This worksheet goes over some techniques to help you hold your camera more steady. Being more steady will prevent you from getting blurry images due to motion.

This video goes over some techniques to help you hold your camera more steady. Being more steady will prevent you from getting blurry images due to motion.

This worksheet goes over the reasons why you would want to use a tripod and gives you some helpful tips.

This video goes over some of the important features you should look for when buying a tripod such as:

height

weight (light vs heavy)

weight limit (how heavy of a camera and lens can it hold)

composition (metal or carbon fiber)

ball head

This worksheet goes over all of the shooting modes and describes how they work. It also recommend which shooting modes you should use.

Auto Modes:

Automatic

Creative Auto

Portrait

Landscape

Macro

Sports

Night Portrait

Manual Modes

Program

Shutter Priority

Aperture Priority

Manual

A-Dep

This video explains what auto focus points you should use. How to change them and how to focus and re-compose on your subject.

This video describes the 3 main focusing modes and what they are used for:

One Shot / AF-S This mode focuses once and locks as long as you hold the shutter button half way down.

AI Focus / AF-A This mode focuses once then if the subject moves it refocuses.

AI Servo / AF-C This mode continuously focuses which is good for moving objects.

This worksheet goes over the basics of focusing technique. Such as where to focus and how to focus.

This assignment asks you to post some images from when you practiced with the focusing lessons.

This worksheet goes over what you should be looking for when you look at your images on the LCD screen. The information in the EXIF data and histogram can help you make decisions about how to improve the next shot you make.

This lesson gives you some idea of what's possible with image editing software. This video uses Lightroom but you may also want to look at other programs like Photoshop Elements or Photoshop CC.

This is an assignment which asks you to show us the before and after images you were able to make with your image editing software.

This video goes over the basic rules of composition and explains how you can apply them to your photography.

This worksheet describes the rule of thirds and explain how it can improve your photographic compositions.

This worksheet talks about how your images need a main subject and that you should build the rest of your image around this main subject. The main subject is usually the thing that first caught your attention in the scene.

This worksheet describes how the background can be just as important as the foreground in an image. If you have a great subject but an ugly messy background that can ruin your image.

This worksheet goes over a few elements that can improve your compostions. Things like leading lines, shapes, and colors.

This worksheet has a variety of little composition tips and tricks to help you make better compostions.

This video talks about what you need to know about how your camera produces and exposure. Knowing how your camera works will affect the decisions you make in your settings and compositions. The video also describes how ISO works.

Remember low numbers like 100 are good for when you have a lot of light and high numbers like 1600 are good for low light conditions.

This worksheet describes how the exposure triangle works. It helps you to understand there is no one right answer when it comes to exposure. There are however, tradeoffs that have to be made by the photographer to get the shot they want.

This worksheet explains how to use your histogram and then how to correct the exposure in the next image by using exposure compensation.

This worksheet discusses how your camera meters a scene with different metering modes.

Matrix / Evaluative - averages the whole rectangle

Partial / Center Weighted Averaging - uses mostly the center area

Spot - meters a small spot in the center of the frame.

This worksheet describes exposure lock and why you would use it.

This video goes over the creative controls available to the photographer through the use of shutter speed and aperture.

Shutter speed controls motion: slow blurs motion and fast freezes action.

Aperture controls depth of field: f/2.8 is wide open vs. f/16 is closed down for more depth of field.

This video describes how you can control white balance. Using the correct white balance will remove color casts from your images. It also discuses how to blend your flash with other sources of light.

This worksheet give you tips on how to shoot natural light portraits.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot sports.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot large groups of people.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot studio portaits.

This video gives you tips on how to use your flash.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot wildlife images.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot macro images.

This video discusses some tips and techniques for doing night photography. It includes, equipment, techniques, settings, and best times for night photography.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot landscapes.

This worksheet gives you tips on which filters you might need for digital photogrpahy.

circular polarizing filter - removes glare.

graduated neutral density filter - can be used to darken a bright sky.

neutral density filter - can be used to get to a slower shutter speed or use a wider aperture.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot landscapes.

This worksheet gives you tips on how to shoot time lapse videos.

Water Drop Photography

by

Gary Detonnancourt

Materials: