Camera 101: A Beginner's Guide To Understanding Camera Basics - Manual Mode Photography (2024)

Realistically, digital cameras are difficult to understand and operate. The Menu systems are filled with several options, making it difficult to get a perfect uniform setting. However, one must understand them to capture good photos.

We know that understanding the various types of cameras, settings, and techniques can be overwhelming if you are new to the photography industry. Thus, we have provided this master article – camera101, to help all beginners and even experienced photographers understand their cameras.

This guide will provide an overview of the different types of digital cameras available, their features and functions, and other essential photography concepts to help you get on your photography journey.

I. Introduction

Understanding camera basics is essential for anyone with a keen interest in photography, whether as a hobby or profession. A solid understanding or grasp of camera types, settings, and techniques will undoubtedly help you take full control of your camera and unleash your creativity.

Understanding your camera settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, will give you creative control over your photos, allowing you to capture the mood, depth of field, and motion you want. Additionally, it will help you know how to adjust your camera and lighting settings to adapt to different shooting situations.

In short, understanding camera basics is a fundamental step toward improving your photography skills and achieving your creative vision.

Who is this guide for?

We have designed this free guide for those interested in mastering their digital cameras. This guide was curated to aid photography hobbyists feeling overwhelmed by the technical jargon and concepts associated with owning or using a digital camera.

If you are a beginner or an experienced photographer seeking to brush up on your knowledge of cameras, then this article is for you. Keep reading to learn more.

II. Understanding Camera Types and features

There are several types of cameras, each with its features and capabilities. This section of the article explains the common digital cameras and features found in modern mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

Camera Types

There are several types of cameras designed for photography. Here is a table showing the common types with some of their few advantages and disadvantages.

Camera Type	Main Attribute	Major Advantages	Major Drawbacks	URL to learn more
1. DSLR cameras	A Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera uses a mirror to reflect or direct light from the lens to the optical viewfinder.	High-quality images, a wide range of lens options, fast autofocus, long battery life, etc.	Large and heavy, expensive, complex controls, loud shutter sound, etc.	Click the link below to learn more about this type of camera and its features: All Camera Features You Should Know In Your DSLR Camera.
2. Mirrorless cameras	Unlike DSLRs, mirrorless cameras work without a reflex mirror. Instead, it has a digital display that allows users to preview images.	Compact and lightweight, fast autofocus, high-quality images, video capabilities, silent shutter, etc.	Shorter battery life, fewer lens options, can be quite expensive, etc.
3. Point-and-shoot cameras	This type of camera comes with an in-built or fixed lens and simple controls. They are built for simple operations.	They are generally small and portable, affordable, and easy to use.	Users have limited control over settings. In addition, they have fixed lenses and produce lower-quality images.
4. Smartphone cameras	Cameras built into smartphones with varying degrees of quality and features. Smart cameras generally have an image sensor, processor, and some type of Input/Output.	Portable and easy to use.	Smaller sensor size, limited manual controls, lower image quality when compared when dedicated cameras.	You might be interested in the article below: Best Phone Camera Lens Kit? What To Look? Does It Really Works?

Apart from these, other types of cameras include:

• Action cameras
• Bridge cameras
• Traditional film cameras.

You may read our reviews on various types of cameras, including action cameras.

Now that you know the various types of cameras, you might be wondering about the things to look out for when buying one. If so, you may go through the article below to gain insight.

• What to look in the camera? The Ultimate Buying Guide

Camera Features

There are several camera features. Some of them include:

Autofocus

This is a camera feature that automatically adjusts the focus of your lens on a subject. This mode, when turned on, will allow the camera to analyze the scene and use its built-in algorithms to determine the optimal focus point for you. You can find the AF system on most modern cameras, including action cameras.

You can learn more about Autofocus (AF) in the article below:

• How To Set Dslr Camera Lens To Autofocus?

Imaging sensor

An image sensor is an electronic device that allows the camera to convert light into electrical signals, which are then processed into digital images. It is the most important component of your digital camera. It determines the quality of your images.

The image sensor is made up of millions of tiny photosites (measured in megapixels), each of which captures a single pixel in the final image. A larger sensor size or megapixel will allow more light into your camera, resulting in better image quality, improved low-light performance, and greater depth of field.

Conversely, the most common sensor sizes of mirrorless and DSLR cameras include:

• Full-frame
• APS-C
• Micro-Four Thirds

Generally, full-frame sensors are the largest, and cameras with such imaging sensors typically produce the best results. Cameras with other sensor sizes can also produce high-quality pictures, depending on your settings.

Finally, there are only two types of sensors, namely;

• The charged-coupled device (CCD); and
• The Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensors.

The latter is more advanced than the former. Most modern cameras feature CMOS sensors.

Viewfinder/LCD

The viewfinder is another important feature of a digital camera. It allows photographers to look through the camera’s lens and see the scene they want to capture. It is a good compositional feature. You may go through the article below to learn how to compose images with the VF.

• How To Put Grid On DSLR Camera Viewfinder?

Alternatively, the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen is a flat, thin display panel at the back of the camera, which allows photographers to preview, review, and edit images and videos.

Both the viewfinder and LCD are essential for composing shots. However, I recommend using the LCD screen when doing landscape, still life, macro and architectural photography.

Video Capabilities

Modern mirrorless and DSLR cameras have video recording technology that allows them to record and produce high-quality clips. Some cameras can even record videos in 4K resolution.

Zoom

This is the ability of a digital camera’s lens to change its focal length. This feature allows photographers to make their subjects appear larger or thinner without them physically changing positions.

Image Stabilization

In-body image stabilization (IBIS) is another feature of digital cameras designed to stabilize your imaging sensor to provide crystal-clear images and videos when shooting without a sturdy tripod.

Histogram

The histogram is another unique feature of digital cameras. It is a graph that measures the tonal range of an image by representing the frequency of each tone (bright or dark) on a bar chart.

It displays the distribution of light and dark pixels in an image, with the left side of the histogram representing the dark areas of the image and the right side representing the bright areas. The horizontal axis represents the tonal range, from dark to light, and the vertical axis represents the number of pixels at each tonal value.

The histogram can help you identify if your image is overexposed, underexposed, or correctly exposed. Fortunately, the feature is available on many cameras and you can view it on your camera’s LCD screen or viewfinder.

III. The Fundamentals of Exposure and Metering

Exposure, in photography, is the amount of light that reaches your camera sensor. It is the most vital camera setting. Your exposure setting will decide how bright or dark your picture will appear. It is made up of three important camera settings called the exposure triangle.

The Exposure Triangle (ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed)

There are only three camera settings that affect the actual brightness and quality of a picture: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Explained below is the definition of these factors and how you can practically set them to achieve the correct exposure.

ISO:

• Description: Your camera ISO setting affects the brightness of your photo. It controls the sensitivity of your camera’s sensor to light.

• Effect on an image: This camera setting, the ISO, increases or decreases your photograph’s brightness and grain/noise level. A higher ISO setting (e.g., 3200) will make your camera more sensitive to ambient light, resulting in brighter images and higher image grain or noise.

In contrast, a lower ISO setting (e.g., 100) will make your camera less sensitive to light, resulting in darker images. At the lowest ISO base (ISO100), your photos will have the lowest amount of noise and highest dynamic range, making it easier to post-process the shots later.

• Best value to use: Generally, a low ISO value is best when shooting in bright conditions, while a high setting is necessary for low-light conditions. However, the best ISO setting will depend on the subject you want to photograph, your location, and the kind of images you want to create.

For instance, if you want to photograph the night sky, I recommend starting with an ISO setting of about 400, an aperture setting between f/2.8 and f/4, and a shutter speed setting between 15 to 30 seconds.

You may go through the articles below to learn more about your camera ISO.

• What does ISO stand for in Photography?
• A Guide To Set ISO For Low Light. Low Light Camera Settings

Aperture:

• Description: This refers to the opening in your lens through which light passes. It controls the light that enters the camera by opening or closing the lens diaphragm. It is measured in F-stops, with a smaller f-stop number (e.g., f/2.8) indicating a larger aperture.

You can learn more F-stop and how camera aperture works in the articles below:

• What are F/Stop? All you need to know about F/stops
• What is F-Stop? How Does Camera Aperture Work?

• Effect on an image: Aperture affects the depth of field (DOF) of your photographs. DOF refers to the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in focus within a picture.

A larger aperture (lower f-stop number) will allow more light into your camera, decreasing the depth of field and blurring the background and foreground to help pop the in-focus subject of your photo.

A lower aperture (higher f-stop number) will allow less light into your camera, increasing the depth of field and producing sharper backgrounds.

• Best value to use: This will entirely depend on what you want to capture and even on your location. If you want to create portraits with blurred backgrounds (shallow depth of field), I recommend you begin with an aperture setting of f/4 or less, depending on the lighting situation in the scene.

You might be interested in the article below:

• How To Blur The Background With A DSLR

The large aperture opening will allow more light into your camera. This might result in overexposed images. You can balance this by decreasing your ISO setting and using a faster shutter speed to compensate for the additional light.

