Photography Tips: How to find the right camera settings - think like a photographer
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- Course link - www.photographycourses.biz/blocks
To find the right camera settings you have to start thinking like a photographer. Every image and situation is different. Re-shoot the same image or location even minutes apart and the settings you'll need can change. So how do you know what they are?
By thinking the shot through from start to finish and asking yourself the right questions as you go you'll bring out all the good stuff you already know about light, apertures, shutter speeds camera shake etc.
In this one I'll take you through my own thoughts one at a time. But if you really want to learn how to connect the creative and technical aspects of photography check out my 7 Building Blocks of Photography course. It'll revolutionise your thinking and your photography.
Best wishes
Mike
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Phil Booth Sorry i can't reply direct to your comment. I think you need to look at your Google + settings. The shutter speed thing is a rough rule of thumb which will help prevent camera shake, it's not hard and fast and will vary from person to person so it applies generally whatever sensor. IS generally lets you gain an extra stop slower - again it depends on how steady your hand is. have a look at my sharp images videos at www.photographycourses.biz/getting_sharp_images.html
***** Me to. It happens sometimes - windy day, rushing to get the shot, un-stable footing etc can all lead to camera shake...
I do ***** but you still have a difference in field of view - the loss of 20mm means it's wider. Not right or wrong - just the way it is... Photography Tips - Focal Length Changes 3 Things - Focal Length Explained 2
I have literally seen thousands of different vids to learn about using my new DSLR and have to say I enjoy your channel the most.
Love how you cued the Swans in the vid.
Thank you +Paul Jacobs Please share them around with other photographers. This will help me make more of them... - MIKE
Practershowing,s Mumanurl
your killin me that part with the videographer behind you is priceless,i wish i found you 9 years ago! Luke
Better late than never Maureen!
Congratulations Mike,
You nailed it this time. Short, sweet and 100% pure gold.
Your longer, more entertaining videos are wonderful but this one is like....
"Here's the essence of it all". Eleven minutes and you have given the nucleus of taking pictures. I'm going to steer anyone who asks me about photography basics to this film. Hopefully appetites for more will be whetted and they'll become 'hooked on Mike'.
(Didn't even need to split your jeans like PJ Proby ;-)
Thank you branthamal
Best photography tutor on CZcams, God bless you!
These Videos are excellent Mike. They keep inspiring me to get out of the house and try and put the information into practice. The next habit I need to develop is to keep asking myself these questions you are teaching us to ask. It really is asking ourselves questions of what we want in the picture to lead us to ask ourselves what settings we need. Thank You for the help and inspiration . Tony Jefferies.
You've got it Tony, keep practising and asking yourself those all important questions - MIKE :-)
Hi Mike....greetings from Brazil....thanks...I've learned so much from your videos, I really appreciate them....thanks
hi Mike, i collect all your vids and I've learned so much from your videos, clear and understanding, very helpful. thanks
Hi Mike, just wanted to take the time to thank you for the time and effort to help others such as my self take a step back to think what to do to achieve what we want to frame. The advice, tips and the the way you make us feel involved is really good! So thank you
Thank you for taking the time to say so Andrew Grabowski Please help me grow the channel and make more by sharing the videos here, on Facebook, forums etc :-)
Thanks Mike ... as always clear and to the point information delivered in a friendly and engaging manner.
Thank you Vernon Nash BTW I've been sending the link for your MB Flickr group to some more lovely folk who've been on my workshops. Thanks a million.
Thank you for taking the time to share this Mr, Mike.. Lovely work.
Thank you Kevin Atwell Please help me make more complimentary videos by sharing them on forums, Facebook etc..
You sir are an amazing teacher, most photography CZcamsrs just don't know how to explain in a simple way.. but you can do just that, i am learning alot from your videos.. Keep it up.. and thanks
Thank you George. If you'd be kind enough to share the vids around with other photographers I'd really appreciate it because it'll help me make more of them - MIKE :-)
Swan photobombers. Well done. I'll suggest your channel for beginners.
Hi Mike, i bought my first DSLR a couple of months ago and your videos have been extremely usefull! Greetings from Argentina
Thanks Matias Harina
The 1/ guide is correct for 35mm cameras. It needs to be adjusted for cameras with smaller sensors, by 50% for your camera, 60% for my 60D. And then adjusted again for any vibration control, but in the opposite direction.
I love your passion towards photography and explaining things!
Thank you Light Pictures
Great job Mike. This videos are really helpful. Thanks to you I am able to think more about the idea I want to capture instead of how am I going to.
thank you +Kaleidoskot it's really lovely when you are able to think like a photographer - Melissa pp Mike :) www.photographycourses.biz/courses/7-building-blocks-of-photography
these were the questions I always needed - thanks ... though still missing one huge thing - i have no idea I want my picture to look like :-D
Great for Mike Browne to talk beginners through thinking out a shot. I had the giggles though, when the parade of swans appeared right in front of him, most photographers woúld not be able to avoid shifting focus to swan #barrys
That looks like swan rush hour!
swan photobombers
Haven't seen a bad video yet from Mike. Very instructive and well explained so everyone can understand Thanks.
Thank you Richard. Please help me keep them coming by sharing them with other photographers. Have a great 2017 - MIKE :-)
And a great 2017 to you and your family
Hi Mike. Thanks to you, I now shoot 90% of the time in manual mode, and I shoot RAW. I like to use spot metering.
I expose for the brightest part sky and lift the shadow detail in Adobe Camera Raw. Using this method, I'm assured of beautiful, vibrant skies. The highlights are always spot on! (pardon the pun!) And never blown out. Shooting RAW allows me to make the shot look the way I want it to look, and not the way the camera's software (thinks) it should look. There is a massive difference between RAW and JPEG image files.
@Don Broccoli. The reason that there is such a vast difference between the video colour and the colour in the actual shot is because the video camera is exposing for Mike and not the scene. Any camera can expose only for a certain range of luminence. So the sky will look a bit washed out. When Mike takes the shot, he meters for the scene and not himself. Also, we didn't see how Mike developed the shot. Hope this helps.
Hey thanks Darryl Davey. - MIKE :-)
beautiful scene...
Thanks for another educational, no nonsense and entertaining video, Mike! :-)
Thanks Svein Arne Grønnevik
Marvellous video. Much appreciated, my good sir.
thank you for the kind words , please do share our videos to help us make more - Melissa pp Mike
Thank you so much! Your videos are always excellent! What about metering though? I'm new to this and am trying to learn which is the best mode for shooting in high contrast situations - e.g. a person against a sky. I've tried spot and centre weighted and battling a bit!
I know it's too much to digest, but the key is to digest small parts of the cake, our Beginners Course strategically designed to know which information comes first, you can check out our sample at www.photographycourses.biz/courses - Melissa pp Mike
Thanks for an enjoyable and educational video
Thanks Tony, plenty more where that came from.
useful tips as always Mike
Thanks Selim Lazen
Great video, and sorry if I missed this, but which AF Point Selection Mode did you use and where did you focus for the boat and the flowers?
With f/16 would the actual focus spot not matter?
Again, terrific tutorial and shots. It was great how you were able to narrow in on the flowers and take out everything else.
Great video Mike. All your videos are a lot of help to me. Was that first version 70-200 you used
Thank you Ryan Beazer - yes it's the MK1 version.
Hi Mike: Congratulation on your 100,000 subscriber on your CZcams site. This past Christmas my children gave me a DSLR camera [Canon T3]. I have had a high end point and shoot, a Canon PowerShot S5-SI for years, but with the DSLR I wanted to learn how to shoot in manual mode. I am retired and on a fixed income and can not afford to pay for a camera course. I have followed you on CZcams and learn so much from watching you videos. So I want to end this comment by saying Congratulations and Thank You for all you help. Harvey
Thank you Harvey Walls I'm delighted to have helped. - MIKE
Hi mike, beginner here and i love taking pictures of my kids and nature. Can you recommended a good lens for d3100 ? Thanks
thank you Mr mike for the great videos
My Pleasure Shamel Gataje Please help me grow the channel and make more by sharing the videos here, on Facebook, forums etc :-)
Sure ... I will :)
Thanks again
Such wonderful application as always. I'm having a grand time learning from you. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you favor using aperture priority mode. Is there a reason for that preference, over using full manual mode in your videos?
