Over the course of the semester we have gotten to know each of our own camera’s almost as if it were an extension of our own body. We’ve traveled with them, been through inclement weather with them, and preserved numerous memories and moments with them. We understand they after 3 months better than we did before and have learned to recognize the small functions about traditional cameras that have been lost in the transition to digital. These “manual” methods include things like shutter speed, adjusting the aperture, ISO, depth of field, and the light meter.
The diaphragm acts for the camera much like the pupil in the human eye; it regulated how much light reaches the sensors (film). The larger the aperture (a smaller f-stop number) allows more light to enter the camera exposing the film more. Visa-a-vie the smaller the aperture (a larger f-stop number), less light reaches the film. The f-stop numbers are traditionally listed right on the lens of the camera, the stops are 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22. Some cameras even offer a middle stop between each one of the traditional f-stops; such as the cameras used this semester.
The shutter speed goes hand in hand with the diaphragm as they often balance each other out. The shutter control how long the camera allows light to enter for and burn an image onto the film. A faster setting allows less light to enter, and a slower setting gives the light a lot more time to exposure the film. Camera speeds went from 1 second, ½. ¼, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000. Usually when you have a higher aperture, you are going to want a faster speed, so you don’t overexpose your picture, and vice versa. The ideal setting is a speed of 1/30 with a diaphragm of 5.6, but say you wanted to use a diaphragm of 2.8 you’d offset this change by using a speed of 1/125. With changing your shutter speed, always note that anything slower than 1/30 you’ll want to use a tripod for otherwise the photos will turn out quite blurry.
The depth of field is an important aspect of traditional photography. It is the distance between the subjects of your photograph. The span between what is in the foreground of your picture and what is in the background. A shallow depth of field would only focus on the things closest to you in the photograph, whereas a large depth would include have almost everything you saw in the photo in focus. Your length of lens determines the depth of field of the photo; a long lens (telephoto) gives you a smaller depth of field because it allows you to zoom in more on subject matter, whereas a wider angle gives you a much larger depth of field and farther focal distance.
The ISO is the sensitivity of the film that you use in your camera. For more light situations, you’d use a higher sensitivity ISO, where for a less light situation (like in an opera or play) you’d use lower sensitivity ISO. We used ISO 400 film that is more of a multi-purpose any situation film. As you move high up the ISO scale the film becomes more and more grainy.
The light meter measures how much light is coming in through your lens and how exposed your photo will be when you finally snap the shot. It doesn’t change anything and there is no adjusting it, it is purely informational and very crucial for good photography. It let’s you know what speed and aperture you should set your camera at when taking a photograph in this lighting. Not all cameras come equipped with one inside, so there are handheld light meters as well, that serve the same purpose, if you just hold them up to your subject if will tell you your prime speed and aperture.
There is a lot more to traditional photography that has been lost with the newer generation due to the simplicity of digital cameras, but all good things lie in learning the basic first and understand how things work. This has just covered the unique process of taking the pictures but there is so much more information that we learned this semester in the process of developing and printing your film as well. Traditional photography has been fascinating and has spawned numerous ideas in my head for future photographs digital and traditional. I’m positive this is a hobby that I will not abandon quickly.
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