Best Practices

Best Practices to Improve Your Digital Photographs
Presented by Michael E. Stern, master photographer

Michael E. Stern
Photography Education Consulting
626-298-6747
CyberStern.com


The Grid of Nine

Equipment Lighting Format

Composition POV Level

Color Space Exposure DOF


Lighting
In this category falls your lighting gear, lighting gear stands, umbrellas, reflectors and possibly color-shifting gels/filters.

Tungsten -or- Hot Lights Electronic Flash Kit Specialized Flash Head Soft-boxes, Barn Doors, Umbrellas and Gels

Sometimes all of these light sources are used together and sometimes separately. Ambient (existing) light is also
available to use. This can be window light, lighting fixtures or both. There are a lot of light sources to choose from, so
lack of light is usually not the issue. The color and types of light sources are the culprits when problems arise later in
color shifts and/or other reproduction quality issues.


Lighting

The small ﬂash unit shown here is known as a speedlight.Your
camera may have one built in. Speedlights can be attached to
the camera or put on a stand for off-camera photography.

Given the advantages of digital cameras, many times I do not
need anything more than one of these to photograph an
entire room!

Of course I also have 30+ years of experience so that does
factor in to the equation.

All camera manufacturers make their own proprietary
speedlights.


Depth of Field

If ambient light is present, and the correct white balance setting is used, virtually 100% of all situations can be properly
photographed. In this case a tripod was used because the shutter speed was 1/5 of a second.
This is also an example of selective focus. Notice how the two foreground people are not completely in focus but the
background people are?
This image has a limited Depth of Field.

Depth of Field

1/60 @ f/5.6 ISO 200 .6 sec @ f/36 ISO 200


Color Space

In digital photography, a specific color (hue) is a numerical sequencing of three numbers that will
ultimately produce that specific color on a monitor or in a print. These “color” numbers are
processed (interpreted) by computers, cameras, scanners, monitors and printers to display and print
images. It follows then that the more number combinations (sequencing) present in a digital file, the
more color in the image.

Picking the correct (larger) color space setting on the camera is important when practicing good
photography habits. There are two choices: sRGB and Adobe ’98. Set the color space to Adobe ’98 as
this representation of color is larger and will translate into better looking prints.


White Balance
Light wavelengths contain color. Sunlight, overcast skies, table lamps, electronic flash, flourescent
tubes, etc., have specific colors associated with them. In general we do not discern these differences
because human vision does a great job of neutralizing the colors.

Cameras are not capable of performing this neutralization without operator intervention. Cameras
have white balance settings that can be set to match the main light source illuminating the
photograph.

Auto White Balance (AWB) seems like a good idea but in fact is a poor choice because for each and
every picture taken (even of the same scene), the camera’s on board computer will often use
different algorithms (recipes) for neutralizing the color of light. This means the color balance can shift
with each photograph taken.

Unless shooting in camera RAW (where color can be assigned in post-production), set the white
balance to match the light source. Refer to the camera manual to learn what the icons look like and
how to change them. Set to local conditions: tungsten for indoors, sunlight for clear sky, overcast for
cloudy days, etc.


On The Level

It is especially
important to ensure
the camera is level on
the X and Y axis of the
tripod. Without this
insurance, your photo Squared Up Top Forward
will probably look
crooked or like it is
slipping off to one side
or the corners of a
room will either fall
away or look
otherwise stretched.

Tilted Top Back


File Format

In all but the simplest of digital cameras, files are written into one of two
formats: JPEG and a RAW proprietary format. All things being equal, setting
your camera to record in JPEG allows many more photographs to be taken.
Image data is recorded in a way that allows elimination (compression) of
information while saving.

Through special encoding, the file is reconstructed as it opens in an image
editing application like Photoshop. This workflow produces great prints, but if
you like to get creative with your photos (or have to color or density correct)
before going to your printer, set the camera to record in RAW. If you choose to
shoot in JPEG, set your camera to the highest (lowest compression, best
quality) possible JPEG setting. It may be listed as Best, Fine, Superfine or Large.


Exposure is a function of four factors:

• The amount of light reﬂected off a subject
• The sensitivity (ISO) of the camera sensor
• The shutter speed (the length of time the sensor is exposed to light)
• The aperture (the size of the opening in the lens)


Exposure
Photographers control exposure (the amount of light energy that accumulates on the
camera’s sensor) with their choice of camera controls.

These include the following:

Shutter Speed - the length of time the shutter is open affects the
amount of light reaching the sensor. The choice of shutter speed helps determine if the
image will be affected by camera shake or if moving objects will be blurry or sharp.

Aperture - the size of the lens opening affects the amount (intensity) of light
reaching the sensor. The choice of aperture (f/stop) also affects
depth of ﬁeld. The choice of aperture helps determine how much of the image is in focus.

The essential equation for deﬁning exposure is: Time & Intensity & ISO = Exposure


Exposure

The unit of measurement photographers use to adjust ISO’s, shutter speed’s and aperture’s is
called a stop. A one stop change allows twice as much light to reach the sensor or half as much
light, depending on how camera controls are changed. This halving and doubling principle is
fundamental to controlling exposure.