Thank you Of The Way Ministries. It's vital to be able to control the camera manually because the auto modes will stuff up sometimes and you need to be able to take over when it does. I like aperture priority because I can use aperture creatively and let the camera find my exposure starting point for me. Shooting panos I always do manually (including focus) It doesn't really matter how an exposure is achieved so long as it's the one you want... MIKE
Thanks
Pleasure Roberto Binetti
Fantastic channel subbed
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
Great video, Mike! But I still have one thing I never know where to put my focus if my picture has two or more subjects in, plus do you always focus on the subject if you want a big depth of field?
Thanks Ed williams It's all fluid and depends on focal length, aperture and distance to point of focus so there's no 'rule' for any situation. Basically small aperture + shorter lens = more depth of field. Wide aperture + longer FL = less depth of field. Here's a video about where to focus www.photographycourses.biz/where_to_focus.html
lovely video as usual. just wanted to ask if the wide angle lens was a sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6?
Thanks deepak sharma - it is :-)
Hi Mike.
Another useful video as usual. Just one quick question. Q. When you mention that the shutter speed should be at least as fast as the lens is long. I assume this is for a full frame camera? Is the value the same for a cropped sensor camera? Also, how does IS affect the setting? I think that was maybe 3 questions in one!
+phil booth yes, you would need to adjust the number for apsc sensor so 50mm on FF is about 80mm on crop, etc. IS -yes it does *that is what Is is there for), but depends on the type of IS your camera or lesn is using and its strength and also the way you shoot, which goes back to the above rule as well. Is gives roughly about 2 stops or so, but it really is a number on paper. Weather can effect that (wind / cold), position (laying on a side on the ground in uncomfortable position), etc. Some people can get tack sharp shots way below the focal length - shutter speed rule, others have to increase shutter speed. So it is really down to you trying it out on your own and seeing how your gear behaves when you use it.
Yet another excellent video Mike, well done. I'm planning on buying ''7 building blocks of photography'' this summer, just in time with purchasing my very first DSLR. By the way, is this also available as a physical DVD or is it only a digital download?
Thank you perfectforehand 7 Building Blocks of Photography is download only and is delivered by weekly email.
Thanks +Mike Browne, if taking a portrait from side-on is it best to focus on the closest eye to the camera or the one thats further away?
Probably the one closest Ed williams But I'd also experiment and try both to see which i liked best...
Mr Browne,
Thank you for posting your videos, they are very informative and helpful! I do have a question about strobes and off-sync lighting techniques. I ams self teaching myself on how to properly use external light set ups ( two point lighting etc..) and looking forward to doing portrait photography as another skill. I work primarily on manual all the time. I wanted to know, what would be a general rule of thumb of setting up my camera a long with triggering external flashes? Typically, I would shoot w/ 135mm Lens @ f8 or 22 to really achieve that high sharpness. Yet, I still struggle with syncing it with the appropriate flash fills. I'm not sure if measuring the intensity of the light properly and wanted to find out if you could explain these techniques. THANK YOU!
