Project 6 – Fitting The Frame To The Subject

TAOP Project 6, a set on Flickr.

Back to Basics: Part 1. The Aperture.

F Stops and Exposure

In looking at Projects 2, 3 and 4, I realised I need to get my head around the basics of my camera (Cannon EOS 50D):- The Aperture and f/stop, the Shutter Speed and ISO. I focused on AV  and TV modes to begin with rather than going straight into Manual Mode. In looking at AV and TV it narrows down the number of functions that I need to tweak to obtain a decent picture. 

 AV: Aperture Priority AE 

 In this mode the user manipulates the aperture size; the camera sets the shutter speed automatically to obtain the correct exposure suiting the subject brightness. 

To use this mode the user needs to understand the basics of the aperture.
To summerise the higher the f/number the smaller the aperture hole.  As the aperture becomes smaller, the cone of light passing through becomes slimmer and more needle-like and as a result even if the subject is not perfectly focused, light is not as spread-out as evenly as it would have been using a larger aperture (a lower f/stop/number). Resulting in more of the scene within the field of view appearing sharp. The viewfinder will also as a result look darker. 

On the other hand the lower the f/number (the larger the aperture hole) the more light let in, which results in less of the foreground and background being in focus. 

F Stops and Depth of Field

*The aperture displayed will differ with different lenses. 

 The ISO Speed (Image Sensor’s sensitivity to light) may need to be tweaked inline with the changing aperture size as the light coming into the camera changes.
For example, as the aperture f-number gets higher (the aperture hole smaller) the image may become under exposed. To counteract this the ISO Speed needs to become more sensitive ie higher. The opposite happens when the aperture f-number gets lower (aperture hole becomes bigger), there is more light coming and the image may become over exposed, to change this the ISO speed needs to become less sensitive (lower). 

Bullets Points:

• The larger the f stop/ f number – the smaller the aperture – the more in focus
• The larger the f stop – the less light – leads to underexposure – to rectify increase your ISO Speed
• The smaller the f stop/ f number – the larger the aperture – the less in focus
• The smaller the f stop – the more light which leads to overexposure – to rectify lower the ISO speed

Project 2

Recently the weather has been bitter, I ventured out to do Project 1, and promptly froze.  I found that I had to think about Project 2 and play with different modes.  Due to the weather being so cold, I decided to set up a scene inside and experiment. I placed 3 wooden carvings on a diagonal, on my table with the wall as a plain backdrop and proceeded to play.  My camera is a Cannon EOS 50d, I first experimented with Manual on the largest f stop and focusws on the different carvings  in 3 photos, disappointingly I found the differences in photos minute (if any).  It was extremely frustrating.  I also tried AV – Aperture Priority which did not seem to work.    I finally tried A-DEP on Manual Focus and was very happy with the results. 

 Details:   1/20,   F/4.5,   ISO 1600,   A-DEP    

Speak No Evil

Ceylon Elephant

Hear No Evil

My favourite of the three shots

I took 2 sets of photos: one set using no flash (it was evening and lit by overhead lighting) and another set at a slightly different angle using the flash. Personally I prefer the shots taken with no flash, the shots were warmer and seemed to compliment the wooden tones of the carvings. 

If you are interested the two sets can be found on my Flickr account here.    

My favourite of the three shots

This is my favourite of the shots, the colours and the clear focus on the first carving I think are the most interesting.
The contrasting sharpness of the first carving and the out of focus background works, it pulls your eye to the lefthand side front of the photo. It seems to “read” the best of the three photos.