Lesson 9 - Flash Photography

Our very last lesson has come and gone! We finished up with a look at flash photography. There is just so much to learn when it comes to flash and understanding ambient and flash exposure. We talked about:
- the quality of light (soft and harsh shadows, directional etc)
- tips for taking advantage of the best light indoors and outdoors
- white balance
- flash fall off
- balancing ambient and flash
- maximum flash sync speed
- high sync speed
- flash as fill light
- flash as key light
- built-in flash
- on-camera external flash
- off-camera external flash
- studio lighting (softbox, umbrellas, reflectors)

Whew!!! That was one intense class! I did a lot of talking, as there was just so much material to cover and I really wanted you all to have a great basis for understanding flash photography. Remember, this is only the beginning so if you don't get it all right away, don't worry. Take some time to think about the theory and best of all, go out and practice. Especially with off-camera flash, it's all about trial and error so go try.

Despite my droning on and on about this and that regarding flash, I did have some time to show you a bit of off-camera technique using a shoot-through umbrella and reflector.

Thanks Katherine, as always, for documenting the going-on's of our class!

Lesson 8 - Post Processing

In our last class you were introduced to post processing. We went over iPhoto and Lightroom 2.0 by using the tools and techniques most useful for photo editing such as:
exposure
levels
highlight recovery
blacks
fill light
temperature
tint
contrast
saturation
vignetting
grad filter
adjustment brush
clone/heal

just to name a few. Next class, I will reserve some time to review some key techniques for use in Photoshop.

Don't you just love processing?

Oh right! We also talked about RAW vs. JPG. In the beginning of the class, most of you were down on RAW but I hope by the end of the class, you were able to appreciate some of the awesomeness of RAW!

Remember this example?

Here is SOOC:


Recovered from JPG:


Recovered from RAW:


Wow... what a difference. Remember, JPG's are compressed, so a lot of information and detail is thrown away. As a result, there is less room for extreme processing. If you nail the exposure and white balance, then shooting in JPG's might be for you as you deal with less processing and smaller files. However, if you want the flexibilty in processing and you have a fast computer and lost of hard drive space, then consider shooting in RAW.

Hope you had as much fun as I did discovering just some of the things you can do in post processing!

Lesson 7 - Lenses

Oops! I forgot to write up a post about our lesson on lenses two weeks ago!

We talked about 35mm standard and cropped sensors versus full frame sensors. By understanding those differences, we can figure out what works best for us and which lenses we can buy for our cameras.

The first thing to think about before purchasing a lens, is to consider what you want to photograph. Should you get a prime or a zoom? Wide, normal or telephoto? What maximum aperture do you need?

We also discussed vignetting, lens distortion, magnification and the big one, perspective and changing angle of view between a wide or a telephoto lens.

If you have any questions about a lens purchase, I'd be more than happy to discuss the options with you and help you to find the one you need.

Lesson 6 - Exposure Review

We had a ball in last night's class when the light's went on and we were able to shoot in manual mode! Now, shooting comfortably in manual takes a long time and a lot of practice. Reading your meter, compensating for the scene and dialing in your settings takes patience but once you get accustomed to setting your exposure this way, you'll get faster and faster at it.

Want to make your own heart or star-shaped bokeh? Check out these links:
Create Your Own Bokeh
Removing the Mystery From the Heart-Shaped Bokeh

We also had our first Pop Quiz! Everyone did very well tacking those questions and really taking the time to think about exposure.

Here's another sample question for you to try:

My current settings are aperture f/8, shutter speed 1/60, and ISO 800. But I find my shutter speed a bit slow by one stop. How will you fix that while maintaining the same exposure?

There are several possible answers. Post your version in the comments below! Anyone can answer!

I'll post another one in a couple days.

Lesson 5 - Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO

In our last class, we tackled the triangle of exposure head on!

We came to understand what the aperture, shutter speed and ISO are and what happens when we adjust them. It will take time to become completely familiar with how they work together to set an exposure so don't worry if you don't feel all that comfortable with the trio yet.

Check out the links on the left hand menu to more tutorials on these subjects. Read it over and over again until you get it. Then practice practice practice. Read your manual to figure out how to change those settings as it's different for every camera.

You were introduced to shutter priority mode and aperture priority mode. Next class we will go over all these concepts again and delve into setting your exposure manually. It's really not as difficult as it may sound!

We also brought up our plans for a gallery showing of our prints at the end of the session. Our last class is Nov. 26th so the gallery showing will be on Dec. 3rd. You have a month to shoot like crazy and choose your very best images for the show.

In the next couple of classes, we will start looking at post processing as well, which will give your images that extra kick.

See you all again soon!

Lesson 4 - Exposure Compensation & Metering

In last night's class, we reviewed the basics of exposure and understanding how the camera thinks. We looked at why the camera underexposes or overexposes certain scenes and how to fix that by applying exposure compensation. Then, we went into detail on learning about the built in light meter and the different metering modes which can affect our exposure.

Next week, we'll be diving deep into the triangle of exposure: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Be sure not to miss that one!

And here are some more student submitted photos for your viewing pleasure:
(note: I had to size the image browser so the edges were cut off in order to maintain good compression)

Lesson 3 - Exposure Intro

Last night, we went over the compositional guidelines we learned last week and continued on with the last few:
- Direction of Movement
- Catchlights
- Framing
- Texture and Lighting

We did a short group exercise that involved analyzing the composition of select photos and presenting our views to the class. I was so pleased and impressed by your thoughtful analysis of each image. I hope you will continue to "train your eye" and composition before pressing the shutter release button.

After the break, we dove right into getting familiar with all the terms and concepts of exposure. We went over:
- The definition of exposure
- How your camera thinks
- Histograms
- Over and under exposure
- Dynamic range

So, your homework for this week is to use use use your Histogram. It is such a valuable tool!

And thanks to those of you who sent in your composition homework for last week. If you haven't sent yours in, it's not too late. Just email your compositionally best photo to oac@dolcepics.com ASAP.

I hope more of you will join in on our Critique Corner here on the blog. See you all next week!

*click the image to go to the next one

Lesson 2 - Composition

In yesterday's class, we talked about the three elements of photography: the frame, positive space and negative space. By keeping this concept in mind, we more effectively apply compositional guidelines when framing our shots.

We went over the following guidelines:
1. Establishing a Point of Interest
2. Portrait vs. Landscape Orientation - initial framing
3. Rule of Thirds
4. Symmetry
5. Cropping
6. Simplify
- zoom in
- declutter
- use of negative space
- eye level
7. Lines and Patterns
- leading lines and entry point
- diagonals
- pattern
8. Avoiding Mergers (when the negative space melds with the positive space)
- growth merger
- border
- joint
- near
Remember, these are only guidelines to help you have a good basis in composition. You need to know the rules to break them.

Don't forget to email me your best shot from this coming week. Send the photo no later than Monday, Oct. 13th 11pm.

Lesson 1 - Overview & Introduction

Our first class has already come and gone and I had a fabulous time with our 14 students. We talked about the different types of photography, equipment needed for digital photography and the benefits of using a DSLR vs. a Point & Shoot. Thanks everyone for such great participation and thoughtful responses.

Remember, your homework assignment for this week is to read your camera's manual and get familiar with all the buttons and menus. If you would like to submit one of your own photos for our weekly critiquing session, please email it to oac@dolcepics.com and use the subject line "critique".

Here are a few shots Katherine Lim took during the night. Thanks Katherine for sharing the photos!

*click on the photo to see the next image



Looking forward to seeing you all again next week for our lesson on Composition!