Fundamentals of photography where to start. Are you a beginner and don't know where the basics of photography begin?

Publication date: 01.02.2017

Do you shoot in low light without a flash? Learning to take pictures in P, A, S or M modes? This means that you will definitely encounter “shake”, that is, with loss of sharpness and blurring of the picture. It occurs due to camera shake during shooting.

As a rule, when “shaking”, you can clearly see the direction in which the lubrication occurred. And in the event of a lens focus error - another cause of blurry shots - the subject will simply be blurry, and it is likely that the sharpness will not be where you need it. You can read about how to work with the autofocus system on the website.

The culprit of the "shake" is an incorrectly set shutter speed. Recall that shutter speed is the period of time during which the camera shutter is open and light enters its sensor. It is measured in seconds. Any modern DSLR is capable of working out shutter speeds in the range from 1/4000 to 30 seconds. The less light, the longer (ceteris paribus) the shutter speed should be.

Most often, blur appears when shooting in low light. In such conditions, automation (or the photographer himself) begins to lengthen the shutter speed in order to gain the right amount of light and get a sufficiently bright frame. The longer the shutter speed, the higher the chance of blurring. Often blurry frames are obtained at values ​​> 1/60 second. The picture begins to blur from the fact that the camera trembles a little in the hands.

How to get sharp shots and get rid of the "shake"? You need to adjust the shutter speed according to the shooting conditions.

What shutter speed is suitable for different scenes? Here is the guideline:

• standing person - from 1/60 s and shorter;
• slow walking, not very fast moving person - from 1/125 s and shorter;
• a running person, athletes, frolicking children, not very fast animals - from 1/250 s and shorter;
• fast athletes, very fast animals and birds, car and motorcycle races - 1/500 s and shorter.

With experience, the photographer begins to understand what shutter speed is needed to shoot a particular scene.

The result of shooting is influenced by external circumstances, our physiology, the level of stress and the strength of the hands. Therefore, photographers always try to play it safe and shoot at shutter speeds slightly shorter than those calculated using the formula below.

Pasha River, Leningrad Region

Nikon D810 / Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G Nikkor

How to calculate the maximum shutter speed based on the focal length of the lens?

You have probably noticed how much the image trembles in the viewfinder when shooting with a strong zoom, at a large focal length. The longer the focal length of the lens, the higher the risk of "shake" and the faster the shutter speed should be. Based on this pattern, photographers came up with a formula that helps you figure out which shutter speed is safe to shoot at, and which one threatens to blur.

The maximum shutter speed when photographing handheld should be no more than 1 / (focal length x 2)

Let's say the focal length of the lens is 50 mm. According to the formula, the maximum safe shutter speed is 1/(50x2), that is, 1/100 s. An example with a shorter focal length - 20 mm: 1 / (20x2) \u003d 1/40 s.

So, the shorter the focal length, the slower shutter speeds you can choose when shooting handheld. When using long lenses, the opposite is true. Let's take a lens with a focal length of 300 mm. Birds and sporting events are often photographed with such optics. Let's apply the formula: 1/(300x2)=1/600 s. That's such a short shutter speed will be needed to get a sharp shot!

By the way, photographers old school remember this formula in this form: shutter speed \u003d 1 / focal length. However, the growth of megapixels in modern cameras and the increasing requirements for technical quality shots are forced to double the focal length in the denominator. If your camera is equipped with a small sensor (smaller than APS-C), you need to use in the calculations not the physical focal length of the lens, but the equivalent focal length, taking into account the crop factor of the matrix.

The proposed formula will insure you against blurring due to camera shake in your hands, but you also need to take into account the speed of the subject. The faster the subject, the faster the shutter speed should be.

How to influence shutter speed in modes A and P?

Not all modes allow the photographer to directly select the shutter speed. There is a program mode P, where both shutter speed and aperture are adjusted by automatics, aperture priority mode A, where shutter speed is under its control. Automation in these modes is often mistaken. Most of the frames with "shake" are obtained in mode A, when the photographer is focused on adjusting the aperture.

