Tips on Photography Workshops for beginners.

Most photography workshops consist of two parts :

1. A field trip to take pictures and
2. A classroom session to discuss photography.

These are tips on the field trips of photography workshops for those who have just begun photography :

• RESEARCH :  The first thing to do is to research the theme of the workshop if any.  Look it up in Google, and search for pictures on the same theme on online photo storage sites.  This is essential because the approach to  photography workshops differs whether it is a macro photography workshop or a fashion photoshoot or a light painting workshop.
• HARDWARE  :  Collect your hardware according to the theme of the workshop.  For a wildlife photo-shoot a telephoto zoom lens would be essential while for a landscape workshop a wide angle lens would be indispensable.
• RECONNOITER :  Look up the location in Google maps and the weather on the day of the shoot.  If possible visit the location a day earlier and become familiar with the lighting as well as the people who live there.  Wear same clothes as the locals do to blend into the landscape and become inconspicuous.
• MENTOR : Taking along a senior photographer as a mentor is always advisable for their wonderful advice on every aspect of photography.
• PRE-SHOOT CHECKLIST : Make sure you have every item on your preshoot checklist
• PAUSE before you start shooting and take a look around you. Let the locals get used to you with a camera so that you can blend seamlessly into the environment.  This is so that later you can get shoot  candid shots like this one :





• PROGRAM MODE : Switch on your camera and change Mode Dial to 'P' or Program AE (AutoExposure) Mode. This will put your camera in point-and-shoot mode where the shutter speed and exposure will be set automatically.  You will not lose precious seconds in adjusting exposure settings and lose that fleeting candid moment.
• MANUAL MODE :  Having composed a photo change the Mode Dial to "M' or Manual Mode and take the picture manually setting the exposure.  After clicking the picture change the Mode Dial back to 'P' so as not to miss your next candid picture.
• SHUTTER-PRIORITY AE : To take a photograph of a moving object switch Mode Dial to "Tv" and set the shutter speed and click the picture. Immediately after clicking the picture change the Mode Dial back to 'P' so as not to miss your next candid picture.
• APERTURE-PRIORITY AE : To take a landscape picture change the Mode Dial to 'Av' and set your F number depending on whether you want a small depth of field (small F number) or a large depth of field (large F number).  Again immediately after clicking the picture change the Mode Dial back to 'P' so as not to miss your next candid picture.
• LEADING LINES :  Look for leading lines which 'lead' the viewers eyes into the picture :





• LENS CHANGE : If you want to take a portrait shot switch your lens to one with a large aperture like the one shown below :
   
  Choose the correct lens for the picture you have in mind.  Use a zoom telephoto for wildlife shots :
  
  



• TRIPOD : Use a tripod in low light conditions or during macro photography to prevent camera shake.
• ISO :  Increase the ISO setting in low light conditions to get a faster shutter speed and hence prevent camera shake from blurring the picture.  Do not increase the ISO to maximum or you will get 'noise' on your picture.
• DEPTH OF FIELD :  Telephoto, Macro and F1.8-2.8 lenses give a low depth of field while wide angle lenses and larger F numbers have a wide depth of field.  Use the depth of field preview button in front of the camera to see actual DOF before clicking.
• WHITE BALANCE :  Check your white balance setting before every shot especially on a cloudy day when the sun peeks out every now and then too spoil your shot.
• PHOTO SHOOT THEME :  While clicking pictures as per the theme of the shoot feel free to click the beautiful butterfly which flits by.  Do not be constrained too much by the theme of the workshop.

If you have any tips of your own please add them in the comments. Happy Clicking!

Shooting in Manual Mode made easy.

To shoot in manual mode follow these steps :

1. Set the Mode Dial on the top left of the camera to 'M'.



2. Compose your shot and choose a F number (aperture). If it is a landscape or still photo depending on whether you want the focus on the foreground or the background or on both. Choose a small F number for portrait shots or a big F number if you want everything in the picture to be in focus. Turn the Quick Control Dial on the back of your DSLR to set the aperture. This is the outer dial surrounding the 'SET' button as shown below :



3. Focus the subject by placing the AF point in the viewfinder on the subject and pressing the shutter button halfway. You will see the exposure scale at the bottom of the viewfinder and on the LCD panel at the top of your DSLR. This is a scale with -1, -2 and -3 to the left and +1, +2 and +3 to the right of a central black mark. Below the scale will be a moving exposure level mark indicating if the image is under (to the left) or overexposed (to the right).

4. Set the exposure by moving the top (or Main) dial just behind the shutter button in the direction indicated by the exposure level mark. Keep rotating the top dial to set the shutter speed until the mark reaches the center of the scale.  In  the picture below you can see the arrow pointing to the left of the -3 mark.



Rotate the Top Dial just behind the shutter button :



in the direction of the arrow till the mark moves back to the center :



5. Depress the shutter button fully to click your picture.

Check your picture on the LCD monitor of the camera. If overexposed take the same shot but rotate the top dial till the exposure level mark is at -1 or -2. Then click again to get an underexposed image. If the picture is too dark then rotate top dial till the mark is on +1 or +2 or anywhere on the plus side of the scale.

Happy shooting!