February Assignment Exposure

[F, Calla & Luca]

Please do not shed you clothes : ) This month we can submit the same pictures with varied exposure, whether by changing the aperture, the shutter speed or the ISO. Let us know what you did. Try to change one parameter for a group of photos so it will be easy to see what changes resulted in the changes in the image e.g. just change the shutter speed but not the ISO etc. I guess that might mean shooting in all manual mode so I for one will need to read my manual. I'm not sure whether Point and Shooters  have much control over these parameters but they may have some. Anyway we welcome all efforts. Here is what Wikipedia has to say, the tables could make your eyes glaze over but the explanations in words may help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_%28photography%29

Enjoy the adventure.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Good. Glad you found a one. 

[Camilla and Darwin]

I'm more confused than I expected I would be this month. LOL. I used the exposure compensation feature to get 3 different exposures (I usually use this function to do HDR.) I was in AV mode on f/1.8

The first is over exposed, the middle correct, and the last one underexposed. The last photo is the correct exposure after I edited it. These photos were inspired by Jane's candy heart photo by the way. :-)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I really like this Camilla especially with the editing, but I'm wondering why you selected f/1.8.  You're shooting against a flat background that you really don't need to blur.  I went with an open aperture on mine because I wanted the center heart clear and the others blurred.  I thought if you were shooting a flat background you used around an f/11.  Believe me I'm a total novice, so I'm probably totally off with this thinking.

[Camilla and Darwin]

No, you aren't off at all. Honestly I just always shoot in f/1.8 and since I was focusing on setting the exposure compensation up, that is what I ended up leaving it on. I probably should have put it on f/11 because I would have liked to get a nice texture on the cement too. Here is another I did where I sharpened it to the look I wanted in post processing. Should have been more attentive and thorough and changed it while I was taking the picture. (sigh)

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Remember that f/8-f/11 is the "what ever" aperture where everything is pretty much in focus!!!

[Pat and Traveler]

This will be a great exercise for me!  I think I maybe understand what the manual settings do--ISO, Exposure and Aperature--but I've been driven a bit crazy trying to figure out how to translate this into the actual dials and buttons on the camera!  Hold this button down while turning the Mode dial--or was it the OTHER dial, the Quick Control Dial?  Or first change the Quick Control Dial switch?  Aaaarrrggghhh...but I'm on my way, having condensed the biggies onto a single index card.  For example, #5 = Aperture: shutter button down 1/2, turn Quick Control (back of camera) left for larger.  Even though I'm whining, gotta say Canon has a really good instruction manual.   

[F, Calla & Luca]

Same thing with Nikon. I find it a pain in the patootie frankly. But I guess trying to remember all this is good for the neurons and necessary if I don't always want to shoot in Auto.

[Taylor & Huff]

Hi everybody I am back:) Do you remember me? haha:) It has been a long time. With this assignment, can we change the exposure in editing or do we have to do it when we actually take the picture?

[F, Calla & Luca]

We were wondering about you. Welcome back. The idea is to take different exposures with the camera.

[Taylor & Huff]

Really? haha:) Glad to hear that I have been missed. Thanks:) That's gonna be hard I think. I am not even sure I know how to do that. I might be able to figure it out though.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Welcome back Taylor...have you been studying really hard this year?  We definitely noticed your absence and Huff's too.  A tip...I have been meeting up with two amazing photographers who live in the Los Angeles area but travel all over giving workshops.  They come to San Diego every few months and I take their group outings and workshops.  Gina (Kona and Buddy) take from them when they come to Las Vegas.  Of all the different photographers I have taken from they are the ones that really make the impression on me and have been the ones to reach inside my mind and get me to understand...still lots more to learn.  Their website is called "Capturing True Emotion".  Anyway, here are their 5 rules to shoot in Manual.

1.  ISO - Select an ISO according to your lighting condition.

2.  Aperture - Select an Aperture based on how much light you need and for the effect you are trying to achieve.

3.  Metering - Select a Metering Mode to measure the light in a specific area within your scene.

4.  Shutter Speed - Adjust your Shutter Speed for the Correct Exposure (move the needle to the middle).

*If your SHUTTER is TOO SLOW RAISE YOUR ISO!! (1/6 or faster).  This is their Motto!

5.  Focus and Compose!  (take the picture).

One other thing to try to remember which all of the photographers state is that you always want to try to get the perfect shot and not have to rely on post processing.  That is your goal to shoot correctly! 

[Taylor & Huff]

I have definitely been studying harder this semester than last semester even though last semester wasn't that bad. This semester I am going for all A's and one C (Geometry, I have always and will always hate math). That is going to be pretty tough since this semester our grades are 60% tests and quizzes and 40% homework. Anyways, I am not sure I know how to change all of those settings yet but I hope I will figure it out soon. Thanks for the tips.