To avoid blurring when shooting in these modes, you need to watch the shutter speed. Its value is displayed both in the viewfinder and on the camera screen. If we see that the shutter speed is too long, it's time to raise the ISO: it will be shortened along with the increase in ISO. A bit of digital noise in a photo is better than just a blurry picture! It is important to find a reasonable compromise between shutter speed and ISO value.

Optical stabilization

Increasingly, modern photographic equipment is equipped with optical stabilization modules. The meaning of this technology is that the camera compensates for its vibrations. Usually, the optical stabilization module is located in the lens (as, for example, in Nikon technology). For the presence of a stabilizer in Nikon lens indicates the abbreviation VR (Vibration Reduction).

Depending on the model of the lens, the optical image stabilization module may demonstrate different performance. Most often, modern stabilizers allow you to take pictures at shutter speeds 3-4 stops longer. What does it mean? Let's say you're shooting with a 50mm lens and the safe shutter speed is 1/100s. With a stabilized lens and some skill, you can take shutter speeds around 1/13s.

But you shouldn't relax either. It is important to understand that the stabilizer in the lens compensates only for the vibration of the camera. And if you shoot people, some moving objects, the shutter speed should still be fast enough. For a beginner photographer, a stabilizer is a good insurance against accidental “shake” and camera shake in your hands. But it cannot replace either a tripod or fast shutter speeds when shooting motion.

Lens equipped with optical stabilization. This is indicated by the abbreviation VR in the label.

How to use slow shutter speeds and avoid "stirring"?

Sometimes long exposures are simply necessary. Let's say you need to shoot a still subject in low light: landscape, interior, still life. Increasing the ISO in this case is not the best solution. High light sensitivity will only spice up the picture with digital noise, degrade the image quality. In such cases, photographers use a tripod, which allows you to securely fix the camera.

If you want to develop into subject, food, landscape or interior photography, a tripod is a must. In amateur experiments, it can be replaced with a support: a stool, a chair, a curb, a step, a parapet, etc. The main thing is to securely install the camera on the support and not hold on to it during shooting (otherwise it will tremble, the frame will be smeared). If you are afraid that the camera will fall, hold it by the strap. To avoid shaking the camera when you press the shutter button, set the camera to a self-timer shutter.

But remember: all moving objects when shooting at slow shutter speeds will be blurred. Therefore, it makes no sense to shoot portraits from a tripod at a slow shutter speed. But it can be used as an artistic device!

Shooting at a long exposure with a tripod. The city and mountains are sharp, and the fishing boat was washed out as it swayed on the waves.

Nikon D810 / Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED AF-S VR Nikkor

How to insure yourself against blurry shots? Practical Tips

• Always keep an eye out especially when shooting in low light. In such conditions, automation will most often set values ​​that are too long.

Photography has become an art, a fashion hobby and a daily practice. Most take pictures for social networks on smartphones, many take pictures with professional and semi-professional cameras. Modern high-quality shooting requires special knowledge and skills.

We have selected the best free online photography video tutorials for beginners for self-study from scratch at home. Master classes and advice from practicing masters.

How easy it is to learn photography

The success of the shot depends on the photographer, not the high cost of the camera and related equipment. The path to the perfect shot lies through the search for an interesting subject, beautiful light, creativity, the ability to properly set up the camera and equipment.

Which camera to choose. detailed instructions

The first step towards quality work there will be a choice of camera. The world of megapixels, sensors, apertures, shutter speeds and lenses seems confusing and complex at first. A storm hits the newbie specifications in which it is difficult to navigate independently. What to pay attention to first of all? A short video about the types of cameras, the principles of operation and the advantages of models will help you to choose equipment consciously.