Thank you Eleazar Sunglao I don't use off camera speedlights but the lighting techniques are the same. I Use Bowens lights and set them up with a flash meter. Have a look at my Flash vids at www.photographycourses.biz/using_flash.html (The best place to start is this one www.photographycourses.biz/home_studio_flash.html)
Hi Mike another great tutorial, i have searched all your videos as I am looking for one on taking images of groups and pairs, my example is an awards event where winners are presented on stage and then a group shot of maybe six people. I have done this many times and always end up panicking and just switching to Auto, then we get flash and although ok thats all they are just ok. Is there a particular video you can recommend or might you be doing one in the future? Many thanks
Thanks +Colin Griffin No sorry I don't have any videos on specific scenarios as you describe. Though all the info you need to join the blocks together are in my videos. A slower sync speed to help bring up the background and a flash diffuser to soften the light would probably be the way I'd go. But make sure you've practised the technique and know how to control it before you do the shoot. Remember every photo situation is different and you have to understand what you want to achieve and what you need to set on the camera so you can do it quickly and easily. The alternative is to do what you're doing now and use auto. Sorry - there isn't a quick fix - MIKE :-/
Love the swans ... right on 'cue' ... cudos to the animal handler, and your videographer -- doing a wonderful job. I enjoy your video lessons & even though my photography is limited to a fine point & shoot (Canon G15) you keep me sharp concerning the mechanics .... speaking of - I've got a shelf of "old" lenses left over from the old 'film' days, in particular my "old" Pentax-A zoom (70-200mm), and I'm wondering if it's possible to "mount" lenses such as this on me old 'point & shoot', or yours for that matter? Probably not for all sort of 'digital image' reasons..... Anyone else with an answer re "mounting" lenses, please feel free to contribute.
Thank you David Robertson Not sure about the lenses. I don't expect you can mount them on a point and shoot but they may work on Pentax DSLR. Sorry I honestly don't know. If anyone else does please help David out here...
I’ve just completed the 7 building blocks of photography in July this year, I had to up my game as a friend of mind asked me to photograph his wedding after I did the are you sure etc honestly I know it would be good because it’s from mike but I didn’t expect how much it would change thinks for me the way I think and take photos and I’m definitely more confident I did the wedding and I’ve done a 1st Birthday cake smash I truly believe I wouldn’t have able to do either with out do the 7 building blocks of photography I totally recommend it to anyone and everyone I still know I have a lot to lean and I’m having a great time doing it. It’s just a hobby form I’m not looking to make money from it
Thank you so much Graeme. I'm super delighted you got so much from the course. Best wishes... MIKE :-)
Now what if I want to add smoothing water? You would need a ND filters and be on a tripod? I love these videos.
Thanks @Tom’s Video Collection
Well maybe you'd need ND filters. It would depend on the avialable light, how low your ISO goes and size of your smallest aperture... MIKE
Thanks for this video, explained a great deal.
Just a question, in what situation would you use a light metre?
Because you are relying on the camera that is measuring reflective light, can that not give you a wrong setting? Or do you use ETTL?
I’m coming across a few videos and they are saying things like, “You must use a light metre... You can‘t get accurate readings without a light metre...”
But, you are getting sharp great lit images without one.
Thanks again and have fun.
No worries Ian S. Rutter To get a first time straight from the box accurate meter reading you have to measure the light landing on a subject not reflected by it, and that means a hand held meter. I use evaluative metering all the time and adjust exposure to get what I want by taking a quick test shot and changing up or down depending on the result. By practicing for many years you gain experience will know what the camera is likely to do and predict what'll happen. Then you set a + or - exposure before taking the shot. If it doesn't work how you planned delete it and take another.
Great one. Really explained everything. Thanks for that.
Hi Mike. I love your videos and have learned a bunch to apply to my novice beginnings. In this video you set the f stop and then you looked into the lens view and said it told you that you needed 1/80th shutter speed. If you were using manual shooting mode, and I thought that you were, wouldn't you have to set the shuttler speed yourself because the camera would not "choose" it for you. Otherwise, how did the camera tell you the shutter speed? Thanks.
Thanks +Thomas Bradley I mostly shoot in Aperture priority, but it's the same in manual. I'd adjust speed until the light meter said exposure is (in it's opinion) correct. It's still the camera saying what shutter speed I need to use - MIKE
+Mike Browne Right! Thanks for the clarification and quick response. If it weren't for your excellent video explanations I would not have been able to even make a comment. Excellent!
(Alan) The Swans felt as if they were being ignored :)
Is the idea to put the focus point on the person's chest because the camera is at a angle so that the focus plane is touching the person's eye?
By the way your Photography videos are the best I've come across on the internet.
