In my photojournalism class I was tasked with taking a total of 9 pictures in different compositions for my assignment. You can view all 9 of the pictures in the slideshow above this text. However, in order to achieve these compositions, it took a level of understanding of how exactly camera controls work.
When attempting to take a photo, you have to keep in mind the 3 main ways photographers use to manipulate light: ISOs, aperture, and shutter speed. These camera controls all work in conjunction with each other, and the way you use these to your advantage can heavily impact the outcome of your picture. I want to go more into detail about these concepts in order to express my overall knowledge of the topic as well as inform anyone who may have not even heard of them.
ISO
ISO, an acronym for International Standards Organization, is a value photographers manipulate in order to change the overall sensitivity the camera has to light. ISOs are accompanied with different numbered values which are: ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO 3200, and ISO 6400. The value you use depends on the current environment you’re in when taking the photo. Indoor shoots would benefit more from higher ISO value. like 3200 and 6400 while outdoor settings benefit more from the lower values like 400 and 800. The bigger the ISO value, the more grainy and pixelated an image can become. This makes it important to configure your shutter speed and aperture to supplement your ISO for the best image possible.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed lets you control the amount of time light is allowed to hit the camera. As with ISOs, shutter speed also has its own value in: 1/60, 1/125/, 1/500, 1/1000, and 1/2000. This is very well used in conjunction with the amount of motion you want to capture as well as the amount of light the camera is seeing. For fast paced motion like running or dancing 1/2000 shutter speed is a given while slower movements like walking benefit more from lower shutter speeds like 1/60. More light being given equals shutter speeds near 1/2000 being the most effective while less light lets shutter speeds near 1/60 become more effective. This is why its important to go along the range of shutter speeds to accommodate for the best situations. Capturing someone walking casually outside in the sun versus walking indoors or at at night can drastically change what shutter speeds would be the best fit for that particular situation.
Aperture
The final value in camera controls I want to talk about is Aperture. Aperture is the value of the amount of light being given to your camera. It is most commonly calculated in F/stops. These values range from f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11, f16, f22, and f32. These F/stops are similar to the other values I mentioned earlier, as it all depends on the exact situation you want to capture. The larger the aperture, the wider the depth of field and the less light present needs a higher F/stop while a more shallow depth of field and more light needs a lower F/stop.
How it all works together
I mentioned this earlier on but these values all work in conjunction in order to give the desired effect for a photographer. Let’s make a hypothetical scenario to help illustrate this. Your client has asked you to shoot for a local high school indoor basketball game. The competition is fierce and tense and they want you to take at least 2 pictures, one during the game and one after the game. During the game you really want a good picture with a large handful of the players in focus, making it imperative that they don’t show up blurry in the image. You would take note of the situation you’re in. You’re indoors with the gym’s lights and the players are zipping back and forth on the court. Knowing this, you would set the ISO to about 800 to 1600, which is a good range to accommodate for the fact that it’s an indoor shoot. Next you would configure the shutter speed to around 1/1000 so you can get a good shot on anything that’s moving while still taking account of the overall light present. Then an aperture of about f/4 as it helps accommodate the indoor lighting while also allowing you to get a shallow depth of field to focus on the action.
Then after the game, the team wants to pose for a picture. This would change the overall values needed. You would still keep the ISO decently high for the indoor light, however you would drastically decrease the shutter speed due to the lack of motion. 1/60 would be a very appropriate option as everyone would end up being stationary. The aperture would need to be increased in order to widen the depth of field for the picture. An aperture of f5.6 to f8 would be very appropriate in this case.
All in all, correctly identifying the right controls for every photo are essential for creating the best picture for photographers. Not keeping this in mind can hinder the overall effectiveness of their photography dramatically. So whenever you find yourself having to use a camera to take pictures, always keep these camera controls in mind.
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Damoni Higgins 