Manual shooting mode. Photography for beginners

Having decided to become a professional, it's time to move beyond the automatic shooting mode and master the manual one. An idea about the device of the camera and the processes of work helps to quickly understand the intricacies of manual settings. We offer a detailed video lesson, where, for clarity and memorization, the internal structure of the camera and its operation are compared with the human eye. No complicated terms at the intersection of anatomy and photography. The video shows examples of settings and the result.

Composition in photography

The success of a shot is 80% dependent on the composition. Knowledge and application of special rules create depth, space and volume in photography. With the help of compositional techniques, the pros are able to manipulate the viewer's gaze, draw attention to the desired object and create a certain mood. Remember the law of linear perspective from the drawing course at school? The master class will complement school knowledge with two more types of perspectives: aerial and tonal, and will also demonstrate other ways to get a balanced shot.

Focusing. Master class for beginners

Knowledge of the basics of composition for a good composition of the frame is not enough. Due to camera and hand shake, incorrect focusing, the image is blurry. Masters prefer manual adjustment, the frame is as clear as possible. The author of the video notes more than fifty focus points. Which method to choose - each photographer decides individually and experimentally.

The main mistakes of working with light

Proper lighting guarantees bright shots. Before each click of the shutter, it is recommended to monitor the light sources and its quality. The results of errors with light are sharp shadows on the face, “dirty light”, greenish or faded skin color, “black holes” instead of body parts, smeared silhouettes. A lesson on the correct arrangement of light sources and objects in the frame will help to increase the level and quality of work.

How to use an external flash

The design of modern flashes and their functionality are quite complex and hardly amenable to intuitive mastery. In the master class, blog host Mark Rybak talks about flash control, modes and buttons, reflectors and light diffusers, ways to shoot "through the ceiling", "through walls" and "head on". After watching the video, you will be able to adjust the flash depending on the lens width and focal length, the height and width of the room, and weather conditions. Learn how to avoid overexposure, eye flare, and other professional effects.

Studio photography

When shooting in the studio, you can immediately see what the photographer really is: an amateur or a professional. A real specialist is well acquainted with studio equipment and knows how to use it competently. There are several lighting schemes with single and multiple light sources that help to get harmonious shots. The main thing is to place the light sources and reflectors at the right distance and point in the right direction. The result is diffused light and soft shadows. The tutorial video shows a set of lighting schemes for different types filming.

Shooting a portrait on the street

Natural light footage can look bright and professional even without post-processing. A few minutes spent learning the secrets of street photography can save you hours of Photoshop work. The pro talks about the need to switch attention from place to light when choosing a location for shooting. How to learn to see the light? What hours are prohibited for outdoor photography? How to position the model relative to the incident light? Find out the answers in a short video with an example of a successful portrait photo taken on the street.

macro photography tutorial

The genre of macro photography allows you to consider the invisible world of nature. Plants and insects enlarged many times seem fabulous, and the frame catches the eye for a long time. A master class on shooting the macro universe is given by master Ilya Gomyranov: he teaches how to create interesting color patterns and dynamics, shows the equipment and the necessary items for such a photo walk.

Having the opportunity to seek advice from a professional photographer or photography teacher, most beginners ask about the “right” camera or the “best” lens, or the “top tip” on how to become 50 times better in one moment. Such questions seem quite logical when you pick up a camera for the first time.

But the aspiring amateur photographer should stay away from these questions... at least for a while. Photographic equipment is important and you will learn a lot from the pros useful tips, but it is necessary to keep paramount things in priority.

Follow these seven tips and start your photography journey with the right steps.

First train ride. Photo credit: Spragues

1. Education is primary, technology is secondary

You know what they say, "spend money on experiences, not things." Scientific research supports this statement. The fact is that even a fleeting experience will remain a part of your personality, and not just an object that you own.

This is not only great advice for life, but also a completely underrated recommendation for photographers. When choosing between a brand new camera or lens and a seminar or a trip to an amazing place, most beginners will prioritize technology. Don't make this mistake.

