Khara Plicanic - Getting Started in Digital Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

From Snapshots to Great Shots

Khara Plicanic

Getting Started in Digital Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

Khara Plicanic

Peachpit Press
www.peachpit.com

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Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education

Copyright 2014, 2013, 2012 by Kabloom Studios, Inc.

Material also published as Your Camera Loves You: Learn to Love It Back, Peachpit Press, 2012, ISBN-13: 978-0-321-78410-0

Acquisitions Editor: Ted Waitt
Associate Editor: Valerie Witte
Production Editor: Lisa Brazieal
Composition: WolfsonDesign
Indexer: James Minkin
Cover Design: Aren Straiger
Cover Image: Khara Plicanic
Interior Design: Riezebos Holzbaur Design Group and WolfsonDesign

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact .

Notice of Liability

The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

ISBN-13 978-0-321-95654-5
ISBN-10 0-321-95654-0

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed and bound in the United States of America

Dedication

To those who seek a life beyond auto mode.

Acknowledgments

Group hug for the entire Peachpit crew! Including, but not limited to, Lisa Brazieal, Scott Cowlin, Andreas F. S. deDanaan, Mimi Heft, Kelly Kordes Anton, Joy Dean Lee, Sara Jane Todd, Myrna Vladic, Ted Waitt, Liz Welch, Valerie Witte, and WolfsonDesign. You are all quite simplyamazing.

Robin Williams, whose generosity aligned the stars and eventually made this book a reality. From Santa Fe to London, and everywhere in betweena million thanks.

Jim and Maria Lintelthe best parents in the world! In addition to your unwavering love and support, I thank you for the many ways you have helped shape my life, my teachingand ultimately, this book. I love you.

And finally, this book literally would not be the same without my incredible husband Emir. (Love you!) Whether helping with illustrations, graciously posing for a photo, putting up with countless late nights (very late nights), letting me play on the other side of the lens now and then, or simply being there when I needed youyou are my unwavering hero. Go team!

Introduction

Your digital camera loves you. It always has. Sure, it gets stuck shooting in auto mode most of the time and graciously takes the blame when the photos arent what youd hoped for. And yet, its still there for you. Silently waiting and patiently hoping for that one daythe day you come around and realize how good youve had it all along, finally giving it the chance to live up to all the impressive functionality it was built for. (Cue the heroic music.)

But, more often than not, before your camera ever gets the chance to shine, it gets kicked to the curb by a newer model. A neighbor, friend, or relative innocently shows off his or her latest camera acquisitionand before you know it, youre smitten. You are certain, beyond a doubt, that a new camera will solve all your photo problems. A newer/fancier/more mega-pixel-y camera will make all your bad photos a thing of the past, right?!

Sorry to break it to ya, but the problem isnt your camera. And the idea that buying a new one will magically morph your pictures into photographic gold is like believing that a new high-end glue gun will make you the next Martha Stewart. (Just bein honest, folks!)

The path to better pictures starts not with a new camera, but with learning to use the one youve got. As it turns out, cameras dont take great photospeople do. And believe it or not, people have created incredible images with cameras made from an oatmeal box (seriously). The buck stops here.

Really, Any Camera Will Do!

In an effort to prove that having a fancy camera isnt required to capture stunning photos, I made a point of including images in this book that were captured with a variety of cameras, ranging from a high-end professional model dSLR to a compact point-and-shoot camera thats at least six years past its prime.

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An Oatmeal Box Can Be a Camera?

Curious about taking photos with an oatmeal box? Or think Im making the whole thing up? Check out www.pinhole.org or www.pinholeday.org for galleries and more information than you ever dreamed of about pinhole cameras.

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About This Book

This book is about redefining the relationship you have with your camerafrom one that may be somewhat adversarial to one of respect and cooperation.

Though you may wish otherwise, this book is not a replacement for your cameras user guide. Seriously. Its not. So dont toss yours! (If youve already lost it, do a quick Google search or check the manufacturers website to find a copy you can download. Or, if you prefer a hard copy, call the manufacturer to order one or check eBay.com.)

The cameras user guide is actually so important that I recommend you dig it out and have it on hand while you go through this book. (Seriously. You can go grab it nowIll wait here.)

Carefully crafted to be applicable to any camera, anywhere, anytime, this book is meant to be a broad overview of how most cameras generally function. The exact way in which it applies to you and your camera will vary by model. If you have questions about locating a certain feature or menu option on your camera, you bet your sweet pixels Ill be referring you to your user guide for the answer. If you can make peace with that now, the rest will be easy!

will give you a basic overview of some important terms and a broad understanding of the magic that happens every time you click the shutter, making it the best place to start, even if you plan to jump around to other chapters later. (For best results, I suggest that you read this book sequentially, as each chapter builds on the previously covered topics.)

Whether you have a dSLR, a pocket-size point-and-shoot camera, or something in betweensit back, relax, and read your way to triumphant photographic bliss (without the usual techno babble)!

1. Threes Company

Understanding Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO