Photography a basic 'how to' guide

Choosing a new camera

Camera selection can be a tricky business especially if you launch yourself into it without a bit of forethought and at least some basic knowledge of the "in's and out's" of digital cameras. There's dozens of manufacturers, hundreds of different models and a myriad of technical specifications. At the very least you should have a basic understanding of the jargon used to describe digital cameras, eg 3X zoom, megapixels, etc. So what is there to think about ?, quite a bit if you're to maximise the enjoyment you get from using your new camera.

Make and Model

In terms of a particular make and model, my only advice is stick to a leading brand which has some history with digital cameras, examples of such brands are ( in alphabetical order only ) Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Sony.
Note: I've only mentioned these 4 as examples, there's no implication that other brands are inferior or anything else. Just that these are brand names you will find it impossible to avoid and it's very likely that you would find a camera which is to your liking within the range offered under these brands.

Personal Needs

Even if you don't have a clue about technicalities, at least consider any special requirements you might have beyond ( say ) casual family snap shots, eg. taking photos of sporting events, a camera which will easily fit into your pocket, etc AND how much of your hard earned you are willing to part with.
Do you already own some accessories used with an older camera which are still in good condition, eg. flash gun, batteries, or lenses from an SLR film camera, will these be compatible with your intended purchase ?
What do you intend to do with your pictures ?, electronically store and display, photo album sized prints, large prints suitable for framing.

SLR or compact

Modern digital cameras are "officially" categorised as compact or SLR*, according to me "compacts" are split into compact and "pretend SLR", ( the latter look similar to an SLR but are cheaper and lack some of the features/facilities of SLR's ).
From a non-geek's point of view, within the various categories there's little ( if any ) discernable image quality difference between cameras with a similar R.R.P. from any of the top brand names within the ( 3 ) categories. So in the absence of any particular brand loyalty or existing accessories, once you've assessed your particular needs and decided how much you want to spend, it's time to look for your ideal camera and the best deal you can get but before you tear off down to the local photographic shop I'd suggest reading what follows.
Another thing to consider is the fact that to gain a really worthwhile and substantial improvement in effective picture quality over a top level compact you need to spend as much on a camera and lens(es) as most people would spend on a new car.
Ok that's a slight exaggeration but seriously you need something like Nikon's D700 @ around AU$2900 with a 70-300mm zoom lens @ around AU$1000 or perhaps Canon's EOS 5D Mark II @ around AU$3100 again with a 70-300mm lens @ around AU$1000.
The point is that if you want a substantial advantage in the final picture quality and some other niceties, there's a quantum leap in cost. I've read reviews written by any number of gee-whiz, buzz-word cowboys about budget priced SLR's which pretty much all say how wonderful they are and they're full of it ( the reviewers that is ). I'm sure most of 'em would be lost for superlatives if they ever seriously reviewed a really good SLR fitted with a high quality lens.
This might sound a bit harsh but it's not. For example, many reviewers harp on about chromatic aberration which is a product of a less than perfect lens. It can look pretty awful and on the face of it would seem to be of critical importance, well it's not, such defects can be easily corrected with some fairly simple "photoshoping".
The things that really matter because you can't control or correct them are how quickly the camera operates, how long is the delay from taking a shot until it's ready for the next, how quickly the flash recharges, how long the auto focus takes to lock, how "smart" the exposure metering is, are the settings' menus easy to navigate and so on, sounds like a a lot of hooey I know but don't fool yourself that you'll "get used to it", trust me you won't and a camera that's not a pleasure to operate will be an ongoing source of frustration.
In fairness, a lot of reviewers do pay considerable attention to these important useability features and other less obvious "features" like the reduction in resolution you get when using rapid fire multiple shutter releases sometimes known as burst mode.
In summary, unless you're a professional photographer, a fanatical amateur or just some nut who doesn't care what things cost and have an impassioned desire to impress those around you take some time to realistically assess what you need vs what you'd like to have vs how much you're willing to pay.
Look at this way, if you're an amateur, for around AU$290 you can have a camera with a huge zoom lens ( SLR equivalent focal length range of 25 - 525 mm ), macro down to 1cm, a 14.1MPx sensor, it will record 720P HD video and uses cheap AA size batteries plus it will take darn good photos :-)
Further up the scale, around AU$570 will buy you a camera with an even huger ( yes I know that's not a real word ) zoom lens, ( SLR equivalent focal length range of 22.5 -810 mm ), macro down to 10cm, a 12.1MPx sensor, it will record 1080P Full HD video, uses an expensive Li-ion battery, it will also take darn good photos.
Not convinced that a compact or pretend SLR will be good enough ?, almost all the photos in my UK trip pages were taken with an Olympus SP560, an 8 MPx pretend SLR, a couple of 'em were taken with an Olympus C-310, a 3.2 MPx compact !