Attend good seminars or go on photo tours to unfamiliar places. famous photographer National Geographic Jim Richardson once said, "If you want to be the best photographer, be where something interesting happens."

The Canon EOS-1D X won't do you any good if you don't know how to use it... and unless you have something in your yard that needs to be photographed at 14 fps. Spend money on education, gain experience, forget about photographic equipment for a while.

New profile photo. Author of the photo: Valentin Kouba

2. Shoot for yourself, not for others

If you are shooting with the goal of creating something similar to other popular images, collecting likes or comments, then you are not on the right track. This applies to all art forms, especially when you are a beginner. Your main audience is yourself.

Shoot what you love. Focus on the things that inspire you. It should bring joy first of all to you. People will notice and appreciate your creativity and individuality.

Little photographer. Photo by: Jaromir Chalabala

3. Create artificial limits for yourself

One of the best ways for a beginner to improve their skills is to limit themselves. It is possible in the genre, but now we are talking about technology.

Try shooting exclusively with your smartphone for a month and see how your ability to visualize composition changes when you stop thinking about image quality. Or limit yourself to one lens for two or three months, and you will notice how your understanding of focal length grows by leaps and bounds.

Constraints are one of the best ways to grow. Intentional boundaries in the use of equipment, shooting only at certain times of the day, black and white photography for a month are great options for artificial boundaries.

An effective way to develop mastery in yourself is to master new facets of the craft by setting limits for yourself.

Take me, photographer! Author of the photo: Vadim Trunov

4. Find your niche

This is the first piece of advice I give to every newbie, although they rarely listen to it.

Every aspiring photographer dreams that Jimmy Chin, Steve McCurry, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Paul Nicklen will simultaneously be embodied in his face. But you can't become a master of street and travel photography, portraiture and photography at the same time. wildlife... or you can, but sometime later, not right away.

Experiment with various directions photography, you do not need to make a choice momentarily. But once you find what you like best, focus on that. You will be surprised how much faster your growth will be when you get rid of the compulsive need to do everything.

Define your specialization. Find your own niche and focus on it. Get to know the depth of your genre instead of covering everything superficially.

Nothing to lose. Photo by: Pedro Quintela

5. Slow down

One of those things that we have lost with rapid development digital photography is a recognition of the value of time spent. With up to 1,000 RAW images on a memory card, why not set it to burst mode and record at 14 frames per second, right? No, not right.

Yes, speed does sometimes help to capture a great shot, but this is reminiscent of the saying: “Even a blind squirrel can accidentally find an acorn.” Don't be a blind squirrel. Learn to breathe calmly, scout the area, carefully compose the frame, patiently shoot.

Pressing the shutter should be the culmination of thought and preparation. Are you planning a composition that you would like to capture? Scout the area in advance and determine best time days or even a season to take a picture? Do you evaluate the filming potential of the scene you see, even without being on the set?

Digital photography has brought with it a lot of opportunities and we do not propose to refuse it. Just start shooting as if your camera were loaded with a 36-frame roll of film. Slow down, it's worth it.

Young Buddhist Monks. Author of the photo: Saravut Intarob

6. Join the community

Choose the community you like and join 500px or Facebook or Google+ or whatever.

Joining a group of amateur photographers has undeniable advantages. You are more likely to be pointed out to the mistakes that you made, or offered interesting perspectives that you yourself might not have guessed.

It's also incredibly rewarding to share your love of photography with other photographers and the whole world. Don't get bogged down in popularity competitions, keep shooting for yourself. But in the community, your professionalism will begin to grow faster.

We will think that you already have a camera, otherwise it will be useful for you to read the material “Anti-marketing. We choose a good, but formally outdated camera "- there you will learn how to buy good camera and don't overpay. And here I will talk about what shutter speed, aperture, ISO are and how different shooting modes differ.

