Light Exposure in Digital Cameras – A Guide to Aperture and Shutter Speed

Writen by Phillipe Testanni

The task of choosing the correct digital camera can be both a time consuming and daunting experience without the right tools at your disposal. One of the things you can do to make your shopping experience more successful is spend some time learning about common terms used to describe the abilities of digital cameras. This article will focus on two terms related to light exposure in digital cameras: aperture and shutter speed.

One of the first technical specifications you may encounter when you look at camera information is the aperture. (’ap-&(r)-’chur) The word aperture comes from the middle English aperture and Latin apertus. Apertus is the past participle of aperire, which means to open. And this is exactly what an aperture is.

Aperture refers to the size of the diameter (distance from one side of the opening to the other) of the iris when it is open at its largest point. Aperture is measured in the units F-stop. Try to remember that the smaller the F-stop, the larger the maximum lens opening on the camera. The sensitivity of the camera to light is controlled in part by the aperture.

If you are purchasing a new camera, you should look for product with an aperture range from F2.8 to F8, while advanced photographers may need a range closer to F1.8 to F16. A large aperture means that you have more leeway with lighting conditions when you are shooting. If you have a larger possible aperture, you will be more prepared for low-light conditions. To give you some perspective, the mid-range Z650 digital camera by Kodak offers both wide and telephoto options for aperture, which range from F2.8 to F8 and F3.7 to F8 respectively.

Aperture is related in part to shutter speed. Shutter speed on cameras can range from as short as one eight-thousandths of a second up to a full thirty seconds. This time refers to how long light is allowed in through the camera lens when you hit the shutter (picture capture) button. Today’s digital cameras generally offer both an automatic and manual shutter speed mode. For example, the new Kodak EasyShare Z650 has an automatic shutter speed range between 1/8th and 1/1700th seconds. The manual mode of the Kodak Z650 goes from eight to 1/1000th seconds.

It doesn’t hurt to pay attention to shutter speed when you’re picking out a new digital camera for yourself because there are some interesting techniques you can practice with a variable shutter speed. One example is using your camera to capture an object in motion. If you follow the object and have adjusted your shutter speed correctly, you can succeed in showing the object in perfect focus and yet a blurry moving background.

An interesting aspect to keep in mind as you look around for a digital camera is that aperture and shutter speed are related terms. These two aspects of a camera work together to control the amount of light that reaches your CCD, CMOS or other digital sensor. By shopping for a camera that offers you maximum aperture size and range of shutter speed, you will be giving yourself more options to shoot different kinds of photos.

In closing, a higher maximum aperture is better, as it allows more light to hit the sensor in your camera. A smaller minimum aperture size is also good, because it gives you more flexibility when lighting is abundant. A fast shutter speed means that you’ll have greater ability to shoot fast moving objects and make use of a number of popular motion-based shooting techniques.

Phillipe Testanni is a photography hobbiest and author of articles about taking digital photographs for Elite-Cameras.com. Alex gratefully acknowledges the help and mentoring and photography lessons he received from Clara Parks.

Selling Digital Stock Photos

Writen by Keith Jones

Cameras and what to buy

There are many pages about buying a Digital Camera on my website see resource section. Fuji Canon and Nikon are the most commonly used pro Digital cameras You really do need a Single Lens Reflex camera for stock. A zoom lens of 28mm to 200 or 300mm is best. You’ll also need a Flashgun as the on-camera flash is usually only suitable for short distance work.

First you need to know WHAT to photograph. THE MOST SALEABLE subjects are :

LIFESTYLE : Family pictures of ATTRACTIVE people doing fun and interesting things (also things like shopping,picnicking,on holiday or choosing a house or automobile)

APPEALING ANIMALS – young animals (especially puppies and kittens) sell well. Go to your local Zoo for exotic baby animals.

ANYTHING MONEY RELATED- Still Life, luxury items,expensive cars,people on holiday

MEMORIES – things from the past that made YOU happy – child on a swing,fairground, playing with puppies,days out etc.

CAPITAL CITIES of the World – ICONIC postcard-style views still sell. (look at the postcards for the viewpoint !) Beaches and famous views are popular.

BACKGROUNDS – every ad or commercial needs a background. Sand,beaches,leaves,hillsides – NOT DISTRACTING things !

CHILDREN- happy smiling children’s faces and activities- NEVER NUDE CHILDREN (or you’ll have the police round to see you.)

PEOPLE should always be DOING SOMETHING – like kissing, gardening,sports,hobbies, etc.

