Camera Controls and the Study of Light

The images and words in the following presentation are for the express personal use of
todays audience. No distribution or reproduction (in whole or in part) allowed without the
express written consent of Michael e. Stern.
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Photography Basics:

Photography Basics:
Camera Controls & The Study of Light

Photography Basics:
The objective of this presentation is to understand the basic
camera controls, the qualities of light and exposure.
Afterwards you will be able to build better personal and
professional photographs.

Photography Basics:
“A successful photograph is a series of small decisions made correctly.”
Michael e. Stern

Photography Basics:
The three ideas for this class:
1) camera controls
2) identifying light
3) setting exposure

Photography Basics:
Thoughtfully setting the camera controls minimizes on-board and post-capture processing.

•Aperture
•Shutter Speed
•ISO
•White Balance
•Exposure Compensation
•Diopter
•Exposure Modes
•Metering Modes
•Picture Style
•Histogram
•Formatting
•File Type
•Color Space
•Exposure
•Equivalent Exposures
Photography Basics:
A successful photograph is a series of small decisions made correctly.

The diopter adjustment is performed to ensure the photographer sees a sharp
image when focusing. If you wear glasses, remove them ﬁrst. Contacts are OK.
Photography Basics:
Diopter
Focus at inﬁnity then
adjust this knob left or
right until the image
seen through the
eyepiece is sharp.
This is a custom
setting and may not be
suitable for multiple
users.

Mixed light sources create multiple hues
To our eye, we see “normal” color because our vision neutralizes the differences
Cameras are not capable of performing color neutralization
Camera white balance settings can be set to match the main light source of a scene
Photography Basics:
White Balance
Light = Color

The Kelvin Scale assigns numerical values associated with hot and cold temperatures
Photography adapted this scale to describe warm and cool light sources
Photography Basics:
White Balance
Light = Color

In post-production white balance can be set to whatever you desire
When shooting JPEGS, it’s better to get the color as close as possible when shooting
Carry a neutral color target or include a white, gray or black target/object to further reﬁne
color characteristics after-the-fact
Photography Basics:
White Balance
Light = Color

ICON Mode Approximate Degrees Kelvin
AWB Automatic WB Correction 1800 - 10000
Sunlight/Daylight 5000 - 5200
Open Shade 7000 - 8000
Cloudy 7500 - 9000
Tungsten 3200
Flourescent* 3800 - 6500*
Flash 5500 - 6500
Custom 1800 - 10000
K Manual CT 1800 - 10000
Photography Basics:
Kelvin Scale
*Check owners manual to learn what type of ﬂuorescent bulb the manufacturer has calibrated for.

Photography Basics:
White Balance

Photography Basics:
Targets

Photography Basics:
Targets
As Shot Corrected

Photography Basics:
Targets

Photography Basics:
The display and reproduction of digital photographs varies between cameras,
monitors and printers.
Red. Rojo. Rouge.The same color in different languages. In order to get accurate and
predictable color from camera to monitor to printer, we need a translator.
Color management is the methodology (translator) for maintaining accurate and
predictable color throughout the entire workﬂow, from camera to monitor to print.
Color Space

Photography Basics:
Adobe ’98 is has more capacity than sRGB. Extra
capacity produces better ﬁles and prints.
Images displayed online need less color information,
so it’s at this stage that I convert ﬁles to sRGB.
Color Space

Photography Basics:
RAW is proprietary. JPEG is universal.
If you choose to shoot in JPEG, set your camera to the
highest (lowest compression, best quality) possible JPEG
setting. It may be listed as Best, Fine, Superﬁne or Large.
JPEG’s can produce prints with great detail, color and
tonal range.
File Type

Photography Basics:
The editing flexibility of a RAW file allows many
versions to be had from the same source material.
Lightroom is one such program and provides
unprecedented control over how one can interpret a
RAW file. iPhoto, Picasa, Elements, Gimp and
Photoshop are similar programs.
But you’ll be performing the functions your camera
does when in JPEG mode.
But you’ll have to learn additional software.And
there is a learning curve.
File Type

Photography Basics:
File Type
JPEG compressions
Low quality Medium quality High quality

