Photo Tutor

Give Yourself A Photography Assignment

     Sometimes it’s hard to be inspired with my photography, I go through moods.  I’m sure everybody does.  There are definite favorite subjects of mine but sometimes it’s good to have something for guidance.

     One of the ways I do this is to give myself an assignment. 

    I’ve had an idea for many years that I have even failed to do a decent job even starting.  Driving around I always notice things caught on barbwire along the highway--plastic shopping bags, worn clothing, construction materials, bailing twine are some.  Sometimes it is really shredded and the sun is making it glow from behind or the wind is blowing and it dances around on its tether.  I see this almost every time I’m driving.  Tracy catches me studying something as we drive by and says, “More fence art.”  She knows I have it on my ‘to do’ list.  Like everyone else, I feel like I don’t have time to stop.  We’re on our way to Billings or it’s too late and I want to get home.  If getting the image is part of your assignment you are more likely to spend the time and stop.

Camera Lenses Explained

     I’m always window shopping on ebay, looking for some great deals on lenses.  If I had unlimited funds I’d tell you what lenses I’d like to have; they are written on a board over my desk.  I’ve researched what I need for the kind of photography I do, but I find most people don’t know what to look for when looking for a lens for their camera. 

What do all the numbers and letters mean on the description of the lens?

     The advantage of having a DSLR (a camera with interchangeable lenses) is the ability of using different lenses specific to the different types of photography that one does.  Living where we do there is little chance we’d ever really get to see the latest lens that has come out.  We have to read reviews of people who have tested out what we’re interested in.  Still, it is important to have some basic knowledge of lenses in order to be an informed consumer.

F Stops and Shutterspeeds-Camera Lessons

How is an exposure made and what does the camera do to make sure an image is recorded? 

     There are two parts involved in exposing film or a digital sensor to light.  One is the intensity of the light and the other is the length of time the light is allowed to strike the film or sensor.Exposure= intensity x time.  Above the door in my photography class was this sign: E=IxT.  Some students thought it meant EXIT.    

The f stop (aperture) is the iris in the lens that allows a measured amount of light to strike the film.  This f stop is determined mathematically by the size of the iris opening of the lens, the lenses focal length, and the dimensions of the film or sensor.  It is a factor of these three things, so the name f (factor) stop.  Each “stop” either doubles or halves the amount of light allowed through the lens.