The document discusses various photography concepts including focal point, juxtaposition, and the three basic steps of framing a shot, focusing the camera, and setting the correct exposure by adjusting the shutter speed and aperture. It also covers topics such as film speed, depth of field, shutter priority, and bracketing exposures to ensure the proper shot is captured. The document serves as a helpful primer on fundamental photography techniques.

1. Focal Point – Selective Focus, Placement, Framing
Crabbing at Pauley’s, 1989
Sally Mann
Edwyn Honk Gallery

2. Juxtaspostioning – comparison between two or more elements.
New York, 1974
Elliot Erwitt
Candace Dwan Gallery

3. “Quiz”
• 1.What kind of camera will we
use?
• 2. Where do the batteries go?
• 3. What is film speed?
• 4. What is a cassette?
• 5. What is a film leader?
• 6. What is the take-up spool?
• 7. Sprocket holes?
• 8. Where is the shutter release
button? What does it do?
• 9. Where is the film counter?
• 10. Where/what is the
viewfinder?
• 11. ISO?
• 12. Where is the rewind button?

4. • 1. SLR –Single Lens Reflex
• 2. Bottom.
• 3. Tells you how quickly the film
responds to light (outdoors/
indoors/stop action/detail).
• 4. Light-tight container for the
film.
• 5. Curved first part of film.
• 6. Part of the camera that you lead
your film into (vertical slots).
• 7. Holes on sides of film.
• 8. Top- takes the picture.
• 9. Above the film advance lever.
• 10. Window you look through.
• 11. ASA-film speed.
• 12. Bottom.

5. Requirements for a Camera
• Light-tight
• Opening
• Shutter
• Shutter Release
• Viewfinder
• Advance/winder

6. 3 Types of Cameras based on
Viewing and Focusing
View Camera
Rangefinder
SLR

7. Focusing
1. Non-Adjustable : Set at the factory –usually 6
feet to 10 will be sharp.
2. SLR: View through the lens for the picture and
use focus ring to adjust.
a. Split-image – A vertical line will be split if the camera is not
in focus…and line up when in focus.
b. Micro prism – Ground glass that creates a pattern of dots.
3. Auto Focus: Camera sets.
a. Focus Area – Uses infrared or sound to set focus.

8. SLR
One lens through which picture is seen,
focused, and taken. Includes a mirror
between the film and the lens. The mirror
swings up to allow the film to be exposed.

9. 9

10. 10

12. 12

13. Exposures
• The amount of light allowed to act on film
or paper.
– Overexposure is a condition when too much
light is allowed to reach the film. (Negatives
will be dark and print will be light.)
– Underexposure is condition when not enough
light is allowed to reach the film. (Negatives
will be thin and prints will be dark.)

14. The 2 Controls to Exposure
• Aperture
or F-stops
Refer to the
opening or
hole in the
lens.

15. The 2 Controls to Exposure
• Shutter Speeds
The duration of the exposure. A
B=Bulb, a shutter
“curtain” in the camera opens setting at which the
and closes. Fractions of shutter remains open as
seconds. long as the shutter
60=1/60th of a second, 100=1/100 release is depressed.
of a second… From 125 to 60 allows
Do NOT go lower than 60 when in twice the amount of
light – 60 is SLOWER
holding the camera!!! than 125

16. QUIZ on
Shutter Speeds and Apertures
1. 500=?
2. T F 500 is twice as fast as 1000.
3. T F 250 is slower than 500.
4. 1=?
5. What is the lowest handheld shutter?
6. F-stop is ?
7. T F f4 will let in ½ the amount of light as f5.6.
8. T F f8 will let in more light than f16.
9. What is wide-open?
10. What is B?

17. 1. 500= Is 1/500th of a second.
2. T F 500 is twice as fast as 1000.
3. T F 250 is slower than 500.
4. 1=Is one second.
5. The lowest shutter one can use handheld is 60.
6. F-stop is ? The opening in the lens or aperture.
7. T F f4 will let in ½ the amount of light as f5.6.
8. T F f8 will let in more light than f16.
9. What is wide-open? Wide-open is the largest hole.
10.What is B? Is BULB or an indefinite shutter speed.

18. Film Speeds
• ISO or ASA is the indication of film
sensitivity to light. The higher the number
the faster the film…the lower the number
the slower the film.
100 200 400 800

19. Film Grain
• The faster the film, the grainier the image;
the slower the film, the less grain.
100 Speed 400 Speed

20. Enlarging Film
• The individual silver
particles in the
emulsion, when
enlarged, become
visible and the image
becomes speckled or
mottled…this is a
grainy picture.

21. Film
• Film is a light-sensitive material used for
exposure and is on a flexible acetate or
plastic base.

22. Cassettes Bulk Loader

23. Metering!!
A light meter is an instrument to measure the light
and translate that measurement into the correct
combination of f-stop and shutter speed for the
given light conditions.
Meter off of “18% gray”:
Green grass, mixed foliage, mixed values, old
asphalt, grass, or “your hand and OPEN one.”
Assignment:Meter off several things and places in
the room to see the difference.

24. Bracketing
• Because you may never get the exact
exposure the first time, you should take a
number of different exposure of the same
subject at different settings for under and
over exposure.

26. Practice and QUIZ
Then, use your slide to answer the questions:
1. What are 3 exposures the SAME as f5.6 and 60?
2. Open f5.6 and 60 one stop (like you metered off your
hand). What are 4 exposures you could shoot?
3. If you metered off BLACK and got a reading of f5.6 and
500, what do you need to compensate to?
4. Bracket for f4 and 125: + and -.

27. Answers
• F8/30, f11/15, f16/8, f22/4, f3.5/125,
f2.8/250, f1.7/500.
• F5.6/30 or f3.5/60…f8/15, f11/8,
f16/4,f22/2, f2.8/125, f1.7/250.
• Close 2…f11/500 or f8/1000, f16/250,
f22/125.
• + f2.8/125 or f4/60…-f5.6/125 or f4/250.

28. The “3” Steps
Frame –Plan your composition.
What point of view and what is in and out?
Focus- Use your focus system.
Exposure-Middle-gray.Set your
Shutter (not below 60) and aperture.
Marion Palfi
Washington, D.C.
In the Shadow of the Capitol

29. WHY do we need 2 settings to
change the exposure of our
camera!!

30. Depth of Field

31. Shutter Priority