#3 - Creative Photo Exercises

 

Creative Photo Exercises

Assignment

These exercises will help you to understand the camera’s controls and how these variables can affect the resulting images (and help you achieve the images you want to create).
You should create photographs to demonstrate each of the following.

1. Create a photograph that is properly exposed using the Manual Exposure Mode.

• Now shoot the exact same subject and create an exposure that is One to Two stops Overexposed. 
• Now shoot the same subject again, creating an exposure that is One to Two stops Underexposed.

2. Create a properly exposed image now using the AV or A or Aperture Exposure mode.

3. Create a properly exposed image now using the TV or S or Shutter Speed Exposure mode.

4. Find a subject and use the different White Balance settings. Create the same image, several times, one for each of the different settings. You must be sure that you have an accurate exposure for each of these images, however changing the WB will not affect the exposure, so once you have it set properly you should be able to just change the WB to create the images.

5. Shoot a subject inside with the correct WB. Be sure it is properly exposed.

6. Shoot a subject outside with the correct WB. Be sure it is properly exposed.

7. Photograph a subject inside where the light is not so bright, therefore forcing you to use a shutter speed below 1/30 of a second. Be sure it is still a proper exposure.

8. Create a small series of images at different ISO settings. At lower settings such as 50, 100 or 200 you will need a lot of light (outside). As you increase the ISO and once you get beyond 800, you will more than likely need to be inside as the light outside might be too bright. Create 8 to 12 photos in a row using your different ISO settings. Scroll through you ISO to see what the jumps are. I would not shoot an image at 100 ISO and then shoot a second image at 125 ISO. Make larger jumps, such as 100 and then 320 or 400, then 800, then 1600. The more the better so you can see the affect is has on your image.

9. Find a subject that is backlit (a person in front of a window.) Using the internal meter photograph the subject with the proper exposure. Now switch your camera to spot meter, adjust the settings accordingly and retake the image again.

10. The depth of field is much narrower if you are close to a subject than if you are farther away. One way to demonstrate this:

• Stand 3-4 feet from a partner. Have the partner point his/her finger at the lens. Focus on the fingertip and take the picture.
• Stand 20 feet from the partner and take the same picture, again focusing on the fingertip.
• Be sure to have a proper exposure

11. Depth of field is wider if you use a smaller aperture (larger f/stop number). One way to show this:

• Outdoors, photograph a person about 10 feet away, with “stuff” at various distances in the background. Set your aperture to a large opening (e.g. F/4) and use the meter to determine the shutter speed.
• Rephotograph the scene using a small aperture (e.g. F/16) and changing the shutter speed to get a reciprocal exposure.

12. Your meter will underexpose a scene if you point your camera at a mostly bright sky. One way to show this:

• On a sunny day, photograph a landscape image, including about 3/4 sky. Use the meter’s recommended settings.
• Then include only about 1/4 sky. Again use the meter’s recommended settings (which should be different)

13. A light-toned scene will tend to be underexposed and look gray, if you trust your meter, but be properly exposed if you add one or two extra stops of light.

• Set up a very “white” scene (e.g. eggs on a white blanket, friend in a white tee-shirt against a white wall. Photograph using the meter’s recommended settings.
• Rephotograph the same scene only now, overexpose by +1 stop and then +2 stops (e.g. slow down the shutter speed or increase the aperture)
• Now photograph the scene again with settings that underexpose by -1 stop and then -2 stops (e.g. increase the shutter speed or decrease the aperture.)

14. A dark-toned scene (not the same as a darkly lit scene!) will tend to be overexposed (and look gray) if you trust the meter’s settings. A way to demonstrate this:

• Set up a very dark scene (e.g. a black jacket against a dark blue wall or a friend wearing dark clothes against a dark wooden wall. Photograph the scene according to the meter’s recommendations.
• Rephotograph the same scene only now, overexpose by +1 stop and then +2 stops (e.g. slow down the shutter speed or increase the aperture.)
• Now photograph the scene again with settings that underexpose by -1 stop and then -2 stops (e.g. increase the shutter speed or decrease the aperture.)

15. A slower shutter speed will tend to show blurred movement, while a fast shutter speed will tend to freeze movement. A way to show this:

• A. Choose a moving subject that is about 5-10 feet away. Choosing a slower shutter speed (e.g.1/15 or 1/30 second) and use the meter to set the aperture for a good exposed photograph.
• Rephotograph the same subject using a fast shutter speed (e.g. 1/250 or 1/500 second) and choose an aperture to get a reciprocal exposure. You should try multiple examples of these just so you have a better feel for the camera and it’s settings.

We will look at these images and/or address concerns or questions in class.