Photography Basics:
The process of turning analog information into individual pixel values creates a loss of sharpness, color
accuracy and contrast.
Light energy passes through the lens and strikes the sensor.The ADC processes the light energy into
the one’s and zero’s of computer code.When shooting JPEG you can set the sharpening, color and
contrast.
Changing these after the fact will affect image quality.
Picture Style

Photography Basics:
I shoot RAW and set these attributes to zero or neutral. I’ll apply my own aesthetics to the image ﬁle
during post-processing.
Learn the picture styles for your camera: landscape, portrait, faithful, custom and neutral.
Experiment to understand which one works best for you.
Picture Style

Michael E. Stern
Photography Education Consulting
626-298-6747
CyberStern.com
Photography Basics:
Picture Style

Michael E. Stern
626-298-6747
CyberStern.com
Photography Basics:
Picture Style
The process of turning analog information into discreet pixel values in a digital image
causes a loss of sharpness and contrast from the original scene. Light energy passes
through the lens barrel and strikes the camera sensor. It is converted to an
electronic impulse which in turn is turned into the one’s and zero’s of computer
code. Although you can set the camera to sharpen, once it is set, it is difﬁcult to
maintain quality if you wish to edit it later in your image editor.
Better to set these camera controls to zero or neutral and adjust later.This way the
change is non-destructive and can be edited at will for desired effects.
Camera original Sharpened

Photography Basics:
Metering Modes
There are several metering schemes inside a digital camera.These are the top two:
1) Spot - the meter looks at a small area in the
center of the view ﬁnder, ignoring everything else
in the scene.
2) Evaluative or Matrix Metering -Viewﬁnder is divided into numerous
metering zones to which AF points are linked. After detecting the main
subject’s position, brightness, background, front and back lighting conditions,
camera orientation, the in-camera meter calculates the exposure.

Spot metering and evaluative are very accurate because it’s clear where in the
scene the light measurement is being taken from: dead center or from the
entire scene.
When the sun or other light source is at your back and the subject has a full
range of colors and tones (think group portrait, crowd scene or landscape),
use evaluative.
Photography Basics:
Metering Modes

If the main light source is at a position other than your back, use spot
metering mode and mindfully point the camera at a part of the scene that
would look like a medium gray tone if the color had been removed.
Photography Basics:
Metering Modes

Photography Basics:
Sometimes in semi-automatic mode the exposure may be too dark or too light.
The Exposure Compensation (EC) control will mitigate this problem.This allows
you to add to or subtract from the camera’s calculated exposure.
Read your camera’s manual for a more thorough explanation.
Exposure Compensation

Photography Basics:
A graph that displays the distribution of shadow, mid-tone and highlight information in
every exposure.
There are two choices: brightness/luminosity and color/RGB.
Histogram

Photography Basics:
Card Formatting
Card formatting resets the File Allocation Table
(FAT). The File Allocation Table enables files to be
located and retrieved.
Format your card after files have been
downloaded and checked.
Formatting doesn’t delete files. If you format and
shoot before downloading, it’s still possible to
recover the previous files.

Photography Basics:
Exposure Modes
Manual - shutter speed and aperture are set by the photographer.
Av (aperture variable) - aperture is set manually and the camera
selects a shutter speed to achieve the correct exposure.
Tv (time variable) - shutter speed is set manually and the camera
selects an aperture to to achieve the correct exposure.
Attempt to know what you’re trying to accomplish beforehand
and it will make choosing the better exposure mode less stressful.

Photography Basics:
If the image you are attempting to produce requires a specific f/stop (depth of
field), select this mode. Pick a large aperture number (small opening) and the
camera does the rest.
If shallow depth of field is needed, pick a small aperture number (large opening)
and the camera does the rest.
Av Mode

Photography Basics:
If it’s important to freeze action, select a fast shutter speed (1/250 or higher) and
the camera does the rest. Conversely if it’s movement or blur you are trying to
create, use a slow shutter speed (one-eighth second or longer) and the camera
selects the appropriate aperture.
You may need a tripod to help steady the camera and your nerves.
Tv Mode