Thanks Ed williams I suggested focusing on chest area because the distance is slightly less so your area of depth of field will move back towards the camera a bit and begin to cover the legs as well. Have a look at Parts 1 & 2 of my depth of field videos www.photographycourses.biz/depth_of_field.html
Very basic questions here but I’m a true amateur photographer away from my camera at the moment, but I’m dying to know. So, iso takes in light. The higher the iso the more light is picked up by the camera, and aperture is sort of like a focus length for example instead of a 10-20 meter focus it can change to a 15-45 meter area... Shutter speed is self explanatory the faster the speed the less light gets in to the picture.
Am I correct with this or totally wrong?
Hi WOLF DICE
. Yes that's fairly accurate. Aperture is the main control for depth of field (there are other factors too lengthy for a YT comment) when used in its creative role and as a control of light in it's exposure role. However it is unlikely to make any difference if you're focused as far away as 15-20 metres because that is beyond the infinity point and everything will be sharp. Shutter's creative role is to control movement and its exposure roles is as you said, self explanatory. ISO makes the camera more or less sensitive to light to compensate for your choice of which of the other two is dominant for the shot you're taking.
As you can see this is all fluid and there are no hard rules - these things vary according to each shot, the focal length used, distance to subject, amount of light. I know it's all very contradictory. Please take a look at my 5 week online beginners course which explains all this in a logical sequence so you're not confused. Photography is full of seeming contradictions. You can try a free sample at the link below... MIKE
www.photographycourses.biz/ubc
Wow, this is realy helpfull. But it still takes ages to set up my camera. I'm afraid the shot will be gone by the time i'm ready :(
And the shutterspeed/focal length thing is realy gonna help me alot. But does that go for all dslr's? full frame and cropsensors?
Thanks!!
Thanks Indy Pindy Like anything new it takes time and practise to learn. Practice the technique on something dull and unimportant until you know it without having to think much then when you're shooting for real it'll be instinctive.. It's the same for any camera...
I am interested in purchasing my first digital camera, I cant decide between the Sony A7 and the A7R, from everything I saw on youtube I am inclined towards the A7, but my concern is the low pass filter, I don’t understand it, will it make my photographs not as sharp? Thank you.
Hi RickBSO apart from info available on the web I have no idea what a high pass filter is. But I do know all cameras take sharp pictures and the more you spend on a lens the sharper they become. I expect it's just another gadget put there to try and convince people they need it. Have a look at this video... www.photographycourses.biz/which_camera_is_best_for_you.html
Thanks Mike beatiful video again,all your videos are really helpful. My question is about your first shot. Why didn't you use sunny 16 (f/16) rule there, doesn't it give correct settings under that kind of weather ? When i see your result with 1/80 it is beatiful but what would it be like with 1/200 ?
Something wrong with the question ?
There are no 'rules' of exposure that really work in my experience Aydın Salur They take no account of the fact that light is changing all the time and sunlight in one place and be much brighter in another. Think about your question for a moment. If an 80th yielded great results, what would happen if if the exposure was reduced to a 200th which is less than half the exposure given? The image would be twice as dark.
Mike Browne Thank you Mike, since i've read somewhere that rule so wanted to ask you. By the way i've sent you another e-mail to your web page about photo workshop in Istanbul, believe that would be great please think. I am ready for all support if needed. Thanks again.
Thank you Aydın Salur - Melissa will forward your email to me and we can go from there. I love Turkey. Be a great location. Haven't been to Istanbul but traveled on south coast and in the around Goreme, Nevshir area in Anatolia.
Hey Mike, hello i'm in Florida and i'm a newbie on this and i watch a lot of your videos and they being teaching me a lot, i just want to point something specific on this video, there are a lot a goose just passing by when you were talking, but i think that is possible to make a shot with a wide angle lens when the goose were passing by and the background just a little bit blurry like an f6 or f8 just to see? Thanks
Think they were Swans Angel Rosario - it's hard to get a blurry background with a wide angle lens unless you're very close to the subject / Goose / point of focus. Long lenses usually make better blurry backgrounds.
Mike (or anyone for the matter)
How do you get the colours so vivid? I see your scene in the video, colours are what I call flat, dull. Sky is white - light blue-ish, boat is just so-so but the moment you click on your camera and take the shot all these colours get strong, vivid. How do you do that?
