Seminar Techniques and Technology (HS 601)

Handout - Photographic Technique

Light Control

1. Film speed
   1. ISO 25 - 50 - 100 - 200 - 400 - 800 - 1600
   2. Trade light for fine grain
2. Shutter speed
   1. seconds: 1- 1/2 - 1/4 - 1/8 - 1/15 - 1/30 - 1/60 - 1/125 - 1/250 - 1/500 - 1/1000
   2. Trade light for freeze action
   3. Safe hand hold: shutter speed = lens focal length
   4. Alternative: use tripod or flash
3. Lens aperture
   1. f stop: 1 - 1.4 - 2 - 2.8 - 4 - 5.6 - 8 - 11 - 16 - 22 - 32
   2. Trade light for depth of field
4. Lens focal length
   1. mm 17 - 24 - 35 - 50 - 85 - 100 - 135 - 200 - 300 - 400 - 600
   2. Popular: 24mm -- 50mm -- 100mm -- 200mm (could use 100-300mm zoom)
   3. Alternative: 35mm -- 85mm -- 135mm -- 300mm (could use 100-300mm zoom)
   4. Research: 28-85mm zoom -- 50mm macro -- 100-300mm zoom
5. Guidelines
   1. Film speed = slow for fine grain
      1. Medium speed for general use
      2. Fast speed for indoor, no flash
   2. Shutter speed = lens focal length or faster
      1. Slow to blur action (show motion to viewer)
         1. Slow to give maximum aperture for depth of field (copy stand)
      2. Medium to permit hand hold
      3. Fast to freeze action
         1. Increase speed 1 stop if subject is moving parallel to you
         2. Increase speed 2 stops faster if movement is perpendicular
   3. Aperture = small for maximum depth of focus
      1. Medium aperture for maximum lens sharpness
      2. Large aperture for portrait (blur a busy background)