Photography Basics:
End

In-camera reﬂective meters average the light.They “see” tone and not color.
This is referred to as 18% or middle gray.
The meter “sees” light gray tone and not the light yellow color of a ﬂower.
The meter “sees” a dark gray instead of a red apple.As such it’s crucial to
ensure you are pointing the camera at a full range scene when in evaluative
mode or at a mid-tone value if in spot mode.
This takes practice and a trained eye.
Photography Basics:
What we see How the meter interprets the scene
Metering Modes

is a combination of:
Light - how much is available? This is the ambient light.
ISO sensitivity - settings range from 50 to 200,00. OY!
Shutter Speed - from 1/8000 of a second down to whatever you choose.
Aperture - ranges from f/.4 to f/256. Practical range: f/3.5-f/22
Photography Basics:
Exposure

Light + ISO + Shutter Speed + Aperture = Exposure
Photography Basics:
Exposure

The unit of measurement used to adjust ISO, shutter speed and aperture is called a stop.
A one stop change will double or become half, depending on how a particular camera
control is changed.
This halving and doubling principle is the fundamental concept of photographic theory.
Photography Basics:
Exposure

A one stop change doubles (1X2 ) or halves the exposure (1/2).
Photography Basics:
Exposure
A one stop difference
1 sec 1/2
1/2 1/4
1/4 1/8
1/8 1/15
1/15 1/30
1/30 1/60
1/60 1/125
1/125 1/250
1/250 1/500

Photography Basics:
Exposure
It StandsTo ReasonThen …
From 1/8000 .................... To 1/4000
is one full stop more light.
1/8000 .... is twice as fast as .... 1/4000
and lets in half as much light.
1/4000 .... is half as fast as .... 1/8000
and lets in twice as much light.

Photography Basics:
Exposure
Because Shutter Speeds are listed as fractions of a second
they relate to one another in this “twice as much” or “half as
much” way at full stop intervals.
1/4000............... is twice as fast as ................1/2000
1/2000............... is twice as fast as ................1/1000
1/1000................ is twice as fast as .................1/500
1/500................. is twice as fast as ..................1/250
1/250................. is twice as fast as ..................1/125
1/125.................. is twice as fast as ...................1/60

Adjusting the shutter speed from 1/500 to 1/250 lets in twice as much light,
because the shutter is open twice as long.
The fractional number has been halved but the time has been doubled.
Adjusting the exposure via aperture is similar: changing an from f/8 to f/11 reduces
the light intensity by half, cutting the exposure one stop.
Photography Basics:
Exposure

Photography Basics:
Exposure
Photographers control exposure (the amount of light energy that
accumulates on the camera’s sensor) to inﬂuence the viewer’s response
and to create reproducible images.
This is accomplished by manipulating three camera controls.....

Photography Basics:
Exposure
Shutter Speed - the length of time the shutter is open affects the
amount of light reaching the sensor.The choice of shutter speed helps determine if the
image will be affected by camera shake or if moving objects will be blurry or sharp.
Aperture - the size of the lens opening affects the intensity of light reaching the sensor.
The choice of aperture (f/stop) also affects
depth of ﬁeld.Aperture determines how much of the image is in focus.
ISO - how sensitive is the chip to the light?

Photography Basics:
The amount of time light is allowed to accumulate onto the camera sensor. Shutter
speeds can be as brief as 1/8000 of a second or as long as several hours.The amount
of time depends on a variety of factors:
Is the subject moving?
Do you wish to freeze this movement? Is the subject moving slow?
Do you wish to make it appear to be moving fast?
Shutter Speed

Photography Basics:
How do you wish to interpret the scene? Stopping action or creating movement?
Answer these questions and the appropriate shutter speed will reveal itself.
Shutter Speed

Photography Basics:
1 sec. 1/2 sec. 1/4 sec. 1/5 1/8 1/10 1/13 1/15 1/20 1/25
1/30 1/40 1/50 1/60 1/80 1/100 1/125 1/160 1/200 1/250
1/320 1/400 1/500 1/640 1/800 1/1000 1/1250 1/1600
1/2000 1/2500 1/3200 1/4000
Shutter Speed

Photography Basics:
Aperture: 5.6 ISO: 200 Shutter Speed: Change
1/20 1/25 1/30 1/40 1/50
1/60 1/80 1/100 1/125 1/160

Photography Basics:
The intensity of water ﬂowing through a pipe is controlled by changing the valve size.
In photography we control the intensity of light ﬂowing through a lens by changing
the size of its’ valve.
Big numbers (f/16) represent a small valve opening and small numbers (f/4.0)
represent a large valve opening.
This inverse relationship confuses a lot of photographers.
Aperture

Photography Basics:
The ‘f’ number represents the amount of light and is figured by
the size of the opening (aperture) divided by the focal length of
the lens.
Think of the numerical expression,‘f’ as a fraction.
f/16 or f/2.8
The larger the number, the smaller the opening.
Aperture

Photography Basics:
Aperture

Photography Basics:
Aperture
No matter what focal length lens, the ‘f’ representing
aperture lets in the same amount of light.

