This document provides an overview of the topics that will be covered in a photography course, including basic concepts, digital photography techniques, composition, digital editing, and other requested topics. It emphasizes that amazing photos are about composition and light rather than technical camera properties, and it provides tips on exposure, lighting, and leading the viewer's eye through an image with effective composition. Homework assignments involve learning exposure adjustment on one's camera and analyzing lighting in photographs.

1. Course on
In Embassy of Finland, Nairobi, June 2012 Seppo Toikka

2. This course consists of:
7)Basic ideas and concepts in photography
8)Digital photography technique
9)Composition and subjects in photography
10)Digital editing, workflow examples
11)Other topics requested by you

3. What camera should I get?
Any camera will do
Just remember…
”The best camera is the camera that
is with you”

4. Camera doesn’t matter
You can get amazing photos with
any camera
You just need to understand two things…
Amazing photos are about
composition and light, not about
the technical properties of the camera

5. Camera vs. the eye
”What you see is not what you get”
The eye: Camera:
Extremely wide angle of vision Angle of vision varies
Extremely narrow angle of focus Same focus in the whole picture
Large dynamic range Small dynamic range
Eye focus moves constantly across Image is taken in a fraction of a
the field of vision second

6. Don’t capture, convey
You can’t capture exactly what
you see, so don’t even try
Instead, try to convey the feeling!
Good pictures are all about conveying
emotions, making us feel something
The next time you feel the urge to take
a picture, focus on that feeling

8. Light
Photography = drawing with light
Always pay attention to the light!
Different light can change details,
contrast, colors, focus of attention,
shadows, mood, etc…

9. Light (cont.)
Backlight, frontlight, sidelight,
diffused light, (shade)
Keep in mind, that the intensity
of artificial light decreases
rapidly for subjects further from
the light source

10. Exposure
Exposure = the amount of light
passed throught the lens to the
sensor surface
Change in exposure is measured
in stops (EV). +/-1 stop = doubling/halving
the amount of light passed through
the lens

11. Exposure (cont.)
Sunlight is appr. 1 000 000 times
brighter than full moonlight
(20 stops)
Dynamic range in digital cameras
varies from 7 to 14 stops

12. Exposure example
When the camera’s dynamic range
cannot capture the whole tonal
range, you need to decide what tones
are most important
Virtually all cameras have the
possibility to adjust exposure
by at least +/- 2 stops(EV)

13. +1 EV

14. +0,5 EV

15. +0 EV

16. -0,5 EV

17. -1 EV

18. -1,5 EV

19. Common exposure troubles
Subject is in the shade and background
is lit in direct sunlight
Shooting inside, with windows showing
daylight
Backlit subjects in bright sunlight

20. There is no correct exposure!
Automatic camera settings do a good
job in most situations, but it doesn’t
know what you want
Decide what tones are most important,
and try to position them in the middle
of the tonal range by adjusting EV

23. Composition
Composition is about leading the eye
through the picture
A good composition keeps the eye
”looking for more” and doesn’t let
it wonder beyond the edges and away

24. Leading the eye
Attention is first focused to areas that are:
Brightest
High contrast
Most colorful
In focus

25. Leading the eye
What keeps the attention in the picture is:
Familiar shapes
Contrasting opposite colours
Patterns
Avoid distracting, unneccessary details!

32. Online
photocoursenairobi.wikispaces.com
Slides, example photos with
explanations, glossary
seppo.i.toikka@gmail.com

33. Homework
Find out how to adjust exposure
in your camera (+/- EV)
When you see any photographs,
try to figure out what is the lighting
like in that photo
If you want to know the technique
behind a specific photo, send it to me