Last month we talked about some basics of photography, ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture. This month I want to give you some tips about taking your camera off automatic, and venturing out into the world of Aperture Priority (Av).

If you have either a point & shoot, or a DSLR, it has a bunch of different shooting modes, and usually comes from the factory in “Auto”. Now, I’ll admit, I think I’ve taken less than 10 photos with my camera on Auto. I pretty much “live” in either Aperture Priority or Manual. There’s a reason for that (here comes the techy stuff), Aperture Priority (abbreviated Av or A on most of your camera dials) will yield a much better photo!

Why? Easy! If you were lucky enough to take my Photography 101 class last month you learned that ISO (the camera sensor’s sensitivity level) drives EVERYTHING in a digital camera. If you have a point & shoot, you don’t have adjustable ISO, unless you have a VERY high end point & shoot. If you have a DSLR your ISO probably starts at 100/200 and goes up to somewhere between 1600 to 6400. For most landscape photography, you should set your ISO to between 100-400. NOW, turn your shooting dial to A or Av (Aperture Priority). Once you are in Av, you can modify the settings for your aperture. A camera’s Aperture setting is the opening of the lens. A setting of f4 means your lens is “wide open”, the largest open setting. A setting of f22 means your lens opening is very small. So, given this, if your camera is set to f4, it takes less time (shutter speed) to expose the sensor (or film), and if you are set at f22 it takes a longer shutter speed.

So, what does all this mean. Here’s a new term for you beginners. Depth of Field (DOF). Aperture determines DOF. A lower (f4) Av setting means a more shallow DOF (fewer things in focus). A higher (f33) Av setting, means a wider DOF. If you want to know why, call me, or take my October Photography 201 class!

Now, for you landscape shooters. If you want almost everything you’re looking at in focus set your Av to a higher setting. If you want to blur out the background, keep lowering the Av. Experiment! It’s digital, and the film is free! You’ve already paid for the camera’s flash card! Use it!
Next, a little about your camera’s focusing system. If you have a point and shoot, most likely you have nothing but auto focus, or AF. For you DSLR shooters, you have both AF and MF or manual. I use AF about 50% of the time in my work. So, when we talked about DOF (Depth of Field), not only is it determined by Av, but also where you set your focusing spot.

These photos are good examples of what Aperture can do for you. The waterfall photo was taken at f22 and gives great DOF. The red maple was taken at f4, and has a very shallow DOF.

Homework. Now it’s time to put this to work. Find a wide-open place you just love, and want to photograph. Make sure it has a main point of interest, a mountain, a tree, a river, something to use as a focusing point. Set your ISO to 100/200, and set your Av to its highest setting, f22 or above. Set your focusing point to your main point of interest, and take a few shots. Now, move the focusing point around. Experiment. And notice what you shutter speed is. Now, change your Av to a mid level range, say f11 and repeat the exercise. Next, do the same for f4. Now go home and pull them out of your camera, and see the results. If you’re an absolute beginner and don’t know how to get your photos out of your camera and on to your computer, give me a call at 541-610-8683, or shoot me an email at photos@jensenone.com. Also, if you want to find out where the tree colors are changing in the state, go to this web address http://oregonfallfoliage.wordpress.com
Here’s some of my upcoming classes through the La Pine Parks & Rec District

Photography 201
Saturday October 16, 2010 9am – Noon, & Tuesday October 19, 2010 6pm – 9pm
Get more out of your digital camera. Take your camera off auto in this hands-on class and start taking better pictures. Bring your digital camera and user guide. Students taking this class may also be interested in Photoshop Elements. Prerequisite: Photography 10I or some computer and digital camera experience.
Price: $75 Course#1007

Portraits With Any Light – In Any Light
Tuesday November 9, 2010 6-9pm, & Tuesday November 16, 2010 6-9pm
Just in time for the holidays, and for every level of photographer! Learn how to take a great family portrait for your holiday cards, or environmental portraits in any condition with any lighting available. This class can be taken by owners of any type of camera. Class includes an informative piece as well as a “hands on” photo session with professional studio lighting and backdrops. Also included will be some light photo retouching tips using Photoshop Elements.
Price: $75 Course #1008

Pick up a registration form at the La Pine Park & Rec office at:
16405 1st Street
La Pine, OR 97739
Or download one at

http://www.lapineparks.org/

For questions about registration call 541-536-2223
Click to view slideshow.

By Mike Jensen, JensenOne Marketing & Photography

Hi Everyone! This is the first in what we hope to be an ongoing series of educational and fun articles about photography. The intention is to inform you, challenge you, and peak your interest in what can be a tremendously rewarding hobby, a career, or just a better way to take pictures of your children or grand kids! Because of space, we may have a larger (or more) information on the Eagle’s blog site, so check it out at http://www.newberryeagle.com/blog1/.

First, let’s start with the basics, and I’ll make the assumption you’re working with a digital camera. Film cameras are great, but digital is where it’s at for the masses, so that’s where we’ll focus. If you have a question about film, let me know.

How does photography work? Essentially there are three main components to digital photography:
1. ISO (or Sensor Exposure Sensitivity),
2. Shutter Speed (How long the Sensor is exposed to the image), and
3. Aperture (How large the opening is in the lens).

That’s it! Easy stuff, right? There are two types of cameras we’ll be talking about in this series, Point & Shoot (or Point & Click), and DSLR’s (Digital Single Lens Reflex). So, how do I know what the difference is? Easy! If you can remove the lens from the camera body, it’s a DSLR. Easy stuff, right?

Now, I’ll be honest with you, I shoot 99% of my work with a DSLR, but I usually carry a point & click as well. It’s easy to get to, fast to set up, and it takes a pretty good photograph. And the one I use is only five megapixels and nine years old. My DSLR is newer! Now, for probably about 90% of you out there, you just need a good point and click. The biggest problem is many of you don’t know how to use all the settings, or understand all the components of photography, and how to post process (edit). A good point & click can run you anywhere from around $100 to $450. And here’s your first tip…If you’re shopping for a new camera, ask a photographer, not a store clerk. Shoot me an email, I’ll answer it! If you’re in the market for a DSLR, definitely ask a photographer! And probably more than one.

Okay, so first assignment! You didn’t know you were going to get homework did you?

The Rule of Thirds (A rule made to be broken)

The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb. The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. The example I have for you was taken on a Kayak trip on Sparks Lake about noon on a sunny day.

So, now your assignment. Send me your best example of photographs using the rule of thirds. I’ll choose a few of the best, and we’ll print them in the Eagle. The rest we’ll show on both the Eagle’s Blog, and mine. Send your photos to photos@jensenone.com.

Also, look for my upcoming classes with the La Pine Parks & Rec District:

Photography 101:
Saturday September 25, 2010 9am – Noon, & Tuesday September 28, 2010 7pm
New to digital photography? This class, for the absolute beginner, helps you find out what to look for in a camera, and then how to work its basic settings to get the best picture. This class covers the basics of Photography from the basic composition to the components of exposure (ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture). This is a two part class with instruction and hands on photography in session one, and display of photos, editing/preparation in session two. Attendees are encouraged to bring their cameras, camera operational book, and a tripod if you own one. A working knowledge of a personal computer is helpful.
Price: $50 Course #1006

Mt. Bachelor From Sparks Lake Showing Rule of Thirds Lines