Shutter Speed

• Description: Shutter speed controls the length of time your camera’s sensor is exposed to light. It is measured in seconds or fractions of a second.

• Effect on an image: A slower shutter speed allows more light into your sensor. But it can lead to blurry images from camera shakes or subject movement. A faster shutter speed limits light but reduces motion blur and can freeze motion, making it ideal for shooting sports or fast-moving subjects like birds in flight.

• Best value to use: This will depend on the subject and the mood you want to create. For instance, if you want to capture a waterfall with a silky smooth effect, I recommend using a slower shutter speed. You will have to experiment with diverse settings to find the best for you. You can learn how to change your camera shutter speed in the article below:

• How To Change Shutter Speed On Nikon And Canon Camera?

Note: There is a great difference between aperture and shutter speed. You can find out the differences in the article – Camera Aperture VS Shutter Speed. What’s The Difference?

The exposure triangle is a core camera setting, and it could be a difficult topic to understand. Thus, ensure you go through all the articles I have suggested. You may also watch Youtube content to learn more.

Metering Modes:

You cannot achieve correct exposure without knowing how your digital camera meters light. Metering refers to how your camera measures the amount of light in a scene to determine and set the appropriate exposure setting (shutter speed, aperture, and ISO).

Different cameras have different metering modes, but the most common ones in all cameras include:

Evaluative/Matrix Metering

This is the default mode on most cameras. It analyzes the entire scene and divides it into zones, which are then analyzed on an individual basis to determine the best exposure settings. It is a versatile mode that works well for most shooting situations, especially when doing landscape photography.

Center-Weighted Metering:

This metering mode places more emphasis on the center of the frame and its surroundings when calculating the exposure. It is useful when you want to expose the subject in the center of the frame.

It is great for close-up portraits and taking headshots of a person under overly bright sun or studio lighting. It will help you expose the subject’s face correctly, even though everything else in the frame will probably get overexposed by the excessive lighting.

Spot Metering:

This mode allows your camera to only measure the light around your focus point. It is useful when you want to expose a specific part of the scene or subject.

Spot metering mode is more useful when you have a relatively small subject, such as a bird, within your scene and you want to ensure it is properly exposed, whether the background will appear bright or dark.

Partial Metering:

It is similar to spot metering. But it allows the camera to measure a slightly larger area. It is useful when you want to expose a larger area of the scene, such as a person’s upper body. Practically, I suggest you use this mode when you want to click a portrait of someone who is backlit.

Ultimately, your choice of metering mode will depend on your shooting situation. However, you may need to experiment with different modes to find the best one for any shooting scenario you find yourself.

How do you change the metering mode on your camera?

Typically, you can change the metering mode on your digital camera through the settings menu or with the aid of a dedicated button on the body of your camera. However, this may vary depending on the model of your device. Nonetheless, you can follow the steps below to adjust or switch on a metering mode on your camera.

1. Locate the metering mode option in your camera’s setting menu.
2. Select your desired metering mode from the available options.

You may go through your camera’s handbook to learn more about the settings menu and buttons.

Exposure compensation and bracketing

In photography, exposure compensation and bracketing are techniques used to adjust the exposure of an image. Exposure compensation is a feature in your camera that allows you to manually increase or decrease the standard exposure suggested by your camera.

A camera’s automatic exposure is not always accurate when it comes to calculating and setting the optimal exposure. Exposure compensation (EF) is used to adjust or correct in-camera metering errors caused by the subject’s reflectivity.

For instance, when an image contains strong reflections, the reflected light will then cause the image to become dark or overly underexposed, no matter what metering mode is used. A typical example is photographing a white subject in a snowstorm or against a white background. In such a scenario, applying exposure compensation will create optimal exposure.

Exposure compensation is set using exposure value – the amount of light obtained from the combination of lens aperture value and shutter speed. It is usually measured in stops, which refer to the amount of light that enters your camera’s imaging sensor. A positive value (e.g., +1) increases the exposure, making your photo brighter. On the other hand, a negative value (e.g., -1) decreases the exposure, making your photo darker.

Summarily, use positive exposure values (+1, +2, +3) when your subject and the background (scene) are white, and use negative values (-1, -2) when your subject and the background are dark.

On the other hand, bracketing is a technique that allows photographers to take multiple shots of the same subject or scene at different exposure settings. This is especially useful in situations when you only have one chance to click the right image.

After taking the images, you can combine them with the aid of any professional photo editing software to create a single image with a wider dynamic range.

