Basic Photography

Composition Hints & tips

The Secret For Getting Better Shots
This photograph was made in 1826 by Joseph Niepce
What can a camera do ?
Capture Memories…
Saving Time & Effort…
Make a Change…
Generate Global Attention…
Pay your Bills…
Make you an artist…
 CAMERA CATEGORIES
• Single use

• Point-and-Shoot
Cameras
• Advanced Compact

• Professional Cameras
 Questions to Ask:

Do you plan to edit your photos?

Are you a photo hobbyist?

How often do you plan to upgrade?

Are you going to be a professional?

 Concepts about your camera

• Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO

 Aperture
• A hole or an opening
through which light
travels.
f/16

VS

f/2.8
 Shutter speed
Amount of time the picture
is exposed

Short/Fast shutter speed

Long/Slow shutter speed
1/8th 1/30th

1/60th 1/500th
 ISO
• the measure of a digital camera sensor’s
sensitivity to light
• a higher number indicates higher sensitivity
• This is usually expressed as a range, ISO 100
-1600.
• A higher sensitivity allows us to take pictures in
low light without using flash
• Higher ISO causes more "noise" than lower ISO
ISO 100
ISO 1600
 Composition Tips

• Turn the camera on it’s side.

You can take two ( upright and horizontal )

• Deciding which lens to use.

Zoom, normal or wide lens.

• Isolating details.
Use your telephoto lens ( telezoom ) to isolate details.
Lenses are the most powerful
compositional tool at your disposal.

•Standard lens is 50mm.

•Wide-angle lenses less than 35mm.

•Ultra wides lenses less than 20mm.

•Telephoto lenses more than greater

than 50 mm.

•Extreme telephotos lenses longer

than 400mm.
• What it depth of field ( DOF ) ?
The zone of sharp focus in a photograph that extend beyond and in front of the point you
actually focus the lens on.

Varying depth of field

There are three factors
reduce or increase DOF:
•The Aperture
•The Focal length of the
lens.
•The distance between
your lens & the subject.
• What to focus on ?
You decide. You always focus in
the middle of the picture. Try to
focus on off-center subject ,
often results in more interesting
images.
•Filling the frame
with your subject.
The Rule of Thirds
People’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection
points most naturally rather than the centre of the
shot.
.Unusual Angles
Quality of light and weather
.conditions
 Using Colors
• Harmonious colors.
Colors that are closed to each other on the color wheel.

About colors Symbolism:

Blue can also symbolize peace, calm, stability,
and security.
Green can represent nature, the environment,
good luck, and youth.
Red can represent love, energy, fire, bad luck.
White can represent reverence, purity,
simplicity, peach, and humility.
Yellow can symbolize joy, happiness, and
hazard.
 • Something from nothing.
You can make a good photos in a park or even in your room.
• Abstract eye.
• Looking for pattern.
• Framing your subject.
Look up, Look down
Lines… leading the eye
Break the rules
 Types of photography
• Landscape
• Portrait
• Still Life
• Macro
• Wildlife
• Sports and action
• Vacation and travel
Find your creative voice
Finally.. Do your homework
 Thank you

For more help check out this sites:

www.scribd.com
www.pbase.com
www.sxc.hu
www.istock.com
For more information contact me:
mohamed@ph-agency.com