1. What is exposure?

Roughly speaking, exposure is the amount of light that the camera's matrix receives. Or a film that you are unlikely to use at all. Exposure is the process of exposure itself. And the amount of light depends on the exposure time and the level of illumination, which is controlled by shutter speed, aperture and sensor sensitivity. In order to make it easier for you to understand the difference in exposure, remember the concept of “step”.

2. What is exposure?

Exposure in photography has nothing to do with calmness and tolerance. This is the length of time during which the shutter is open and light enters the matrix. In most cases, the shutter speed is very short and is measured in seconds and fractions of a second. On the camera screen, a value of 60 corresponds to 1/60 of a second. In general, there is a standard series of shutter speeds in increments of one step: 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000 s. Each next step reduces the amount of light falling on the matrix by half. Four times is two steps. Eight times - three steps, and so on.

Publication date: 31.10.2014

With this article we open new project "I'm a photographer", in which we will share with you the experience of photographing. New lessons about all aspects of photography will be released weekly. Lessons will be focused on different levels of the reader: from a beginner to an advanced photographer. I will lead this project Konstantin Voronov, professional photographer and photography teacher.

Of course, each of us at least once shot with a phone or a simple “soap box”. However, many people want not only to take pictures for memory, but also to get beautiful, high-quality photographs, enjoy the process of photographing, and when posting photos on the Internet, have a lot of “likes” under them.

How to become a photographer? Where to begin? Many people ask this question every day. To begin, I will give some general tips to help you avoid common mistakes at the start, and dispel a few common misconceptions about photography.

NIKON D810 / 70.0-200.0 mm f/4.0 SETTINGS: ISO 100, F4, 1/80 s, 95.0 mm equiv.

Let's start with delusions.

Misconception #1.

“A good camera takes good photos”

This is not true. Good photos are not taken by the camera, but by the photographer. Many people before they start taking pictures on their own think that professional photographers get good, high-quality shots due to the use of expensive equipment. However, the camera is only a tool. How to use it, decides its owner.

If a person who does not know how to draw is given the best, most expensive brushes and paints, the result will be absolutely the same as when using the simplest and cheapest. Good brushes and paints will show all their capabilities only in skillful hands. It's the same with photography.

While working with students, I often came across beginners who had the most expensive, most professional cameras in existence. Did such students make shots better than others? No. On the contrary, their pictures were worse because they could not understand the complex photographic equipment designed for experienced professionals.

It is best to choose a camera not by its belonging to a professional class or the highest price category, but by how it suits your level of training and your tasks. For example, many expensive professional cameras, such as the Nikon D810, do not have automatic mode and scene programs at all (portrait, landscape, macro, etc.), which makes them incredibly difficult to work with for beginner photographers. : You have to dig into unknown settings for a long time. At the same time, many cameras entry level, for example Nikon D5300 or Nikon D3300, can take great pictures on full auto: the photographer can only choose the most interesting subjects, without thinking about the technical side of the issue.

How to choose a camera? Choose not “the best professional camera”, but the model that suits your skills and your tasks. To do right choice, it is enough to understand how seriously you want to take photography, whether you are going to learn photography or just want to take pictures for memory.

Misconception #2

“Photography is easy!”

Like many creative pursuits, photography seems like a very simple thing until you do it yourself. For example, like playing musical instruments, dancing, singing… You look at a professional dancer and think: “how simple and natural everything turns out for him! It seems that there is nothing difficult in this! I can do the same!” But when you try to do at least a couple of dance moves on your own, it turns out that it’s not so easy: at least you need special training.

It's the same with photography: despite the seeming simplicity, taking good pictures is quite difficult. After all, it requires a lot of knowledge and skills. Moreover, both technical (how to set up the camera, for example) and creative (how to compose a shot, how to choose the right lighting). Sometimes we are talking about issues that seem to be indirectly related to photography. For example, how to plan a tourist trip to get a lot of good shots; how to make a child sit still while being photographed… By the way, we will cover all these topics within the framework of this project. Stay tuned!

On the other hand, when you have the necessary experience, photography is really easy and enjoyable. The camera does not interfere with receiving good shots, and the composition is built intuitively. But for this you need to train, learn, gain experience.

