Mechanics

“Photography is about vision.

Vision is a journey not a destination

” du Chemin The more we engage the world around us and our thoughts and
feelings about them, the more we are able to express it photographically” As our
skill set expands we are able to use those tools to express our photographic
vision.

When I am shooting, I try to let my instincts take over and have my camera be an
extension of my eye, heart and mind. To do this it helps to get lost in / or
immersed in what you are shooting...... looking through the viewfinder
experiencing what you are shooting through the frame.... this helps with the
moments and of course it helps to shoot a lot and edit down. (one of the many
benefits of digital) So my heart tells me what to shoot.

Then my mind helps me focus in on the subject, using composition, form, line
and light to focus in on my subject and removing the extraneous.... cropping
helps too.

So this is the ideal, not always easy to attain... A really good photo teacher,
David duChemin says " a good photograph is when vision meets craft "

learning the craft is most important... so when you are in shooting mode the craft
helps you shape your vision. As you learn to play with aperture, exposure,
lensing, composition they all become methods to show your vision. If one takes
time to fumble with the technology and mechanics... the mind and heart can slip
out of the moment.

So learn the craft, so it is a tool not a hindrances,

Light Meter
Spot metering 20 % circle for detailed metering used in zone system guides
shooter in finding precise readings
Multi segment metering 9 areas 50 areas measure with fuzzy logic, usually
works well.
Center weighted general metering system if center of image is representative of
rest of image

Light meters measure in tonal value

Reading meter
Under exposure or low key
Over exposure or high key
Center or meter gray
Light meter makes recommendations
Photographer makes intelligent decisions for image quality
Histogram is better meter
Raw files contain more info than display
light meter
how they work
reads quantity of light
recommends making everything middle gray
problem occurs shooting things that are not middle gray
camera does not know what you are pointing at so shooting a light
subject the meter will make it gray, same goes with shooting dark subject
center weighted metering
spot 2% in center viewfinder
multi segment metering
uses multiple spots for metering

Auto Modes
Limited menus, child safety locks, auto iso auto flash, shoots jpegs-some
Cameras, good for people who donʼt know how to shoot.
Manual exposure modes
P program
Auto sets aperture and shutter full controls available
S or tv shutter is under control, camera controls aperture
Av a aperture controls aperture there are less apertures than shutters so
aperture control give better shooting variation. Small aperture max depth slow
shutter , open aperture high shutter shallow depth of field
Max sharpness use middle apertures
Exposure compensation telling if subject is light or dark
Manual mode exposure value does not vary, if light is consistent set to manual to
avoid metering issues once exposure is dialed in then things are good.

Camera Modes
Limited menus, child safety locks, auto iso auto flash, shoots jpegs-some
Cameras, good for people who donʼt know how to shoot.
Manual exposure modes
P program
Auto sets aperture and shutter full controls available
S or tv shutter is under control, camera controls aperture
Av a aperture controls aperture there are less apertures than shutters so
aperture control give better shooting variation. Small aperture max depth slow
shutter , open aperture high shutter shallow depth of field
Max sharpness use middle apertures
Exposure compensation telling if subject is light or dark
Manual mode exposure value does not vary, if light is consistent set to manual to
avoid metering issues once exposure is dialed in then things are good.

Exposure priorities
Moving
What to do with motion freeze or blur
Not moving
Depth of field
Shallow depth of field

Iso gives faster shutter speeds