Fundamentals of photography

All the photographs featured in this presentation are the property of
Zain Abdullah unless otherwise stated
- Zain Abdullah l flickr.com/photos/mzabdullah

 What we basically aim for when taking picture is a
correctly exposed picture.
 Good picture = Correctly exposed picture
 Correctly exposed or optimally exposed picture
means white area appears white, black area
appears black in the picture
Exposure > Basics

 EXPOSURE: The recording of an image on a light
sensitive film / sensor by controlling the amount of
light that hits the film / sensor.
 Exposure is controlled by
Exposure > Exposure Triangle
Exposure
Shutter
speed
ApertureISO Exposure triangle

Aperture
• controls the
opening
through which
light can enter
your camera
Shutter
Speed
• controls the
time duration
of the exposure
ISO
• Controls the
sensitivity of
the sensor to
the light
Exposure > Exposure Triangle

Aperture
Controls the opening through which light can enter your camera
f/1 f/1.4 f/2 f/2.8 f/4
f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22
1 stop
Exposure > Aperture
1 stop

Shutter Speed
Controls the time duration of the exposure
1/4000s
1/2000s
1/1000s
1/500s
1/250s
1/125s
1/60s
1/30s
1/15s
1/8s
1/4s
1/2s
1s
2s
4s
8s
16s
30s
Faster
Slower 1 stop
Exposure > Shutter speed

ISO
Controls the sensitivity of the sensor to the light
ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600 ISO 3200 ISO 6400
More sensitiveLess sensitive
1 stop
Exposure > ISO
1 stop

• One can therefore use many combinations of the above three settings to
achieve the optimal exposure.
• ISO 100 | Shutter speed: 1/125s | Aperture: f16
• ISO 800 | Shutter speed: 1/1000s | Aperture: f16
• ISO 100 | Shutter speed: 1/1000s | Aperture: f5.6
• ISO 400 | Shutter speed: 1/2000s| Aperture: f8
• The key, however, is knowing which trade-offs to make, since each setting
also influences other image properties.
• For example:
• aperture affects depth of field
• shutter speed affects motion blur
• ISO speed affects image noise
Exposure > Optimal Exposure
optimal
exposure

Exposure > Large aperture
• Subject is sharp, Background is thrown out of focus

Exposure > Large aperture
ISO: 800 | Aperture: f/5.6 | SS: 1/320
• Subject is
sharp
• Background
is thrown
out of focus

Exposure > Small aperture
• At small
aperture, both
foreground and
background are
sharp

Exposure > Slow shutter speed (Panning)

3 general
types of
lenses
Telephoto
lens
Wide-angle
lens
Standard lens
Types of lenses

• A standard lens is one with a mid-range focal length, typically around 50mm. They
have an angle of view which is roughly the same as the angle that the human eye
can comfortably view, meaning that they produce images which appear "natural"
to the viewer.
Standard lens
• A wide angle lens is one with a short focal length. They provide an angle of view
beyond that of a standard lens, allowing them to capture more of the scene in a
single shot. Extreme wide angle lenses are known as fisheye lens; these can
capture around 180 degrees, making for some intriguing, almost abstract photos.
Wide angle lens
• A telephoto lens has a long focal length and provides a high level of magnification,
allowing you to photograph subjects at a moderate to far distance and compress
perspective.
Telephoto lens
Types of lenses

Types of lenses > Its application in general
Focal Length Lens Type Common Subjects
8mm - 24mm
Ultra wide angle
(fisheye)
Wide panoramas and
skyscapes, artistic
24mm - 35mm Wide angle
Interiors, architecture,
landscapes
35mm - 85mm (50mm
common)
Standard General purpose
85mm - 135mm Short telephoto Portraits, candid
135mm - 300mm Medium telephoto Close sports, action
300mm+ Super telephoto
Far sports, wildlife,
nature, astronomy

Wider area is
captured by
an ultra wide
angle lens
Types of lenses > Ultra wide angle lens

Types of lenses > Standard lens
Standard lens – no
distortion on
portraiture

Types of lenses > Telephoto lens
Perspective is compressed when using telephoto lens