For example, adjusting the shutter speed from 1/500 to 1/250 lets in twice as much light. The
fractional number has been halved but the time has been doubled. Adjusting the exposure via an f/
stop (aperture) is similar. Changing the f/stop from f/8 to f/11, reduces the light energy by half,
cutting the exposure one stop.


Aperture
The intensity of water flowing through a pipe is controlled by changing the size of the valve opening. In
photography we control the intensity of light flowing through a lens, by changing the size of the iris. The openings
are called f/stops or apertures and large f/numbers denote a small opening and small f/numbers denote a larger
opening. This inverse relationship confuses a lot of photographers.You are not alone.

How do you know which one to select? If you want a picture to have a lot of in focus details (large depth of
field) like a landscape , choose a large (f/22 or higher) f/stop. (small opening) If you want a picture where the
subject is in focus but the background is out of focus, choose a small (f/5.6 or smaller) f/stop (large opening)

All things being equal, a larger lens opening allows more light to reach the sensor.

The Aperture Scale: 2.0 2.2 2.5 2.8 3.2 3.6 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.6 6.4 7.1 8.0 9.0 10 11 12.5 14 16 18 20
22 25 29 32 36 40 45

Shutter Speed: 1/20 ISO: 200 Aperture: Change
Camera Controls & The Study of Light

5.6 6.4 7.1 8.0 9.0

10 11 13 14 16


ISO
ISO describes the light sensitivity of the camera sensor. A low ISO will require more
light than a higher ISO. ISO changes are made for a variety of reasons: how much
light is present, whether or not a fast moving subject is being photographed or you
wish to work with speciﬁc shutter speed and aperture combinations.

When the available (ambient) light is so low that hand-holding without camera shake
is impossible (and a tripod is not handy), switch to an ISO that allows a shutter
speed between 1/60 and 1/125 of a second. However the additional processing
required for higher ISO’s creates noisy ﬁles and prints.

The ISO scale: 25 32 40 50 64 80 100 125 160 200 250 320 400
500 640 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3200 4000 6400 8000

Aperture: 5.6 Shutter Speed:1/40 ISO: Change

50 100 125 160

200 250 320 400


Shutter Speed

The amount of time light is allowed to accumulate onto the camera sensor. Shutter
speeds can be as brief as 1/4000 of a second or as long as several hours. The amount
of time depends on a variety of factors:

Is the subject moving? Do you wish to freeze this movement? Is the subject moving
slow? Do you wish to make it appear to be moving fast?

How do you wish to interpret the scene? Creatively or straight forward
documentation?

Answer these questions and the appropriate shutter speed will reveal itself.

1 sec. 1/2 sec. 1/4 sec. 1/5 1/8 1/10 1/13 1/15 1/20 1/25
Shutter Speeds:
1/30 1/40 1/50 1/60 1/80 1/100 1/125 1/160 1/200 1/250 1/320 1/400
1/500 1/640 1/800 1/1000 1/1250 1/1600 1/2000 1/2500 1/3200 1/4000

Aperture: 5.6 ISO: 200 Shutter Speed: Change

1/20 1/25 1/30 1/40 1/50

1/60 1/80 1/100 1/125 1/160


Exposure
The Aperture Scale: 2.0 2.2 2.5 2.8 3.2 3.6 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.6 6.4 7.1
8.0 9.0 10 11 12.5 14 16 18 20 22 25 29 32 36 40 45

The ISO scale: 25 32 40 50 64 80 100 125 160 200 250 320 400
500 640 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3200 4000 6400 8000

1sec. 1/2sec. 1/4sec. 1/5 1/8 1/10 1/13 1/15 1/20
Shutter Speed Scale:
1/25 1/30 1/40 1/50 1/60 1/80 1/100 1/125 1/160 1/200 1/250 1/320
1/400 1/500 1/640 1/800 1/1000 1/1250 1/1600 1/2000 1/2500 1/3200
1/4000
Each red number is a one stop change. The intermediate numbers are one-third stop
changes.You will see these numbers on each of the three scales in your camera:
Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed.


Exposure
When working in manual mode where the photographer controls the ISO, shutter speed and f/stop, underexposure
and overexposure are common. In manual mode if you decide the picture is one stop underexposed, you can add one
stop by:

• Increasing the sensitivity (ISO) of the chip by one stop
• Increase the length of time (slow down) the shutter is open by one stop
• Increase the diameter (open up) of the lens opening by one stop
If your image is underexposed by two stops, you can solve this problem by adjusting one or more
variables to achieve a two stop increase.

Among your choices you could:

• Add one stop of light to the scene (via shutter speed or f/stop) and increase the sensitivity of the chip by one stop
• Increase the sensitivity of the chip by one stop and increase the diameter of the lens opening by one stop
• Increase the length of time the shutter is open by one stop and increase the diameter of the lens by one stop.
• Increase the diameter of the lens opening by two stops.
• Slow the shutter speed down by two stops.
• Increase the sensitivity of the chip by two stops.