FILL THE FRAME with the subject.

Keith Jones has been a Stock and Travel Photographer for over 40 years His Website is at: http://www.fotos4web.com Where you’ll find lots of his photos and articles. This article may be freely reproduced in print or on the world wide web providing :

This resource section is also published intact and the article is not altered in any way.

Reasons You Should Be Looking At Digital Camera Accessories

Writen by Christopher Luck

What should you get for your digital camera to make it more useful to you? When I bought my digital camera, I spent a few hundred dollars on it and thought that was all I needed. However, I was a little wrong in that, there are a few digital camera accessories that can really help enhance photo quality as you record your life with your digital camera.

One of the best digital camera accessories you can pick up is good photo software. Imagine that you go on a long trip with friends or family and come back with some 200 pictures. You want to be able to organize them, right? Well that is where photo software comes into play. Software applications are the digital camera accessories that will also allow you to fix red-eye problems in your photos or to make fun little cartoons with captions. However, the more practical application of software is to make sure you can organize and keep track of all the pictures you will surely be taking with your new digital camera.

There are still other digital camera accessories you should consider. For instance, a problem that many digital camera owners, myself included, run into is the limited storage capacity. When you are on vacation or at a big event, you may not be able to or want to constantly load your pictures onto a lap top or PC. Instead, one of the best digital camera accessories you can invest in is a memory card or secure digital card. These are some of the cheapest digital camera accessories you will find, but the value to you is much more. For as little as $30 you can have enough memory so that instead of loading onto a laptop, you can simply pop out one memory card and pop in the new one and worry about downloading later.

Sometimes digital camera accessories have accessories themselves. Once you have purchased your memory card, you may want to think about buying a memory card reader. That way you can read the photos or load them to your computer with the presence of the digital camera itself. Though it is one of those digital camera accessories that is not necessarily a must have, it certainly will make your life easier and you will see the value in it right away. That is especially true if you travel a lot or take a lot of photos.

Your digital camera may have cost you a lot of money, and it may have a lot of great features that you enjoy. However, you still should look into some digital camera accessories to make sure you can get the most out of your investment. The simplest purchases like a memory card, memory card reader, or software can make a huge difference in the quality of photos you take with your digital camera as well as the ease with which you will use it. So start looking into digital camera accessories to make your life a little easier.

If you would like to view more of my articles on digital cameras, please feel free to visit my website on digital camera photography!

Planning Photo Day Trips

Writen by Kenneth C. Hoffman

How many of you budding photographers own an expensive SLR camera or the latest digital camera with tripod and haven’t a clue how to get started using them? Raise your hand. Hmmmm. What you need is a whole day out in the field taking beautiful pictures for your album, contests, your scanner and your walls. Here are some ideas for photo opportunities you can count on to produce a high percentage of winners.

The New York skyline or any famous city within travel distance are sure fire people pleasers when photographed in an unusual way. If you have access to a view of the city from a westerly point, try to arrive at the scenic point one hour before sunset. As long as the sun is out, the city buildings will be bathed in a warm light, while the clouds or sky will appear many shades bluer. This color contrast highlights the importance of the buildings and provides a visual interest not available at other time of the day. Place the horizon one third from the bottom of the picture for a ’sweeping sky’ look. If possible, scout around for a tree or other over hanging structures for framing and foreground interest. A secondary center of interest in the mid-ground helps the feeling of depth. After the sun series, an hour wait for near dark presents another ‘magic’ time for an interesting shot. A clear dark sky will photograph royal blue when a short time exposure is used. The warm incandescent lights of the city are further enhanced by the comparison. A slow to medium speed ISO setting requires a shutter speed of two to three minutes at F5.6 or F8.

A visit to a local antique store is a gold mine of beautiful pictures. A kind word to the owner and a promise of a picture or two usually insures their cooperation. Set your camera on a tripod in order to take advantage of the natural light in the room An edge-darkening filter in front of the lens greatly improves the pictures. You can make your own by cutting a four by four inch piece of 2x neutral density plastic filter material. Cut a one inch by three-quarter inch oval hole in the middle. When placed in front of the lens, a natural fad-out is produced on the edges of the picture. Look for interesting subjects to photograph like a sleeping doll, light coming through colored bottles, antique items on a dresser top, an old rocking chair with the old owner int, or an antique hobby horse. Try to stay away from straight lines and very dark objects. Window light is best, so you may find it necessary to relocate the item of interest nearer to a window. The owner surely knows many interesting stories about their antiques. Altogether a fun day!