Composition
• Symmetry
• Rule of thirds
• Lead-in line
• Line dynamics
• Perspective
• Frame within a frame
• Foreground interest
• Pick out interesting details
• Watch the background
• Less is more (minimalist)
• Convey a sense of scale
• Convey a sense of movement
• Contrast
 Light and shadows
 Colours
 Old and new
• Reflection
• Vary the shooting angle
 Ant’s eye view
 Bird’s eye view
• Tell a story
Photography > Composition

• Symmetry
• An image is divided equally into two parts either horizontally
or vertically
• The simplest form of compositional structure and it helps
create a sense of unanimity and harmony
• Should only be used for exceptional structures that truly
demand such treatment and should be executed in a
technically perfect manner
Composition > Symmetry

• Rule of thirds
• An image appears to be more pleasing to the human eye when
the subjects or regions within the frame are composed along
imaginary lines which divide the frame into vertical and
horizontal thirds.
• It applies to all genres of photography not only architectural
photography
Composition > Rule of thirds

• Lead-in line
• Creates the illusion of three-dimensionality
• Directs viewer’s eye to the subject
• Conveys a sense of depth
Composition > Lead-in line

• Line Dynamics (Diagonal lines)
• The art of creating drama to an image and thus attracting the viewer's attention using
lines or patterns
• Diagonal lines imply a sense of tension, movement, in motion, something dynamic. They
upset our sense of perfect balance.
Composition > Line Dynamics

• Perspective
• In short, perspective refers to the relationship of objects in an image — the space
between them, their relative size, their placement within the scene.
• Becoming more familiar with different perspective styles can be invaluable in your
pursuit of creating visually arresting imagery.
Composition > Perspective

Composition > Linear Perspective

Composition > Height Perspective

Composition > Atmospheric/Aerial Perspective

• Frame within a frame
• Can add depth and context
• Drawing viewer’s attention to a defined subject
• Enhance the illusion of three-dimensionality
Composition > Frame within a frame

Composition > Frame within a frame

Composition > Foreground interest
• Foreground interest
• Creates the illusion of three-dimensionality
• Directs viewer’s eye to the subject
• Conveys a sense of depth

Composition > Foreground interest

Composition > Pick out interesting details
• Pick out interesting details
• Zoom in on details which can result in an arresting image out of
ordinary things around us

Composition > Pick out interesting details

Composition > Watch the background
• Watch the background
• Avoid a cluttered background to make your subject stand out

Composition > Watch the background

Composition > Less is more
• Less is more
• Negative space - the areas of an image, lacking in
detail, or empty space, is a common and overwhelming
element in minimalism. This can be used to provoke a
strong compulsion toward the main subject of the
photograph by setting the subject in isolation.

Composition > Convey a sense of scale
• Convey a sense of scale
• Provides comparison of how huge or how small the structure is
compared to something familiar to the viewer for its size
• e.g. human element, car, motorcycle etc.

Composition > A sense of scale

Composition > Convey a sense of movement
• Convey a sense of movement
• A still photo is something static. By introducing motion into a photo it shows
movement and this produces a dynamic image

Composition > Convey a sense of movement

Composition > Contrast
• Contrast
Contrast is a broad term, and can be interpreted in several ways. You can use any of these
interpretations for more creative photography. Let’s look at some of the ways contrast
can be applied
• Light and shadows - The most obvious when it comes to photography is to use the
light in your photo. You can use this to accentuate areas of interest on the subject,
by using shadows to show detail points.
• Colours – In some cases, you can play colors off against each other. You need to be
creative about how you add opposite colors that contrast with it.
• Old and new – Old architecture surrounded by new can make an effective photo.
Think of a church or temple surrounded by modern skyscrapers.

Composition > Contrast > Light & shadow

Composition > Contrast > Colours

Composition > Contrast > Old and new

Composition > Reflection
• Reflections
• Reflections can be used to instill a degree of atmosphere in an image. And the
reflections balance the image to give a composition that’s pleasing to the eye.
• Slow shutter speed serves to ‘smooth’ out the rough water and gives the impression of a
calmer scene than it actually is
• For sharpest reflections in the water, calm weather conditions are a must and higher
shutter speed will freeze any movement of the water. Even a slight wind can be enough
to pick up a few ripples and disturb the reflections.