Misconception #3

“To learn how to take pictures, it is enough to learn the technique and press the buttons on the camera correctly”

Shooting technique and parameters are only part of the necessary skills. And by the way, the part is the easiest. How to set the exposure? How to control focus? What is white balance? - all these issues of a technical nature are solved easily and simply, and with regular training they are fixed and remain with the photographer forever. This is the arithmetic of photography, two plus two. But photography is first and foremost art. But the creative component is much more complicated and not so unambiguous. How to compose a frame? What to show in the photo? What subject should be photographed? Photographers constantly suffer from these and many other creative questions and solve them with varying degrees of success. Of course, it is worth starting photography training from the basics, from technology. But it's too early to end there.

NIKON D5200 / 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 SETTINGS: ISO 1100, F4.5, 1/60s, 38.0mm equiv.

The main problem of most novice photographers is not the lack of good photographic equipment or even a lack of some special skills. The main problem is the lack of artistic taste. Build yourself a good artistic taste! See photos famous photographers visit exhibitions. By the way, when was the last time you were in the Hermitage and the Tretyakov Gallery? Analyze the work of real masters: why did the artist or photographer decide to show this and that? How is the composition structured? How did the author work with light?

Visiting exhibitions, viewing galleries of famous photographers and artists on the Internet is what will give you good luggage for your personal creativity. And vice versa: it is better not to watch bad, mediocre things.

Why is it important? Imagine what happens if a person who has never seen a single picture is given brushes and paints in his hands? Most likely, he will not understand what to do with them; v best case he will depict something in the spirit of rock art. For example, some isolated African tribes are unable not only to perceive an image on a plane, but even to distinguish colors that are not responsible for their survival, are not found in their environment. Because no one taught them this, they do not have the necessary experience for this. It is natural for a person to use what he has seen, accumulated experience in his life and work. This experience is a must. As photographers say, “you need to be seen”.

As we know, lying on the couch at home, good photos you won't! Get your camera out! Travel, walk, visit interesting places: exhibitions, festivals, sporting events. Thus, you will witness interesting scenes for shooting, gain the experience necessary for shooting in various conditions. If we talk about landscape photography, then it is generally unthinkable without travel. By the way, as well as portrait: after all, often to shoot a good portrait you need to choose a beautiful place, nice background, and only then beautifully photograph the model.

There is also a purely psychological aspect: on a journey, regardless of its distance, a person gains impressions, inspiration, and is charged with creative energy.

NIKON D810 / 70.0-200.0 mm f/4.0 SETTINGS: ISO 400, F4.5, 1/200 s, 200.0 mm equiv.

In order for there to be progress in your photography classes, and the number of beautiful shots to increase, you need to be critical of your work. You should not rest on your laurels, be able to see flaws in your work, even if everyone praises them.

For example, the toughest critic of my work is myself. I know better than any critic what and where the mistakes in my pictures lie. Analyzing my photos, I realize that I could have shot even better. And the next time I shoot, I try to do it. Believe me, you will get great pleasure from correcting your own shortcomings, and your pictures will become more and more beautiful!

Any creativity begins with the technical foundations. Photography is no exception. To write books, you need to learn the alphabet, grammar, spelling of the language. Of course, modern cameras have excellent automation, which will allow you to get good shots at the touch of a single button, without thinking about any settings.

However, those who shoot in auto mode know that automatics often make mistakes: either the brightness of the picture is not the same, then the colors are not the same, then the sharpness is not there. But you really want to tell the camera how to do it! In order to fully control the shooting process and not depend on the quirks of automation, it is worth studying quite simple technical background photography. How is an image formed in a camera? What is exposure? What is white balance? How does focus work? Understanding how everything works and knowing how to set up your camera will allow you to take pictures High Quality and fully control the shooting process “from and to”. By the way, in the next lessons we will talk about these technical basics.