Hi Don, Mike shoots in "RAW" which means he tells that camera that he will do the processing of the image in terms of colours etc, he uses Lightroom for post editing this images . Please do what this video,. czcams.com/video/wO3Sdc4oxCc/video.html - Melissa pp Mike
Hi Don. Adding to what Melissa said... The video camera doesn't shoot RAW so i don't have the same level of image control as I do with the stills camera... Remember, cameras 'see' light completely differently to our eyes. Ever taken a pic of someone in front of a window? Your eyes can see them AND what's outside, but the camera makes a silhouette. Shooting RAW allows you to bring it back to how you saw it in the 1st place... MIKE
Thank you both!
Makes sense. While watching your video I got the impression you showed the picture right after taking it. I wasn't aware of the fact that you are editing the images.
Good to know your camera makes the same dull pictures as mine ;-) Guess I need to get into image editing
I had a problem when I took a picture of a person with all their body in the picture, I focused on the eyes but the legs were out of focus. I later found out that that the focus plane is perpendicular to the camera and I took the photo from a low position face on. How do I take the same photo from the same low position but get all of the person in focus
You'll need to increase depth of field until it encompasses both legs and eyes Ed williams As you do it try focusing closer to the camera (maybe on the person's chest) a bit at a time until you find the place where point of focus and depth of field combine to get both sharp.
whats focus breathing, how to distinguish it while buying new lenses.
Sorry +conrad mendes not sure what you mean by "focus breathing" - please explain - MIKE
+Mike Brown one of those terms that is out there for geeks and nerds, related to changes in field of view when a lens is set to different focal lenghs.
+conrad mendes - honestly man, dont worry about it, it is really unimportant technical junk. when you buy lenses focus on glass quality, amount and strength of chromatic aberrations in contrasty images, flares, aperture blades (usually the more the better - smoother bokeh), how the lens performs with your camera / sensor size, focus speed and accuracy, focus ring traction and play if you are into manual focusing, how contrasty the lens is, how it performs wide open, is it weather sealed or not, does it have IS or VR, etc.
+Ponte Ryuurui (品天龍涙) thanks
conrad mendes
anytime mate
+Ponte Ryuurui (品天龍涙)
really mate thanks you saved a lot of my cash in which i could almost get one more lense
and my time searching what does focus breathing means thanks
Hey Mike, have you thought about collaborating with other youtube photographers? Gavin Hoey and you would be awesome together. Have you ever met him?
Thanks Jared Singleton No I haven't but he's really good and I've been thinking about doing exactly that for a while. Must get my finger out and drop him an email...
Mike, you are obviously a highly intelligent man, so answer me this, (nothing to do with photography) what is a deep water life jacket? If the jacket is designed to keep you above the surface (they all are) of the water, why does it matter how deep the water is?
Thanks Handyjack
- though some may disagree about my intelligence... I have no idea, sorry... MIKE :-)
wow, you alway go very small on the aperture side.
Shouldn't the hyperfocal lenght take care of it?
You need a small aperture methanbreather depending on how much depth of field you want, the length of the lens and it also helps find the shutter speed you want. I'm sorry but there's no such thing as hyperfocal length. There's hyperfocal distance which is the optimal point of focus needed to maximise depth of field which is governed mostly by the aperture you choose.
Mike Browne ! I watch SO many different photographers explaining how to improve your skills, but NOBODY is even close to be as intertaining and logically educational as you do it. Thank you VERY much!!!
Thank you Frank Flemming Jensen That's very kind of you and very gratifying for me. If you find my vids and tutorials helpful please share them wherever you can which will help me make more.
It's not the focal length of a lens that determines what your camera can see, it's the field of view, and that is a function of the lens's focal length and the size of the camera's sensor or negative. You need to make it clear both camera body and the focal length of your lens, then the field of view is implied.
I know I need about 17mm for your first shot, I have a 6D, but most of your viewers do not. Okay, I don't have a lens that does 16mm.
The 1/ guide is correct for 35mm cameras. It needs to be adjusted for cameras with smaller sensors, by 50% for your camera, 60% for my 60D. And then adjusted again for any vibration control, but in the opposite direction.