Some modern digital cameras now feature automatic bracketing. This allows photographers to take at least three (3) different shots at different exposure settings (-1EV, Normal, and +1EV) with a single pressing of the shutter button. This is also helpful, especially in moments when you are unsure of the correct exposure settings to use.

IV. Understanding Lenses, filters and focal length

Camera lenses, filters, and focal length are other essential components you must understand as a beginner. Sound knowledge of these components will help improve your skills.

A camera lens, also called a photographic lens, is the part of the camera used in conjunction with the camera body to focus light onto the sensor or film. Filters are photography equipment used to alter the intensity of light entering your lens to achieve specific image or lighting effects.

Focal length, on the other hand, determines the angle of view and magnification of an image. Explained below are the types of camera lenses and filters. Furthermore, you will also learn more about focal length.

Types of Camera Lenses

Here is a table showing the common types of camera lenses with some of their few advantages and disadvantages.

Camera lens type	Attributes	Main Advantages	Major drawbacks	Best For
Wide-angle lens	A wide-angle lens has a shorter focal length, typically between 14-35mm, and can capture a wider field of view than standard lenses.	It has a wide field of view, which makes it ideal for landscape photography. Similarly, it can create unique distortion effects that can add visual interest to your photos.	Wide-angle lenses have issues with perspective distortion effect, where objects closer to the lens appear much larger than objects farther away.	Landscape, interior, and architecture photography.
Mid-range zoom lens	A mid-range zoom lens typically has a focal length range of 24-70mm for full-frame cameras and 18-55mm for APS-C cameras.	It is a good multipurpose lens. Apart from that, it also has a wide maximum aperture.	A mid-range zoom lens has a more limited zoom range when compared to a superzoom lens. Additionally, it may not produce as much bokeh as a longer telephoto lens. Finally, it is quite expensive for beginner or hobbyist photographers.	Landscape, portrait, and street photography. You may learn more about zoom lenses in the article below:What Are Zoom Lenses? When And How To Use Zoom Lenses?
Telephoto lens	A telephoto lens has a longer focal length, typically over 70mm, and is used to magnify and capture sharp photos of distant subjects.	Can be used to capture distant subjects.	Usually large, heavy, and expensive.	Wildlife and sports photography.
Macro lens	These are lenses specially designed for close-up photography. They allow photographers to capture detailed images of small subjects like flowers and insects.	It can produce high-quality images of macro subjects.	Macro lenses are expensive.	Macro photography.

Which lens should you buy?

Now that you know the common types of camera lenses, you might be wondering; which is the best, and which should I buy or use?

Generally, the best lens will depend on your niche. Telephoto and zoom lenses are best for sports and wildlife photography, wide-angle lenses for landscape photography, and prime and macro lenses for wedding and macro photography, respectively. You may go through our articles below to learn more:

• Why should someone use 50mm lens? Advantages of 50mm lens
• 35mm vs 50mm vs 85mm lenses. How to use them and which one is right for you?
• Camera Lenses For Photography, When To Use Which Lens? Type Of Lens

How to take care of your camera lens?

Your lens is one of the most important parts of your camera. A dirty or damaged lens can significantly impact the overall quality of your images. Dust and dirt can lead to the lens being stuck to the camera body.

A camera lens stuck refers to having an immovable lens on your camera body as a result of dirt or sand particles on the barrel of the lens. You may learn more about lens stuck in the article – Camera Lens Stuck? How Do I Fix A Stuck Lens?

Apart from dirt, dust, and sand particles, fingerprints or scratches on your lens can reduce contrast, sharpness, and color accuracy, leading to poor image and video quality. Thus it is important to take care of your lens. In fact, taking good care of your camera lens can extend its lifespan.

Here are two simple ways to care for the lens:

• Regular cleaning: You can clean your lens periodically with specially designed lens cleaning liquid and materials. Read the article below to learn how to manually clean the lens.

• How To Clean Canon Camera Lens? DIY Method.

• By using a lens hood: Lens hoods are camera accessories designed to protect the lens from unwanted light and other elements. You may go through the article below to learn more about lens hoods and how they help protect camera lenses.

• When To Use A Lens Hood? And What Does A Lens Hood Do?

Camera filters can also help shield your lens from scratches, fingerprints, and even harsh lighting. Here are the types of filters and how they protect your lens.

Types of camera filters

Generally, there are several types of camera filters. Here are the most common ones:

Polarizing filter

A polarizing filter works by reducing glare and reflections from sunlight and non-metallic surfaces, such as water or glass, directly reflected toward your camera at specific angles.They can also increase color saturation and contrast in your photos.

You can learn more about polarizing filters in the article –What Are Circular Polarizing Filters? Why And How To Use It?.

