Mastering Manual Camera Settings

Taken with Canon PowerShot SX100 IS; ISO400--f6--F/8--1/400
Aperture/F-Stop:controls the amount of light that touches the film/digital memory when the shutter opens.
• Lower the number, more light > higher number, less light
• f 2.8 = greater depth of field and broader clarity vs. f16 = shorter depth of field and defined focus
• f 8 – f 11 is the perfect median for images that don’t require a broad or close-up focus

Film Speed/ISO: higher speeds require less light for exposure and lower speeds require more light for exposure
• ISO 60 (lowest ISO w/o a flash) = dusk & low lighting situations
• ISO 1200 – extremely bright days
• ISO 100 - 400 = average speed for mid-day, cloudy > sunny
No need to adjust ISO once set for a particular shooting session. In darkness, set at F2.8—ISO 100—Shutter 1/8

Shutter Speed: measured in fractions of a second
• 1/8 (slow shutter speed) will allow more light to enter the lens
• 1/500 (fast shuter speed) allows for less light ideal for capturing motion
• 1/125 – average speed for mid-day, sunny conditions
• Experimenting with shutter speed is the most direct way to alter an image. If you shoot fire dancers and want to capture the motion of the fire, leave the lens open for longer (1/40), and vice-versa.

Composition:
• Rule of 3rds
• Depth of Field (f-stop manipulation)
• Leading Lines & Shadows
• Angles = birds-eye view, ants-eye view, using surfaces as borders

Some things to keep in mind:
• Get closer!
• Find the light
• Keep it natural, no posers
• Portraiture: watch for trees, poles, etc, growing out of heads
• Don’t hesitate.

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