camera chooses a larger aperture, which results in a shallow depth of field. In some instances, such as when you’re photographing action (for example, your child running for a touchdown), you want to use a shallow depth of field. When you’re photographing several children in action, you need a larger depth of field. To increase the depth of field, increase the ISO rating.

Chapter 2: Runners

Athletes in motion personify beauty, grace under pressure, and power. If you’ve ever watched any type of a track and field event, or a marathon, you know that running isn’t for wimps. You also know that capturing an artistic image of a runner involves more than just freezing the action of the runner.

When you photograph a solitary runner, you want to capture the beauty of the runner’s fluid motion, which you can do by using the settings in this chapter.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/15 of a second

ISO Setting: 100

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: Varies (see “Understanding focal lengths” in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

Setting the Camera

For this type of photography, you shoot in Shutter Priority mode with a slow shutter speed. The low ISO setting gives you a noise-free image — as well as a small aperture, but depth of field is really not important with this type of photography. You’re rendering an abstract image that shows the beauty of an athlete in motion. The runner’s torso and head are recognizable, but his legs and arms are an artistic blur of motion. You use continuous auto-focus so that the camera updates focus continuously while you pan the camera with the runner. Your proximity to the runner determines your focal length. Image stabilization can help you correct for any up-and-down movement while you pan the camera with the runner.

Taking the Picture

When you photograph an athletic event, such as a track meet or a marathon, your vantage point is extremely important. If you photograph a track meet from the sideline, you need an unobstructed view of the runners. Photographing runners at a marathon also requires an unobstructed view, but you face different challenges at a marathon. You have to contend with city streets, buildings, and a lot of spectators. In either case, you need to arrive early to get a good spot from which to view and photograph the event. If you’re photographing a marathon, you can move around a bit, first photographing all runners when they leave the starting line, and then positioning yourself where you can more easily photograph individual runners during the race.

1. Choose a vantage point where the runners will be passing an innocuous background, such as a group of trees.

If you don’t, the background may detract from the image.

2. Enable the camera settings discussed earlier in this chapter.

3. When a runner you want to photograph comes into view, frame her in the viewfinder, zoom in, and compose the picture.

Leave some room in front of the runner to give the viewer the impression that the runner is going somewhere.

If you’re photographing a marathon, capture a close-up picture of the runner’s head and shoulders by using the settings in Chapter 68 when the runner nears the finish line. The runner’s face will be etched in pain, and his hair will be matted with sweat, even on a cold day. You’ll end up with a great shot that shows the pain and agony the runner goes through to complete a marathon.

4. Press the shutter button halfway to achieve focus.

5. Pivot smoothly from the waist to pan the camera with the runner.

6. Press the shutter button fully to take the picture and follow through.

Create a story surrounding the event. Photograph the group when they leave the starting line, and then take several shots of your favorite runners by using the technique and settings in this chapter. Make sure you get a stop-action photo of your favorite runner crossing the finish line with her finishing time as part of the picture (see Figure 2-1). This of course requires a faster shutter speed to freeze the action of the runners as they cross the line. Use a shutter speed of 1/250 of a second or faster.

Figure 2-1: Tell the story of the event.

Troubleshooting

The runner’s head appears to be bobbing up and down. You don’t hold the camera perfectly level while you pan. If you move the camera up or down while panning, the runner appears to be bouncing up and down. Image stabilization can also cure this problem if your camera or lens has this feature.

The runner is tilted. You tilt your body while panning. Make sure you’re perfectly upright while you pan with the runner.