UV/haze filter

These filters are designed to block ultraviolet light and protect your lens from scratches, dust, and other damage.

Neutral density (ND) filters

They help to reduce the amount of light that hits your imaging sensor, allowing you to use slower shutter speeds or wider apertures without overexposing your photos. They are commonly used by landscape photographers to blur water or make the cloud stand out against a blue sky.

ND filters usually come in different strengths and colors. You may go through the article below to learn more about them.

• Are ND Filters Good For Photography? When Should You Use An ND Filter On A Camera?

Color filters

These filters are designed to add a subtle or dramatic color cast to your photos.

Infrared filters

These filters are designed to block as much visible light as possible and allow only infrared light to pass through, resulting in surreal, otherworldly images.

Filters are great photography tools. They are a must-have if you want to create surreal images.

Focal length Vs field of view

Focal length is the distance between your lens and the sensor or film when you focus the lens at infinity. When your lens is focused to infinity, it will capture distant objects in sharp focus. You may learn more about focusing the lens to infinity in the piece below:

• How To Set Lens Focus To Infinity?

Your lens focal length will determine the distance at which the lens focuses at infinity. It is usually measured in millimeters (mm). You can find out the meaning of MM on your lens in this article – What Does MM Mean On Camera Lens? All Questions Answered).

Furthermore, the focal length determines the lens’ angle of view (how much of the scene will be captured) and magnification (how large individual elements will appear in the final photograph). A longer focal length will produce a narrower angle of view and higher magnification, while a shorter focal length will produce a wider angle of view and lower magnification.

Note: Different focal lengths produce different viewing angles, resulting in different images.

On the other hand, the field of view (FOV) is the extent of the observable image or area that your camera can capture. It is measured in degrees. It is determined by the combination of the focal length of your lens and the size of your imaging sensor.

Finally, a longer focal length lens will produce a narrower field of view, while a shorter focal length lens will produce a wider field of view.

V. Composition and Framing Techniques

Understanding how to compose or frame your shots will help you create strong and beautiful photographs, whether you are shooting with a digital camera or with a smartphone.

In photography, composition refers to the way the elements of an image or scene are arranged and presented to create a specific effect or message. Here are some common compositional techniques in photography:

Rule of thirds

Rule of thirds In photography involves the even division of an image into a 3×3 grid of 9 segments formed by two horizontal and vertical lines each, and placing the subject or key elements along the lines or at their intersections, leaving the others open.

Leading lines

Just as the name hints, it involves using horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or even curved lines to lead your viewers’ eyes to your photograph’s main subject or point of utmost interest.

Symmetry

In photography, symmetry occurs when two halves of your composition closely reflect each other. Symmetry is a powerful compositional tool because it can create a sense of balance and harmony in a photograph.

There are several ways you can use this technique to create compelling photographs. However, the easiest way to use it is to find a naturally symmetrical subject, such as a building, a bridge, or a reflection in the water, as captured in the image above. You can use this style in portrait, landscape, and architecture photography to create a sense of balance and harmony in your photos.

Aside from these, there are several other guides in photography, including framing, negative space, the golden ratio, and many more. We recommend you start with the basics, such as the rule of thirds and framing, and try more advanced ones, like the golden ratio, as your skills improve.

Mastering the Rules of Composition

Almost everything in photography, including composition, has rules. There are professionally laid down principles you must understand and follow if you want to produce creative images with any of the compositional guides mentioned earlier.

We have compiled some of these rules in the article below to help achieve maximum results.

Photography Composition Rules To Follow every time You Click A Photo. You may go through the article to learn these rules before you start shooting.

How to use different composition techniques to create eye-catching images

There are several ways you can capture exquisite photographs using different composition techniques. However, the ideal techniques to use or combine will depend on your location and the story you want to create with your pictures. For instance, I highly recommend leading lines when shooting in an outdoor location featuring roads, railways, rows of buildings, and trees.

Having said that, here is how to create compelling images:

Choose your location and techniques

Ultimately, your location will determine the technique you will use. First, decide whether you want to click the photos indoors or outdoors. Then carefully examine the location settings (features) and select the style accordingly.

Choose a focal point and frame your shot

Start by identifying the main subject or point of interest in your shot. This can be a person, an object, or a landscape feature.

Once you have identified and selected your desired focal point, think about how you want to showcase it in your photograph and frame the shots using every necessary and available element, depending on your location, the subject, and the style you want to use.

For instance, let’s assume you want to photograph a sunflower in a garden. In this case, your focal point will be the sunflower you want to capture. Then decide on the composition of the image and elements to include in the frame. You may choose to frame the sunflower with other flowers in the background or foreground or use the surrounding foliage or trees to create a natural frame.

