Know Your Camera

This is a talk I put together in one evening ahead of a fun semi-monthly event we have at the office.

1. Know Your Camera  by pk2 
3. The way things    used to be. 
5. imaging systems
6. imaging systems (4 components)
8. light-sensitive surface
10. a lens
12. a light source
13. a light source (a subject)
15. an aperture
17. CREATIVE CONTROL MEANS MORE KNOBS
19. CAMERA MECHANICS focal length shutter speed f-stop ISO sensitivity (not today)
20. FOCAL LENGTH (mm)
21. FOCAL LENGTH (mm)
22. FOCAL LENGTH (mm)
23. FOCAL LENGTH (mm)
24. SHUTTER SPEED 
25. SHUTTER SPEED  (watch the sliver)
26. F-STOP
27. F-STOP
28. double half F-STOP
29. f = focal length diameter of aperture F-STOP
30. f = 50mm 6.3mm F-STOP
31. f 8 F-STOP
32. f 8 F-STOP -ish
33. DOUBLE HALF WHAT? 
34. the area of the aperture about doubles each half step of the aperture diameter F-STOP don’t bother processing this
35. f-stops are ratios that tell you how much light you’re letting into the camera. F-STOP okay, now process
37. FOCAL LENGTH F-STOP SHUTTER SPEED
38. shutter: 1/320th
39. 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/320 1/500 1/1000 1/2000 (shutter speed in seconds) aperture: f/4.5
41. (you)
42. (are ready)
43. COMPOSITION  DEPTH OF FIELD  EXPOSURE 
44. COMPOSITION  DEPTH OF FIELD  EXPOSURE 
45. carry your camera turn off your flash do interesting things find a subject and work it (don’t center anything, no matter how tempting)
46. “I’m not sure how to use my camera.”
47. Sample Starter Settings: 50mm f/5.6 ISO 1000
48. NOW GO DO INTERESTING THINGS (and point your camera at them)
49. FIND A LESS-OBVIOUS SHOT 
50. TRAVEL.  
51. SERIOUSLY, TRAVEL.  
52. PHOTOGRAPH PEOPLE.   (they’re amazing)  FRAME SUBJECTS OFF-CENTER  
53. “MAY I TAKE YOUR PHOTO?”   (take away the anxiety by asking. offer to email a copy) 
54. I realize this is centered. 
55. BE PATIENT  
56. BE LOUD  
57. EXPERIMENT!   (this was my first try at astrophotography) 
58. EXPERIMENT!   (this was last month) 
59. (and finally)  FIND MOMENTS  
60. Thanks!