*Note: SLR is an acronym for Single Lens Reflex which simply refers to a camera which doesn't have a separate viewfinder lens. When you look into the viewfinder eyepiece you are looking out through the same lens that takes the picture. As many compact digital cameras work this way, they are in a sense SLR's too :-). The term "SLR" is used colloquially nowadays to describe digital cameras which have interchangeable lenses and prices which start where compacts leave off, around AU$600 - 700.

Viewfinders

Many modern compact cameras don't have an optical viewfinder/eyepiece just an LCD preview screen which also serves as an information display.
Does this really matter ?, yes it can. The images displayed on small-ish LCD's, ( even the backlit ones ) are at best difficult to see outdoors on a bright sunny day unless you can find a shady spot, ( think about mobile 'phone displays ).
A conventional eyepiece viewfinder has the advantage of providing a highly visible preview in any lighting conditions so keep this in mind if you're going to take a lot of photos outdoors. The advantage of an LCD "viewfinder" screen is that you're not limited to keeping the camera right up to your eye.

Photographic Retailers

Buy your camera from a specialised photographic retailer face to face, this does not include large retailers who "specialise" in everything from furniture to home theatre systems. That might sound unfair but the fact is that when it comes to the actual purchase, particularly if you're a still a bit "iffy" about the selection you've made the staff at specialised photographic retailers will have in-depth product knowledge, are typically experienced enthusiasts themselves and you'll find their advice invaluable. Even the asking price is a few dollars higher ( and it'll almost certainly only be a few ) you'll be doing yourself a favour, trust me on this. Explain why you've selected a particular camera or can't decide between a couple and don't be afraid to ask if there are any "stand-outs" either good or bad, don't just walk in and ask for their recommendation!

Terminology

There's really no getting away from at least some basic photographic terms and it's worthwhile being familiar a few of them.

Definition and Description of Photographic Terms
Aberration	An imperfection caused by a less than perfect ( ie. real rather than theoretical ) lens. Frequently the most noticeable defect is chromatic aberration.
Aperture	The opening of a lens' iris which controls the amount of light which falls upon the focal plane of a camera. The size of a camera lens' aperture is expressed as f-stops, the larger the the f number, the smaller the aperture and hence less light is allowed to pass.
Aperture Priority	A camera setting where the photographer sets a fixed aperture f-stop, the camera's metering determines the shutter speed automatically to give correct exposure, the opposite of shutter priority.
Backlight	A ( usually bright ) light source behind the subject, eg. a person standing with their back to a window.
Chromatic Aberration	A convergence error related to the differing wavelengths of visible light which manifests itself as a coloured ( commonly Blue or dark Magenta ) outline around a high contrast object, eg. a tree branch or bird against a cloud or over exposed sky.
Colour Caste	The overall colouration ( Hue ) of an image. Can be unintentional or used to good effect, caused by the incorrect setting of a digital camera's white balance.
Colour Temperature	A characteristic of visible light, in photography ranging from Red - Pale Yellow ( warm ) and Cyan - Blue ( cool ).
Compression	Reducing the file size of image files by removing non-critical data within the image. Eg. The conversion to jpg within a digital camera.
Depth Of Field	The range of distance over which objects in a photo are in focus.
Digital Zoom	A virtually useless function which can be better performed by cropping an image using dedicated software on a computer.
Existing Light	In a photographic context, existing light refers to the illumination of a subject which is not augmented by flash, photo flood lights, etc. Commonly used to imply a low level of illumination requiring a wide aperture and/or slow shutter speed.
F-stop	( you're gunna luv this one ) A number which quantifies the ratio of the areas of two apertures for any given lens. The basic series is as follows :- 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22 and so on. These numbers are related by the square root of 2 and represent halving or doubling the aperture area depending on which way you're going, ie. f16 is half the area of f8 and twice the area of f22. The real numbers are 1.414, 2.000, 2.828, 4.000, 5.657, 8.000, 11.314, 16.000, 22.627 and are truncated as they are for no reason that I can imagine.
Focal Length	The distance, in millimetres, from the optical centre of a lens to a camera's focal plane when the lens is focused at infinity.
Histogram	In the context of photography a histogram is the graphical representation of the distribution of pixels within an image at all levels of intensity.
ISO	A universal numeric indication of the exposure sensitivity which is ( of course ) fixed for a roll of film or the electronically controlled sensitivity of an image sensor which can be changed at will giving digital cameras one of their main advantages over film cameras. Assigned by the International Organisation for Standardisation, it's not actually an acronym, it sort of is because "everyone" calls 'em the International Standards Organisation ( which probably irks 'em severely ).
Macro Photography	Extreme close up photography where the image recorded is the same size or larger than the actual subject.
Mega Pixel	MPx or MP - 1000,000 pixels. In short, the more MPx you have the better, but this should not be used as a make-or-break decision criterion. Be wary of cheap cameras that have a very large MPx count.
Open Shade	Shade created by obscuring the direct light from the sun, eg. the shadow of a building or a tree. Can be used to good effect but watch for a Blue colour caste on a fine clear day with a bright Blue sky.
Optical Zoom	Using a variable telephoto ( zoom ) lens to bring a subject closer, ie. capture only a small part of a scene.
Pixel	PIcture ELement, yes I know there's no "X" in "Picture Element", the "X" is just used as an abbreviation.
Raw	Raw images are a recording of the data from an image sensor without any compression or other pre-processing within a camera. Raw image files are typically 4 times the size of an equivalent minimally compressed jpg and require considerable processing to produce a useable image. The main advantage being that you're not at the mercy of the vagaries of your camera's firmware.
Shutter	A device or electronic signal which allows light to pass or activates an image sensor for a predetermined period of time, for the purpose of capturing a image.
Shutter Priority	A camera setting where the photographer sets a fixed shutter speed, the camera's metering determines the aperture f-stop automatically to give correct exposure, the opposite of aperture priority.
Vignetting	The gradual peripheral darkening of a picture which may be caused ( for example ) by a lens hood attached to a wide angle lens. Can be unintentional or used to good effect to emphasise the central area of a photo.
White Balance	An automatic setting which ensures that White areas of the subject or scene appear White. Colours should also therefore be recorded correctly balanced.