Once you have done all these, you can adjust your camera settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance, to achieve your desired depth of field and exposure.

Take the shot

Then take the shot from different angles, including low and high, and with different camera settings. Finally, post-process the images to add more effects and drama.

There are no hard rules when it comes to composing your images. Although it is good to be creative, I suggest you follow the rules of composition since you are a beginner. You can break them once you become a pro at handling digital cameras and framing shots.

VI. Lighting and color Basics

Lighting and color are essential elements in photography. They can greatly affect your image mood, tone, and overall quality. Thus, understanding the basics of lighting and color temperature can help you create more impactful and visually engaging photos.

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of photography. It can drastically affect the appearance of your final result. The direction, intensity, and quality of light can determine or affect how others will perceive your photograph.

On the other hand, color can convey emotion and add depth and dimension to your photographs. Understanding the basics of color theory, such as complementary colors and color temperature, can help you make intentional decisions about the color palette of your images.

In this section of the article, we will discuss the various types of light, the importance of white balance and color temperature, and how you can mood and drama with lighting.

Types of light sources in photography and how they affect images

In photography, we have several light sources, and each has its own unique effects on images. Here are the most common light sources and how they affect images:

Natural

This refers to the light that comes from the sun or sky. Generally, it is the most flattering and versatile type of light for photography. Natural light can create different effects on photographs depending on the time of day, the weather condition, and the sun’s direction. For instance, the golden hour (the time just after sunrise or just before sunset) usually creates a warm and soft light that can make your final pictures appear dreamy and romantic.

Artificial

This is the opposite of natural light sources. Artificial light refers to non-natural sources like lamps, light bulbs, and flash units. You can use this type of light in several ways to create stunning and well-lit images of your subjects.

Ambient

This refers to the light naturally present in your shooting scene. Ambient light can include light from street lamps, lit candles, moving vehicles, bulbs, and other objects.

Depending on your location and the ambient light available, you add a specific mood or atmosphere to your shots. For instance, the warm and flickering light from candles usually creates a cozy and intimate atmosphere in portrait clicks.

Diffused

In photography, diffused light refers to any light that has been scattered or dispersed with a light diffuser to create a soft, even illumination without harsh shadows or overly exposed spots. This type of light is often used by portrait, product, and still-life photographers to create a flattering and natural-looking illumination of their subjects.

Diffused light can be created by a variety of sources, including natural light from a cloudy sky or reflected light from a white wall or ceiling. In studio photography, diffused light can be created using a softbox, umbrella, or other light modifiers to scatter the light and create a soft, even illumination. But this type of light is usually created with the aid of light diffusers and umbrellas.

You may go the articles below to learn about light diffusers and umbrellas:

• What is a Light Diffuser? How to use Light Diffuser for photography?
• How To Use Umbrella Lights? When And Why You Should Use Them?

The benefits of diffused light in photography are numerous. It can reduce harsh shadows and highlights, minimize skin imperfections and blemishes, and create a pleasing, natural-looking illumination that flatters the subject. Diffused light can also help to bring out the details and colors of your subject, making it a popular choice for product photography.

Color temperature and white balance

Color temperature and white balance are other important factors in photography because they can greatly affect the quality and mood of your final image.

Color temperature refers to the hue of light, which can range from warm to cool. It is measured in Kelvin (K), with lower values indicating warmer light and higher values indicating cooler light. Understanding color temperature will make it easier for you to choose lighting that gives you the look and feel you want and also help you create great pictures. In photography, color temperature can affect your image’s overall feel and mood. For instance, warm colors usually create a cozy and inviting atmosphere, while cool colors often create a more clinical or sterile feeling.

On the other hand, white balance is a camera setting that allows you to remove any color casts from your image so your subject will appear neutral white. All digital cameras have a variety of white balance settings, such as auto, daylight, cloudy, fluorescent, and tungsten, which are used to adjust the color temperature and remove any unwanted color casts.

A proper understanding of white balance and color temperature is essential, especially if you want to always achieve accurate and natural-looking colors in your shots.

How to use light to create mood and drama

There are several ways you can use light to create mood and drama. Here two methods you can try:

Backlighting

Backlighting is a technique used to manage the contrast in a photograph. It is often used to improve the quality of a photo that has been taken in bright sunlight. It can create a dramatic and mysterious effect by casting your subject in silhouette.You can achieve this effect by placing the light source behind your subject while your subject faces the camera.

Learn more about backlighting – What Is Backlight Compensation Photography? Shooting Against The Light.