Another fun spot laden with picture possibilities is the local arboretum or formal gardens. Depending on the time of year, spectacular photos can be made from the many unusual plant life. You can photograph tiny blooms from one inch away, discover patterns in strange leaves or capture the mood of a forest with a creative filter on your lens.

At certain times of the year, you can find a lake or local body of water blanketed by a transparent layer of fog. I know it’s hard to get up before dawn, but for this field trip it will be necessary. Bring along waders if you have them or rent a row boat or canoe. Unless building are particularly photogenic, don’t use them in your composition. A horizon line one third from the top will place more importance on the water and fog. A super saturated film or setting on your digital camera will enhance the color of the scene. Strong foreground interest and small apertures with long exposures are important features of the day. A small stone thrown into the still water simulates a hungry fish and a few handy large leaves floating past can help capture interest.

If there are no overhanging branches at the chosen location, a cut branch held over the lens a few feet away can substitute. The best photographs in the scenario will be fore the sun comes up. If you can, include the rising sun in you composition for a different look. For variety, shoot a few super close-ups of flowers, insects or leaves. Since the sun will give you a false exposure, a meter reading of the darkest portion of the scene can be set manually for a proper exposure. Work fast sine one hour is the most time you can expect to have Bring along a fishing pole and enjoy the rest of the day. Happy shooting.

I used to photograph only people. Now I photograph everything.

Digital Photography I: The Old Rules Still Apply

Writen by Christine Peppler

For the majority of us, taking photographs is a rather “informal” event. We spend minimal time posing our subjects, setting up the shot, adjusting the lighting, and so forth. However, understanding some of the basics of digital photography and taking just a bit of time prior to pressing the button can greatly improve the quality of the pictures we create. Digital cameras introduced two great features into our world. One is the ability to delete pictures and try again. Beginning photographers need to experiment and practice. Digital cameras allow us to do this inexpensively. The second great feature is the ability to edit after the fact. However, the editing function is not unlimited and should not be used as a crutch; getting the shot right in the first place is still much more effective in creating quality images.

Most of the traditional rules for creating pictures still apply with digital photography. What makes a good photograph is the same. Good photography is a topic of considerable study but for now a brief discussion about just a handful of tips that will make the most immediate improvement for the true novice is sufficient.

Avoid blurry pictures by keeping a steady camera. Tripods are of course excellent for this purpose but aren’t always handy or available. Without a tripod, you can grasp the camera in a manner that is comfortable for you; using two hands offers the best stability. Steady the camera by holding your arms next to your body with your elbows in close to your chest or stomach. You can brace yourself by keeping your feet apart or leaning against a wall, tree, or other object when possible.

Don’t be afraid to set up the shot. When working with people as subjects, it is easy to direct them for a better picture. When looking at the LCD you can see basically how the shot is set up. Would the shot be better if the subjects in a group stepped in closer together, if they removed their sunglasses, if they turned slightly, or looked over your shoulder versus straight into the camera? You are the director and can make alterations at that point.

Another element of setting up the shot is to use an uncluttered background. If a person is the subject of your picture you want to eliminate all the other “distractions” in the surrounding area. A lot of background activity and other objects can take away from your intended subject. Sometimes just repositioning a bit and stepping in closer can help achieve a better background as well.

Another general rule is to take pictures at the eye level of the subject. In other words, your view angle should not be from above or below. This allows much more detail, the ability to see expression, emotion, personality, and so forth. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the subject must look directly into the camera however.

When shooting people, animals, and wildlife it is usually best to move in close. Closer shots can dramatically improve your results. In some instances stepping in closer is not an option but in these instances you can use zoom to come in closer to the subject. Too close is 3 feet or less, this kind of proximity can result in blurry pictures. Special lenses are used for ultra up close photography.

Lighting is probably the most critical factor in image quality and it will be discussed in greater detail in a later article. For now it will suffice to say that mid-day often does not produce the best pictures. The lighting is harsh, it creates shadows, and it can alter the colors you are trying to capture. In general, you want the sun behind you but you need to be sure your shadow is not in the picture! When shooting people you also need to be sure that the sun is not forcing them to squint.

These are just a few of the most basic tips for creating the kind of images you want. To master these concepts practice is critical but the happy news is that they don’t really require a great deal of time or require any additional equipment and expense.

Christine Peppler shares information on home electronics and home entertainment on her website at: http://www.homemedias.info