Megapixels

A pixel is a single Picture Element. An "x" is used to indicate a plural and mega is a prefix meaning 1 million. So for example an 8 megapixel ( 8MP or 8MPx ) camera will have an image sensor with 8,000,000 elements, each element making up 1 pixel.
It's an indication of the amount of detail a camera can capture, commonly referred to as resolution, the more megapixels the higher the resolution ( in theory anyway ). Basically the more megapixels the better, but as always there's a bit more to it. If your mainly interested in printing your photos "things" get a little more "interesting" :-)
Staying with the 8MPx example, if you're wanting to print a photo even as large as ( say ) A4 then 8MPx is enough to produce a high quality picture. It follows therefore that anything over this will be more than enough. It is worth noting that ( all else being equal ) the difference in the results achieved by 10MPx and 12MPx cameras are negligible and this should not be used as a make or break criterion.
This is especially true if you're mostly interested in viewing your photos on a monitor ( even a very big monitor ) or a digital photo frame.

Zoom and Focal Length

Expressed as a multiplication factor, eg. 3X, 5X, etc. Zoom refers to how wide ( or narrow ) the lens' viewing angle is, the larger the number, the greater the focal length and hence the narrower the viewing angle, in other words how much "close" there is in close-up :-)
Eg. Here's a picture of a 3X zoom lens. Note the focal length is 6.3 - 18.9mm and 18.9 is 3 times 6.3 !
Fixed focal lengths are also expressed in millimetres(mm) and related to the magnification factor or how close the subject will appear in the photo, eg. 4.7mm, 6.3mm, 27mm, 300mm, etc., the larger the number, the closer the subject will appear. Sounds simple enough doesn't it ... well, there's a bit more to it when it comes to comparing different cameras. If you read the specifications for a digital camera the focal length figures along with those for the actual lens there will usually be a 35mm ( film SLR ) camera equivalent and it's best to use this equivalent figure to properly gauge any comparison.
If you are looking at ( what I call ) compact cameras go for one that has a minimum of 27 - 28 mm equivalent. This gives a good wide angle view for landscapes and with even 3X zoom the ability to take close-up shots of smiling faces.

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Buzz Words

Digital camera marketing has given rise to a lot of "gee whiz" terms for the various in-built features/functions of modern cameras. I'll do my best to decipher some of these later ....

 

Scenic Photos

"Scenic" by my definition refers to a picture in which the scene itself is the subject rather than any particular feature or object, typically landscapes / seascapes.
It is of course a common and good practice to have some focal point, for example a building, a boat or prominent geographical feature.

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Subjective Photos

"Subjective" of course means quite the opposite to "scenic". Subjective photos include formal portraiture, architectural, pictures of the kids, the dog, etc .... basically anything where the background is obscured or at least largely insignificant, advertising being a good example of the use of subjective photos.

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It just looks right vs the rule of 3rds

When it comes to composition or the layout of a photo, my "take" on this is if it looks right, it probably is. As an aid to creating a pleasing layout, the conventional wisdom is the rule of 3rd's. Imagine your picture divided into 9 equal areas and don't put the main subject or prominent feature into the centre, this is a common guideline and a good one but it isn't "set in stone", that said, more often than not, following the rule of 3rds will equate to "it just looks right".
A good friend of mine mentioned that another aspect of a picture's layout which is often taken into account is the notion of keeping the corners different. This may not be possible in many cases so as with "3rds" you don't have to be a nut about it.

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Getting the Shot

All too often it's just not possible to take a photo when the light's just right or you can't get the right angle, the bloody subject won't stay still, etc, etc.
In these cases it's best to get as good a shot as you can, even a not-so-good photo is better than none at all particularly if you're travelling and not likely to return or you'd have to wait 'till the same time/day next year! Sometimes following this advice requires you to "think outside the box" if you're going to conjour up a half decent photo and with that in mind I went for a wander down to our local creek early the other morning.
As it's Spring here there's a bit more "life" in the creek and it's surroundings than at other times. I wanted to get a shot of some of the bushland on the steep bank of the creek, no problem, I'll just find a suitable spot on the opposite bank, take a few shots and the job's done. No such luck, the area I want to photograph is a lot lower than the best spot to shoot from, I could have waded into the hip deep creek and stood slowly sinking into the mud whilst madly shooting off as many bracketed frames as possible and then tossed the camera onto the bank right before I called the Rescue Squad to come and get me out.
So what'd I do ? .... simple, if all else fails, cheat :-) I found a spot on the bank where I could look down at the water and took a photo of the reflection of the area I wanted, at home I opened the image file in irfanview, clicked vertical flip then horizontal flip and saved the file, see the result here.
Not the greatest photo I've ever taken ( understatement ) but a LOT better than no photo at all. It was virtually impossible to get the exposure right, at this time of year at 7:00am on a fine morning the Sun is blindingly bright and being at such a low angle it creates very deep shadows and equally bright highlights.

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There's really not a lot you can do about this unless you're prepared to lug a good ( read heavy ) tripod around, set it up and manually bracket every shot at least 2 f-stops either side of what the metering thinks is ok. Why manually and not use your camera's own bracketing function ? ... because you want to take all the bracketed images home with you, I'll explain why later, your camera's automatic bracketing will select which of the images it thinks is best and store only that one.
To make matters worse the scabby little LCD's on most cameras will camouflage fine details like this anyway so you might not realise there's anything that needs fixing. ( It's worth mentioning here that either of the high priced SLR's mentioned earlier would handle this situation quite well and their best choice would likely as not be very good one. )

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Getting Away from Automatic

One of the easiest ways to explore a bit of creativity in photography is by using shutter or aperture priority. This simply involves setting either the shutter speed or the aperture opening to a fixed value and letting the camera's metering control whichever setting is left variable.
It's possible ( for example ) to force a depth of field increase by setting the shutter speed low thereby making the camera set a smaller aperture than it would normally.

Shutter Priority Exposure for Average Subject
	ISO	50	100	200	400	800	1600	3200
Bright Sun over Snow	1/100S	f 16	f 22	ND2*	ND4*	ND8*	ND16*	ND32*
Bright Sun	1/100S	f 11	f 16	f 22	ND2*	ND4*	ND8*	ND16*
Hazy Sun	1/100S	f 8	f 11	f 16	f 22	ND2*	ND4*	ND8*
Cloudy	1/100S	f 5.6	f 8	f 11	f 16	f 22	ND2*	ND4*
Heavy Overcast	1/100S	f 4	f 5.6	f 8	f 11	f 16	f 22	ND2*
Portrait in Full Shade	1/100S	f 2.8	f 4	f 5.6	f 8	f 11	f 16	f 22
Assuming your lens' f stops max out at f 22 then trying to go beyond that is pointless, crank the ISO back a few notches instead. When shooting portraits remember also that depth of field will be significant using high f numbers.

Aperture Priority Exposure for Average Subjects
	ISO	50	100	200	400	800	1600	3200
Bright Sun over Snow	f 16	1/100S	1/200S	1/400S	1/800S	1/1600S	1/3200S	1/6400S
Bright Sun	f 16	1/50S	1/100S	1/200S	1/400S	1/800S	1/1600S	1/3200S
Hazy Sun	f 16	1/25S	1/50S	1/100S	1/200S	1/400S	1/800S	1/1600S
Cloudy	f 16	1/12.5S	1/25S	1/50S	1/100S	1/200S	1/400S	1/800S
Heavy Overcast	f 16	1/6.25s	1/12.5S	1/25S	1/50s	1/100S	1/200S	1/400S
Portrait in Full Shade	f 16	Flash*	Flash*	Flash*	Flash*	Flash*	1/100S	1/200S
Unless you're intentionally trying to capture some movement don't take portraits below 1/100 second shutter speed ( preferably higher ). If you don't want to highlight your subject with a flash gun, use a mid to large aperture, ie. f8 or bigger depending on your lens' focal length and lens to subject distance, this will blur the background whilst keeping your subject in sharp focus.

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