Chapter 3: Bikers

If you enjoy events such as the Tour de France and have bike races or triathlons in your area, you can capture the thrills of a bike race digitally with you camera. Professional bike riders can attain tremendous speeds on their ultra-lite bikes. You can use the same techniques the pros use to capture compelling photos of bike racers, whatever the bikers’ speed. When a biker is traveling perpendicular to you, pan the camera with the subject to capture the essence of motion. With amateur bikers, you use a fairly slow shutter speed, which creates a dreamy look that makes the rider look like he’s going much faster than he is. You use the same technique with professional bike riders — albeit with a faster shutter speed.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/15 to 1/30 of a second

ISO Setting: 100

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: Varies (see “Understanding focal lengths” in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

Setting the Camera

For this type of photography, you shoot in Shutter Priority mode with a slow shutter speed, which gives you a slightly blurry picture that captures the essence of speed. The low ISO setting gives you a noise-free image, as well as a small aperture, but depth of field is really not important with this type of photography. The bike will be readily identifiable, but the wheels will be blurred and the detail will be soft because of the slow shutter speed. You use continuous auto-focus so that the camera updates focus continuously while you pan the camera. Image stabilization is helpful to correct for any up-and-down movement of the camera while you pan the camera to track the biker.

If you’re photographing fast bike riders, use a shutter speed of 1/30 of a second. You’ll still have a nice blurry background, but the bike rider will be in relatively sharp focus.

Taking the Picture

When you photograph an athletic event, your vantage point is extremely important. You need an unobstructed view of your subject. If you’re photographing a triathlon, the bikers won’t leave in a group, but you can get shots of them while they change from their swimming gear to biking gear. Then it’s a matter of following these steps to get a great picture:

1. Choose a vantage point where the bikers pass a non-descript background, such as a solid colored wall or dense shrubbery.

A busy background distracts the viewer’s attention from your subject.

2. Enable the camera settings discussed earlier in this chapter.

If you choose a focal length longer than 80mm, increase the shutter speed to 1/50 of a second.

3. When a biker you want to photograph comes into view, frame her in the viewfinder, zoom in, and then compose the picture.

Leave some room in front of the biker so that your picture gives the viewer the impression that the rider is going somewhere.

4. Press the shutter button halfway to achieve focus.

5. Pivot smoothly from the waist to pan the camera with your subject.

6. Press the shutter button fully to take the picture and follow through.

Every event — such as a triathlon that includes swimming, bicycling, and running portions — has a beginning, middle, and end. To document a whole triathlon, first photograph the athletes going through their pre-race rituals such as stretching and limbering up. Then photograph the start of the triathlon, when the group races from the start line and splashes into the water to begin the swimming portion of the event. Next take pictures of the bikes queued up for the riders (see Figure 3-1). Photograph the athletes as they don their biking gear and race off into the distance. Then photograph the transition when the athletes begin the running portion of the event. Finally, photograph the athletes as they race to the finish line, and then photograph them recuperating.

Figure 3-1: Tell the story of the event.

Troubleshooting

The biker is not in focus. This problem happens when the camera doesn’t achieve focus on your subject, and unfortunately, it’s inevitable when you do a lot of panning. When your subject comes into view, make sure the auto-focus point is over your subject and that the point is illuminated, which indicates that the camera has focused on the right subject.

The picture isn’t level. Make sure the camera is level with the ground before you take the picture, and keep your body upright while you pan. If you tilt your body while panning, the camera is not level, hence the picture is not level.

The resulting image doesn’t seem as sharp as it could be. Make sure you follow through. If you stop panning when you press the shutter button, the image won’t be really sharp because your subject is still moving and the camera isn’t.

Chapter 4: Sporting Events

Photography is a wonderful pastime. You can use your camera to capture memories of the things that interest you. If you’re a sports fan, you can photograph your favorite sport. You can photograph individual athletes (see Chapter 48), but sports have more to them than just the athletes. Whether your favorite sport is football or auto racing, each one has its own rituals. And every sport includes a supporting cast. When you photograph a sporting event, you photograph each chapter of the event, from the pre-games festivities, to the opening kick off, to the winning touchdown. Your creative mind, a knowledge of the sport, and the settings in this chapter give you all the tools you need to tell a story. You begin at the beginning, before the athletes flex their muscles or the drivers start their engines.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot or Continuous

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/250 of a second or faster

Aperture: Varies

ISO Setting: The lowest possible ISO setting for the lighting conditions

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: Varies (see “Understanding focal lengths” in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

