This post is the second part of our DSLR Photography 101 series. Also check out Part 1 – It’s Not the Camera, It’s You , Part 3 – Be Aware of the Whole Picture: Composition and Part 4 – How To Photograph Outdoor Sports.
Photography, digital or not, can get overcomplicated in a hurry.
I hope to help bring some clarity to the subject through a series of posts and tips.
First, here is some jargon or photospeak lingo that goes in to taking a photo.
F-stop: the amount of light a lens will allow to pass through it. A high number, think F32, allows very little light. A low number like F1.8 allows much more light.
Shutter speed: the speed at which the shutter of the camera will fire (shoot) to take your photo. Action photos tends to require faster shutter speeds (1/250 of a second or 1/500 of a second) because of the movement of your subjects. Portraits can be shoot at 1/50 or 1/60 of a second as long as you have a steady hand.
With a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera, you can typically control both these settings on the camera if it has a manual mode (most do, along with shutter priority and aperature or F-stop priority).
However, you are limited to what your camera and lens will allow your minimum and maximum settings can be.
Some cameras will allow you to take photos at 1/2000, others cap it at 1/8000 and some are in between.
Lenses can be more tricky. I have a 50mm Nikon D series lens (MSRP $199). It gives me options for my F stops starting at 1.8 (wide open, most light) and ending at 22 (least allowable light). There are other settings in between.
I use this lens typically around the house, taking candid shots of my daughter, photos of projects my wife is doing and because it does not zoom, it is a good length which accurately records the world at a similar distance to what your eye actually sees.
There are many advantages to the lens which allow you to shoot at 1.4, 1.8 or even F2. The biggest advantage is the amount of light which passes through it. It means in a well lit room, you don’t need a flash. In a poorly lit room, if you take your photos at a mid-range shutter speed, you could still get away with not using a flash depending on the effect you are going for.
I’m sure you have seen photos where the whole background is blurry or a section of the photo looks in focus and the rest does not (shallow depth of field). This effect is most easily achieved by taking photos at a low F-stop. For example, if I was taking photos of my daughter playing in the yard but I don’t want the dead rose bushes showing in the background, I would shoot at 1.8.
If you want the opposite effect, having everything in the photo seem like it was on the same plane, use a higher number. If my daughter was picking roses in a field and the rows of flowers went on for a great distance, I would use F22 or if the lens was capable, even higher.
As a photographer, it is completely up to you to decide how to take photos. Just remember, you can get a completely different photo conceptually shooting at F1.8 and 1/4000 or F22 and 1/60. There are infinite possibilities in between.
Snap Shots: Tips from a (former) pro
When your paying hundreds of dollars (or more) for each camera lens, protect your investment. My dad, a seasoned photographer from the days of darkrooms and manually operated everything cameras shared this tip with me when I became a journalist. Invest in a UV filter and leave it permanently attached to each of your lenses. The filter changes nothing about your photos but it will be the layer or glass that gets scratched if something bad ever happens to you lens. Paying $20 for a filter is way cheaper than replacing a lens (full price) or repairing a lens (close to full price depending on shipping costs).
Thanks for the great tips. This is my goal as an amateur photographer this year and I’m taking it all in as much as I can when I buy a DSLR camera
I have never bought a DSLR because I can not grasp the idea behind each of the settings. I am camera challenged.
The F stop is my most messed with setting 🙂
It takes time to get used to. But if you keep aware of what you’re shooting at, it becomes second nature eventually. And even in the basic Windows photo browser, if you look at the properties tab, you can find out what settings you took each photo at to compare. Sometimes when I’m not sure what settings to use, I take three or four test shots at the same speed but different F-stops to get a starting point. Plus it’s fun to compare those shots after the fact.
I want to take better photos, but since I just use my iPhone for everything, and I’m not very good, I haven’t invested in a good camera. I’m thinking about buying one and taking classes once my life calms down more.
What timely tips! I am trying to get better with my camera and didn’t know some of these. Thanks!
Thank you. Eventually I want to cover more aspects of DSLR photography. The next blog is already written. In it, I cover backgrounds, perspective and making the most of your camera’s “burst-mode” shooting option, if it has one.
Most people never leave the auto setting …. They need to jump out of their comfort zone and learn the cameras they are buying for sure.
These are such great tips. I really need to work on my photography skills.
I too love my 50mm prime lens. A wide aperture is my most preferred option especially when taking snaps of the kids since the shallow DOF hides all the clutter that often accumulates in the backgrounds 🙂
I like the 35mm better, only because I can get closer to the action. I recently sold an 85mm because I never used it and I had to be so far away from the action.
Thanks! This is something that I struggle with. I find a sweet spot and then I can’t get back to it after changing settings on the camera. It’s nice to be reminded of which settings do what.
I have DSLR but am still shooting in auto mode. I need to learn this stuff
A whole new world opened up to me when I taught myself to shoot in manual mode. I am still learning, but wow have my photos changed. The best take away for me from this post is the UV filter. Such an easy thing to do, don’t know why I never thought about it before. I need a filter! 🙂
Great tips. Thanks.
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Can I ask what you are referring to when you say MSRP $199 about your Nikon lens? I want one with a lower f-stop and don’t want to spend $1400 to get that. Thanks!
This is the lens I use all the time on my camera.
http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Product/Camera-Lenses/AF-S-NIKKOR-50mm-f%252F1.8G.html
The reason the price is so low is because is doesn’t zoom. So you have to frame your photos exactly the way you want them and position yourself to get the shots instead of zooming across the room etc.
The 35 mm is now around $200, 50mm $220 and 85 mm is around $500. If you want the ability to zoom and not worry about the F-stop, then yes you should expect to pay upwards of $2000.
When you look at regular zoom lenses, I’ll break it down quickly. AF-S NIKKOR
28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR (FYI, $1050 MSRP)
AF-S = auto focus
28-300 = focal lengths of the widest and farthest it will shoot
F3.5-5.6 = at 28 mm it will take photos at 3.5 letting in more light. But at 300 mm, it lets in a lot less light when trying to let in the maximum amount of light.It would be difficult to use inside without a flash.
G- series of the lens, determines which features will work with the lens and camera.
VR – vibration reduction. helps take sharp photos (less fuzzy in focus) in lower light situations.
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