Lighting painting

Lighting involves using a long exposure and a good light source (such as a flashlight or a sparkler) to “paint” light on your subject or the background. This technique can create a dreamy, surreal effect and can be used to add drama and interest to an image. You may go through the article below if you want to learn how to do light painting photography.

• How To Do Light Painting Photography? Easy Ideas To Start With

Summarily, there are several ways you can use light to add mood and a sense of drama to your pictures. By having a strong understanding of the different types of light and their effects on pictures, you can create visually compelling photographs that will evoke a range of emotions in your viewers.

VII. Camera Modes and Settings

As you might probably know, your camera features several shooting, focus, exposure modes, and settings. Here are the common ones.

Shooting modes

Auto mode

This is the default shooting mode in most digital cameras. This mode, when turned on, gives your camera automatic control of your exposure and every other setting based on the light conditions and subject.

Auto mode is a great option for beginners who want to capture images with little to no knowledge of camera settings. It is not suitable for professional photography.

Problem

It may not always select the best settings for the scene, leading to underexposed or overexposed images.

Solution

In challenging lighting conditions, I recommend you switch to other shooting modes or use exposure compensation to adjust the exposure.

How to tell your camera what you’re taking a picture of in Auto mode

Most modern cameras now have in-built auto-focusing systems capable of detecting a subject and adjusting the focus accordingly. However, in certain situations, such as low-contrast scenes, the AF system may not accurately detect your subject.

In such situations, there are several ways you can tell your camera what you are taking a picture of. Some of them include:

• Manually selecting the focus point
• Using manual focus
• Using the camera’s tracking feature, etc

Manual mode

In this mode, you will have full control over the exposure, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings. This mode requires more knowledge of camera settings and can be time-consuming to adjust the settings. Nonetheless, it is still the best shooting mode.

Benefits of shooting in manual mode

• Complete control of your camera settings
• Better understanding of exposure
• Creative freedom
• It can help you achieve consistent results across all your shots.

How to use the camera’s manual mode effectively

• Understand the exposure triangle.
• Determine your priorities – whether you want to freeze motion with a fast shutter speed, create a shallow depth of field with a wide aperture, or keep noise levels low with a low ISO.
• Use a light meter to determine the correct exposure.
• Always take test shots
• Shoot in RAW format
• Experiment with different techniques.

Shooting in manual mode vs. automatic mode

Here’s a table outlining some of the key differences between shooting in manual and automatic modes:

Aperture-priority mode

This mode allows you to set the aperture while your camera selects the appropriate shutter speed based on the lighting conditions. It is great for controlling depth of field.

Problem

Your camera may choose a slow speed shutter speed in low light situations, which might lead to blurry images.

Solution

You can increase your ISO or use a sturdy tripod to keep your camera steady.

The creative effect of the aperture-priority mode

One of the main creative effects of using aperture-priority mode is controlling the depth of field in an image. You can use a shallow depth of field to isolate your subject and blur the background, while you can use a deep depth of field to keep everything in focus.

Summarily, the aperture-priority mode is a good shooting mode for controlling your image’s depth of field and creating different creative effects. You can learn more about aperture-priority mode in the article: What Is Av Mode On My Camera? How And When To Use It?

Shutter-priority mode

This mode allows you to set the shutter speed while your camera selects the appropriate aperture based on the lighting conditions. It is great for controlling motion blur.

Problem

Your camera may choose a small aperture in bright situations, which might lead to a shallow depth of field.

Solution

In bright situations, you can use a neutral density filter to reduce the amount of light entering your lens.

You can learn more about shutter priority mode in the article below:

• What Is Tv (S) Mode On My DSLR Camera? How And When To Use It?

Program Mode

In this mode, your camera will set the aperture and shutter speed, but you have control over other settings like ISO, exposure compensation, and white balance.

Focusing modes

Generally, digital cameras have different focusing modes, which you can use to achieve different results. Here are brief explanations of some of the most common focusing modes you will find on any camera:

One-Shot AF/AF-S

This mode is used for still photography and is designed to focus your lens on the subject once and then lock the focus. Your camera will not adjust the focus until you release and repress the shutter button halfway.

AI Servo AF/AF-C

This mode is used for photographing moving subjects, like erratic birds. Your camera will continuously adjust the focus as the subject moves closer or further away from it (the camera).

AI Focus AF/AF-A

This mode is a combination of One-Shot AF and AI Servo AF. In this mode, your device initially uses One-Shot AF, but if the subject moves, it will switch to AI Servo AF and track the movement of the subject across the frame.