Composition > Vary the shooting angle
• Vary the shooting angle
• Ant’s eye view - Unusual perspectives impact the experience of the viewer or audience too. From the
low perspective, the ground and the horizon either intersect or sandwich the subject material, creating
emphasis and guiding the eye around the image. When these planes come together abruptly, they also
draw attention to the composition of the environment. By enhancing the depth of the image, the image
appeals to the human eye because it is both familiar and unusual at the same time.
• Bird’s eye view -
 This angle or perspective finds great use in film making as many film makers use this view to click
and record shots. The view turns out to be amazing in most cases and helps to lend variations to the
way the central character is captured.
 Bird’s eye view is great for clicking pictures of cities for travel magazines and shows. These pictures
prove useful for postcards, newspapers and for brochures.
 Many photographers’ find bird’s eye view very interesting and use only this perspective for their
collections.
 It is a perspective different from many others and is hence considered valued in the field of
photography. It is often difficult to take and requires a lot of skill and patience. This is another
reason why bird eye view photographs are considered good.

Composition > Vary the shooting angle

Composition > Tell a story
• Tell a story
• A good picture is usually able to tell a story
• After all as they said a picture is worth a thousand words
• Story can be told by either a single photograph or a series of photographs
• This skill is especially vital in photojournalism and documentary photography where
a single photo is able to tell a dramatic story

Lighting
• Ideal time to take photo is in the early morning and
late evening
• It results in soft warm light but pronounced three-
dimensionality
• Beautiful contrasty scene
• Works best for landscape, travel and architecture
• It is called the magic hour especially one hour after
sunrise and one hour before sunset
Lighting

• Side lighting
• If the building faces either North or South, side lighting is the only
choice depending on what time the sun light hits the facade.
• Front lighting
• It depends which direction the building faces – east or west
• Silhouette results during sunrise or sunset depends which
direction the subject is facing
• Night shooting
Lighting > Types of lighting

Lighting > Late evening light > Side lighting

Lighting > Early morning light > Side lighting

Lighting > Early morning light > Front lighting

Lighting > Late evening light > Front lighting

Lighting > Silhouette > Sunset

Lighting > Night shooting
Night shooting: Shoot during early night when the skies still retain some colours

Types of Photography
15 Top Photography Genres that you need to know
1. Aerial photography 9. Photojournalism
2. Architectural photography 10. Conceptual/fine art photography
3. Candid photography 11. Portraiture photography
4. Documentary photography 12. Sports photography
5. Fashion photography 13. Street photography
6. Food photography 14. War photography
7. Landscape photography 15. Wildlife photography
8. Night-long exposure photography

What makes a good photograph?
• It is a fundamental skill to master as a photographer
Composition
• Deep understanding of light is needed
Light
• The timing, depending on the type of photography you do, can be a matter of capturing
that instant of a second that makes a difference. You have to capture a moment – the
magic moment
Timing
• Closely related to timing. A photo is worth a thousand words
The story
• An essential skill in digital photography
Image processing
• Show clearly what you want to present and a good photographer is able to visualize the
picture even before the photo is captured
Have a clear vision/reason

Tips on smartphone photography
• Use gridlines to balance your shot • Use natural light
• Focus on one subject • Consider buying a mobile tripod
• Embrace negative space • Create abstracts
• Find different perspectives • Take candids
• Play with reflections • Use manual mode to enhance the
flexibility if available
• Use leading lines. • Opt to shoot in RAW if available
• Look for symmetry.
• Keep an eye out for repetitive
patterns
• Avoid zooming in. (Digital zoom)
• Capture small details.

“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”
– Robert Capa
“Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow.”
– Imogen Cunningham
"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which
for me are not important". - Henri Cartier-Bresson
“The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things with words.”
– Elliott Erwitt
“Every building is a snapshot of a particular time and place - the raw materials that were on hand, how
far the builders' technology had progressed, and the aspirations of its creators. But architecture also
makes a powerful statement about the unique culture it reflects, whether the elegant simplicity of a grass
bungalow, or the dramatic complexity of a chrome skyscraper. One whispers, the other shouts, but both
are enduring reminders of cultural identity.”
-- Todd Gipstein

By
Zain Abdullah
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mzabdullah
https://myheritagebuildings.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/zainphotos
http://instagram.com/mzabdullah

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