Setting the Camera

This chapter gives you a couple of different shooting scenarios. When you’re photographing the pre-event festivities, you shoot in Aperture Priority mode. When your goal is to photograph an athlete preparing for the event, you want a shallow depth of field, therefore, you choose a large aperture (a small f/stop number). When you want to photograph the crowd, or a group of athletes practicing, you use a small aperture (a large f/stop number) to ensure a large depth of field. When your goal is to stop action, you shoot in Shutter Priority mode at a speed fast enough to freeze the action. For an athlete, you can freeze motion with a shutter speed as slow as 1/25 of a second. To stop a racecar dead in its tracks, you need a fast shutter speed of 1/2000 of a second (see Chapter 5). To capture the beauty of a speeding racecar with a motion blur, you pan the camera and shoot with a shutter speed of 1/125 of a second (see Chapter 6). The focal length you use varies depending on how close you can get to the action. If you’re photographing a large crowd before the event, use a wide-angle focal length of 28 to 35mm. If you’re photographing individual athletes, zoom in.

Taking the Picture

When you photograph a sporting event, you have to be in the moment. Before the event starts, you can capture interesting pictures of the crowd, the athletes performing their pre-event rituals, and the athletes warming up. When the event starts, you can capture the frenetic action. When the event is well and truly underway, keep alert for any interesting situations that may arise and, of course, any team player who scores. If you’re photographing an automobile race, be sure to include pictures of pit stops and other associated activities. And you probably want a picture or two of the winning driver spraying the champagne.

1. Arrive at the event early and take pictures of anything that interests you.

You have to change settings based on what you’re photographing.

2. Photograph the pre-event activities, such as the introduction of the players, the coach meeting with her team on the sidelines, or if you’re attending a race, pictures of the drivers getting ready.

You can get creative with your composition when you photograph the pre-race events. Don’t be afraid to turn the camera diagonally or venture to an interesting vantage point. Let your inner child run amuck and capture some unusual pictures.

3. Photograph the start of the event.

The action can get a little crazy. Each team is trying to gain an advantage over the other. If you’re photographing a race, drivers may battle fiercely to achieve the lead by the first corner. You never know what might happen. Stay alert for any possibility. Hold the camera and be ready to compose an image when you see something interesting about to happen. Be proactive: Have the camera to your eye a split second before the crucial moment.

4. Photograph the middle of the event.

The middle of any event is a great time for photographers. If you’re photographing an event such as a basketball or football game, you can get some shots of substitutions. You can also photograph the fans to capture their reactions to a winning score and so on. If you’re photographing an auto race (as shown in Figure 4-1), the cars are now a little battle weary, with tire marks, racer’s tape, and other chinks in their armor.

5. Photograph the end of the event.

Be on your toes, especially if the score is close. In the final minutes or final laps, it’s do or die. Athletes give their all to win the event, which gives you opportunities for some great pictures.

6. Photograph the post-event activities.

Take photographs of the winning team celebrating and capture the glum looks of the losers. Take photographs of any award ceremonies. Tell the complete story of the event.

Figure 4-1: Photograph the middle of the event when the participants are a little battle weary.

Photograph an athlete going through his pre-event ritual. Figure 4-2 shows champion driver Allan McNish with a mask of concentration at the drivers’ meeting.

Figure 4-2: Photograph athletes performing their pre-event rituals.

Troubleshooting

I don’t know which mode to use. If you’re photographing athletes in motion, use Shutter Priority mode to freeze motion. If you’re photographing people and things before the event, use Aperture Priority mode to control depth of field.

The picture isn’t level. This problem often happens when you’re photographing people in motion, especially when you’re panning the camera. Make sure that you’re standing straight and that you don’t lean when you pan the camera. You may also want to use the grid that’s built into many cameras as a guide.

I can’t get close to the action. When you photograph a spectator event, sometimes you just need to wait for someone to move. Of course, always try to get a good seat ahead of time. If the event doesn’t include assigned seating, arrive early.