Manual focus mode

In this mode, you can manually adjust the focus ring on your lens to achieve your desired focus.

Exposure Modes

There are four major exposure modes, namely;

• Shutter priority (S/Tv) mode
• Aperture Priority (A/Av) mode
• Manual (M) mode
• Program (P) mode

Click to learn more about these exposure modes HERE.

How to Use Your Camera’s Exposure Modes and Settings

Here are some basic steps to get started:

• Understand the exposure triangle
• Choose your exposure mode
• Set your camera – adjust every necessary setting
• Take test shots and proceed with the main shooting
• Post-process the images

Note: There is no one “correct” exposure setting. The ideal settings will depend on the lighting conditions, the subject matter, and the artistic effect you want to create.

Scene modes

These are pre-set settings on digital cameras to help beginners capture certain types of images with less effort. These modes will automatically adjust your camera’s settings, such as exposure and white balance, to optimize them for specific shooting scenarios.

Here are some common scene modes you will find on a camera:

• Portrait
• Landscape
• Sports/Action
• Night
• Macro
• Beach
• Sunset
• Food
• Snow, etc

Some buttons on your camera and their quick uses

Here is a table of some common buttons you can find on any camera:

Note: The specific buttons and their uses may vary depending on the camera model and manufacturer.

VIII. Image formats

There are several image formats. But the common ones in photography are:

1. JPEG – (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
2. RAW –

Which Image Format Should You Use? RAW vs. JPEG

In RAW format, your camera imaging sensor will capture and record uncompressed data, meaning you will have a maximum amount of flexibility in post-processing, as it contains more data and allows you to adjust parameters like exposure, color temperature, and white balance. However, RAW files are typically larger and require large memory spaces.

JPEG format, on the other hand, is a compressed image format. It is a smaller file size and requires less memory space. However, the compression process means you will lose some image data, which can result in a loss of quality if you need to edit the image extensively.

Thus, whether to shoot in RAW or JPEG image format will depend on your specific needs and requirements. We recommend you choose or use RAW image format if you have a large SD card and want to have a lot of diverse creative choices during post-processing. If otherwise, perhaps, you just want to click simple photos you can share with your friends or internet followers, you can shoot in JPEG format.

You might be interested in the piece below

• How to shoot raw on iPhone?

How to Use Your Camera

Congratulations on making it to this level. We want to assume you understand the basics now and you are ready to start using your camera. We are aware of the fear and uncertainties associated with holding a digital camera for the first time. In fact, every professional photographer today experienced it during his/her first couple of hours in the school of photography.

Therefore, here are a few steps and tips to help you get started with the attitude of a pro.

Firstly, learn how to hold a camera properly

Believe it or not, there are rules for holding a digital camera. It is a very delicate instrument. Thus, it must be handled with utmost care.

You will find all the information you need on how to hold a camera in the article below:

• How To Hold Camera Steady? A Guide By Professionals.

Inspect the camera

Secondly, inspect the camera once you pick it out of the bag. Check the memory card, insert the battery, turn it on, and check and adjust all the settings accordingly.

Take your stand

Then apply all the tricks (such as tucking your elbow lightly against your torso, supporting the camera with both hands and separating your legs) you have learned from the guide/article provided earlier in step one.

Frame your shot

Use the viewfinder or LCD screen to compose and frame your shot. Make sure your subject is in focus and properly lit. Then depress the shutter speed to capture the image. You should hear a click or see a flashing light to indicate the photo has been taken.

Review and edit

After taking a photo, review it on the LCD screen. You can also edit the photo in-camera or transfer it to a computer for more advanced editing. Finally do not forget to backup the image.

IX. Common Problems and Solutions

Photography is not a trouble-free hobby or profession. Handling a digital camera comes with a few solvable problems. In this section, you learn about some possible challenges young photographers usually face and how to avoid them. .

Possible problems you might face

Here are some common problems you might face as a beginner.

• Getting blurry photos
• Getting overexposed or underexposed images
• Having images with high noise level
• Focusing in the dark, etc.

Possible Solutions

Here is a table showing possible solutions to some of these problems.

Above are some problems and their solutions. You can let us know via the comment box if you have any problem you want us to help you address.

X. Conclusion and Further Learning

Congratulations, you have made it to the end of this guide. But photography is a vast field, and it is also evolving and becoming more competitive. Therefore, we encourage you to practice all you have learned and also garner inspiration from professional photographers in your locality. You may also consult Youtube for video tutorials and more.

Finally, do not stop at learning the basics of cameras; take a step further by also learning the general basics of photography. Click the link below to start now!

• Photography 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Mastering the Basics

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