| IntroductionModern cameras are highly
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| | when the camera is on its furthest
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| automatic in operation. They have auto
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| | telephoto setting, camera shake will
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| focus and auto exposure. The camera will
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| | become a problem. If you are taking a
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| focus on the subject - often identified
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| | telephoto shot and the camera chooses a
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| by a small circle or square at the centre
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| | slow to medium shutter speed, the result
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| of the viewfinder - and calculate an
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| | might be blurred due to the movement of
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| appropriate exposure by detecting the
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| | your hands while taking the exposure. Use
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| level of reflected light - usually from
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| | a tripod - all wildlife photographers use
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| the same spot. A slight pressure on the
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| | them. They are a pain to carry but
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| shutter release will activate those two
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| | improve quality by orders of magnitude.6
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| functions, without taking a picture.
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| | Fast Moving Subject Require a Fast
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| Further pressure on the shutter release
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| | Shutter SpeedThe shutter is that part of
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| will result in a photo being taken.1 Take
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| | the camera which opens briefly to allow
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| care to Focus and Expose on the Subject
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| | light to strike the sensitive surface of
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| of the ImageImagine you are taking a
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| | the detector to
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| picture of your girl friend against the
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| | produce an image. Fast moving object
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| background of an interesting harbour.
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| | require extremely short shutter speeds in
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| Your girl friend is six feet away while
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| | order to capture a crisp sharp image.
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| the harbour is around 50 feet away. You
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| | Slower
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| position your girl friend carefully - she
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| | shutter speeds will produce a blur as
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| is important to you - at one side of the
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| | the object moves.
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| picture with an interesting view of the
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| | In general outdoor photography a shutter
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| harbour in the distance. Now do you want
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| | speed of 1/60th or 1/125th second will be
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| to focus on the harbour - or your girl
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| | acceptable. In contrast, shooting a
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| friend? Position the square or circle at
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| | formula one car in motion will require
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| the centre of the viewfinder over the
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| | shutter speed of say 1/1000th of a
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| spot that you want to focus on and
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| | second.7 A little About Depth of FieldIn
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| correctly expose - take a slight pressure
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| | days past, a photographer would measure
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| on the shutter release - and keep that
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| | the level of light at a location with a
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| pressure while you move the camera to
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| | light meter and then calculate the best
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| frame the image you want to take - then,
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| | combination of shutter speed and
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| and only then, push the shutter release
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| | aperture to correctly expose the film.
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| fully down and take the photo. If you
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| | This is now done automatically by the
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| want to have everything in focus - then
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| | camera. Aperture is the measure of how
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| see 7 Depth of Field.2 Carefully Compose
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| | much light is passing through the lens.
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| Your ShotBefore taking the picture take a
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| | The lens has an iris, which can be
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| careful last look through the viewfinder.
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| | 'stopped down' to reduce the amount of
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| Check the composition, and particularly
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| | light passing through the lens. A fully
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| that heads nd feet are included, and that
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| | open lens will pass the greatest amount
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| all faces are visible in anything other
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| | of light - full aperture - but this also
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| the smallest of groups. With the camera
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| | reduces the 'depth of field'. The depth
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| taking care of focus and exposure - you
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| | of field is the band of distance over
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| have the time to concentrate on getting
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| | which the subject is in focus. In 1
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| the composition perfect. Photographic
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| | above, with full aperture either your
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| amputation of limbs is unforgivable!3 Set
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| | girl friend or the harbour is in
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| the Colour Balance Correctly on the
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| | focus - but not both. By 'stopping down'
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| CameraDigital cameras have controls that
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| | the lens - reducing the aperture - both
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| allow the operator to set the nature of
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| | can be brought into focus. But as a
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| the lighting illuminating the subject. In
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| | consequence the amount of light passing
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| general they will default to daylight,
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| | through the lens is reduced. The length
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| since shots are likely to be taken
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| | of time which the shutter is open will
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| outdoors. On this setting, pictures taken
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| | have to be increased to compensate.8 When
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| indoors under artificial tungsten
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| | taking Landscapes Avoid Putting the
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| lighting will look yellow - they will
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| | Horizon Across the Centre of the
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| have a yellow cast. Pictures taken under
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| | ImageDrawing the picture horizon in the
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| strip lighting will look green. Setting
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| | middle of the image simply looks naff. It
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| the camera appropriately will produce
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| | divides the picture in to two and fails
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| consistent balanced photographs. Look in
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| | to engage the viewer. Best to concentrate
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| the camera manual to see how to set the
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| | on the sky or the foreground. Photograph
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| control - it is very easy. Flash guns
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| | a setting sun with red sky, or a rainbow
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| produce a light, which is very similar in
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| | with the horizon low in the picture. Or
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| colour 'temperature' to that of
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| | concentrate on the landscape and place
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| daylight.4 Don't Expect Too Much from the
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| | the horizon high in the picture.9 Be
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| On Camera FlashThe on camera flash is
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| | Aware of the Effects of Back LightingLet
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| designed for convenience when shooting a
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| | us go back to the example given in Hint
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| small group of people. It will not
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| | 1. Imagine that in the picture of your
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| illuminate a hall. When
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| | girl friend in front of the harbour, the
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| watching public events on the television
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| | sun is setting, casting its golden rays
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| it is somewhat surprising to see members
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| | across the sea and reflecting on the
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| of the audience in the Albert hall take a
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| | masts and other metal objects of the
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| pocket camera out and shoot a picture
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| | harbour
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| with their flash. This is unlikely to be
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| | with white clouds illuminated red in the
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| successful. Better to turn the
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| | dying rays of the sun. An evocative and
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| sensitivity of the camera up - say to
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| | romantic shot. Taking the shot with the
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| 800ASA - the 'film speed', or
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| | camera will result in a beautiful
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| sensitivity. This might produce a better
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| | background but a black shadow of a girl
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| result. Do not confuse sensitivity of the
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| | friend! Now that might be appropriate
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| camera with shutter speed. They are
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| | should you have had a particularly bad
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| different. An on camera flash will
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| | day with her and it might correctly
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| illuminate only a short distance - as a
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| | reflect the mood. However using the on
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| guide pick up your cat firmly with two
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| | camera flash to fill in the darkness - to
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| hands by the tail and swing it around at
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| | illuminate her face and show her features
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| arms length - that is the sort of
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| | might be more appropriate on a better
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| distance the flash will illuminate!5 A
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| | day!Christopher Thomas is both keen
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| Tripod is Essential for Long Distance
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| | photographer and company director of
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| ShotsMost modern digital cameras come
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| | Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The
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| with a zoom lens that can take both wide
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| | company focusses on digital photo
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| angle and telephoto shots. This is
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| | developing for both amateur and
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| extremely useful. However remember that
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| | commercial photographers.
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