The Ordinary Photographer

This episode is about understanding the relationship between ISO, shutter speed and aperture. I cover the automatic modes your camera has, as well as the semi-automatic modes, auto-ISO, and exposure compensation. This would suit someone who has listened to the previous episodes on shutter speed, aperture and ISO, or knows what they are.

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Homework (if you're following):

Pretty light on homework this week. It's all about practise and getting comfortable with your camera. So take lots of pictures!

- Have a play around with the different modes. Try and spend a bit of time in one mode to get used to it - especially Aperture Priority (A or Av) and Shutter Priority (S or Tv)

- Check to see if your camera has the auto-ISO function. If it does, see what it's set to and find out how to get it working

- Do an internet search for "Exposure Triangle Graphic". Look for a pic that has little running men in it as that is a really good one.

Any questions, comments or thoughts to [email protected]

A Ted Viera length episode without the sexy voice. What can I say.

Just been thinking about how practise can really help you become a better photographer. So yep. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Complain to [email protected]

In this episode we continue the technical journey by talking about aperture. Aimed at complete beginners who know nothing about photography, this lesson talks about aperture, what it is, how it works, and what effects it might have.

If you're new, consider listening to previous lessons before this so that things make a little more sense.

Bullet points from today:

Email me at [email protected] with any questions, feedback, or comments. I'll collate questions for a feedback episode once I get enough.

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Homework reminder (if you're following):

- Continue taking pictures for your project. Any pics you take, print them out and stick them in your scrapbook making a note of the settings next to them. Taking photos on auto is fine at this point.

- Consider whether aperture is something that is of value to your project. If so, experiment!

- Set your camera to aperture priority (A or Av). Grab a portable subject (something small & handheld) and stick it on the coffee table in your lounge. Get fairly close to it, and take a photo on the widest aperture (lowest f number), the middle one, as well as on the narrowest aperture (largest f number). Compare the results on your computer, looking specifically at the depth of field. Print them out, stick them in your scrapbook and write the settings next to them so you have a permanent reminder.

- Spin up your Lightmeter app, set the shutter speed to 1/125sec, the ISO to 400, and wave the camera about at differently lit scenes to see the aperture change.

Just a quick podcast on pushing black & white film and my research & thoughts on it.

Email me with heckling/shouting/feedback at [email protected]

Referenced stuffs:

Professor Agar's video on Developing Your Film Wrong: https://youtu.be/OdpfRqDDZyw

My posts over on Talk Photography with screenies to proov...

35mm black & white film at 1600 : https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/1600-iso-film-in-35mm.729979/

35mm black & white film at 3200 : https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/35mm-b-w-photography-at-iso-3200-review.719773/

Ilford HP5 at 6400 : https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/hp5-at-6400.719966/

In this episode we continue the technical journey by talking about ISO. Aimed at complete beginners who know nothing about photography, this lesson talks about ISO, what it is, how it works, and what effects it might have.

If you're new, consider listening to previous lessons so that things make a little more sense.

Email me at [email protected] with any questions, feedback, or comments. I'll collate questions for a feedback episode once I get enough.

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Homework reminder (if you're following):

- Continue taking pictures for your project. Any pics you take, print them out and stick them in your scrapbook making a note of the settings next to them. Taking photos on auto is fine at this point.

- Check your camera's ISO ranges so you know what the capabilities are. Chesk to see if your camera has Auto-ISO

- Set your camera to Program mode (P), set your ISO to 100 and take a photo. Then change your ISO to whatever the highest is that it will go to and take another photo. Compare the two side by side. Have a close look at the high ISO image to see if you can see the digital noise. Bonus points: Take a series of pictures at different ISOs, 1 stop apart (100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 etc) and analyse them to see when you can start to see noise appear.

- Download a Lightmeter app, set the aperture to f/8, the shutter speed to 1/125sec, and wave the camera about at differently lit scenes to see the ISO change. Don't worry about what aperture means, we haven't talked about that yet! Best place to do this is probably in your living room during the day.

I just spent the last few days making over 90 prints of the same test photo on different paper. This is 28 minutes of me telling you about it, so if you have an option to watch paint dry, feel free!

tl;dl - All the papers I tried give great results.

In this episode we start the technical journey by talking about shutter speed. Aimed at complete beginners who know nothing about photography, this lesson talks about shutter speed, what it is, how it works, and what effects it might have.

If you're new, consider listening to Lessons 1 & 2 before this so that things make a little more sense.

Email me at [email protected] with any questions, feedback, or comments. I'll collate questions for a feedback episode once I get enough.

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Homework reminder (if you're following):

- Begin taking pictures for your project. Any pics you take, print them out and stick them in your scrapbook making a note of the settings next to them. Taking photos on auto is fine at this point.

- Consider whether shutter speed is something that is of value to your project. If so, experiment!

- Set your camera to shutter priority (S or Tv). Set your shutter speed to 1s and go take some photos! Do some research on ICM (Intentional camera movement) to see the sort of effects you can create. Upload any photos you're particularly pleased with to The Ordinary Photographer group on Flickr.

- Download a Lightmeter app, set the aperture to f/8, the ISO to 400, and wave the camera about at differently lit scenes to see the shutter speed change. Don't worry about what aperture and ISO mean, we haven't talked about them yet!

I'm figuring this out as I go along I reckon. E15 is about the importance of research to any photographic journey.

Book referenced : https://amzn.to/3FhdHVK (Referral link - helps to support the show. Search for "Taschen 20th Photography" if you don't want to click!)

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Homework (if you're following):

If you want to join in with the Assignment, you can do. Nothing is time sensitive, so take things at your own pace. No prize, no certificate, no qualification. 

- Pick a theme. Buy a scrapbook (or create an e-one). Popular themes if you're out of ideas are: My Favourite Place, In Nature, Mostly (Colour), My Pet. Keep 'em really simple to begin with. Search online for "photographic themes" if you're stuck, but pick something and stick with it. Don't dither once you've chosen.

- Get someone to interview you about it to help you do a Proposal. Record this. Add it to your scrapbook.

- Research. Start with Google images but try and narrow it down to professional work. Collate everything into a moodboard in your scrapbook.

Any questions, comments or thoughts to [email protected]

A brief few words about inspiration and how helpful it can be.

Mike's Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mikegutterman

Adam & Scott's Podcast: https://uk-podcasts.co.uk/podcast/the-creative-pursuit-podcast

Mandy's Work: https://www.instagram.com/theimagewitch/

Richard's Website: https://richardhall.online/

Paul's Work: https://www.instagram.com/paulemorgan/

Bear's Work: https://www.instagram.com/filmprofessorbear/

Contact: [email protected]

This is the first lesson in my beginners course. If you want to know what the course is about, as well as get cracking with how to take a great photograph, have a listen. 

This course covers equal amounts technical as well as creative. Not just shutter speed, aperture and ISO, but composition, feedback, & research.

Email me at [email protected] if you like.

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Homework (if you're following):

- Buy a scrapbook, or create an eScrapbook in your software of choice.

- Start to think about themes.

- Find your camera manual.

- Consider joining the Ordinary Photographer Flickr group. No need to post any images just yet.

An easy start :)