Photography Basics:
Aperture
For example, f/2 on a 50 mm lens lets in the same amount of light
as f/2 on a 300mm lens.
Even though the actual size of the opening is different for these
two lenses, the amount of light is the same.

Photography Basics:
How do you know which one to select?
If you want a picture to have a lot of in focus details (large depth of ﬁeld), choose a
big (f/16 or higher) f/stop.
If you want a picture where the subject is in focus but the background is out of focus,
choose a small (f/4.0 or smaller) f/stop.
All things being equal, a large lens opening allows more light to reach the sensor.
Aperture

Photography Basics:
Big number = small valve. Small number = big valve.
2.0 2.2 2.5 2.8 3.2 3.6 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.6 6.4 7.1 8.0
9.0 10 11 12.5 14 16 18 20 22 25 29 32 36 40 45
Aperture

Photography Basics:
5.6 6.4 7.1 8.0 9.0
10 11 13 14 16
Shutter Speed: 1/20 ISO: 200 Aperture: Change

Photography Basics:
ISO describes the light sensitivity of a camera’s sensor: a low ISO will
require more light than a high ISO.
ISO changes are made for a variety of reasons: how much light is
present, whether or not a fast moving subject is being photographed or
you wish to work with speciﬁc shutter speed and aperture
combinations.
ISO

Photography Basics:
When the ambient light is so low that hand-holding without camera
shake is impossible (and a tripod is not handy), switch to an ISO that
allows a shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/125 of a second.
ISO

Photography Basics:
25 32 40 50 64 80 100 125 160 200 250 320
400 500 640 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3200
4000 5000 6400 8000
ISO

Michael E. Stern
626-298-6747
CyberStern.com
Photography Basics:
50 100 125 160
200 250 320 400
Aperture: 5.6 Shutter Speed:1/40 ISO: Change

5.6 6.4 7.1 8.0 9.0
10 11 13 14 16
What is the correct exposure?
Photography Basics:

ISO: 25 32 40 50 64 80 100 125 160 200
250 320 400 500 640 800 1000 1250 1600
2000 2500 3200 4000 5000 6400 8000
f/stops: 2.0 2.2 2.5 2.8 3.2 3.6 4.0 4.5
5.0 5.6 6.4 7.1 8.0 9.0 10 11 12.5
14 16 18 20 22 25 29 32 36 40 45
Shutter: 1sec. 1/2 sec. 1/4 sec. 1/5 1/8 1/10 1/13 1/15 1/20
1/25 1/30 1/40 1/50 1/60 1/80 1/100 1/125 1/160 1/200 1/250
1/320 1/400 1/500 1/640 1/800 1/1000 1/1250 1/1600 1/2000
1/2500 1/3200 1/4000 1/6400
Scales
a 2 stop change doubles the number
a 1 stop change doubles the number

When working in manual mode where the photographer controls the ISO, shutter speed and
f/stop, underexposures and overexposures are common.
In manual mode if you decide the picture is one stop underexposed, you can add one stop
by:
• Increasing the ISO by one stop
• Increase the length of time the shutter is open by one stop
• Increase the diameter of the lens opening by one stop
Photography Basics:
Exposure

If the exposure change is more than one stop you can employ a variety of
choices...
Photography Basics:
Exposure

•Add one stop of light to the scene (via shutter speed or f/stop) and increase the
sensitivity of the chip by one stop
• Increase the sensitivity of the chip by one stop and increase the diameter of the lens
opening by one stop
• Increase the length of time the shutter is open by one stop and increase the diameter
of the lens by one stop.
Photography Basics:
Exposure
-or-

• Increase the diameter of the lens opening by two stops.
• Slow the shutter speed down by two stops.
• Increase the sensitivity of the chip by two stops.
Photography Basics:
Exposure

If the picture is overexposed, reverse the process.
To correct exposure issues while in Tv or Av mode, navigate to the Exposure
Compensation (EC) button and for overexposures subtract 1 stop (or whatever you feel is
necessary. For underexposures add 1 stop (or whatever you feel is necessary)
How do you know what is necessary? How do you know if it is correctly exposed?
Photography Basics:
Exposure

We’ll look at the camera’s histogram to determine the correct exposure.
While the histogram provides accurate information, it takes time to understand what it’s
displaying and how to translate the information.
Photography Basics:
Exposure

Histograms graph the
distribution of tones.
Photography Basics:
Exposure - Histogram
Composite
Red
Green
Blue
Shadow Highlights
The histogram’s scale runs from 0 to 255.
Shadows on the left, highlights on the right.
Portions of the scale bunched up at either end
indicate underexposure or overexposure and
information is lost.
Depending on the subject matter and the
photographers interpretation of the scene, this
may be appropriate.

Photography Basics:
Composite
Red
Green
BlueThis picture is mostly mid-tone values with
a slight emphasis on the lighter values.
However there are dark shadows indicated
by the tall spike of information along the
left side of the graph.

Photography Basics:
Composite
Red
Green
BlueThis picture is mostly lower-tone values.

Photography Basics:
Composite
Red
Green
Blue
This picture is mostly higher-tone values.

1/60 @ f/5.6 1/50 @ f/6.4 1/40 @ f/7.1 1/30 @ f/8.0 1/25 @ f/9.0 1/20 @ f/10
1/15 @ f/11 1/13 @ f/13 1/10 @ f/14 1/8 @ f/16 1/6 @ f/18 1/5 @ f/20
1/4 @ f/22 0.3 @ f/25 0.4 @ f/29 0.5 @ f/32 0.6 @ f/36
Photography Basics:
Equivalent Exposure
1/60 @ f/5.6 ISO 200
.6 sec @ f/36 ISO 200
These two images demonstrate the
concept of equivalent exposures.
Equivalent exposures is the process
of maintaining the same exposure
value despite changing camera
controls. How is this accomplished?
As one camera control moves
(shutter speed), the other camera
control (f/stop) moves in an equal
but opposite direction.

Photography Basics:
Qualities of Light
Photographs are two dimensional recreations of the light reﬂected off a subject.
Therefore, the characteristics of light literally make the photograph. These
characteristics are divided into two categories:
Formative & Comparative

Photography Basics:
Qualities of Light - Formative
• DIRECTION - Where the is light coming from?
• SPECULAR - Direct light
• DIFFUSE - Indirect light

Photography Basics:
Qualities of Light - Formative
• DIRECTION - Where is the light coming from?
• SPECULAR - Direct light
• DIFFUSE - Indirect light
Direct sunlight Direct sunlight with a fill card Direct sunlight with a fill card
against a dark background
Open shade with a fill card

Photography Basics:
Qualities of Light - Comparative
• COLOR - What is it’s color temperature?
• CONTRAST - Does the image feel hard, soft or average in the distribution of
its gray, black and white tones
• BRIGHTNESS - Does the image feel too light, just right or too dark?

Photography Basics:
Qualities of Light
Side-light
Back-light
Front-light
Non-directional
Direction
Specular
Diffused
Color
Contrast
Brightness

Composition & POV
Best Practices to Improve Your Digital Photographs
Light Background Dark Background

Composition & POV
Low Horizontal POV
Eye Level Horizontal POV
Low Horizontal POV HighVertical POV

Composition & POV
Eye Level Horizontal POV
Low Horizontal POV
Eye LevelVertical POVHigh Horizontal POV

Photography Basics:
Depth of Field
1/60 @ f/5.6 ISO 200 .6 sec @ f/36 ISO 200

Photography Basics:
Exposure
Can you guess the shutter speed used in these photos?

Photography Basics:
Checklist:
• White Balance - match to main source
• Color Space - Adobe ‘98
• RAW or JPEG?
• Picture Style?
• Tv,Av or Manual?
• Histogram
• Card Format
• ISO? Shutter Speed? Aperture?
• Format Card
• Equivalent Exposures

Photography Basics:
Let’s Shoot!

Camera Controls and the Study of Light

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