What is the correct exposure?

5.6 6.4 7.1 8.0 9.0

10 11 13 14 16

Equivalent Exposure

In addition to earlier illustrating the concept of
Depth of Field, these two images also demonstrate
the concept of Equivalent Exposure.

Equivalent exposure refers to maintaining the same
exposure value despite changing camera controls.
How is this accomplished?

As one camera control moves (shutter speed), the
other camera control (f/stop) moves in an equal
but opposite direction.

1/60 @ f/5.6 ISO 200

.6 sec @ f/36 ISO 200

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Exposure & Metering Modes

There are several metering schemes in most digital cameras, these are the top two:

1) Spot - the meter looks at a small area in the
center of the view ﬁnder, ignoring everything else
in the scene

2) Evaluative /Matrix Metering - Viewﬁnder is divided into numerous metering
zones to which all the AF points are linked. After detecting the main subject’s
position, brightness, background, front and back lighting conditions, camera
orientation, the camera sets the proper exposure.



Spot metering and evaluative are the two choices most often used by
professionals. They are the most accurate because it is clear where in the
scene the light measurements are being taken from, either dead center or off
the entire sensor.

When to choose one over the other? When the sun or other light source is
at your back and the subject has a full range of colors and tones (think group
portrait, crowd scene or landscape) use evaluative.

If the main light source is at a position other than your back, use spot
metering mode and point the camera at a part of the scene that would look
like medium gray if it had no color.



It is important to grasp the concept that in-camera reflective meters
average the reflected light from the subject into a mid-range value. This is
called 18% or middle gray.

The meter does not recognize color but rather the lightness or brightness
value of a color. For example the meter sees light gray and not the light
yellow of a flower. The meter sees a dark gray apple instead of a red one.
As such it is very important to ensure you are pointing the camera at a full
range scene when in evaluative mode or at a mid-tone value if in spot
mode. This takes practice and a trained eye.

What we see How the meter interprets the scene



The three exposures modes we will concern ourselves with are
Manual, Tv and Av.

Manual - the shutter speed and aperture are set by the
photographer.

Av (aperture variable) - the aperture is set manually and the
camera selects the proper shutter speed.

Tv (time variable) - the shutter speed is set manually and the
camera selects the proper aperture.



Why work in Av mode? If the image you are attempting to make requires a specific f/stop (for
controlled depth of field), select this mode. Pick a large aperture number (small opening) and
the camera does the rest. If you need a shallow depth of field, pick a small aperture number
(large opening) and the camera does the rest.

Why work in Tv mode? If it’s important to freeze the action, select a fast shutter speed (1/250
or higher) and the camera does the rest. Conversely if it’s movement or blur you are trying to
create, use a slow shutter speed (one-eighth second or longer) and the camera selects the
appropriate aperture.You may need a tripod to help steady the camera and your nerves.

These decisions are driven by what you are trying to accomplish. Make the attempt to know
what you’re trying to accomplish beforehand and it will make choosing an exposure mode a bit
less stressful.

Photography Basics:
Card Formatting
Card formatting resets the File Allocation Table (FAT) on the card. The File
Allocation Table enables the camera and computer to track and locate files on
the card. Do this step after files have been successfully downloaded and the
card re-inserted into the camera.

Unlike erasing, reformatting a capture card doesn’t delete its files. If by chance
you reformat the card before copying the files to your computer (or storage
device), the files are recoverable. If you reformat and shoot again with the card,
it is still possible to recover the files. Most capture cards have a file recovery
application loaded onto them at the factory. Be sure to copy over the file
recovery application to your computer before you need it.

I’ve had the best results using a third party file recovery software called Klix
from joesoft.com.


Sharpness & Contrast
The process of turning analog information into discreet pixel values placed along the X and Y axis of a raster grid
causes a loss of sharpness, color ﬁdelity and contrast relative to the original scene. Light energy passes through
the lens barrel and strikes the camera’s sensor. This energy is converted into an electronic impulse which in turn
is turned into the one’s and zero’s of computer code. Although you can set the camera to sharpen, once it is set,
changing it after the fact can affect image quality. I suggest setting sharpening and contrast values to low and color
rendering to neutral.

If your camera has the option of selecting picture proﬁles (which have color, contrast and sharpness presets), such
as landscape, portrait, faithful, etc., by all means experiment to understand which ones work best for you.

Camera original Sharpened


Composition & POV

Light Background Dark Background


Composition & POV

Low Horizontal POV

Eye Level Horizontal POV

Low Horizontal POV High Vertical POV


Composition & POV

Eye Level Horizontal POV

High Horizontal POV Eye Level Vertical POV

Low Horizontal POV


Checklist:

• Metering Mode - Av, Tv or manual
• Exposure Mode - spot or evaluative
• JPEG Quality- best
• Color Space - Adobe ‘98
• White Balance - your choice
• Format Card - always
• ISO - your choice
• Sharpness - low or off
• Contrast - medium, low or off


Let’s Shoot!

Michael E. Stern
Photography Education Consulting
626-298-6747
CyberStern.com

Best Practices

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