Gavilan College
DM/Art/CSIS 80: Digital Photography

Assignment 4: Advanced Cameras Settings
Perform these exercises with a partner who can take notes and trade roles. You should each do the exercise. If you do not have a camera that has settings for manual aperture or shutter speed, see if you can partner with someone that does.

Exposure settings (Use pictures done in class if good results):

  1. Subject is your choice, but something around any of the Gavilan campuses would be nice. Choose a subject that has lots of contrast (i.e., shadows, highlights) and depth to test your depth of field.
  2. Set your camera to max resolution and best quality .JPG compression. Do not use the Raw or Tiff settings. You can however shoot extra pictures with these settings if you desire.
  3. Shoot 5 pictures of the same subject using an exposure value compensation (EC) of -2, -1, 0, +1, +2. This is the setting that has the box with a +/- in it. During this time, tell your partner what compensation settings are used for what picture so they can write it on a note pad.
  4. After reviewing the above pictures on your LCD, shoot one more that you think is the correct exposure. It may have a different setting (e.g., + 2/3) from those above. You can get an idea if you have a histogram function in your camera. Refer to the book.

Depth of Field settings:

  1. If your camera has aperture priority: take 2 more pictures using aperture priority. Set the camera's aperture to get the best depth of field (lens closed down or high f number) and least depth of field (lens wide open).
  2. If your camera doesn't have aperture priority, but has preset programs: see if you can figure out by analyzing each of the settings or just by trying each one which setting will give the most depth of field and which one the least. Note the results on the printout.

Later on when you review the pictures on the monitor, evaluate your pictures for clipping of shadows or highlights, good contrast, and look. You may use the Photoshop histogram to help the process.

Shutter priority If you r camera does not have shutter priority you may have to use the Auto or preset settings. See if you can manipulate the shutter or the presets, to get the pictures in question. Remember to get a good meter reading off the car and lock it if you can. If a car does isn't around, you may stand close to your partner and have them wave their hand quickly back and forth or up and down--not so fast that you can't follow it with your camera.

  1. Subject is a moving car or fast running person in low daylight. A tripod may help. Shoot around 10-15 ft. from the car and don't get run into!
  2. Shoot a picture with a clear, stable background and frozen clear moving car. Note settings again.
  3. Shoot the car so that it is blurred and the background still. Note settings again.
  4. Shoot the car so that it is still and the background is blurred (i.e., follow the car's movement, then click the shutter). Note settings again.

iPhoto Information:

  1. Again, import all the images into iPhoto. Make a new album for this set.
  2. Add a title for each photo that notes your camera settings (e.g., church+3, car-blur, car-Bkg-blur). Do not use a period in the name. Some camera information can be found under the file menu in Show photo info if you didn't take good notes. Clicking the i button on the lower left of the window will open the comments box. You may have to click it twice. Put the relevant photo information in here.
  3. Print your photos using N-Up with titles to save paper. Make picture evaluation comments on the printout. In other words, put "best compensation" for the EV settings, shallow/deep depth of field, etc.

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