I’m not going to pretend I’m an amazing photographer. I’m no Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams. Also, you may already know this stuff, but in case you don’t, here are some things you should know about photography that you can use with pretty much any camera:
ISO
Changing the ISO on your camera (and I can’t tell you how to change it because it’s different on every camera) will make the photo lighter or darker. The numbers are in hundreds, and the higher the number, the lighter the photo, as you would expect. However, if you raise the ISO, the photo becomes noisier (or grainier if you are using film). If you are using a film camera, you can change the ISO by using certain rolls of film.
Changing the ISO on your camera (and I can’t tell you how to change it because it’s different on every camera) will make the photo lighter or darker. The numbers are in hundreds, and the higher the number, the lighter the photo, as you would expect. However, if you raise the ISO, the photo becomes noisier (or grainier if you are using film). If you are using a film camera, you can change the ISO by using certain rolls of film.
Shutter Speed
The shutter is the part on the camera that opens up to let the light in when you take a photo. The higher the shutter speed, the faster the shutter opens and closes. This means you can take photos without them being blurry. Unfortunately, when the shutter speed is faster, it lets in less light so the photo is darker, and this can often be a problem. You can also purposefully make the photo blurry by using a slow shutter speed.
The shutter is the part on the camera that opens up to let the light in when you take a photo. The higher the shutter speed, the faster the shutter opens and closes. This means you can take photos without them being blurry. Unfortunately, when the shutter speed is faster, it lets in less light so the photo is darker, and this can often be a problem. You can also purposefully make the photo blurry by using a slow shutter speed.
Aperture
Adjusting the aperture changes how much the shutter opens when you take a photo, so that more or less light is let into the camera. This makes the photos lighter or darker, and changes the depth of field so you can add blur in the background. Aperture is a little bit more confusing than the others, because when the aperture is higher, the photo is actually darker, because the shutter doesn’t open as wide. A lower aperture (or a brighter photo) is more likely to have a blurred background.
Adjusting the aperture changes how much the shutter opens when you take a photo, so that more or less light is let into the camera. This makes the photos lighter or darker, and changes the depth of field so you can add blur in the background. Aperture is a little bit more confusing than the others, because when the aperture is higher, the photo is actually darker, because the shutter doesn’t open as wide. A lower aperture (or a brighter photo) is more likely to have a blurred background.
Rule of Thirds
Imagine there are four lines on your photo: two are horizontal and two are vertical, dividing the image into nine equal parts. When you are using the rule of thirds, you try to line up the objects or scenery in the photo with the lines. This is somehow often more visually pleasing than a random or centered picture, though that is not always the case and this rule can be broken with good results. On some digital cameras, you can change the settings so that there is a grid on the screen which makes it easy to follow the rule of thirds.
Imagine there are four lines on your photo: two are horizontal and two are vertical, dividing the image into nine equal parts. When you are using the rule of thirds, you try to line up the objects or scenery in the photo with the lines. This is somehow often more visually pleasing than a random or centered picture, though that is not always the case and this rule can be broken with good results. On some digital cameras, you can change the settings so that there is a grid on the screen which makes it easy to follow the rule of thirds.
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| (rule of thirds) |
This may seem obvious, but keeping your camera still can make a big difference if you don’t want a blurry photo. You can hold the camera still against your body or you can set the camera on a flat, sturdy surface. You can use a timer so you don’t move the camera at all while hitting the button. You can also get hold of a tripod or monopod if you’re willing to lug it around with you.
Lastly, don’t forget to focus. Or you could forget everything I just said and keep your camera on auto.
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