Assignment #2 Shutter Priority Mode...
You too can stop time in it's tracks.
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Moving forward from where we left off with Assignment #1, we are now going to click that dial ONE MORE... To TV (canon), S (nikon) mode.
If you are joining us late, please feel free to go through the first assignment, as many of the terms we use here, have already been covered in the first assignment. Feel free to ask questions at any time !
Learning from the first assignment's experience, I want to add one simple adjustment.
1) Please keep all comments and additional information focused on THIS ASSIGNMENT ONLY... Do not add any new topics, techniques, or explanations unless they DIRECTLY relate to the concept at hand. Your advice and opinion is GLADLY accepted, but keep to the focused outcomes of each assignment.
We are taking these learning tools one step at a time, and leaving out the books of information that are all READILY available on the net. These are project based exercises to help those who learn by DOING, not reading. I hope you understand.
If you require further information that the assignment does not cover, there is this new thing on the net that helps you find stuff... I think it's address is something like www.google.com. hahah (sorry..very sarcastic joke).. My point is... Photography can get very complex..very fast. And we understand that ALL concepts intertwine with each other...But you have to start somewhere...
And right here.....right now... is somewhere.... Get ON WITH IT GTRMAN....
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Okay..we have all seen them.... those way cool shots of waterfalls, (did I just say way cool?)....
How did they get the water to look like bu..... (got ya ....you thought I was gonna say it didn't you)....
How did they get the water to look all smooth and smokey looking...yet everything else is tack sharp. ! That photog MUST have been David Copperfield...cause dat stuff is MAGIC!!...
Well...chances are, they clicked that program dial on the camera past the AV mode we learned about last week, and went even further down the rabbit hole...
They probably clicked it over to the TV (canon) , S (nikon) Shutter Priority mode.
Here is a cool little video that shows you how to do it in using a nikon, for example. (thank you cnet). Watch this little clip before you continue.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Quick_Tips_Using_your_Nikon_D80_s_Shutter_Priority_Mode/4660-10621_7-6722443.html
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Lesson #2 Using Shutter Priority Mode on your Camera.
Goal: To figure out what that TV (S) thing does on the dial.
Demonstrate you can capture fast moving objects without blur.
Demonstrate that you can create Blur ON PURPOSE for cool artistic effects. (key word..."on purpose")
Materials: Any camera that has Shutter Priority Mode in the manual settings.
A fast moving subject.. birds, waterfall, a 3 year old... It's your choice.
Tripod... ( a must for this one... use uncle Franks head if you don't have one)
(side lesson)... If you don't have a tripod, you are insane...go get one...like..umm...right now.
Time: give yourself 30 mins for this one... you will take quite a few shots this time.
Assignment: This is a two part submission. You will submit 3 images in total to satisfy the assignment. Using the techniques outlined below, you are to submit:
1) Photograph an image of a subject that moves quickly. Pick something you have NEVER gotten a crisp image of. Something I like to call the "Dammit Shot." You know the one, everytime you get home, you look at it, and say "Dammit...I missed it." The image will be without blur, and demonstrate that you "stopped time." Pictures of statues don't really count.. The subject must be something that moves quickly.
2) The second and third image you submit will demonstrate that you were able to use motion and blur in your shot to your advantage. This is not CAMERA blur...(ie..shake your camera while taking the picture). We are talking about creating motion blur ON PURPOSE using TV Mode to create a sense of motion and drama in the image. The first image will be a simple snapshot of the subject, to show us what it is you started with. Think of it as the "before" picture. The SECOND shot is the money shot. Use the technique outlined below to make an awesome "after" shot. That way we can see what you had to work with, and what you ended up with, and thus provide tips to make it even better. (if possible..most of you are perfect right out of the box).
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Notes:
Again using Gtrman's back to basics mentality... (because after I get past the basics, I bore myself...and start to nod off, and smack my head on the keyboard. These are simply GUIDELINES to work with...if this is too simple for you...go ahead and take it to your next level. Pro's feel free to really show off here. Give us a little sumthin sumthin to strive for.
Seat belts on, and your trays in the upright position......HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Submission #1 Example.
1. Turn on Camera (because it STILL works like crap if you don't).
2. Roll that Program dial button thingy PAASSSTTT the AV mode, and click it to the TV (Canon) S (Nikon) Shutter priority mode. Check your manual, or ask one of us if you don't know how to get to Shutter Priority mode on your camera.
3. Make sure you put batteries and an empty memory card in that camera.
4. Attach it to the tripod you just went out and bought due to my guilt trip I gave you in the initial instructions.
5. Sit down and have a drink...that was a hard 5 steps to get through..
6. Take the camera and tripod out of the house, and find a subject that is moving pretty quick...
You can tell it is moving quickly....because It is not moving slowly. (I have such a way with words)
Now comes the hard part... and is most open to assistance from the others here. It is also where the "art" comes in...Only YOU know what you want to capture, and what result you are looking for. For the purpose of the lesson, I will use a bird. You can use cars, planes, 3 year old kids, anything that whips around at a very fast speed. Birds are quite difficult to capture...
(thus the challenge... if it was easy..everyone would be doing it...so quit your wining when you don't nail it the first time).
8. While in TV mode, turn the dial until your camera LCD indicates 1/500 for SHUTTER SPEED. That will give you a pretty darn quick exposure. Find a bird in flight.. and try to capture it. Hard to do while on a tripod I know...but do your best. The less camera shake the better.
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***Pro Note*** As you know...there are 500 issues I could bring up now... But we won't... BABY STEPS REMEMBER???
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9. Okay.. you got the shot ! (might take you 20 shots to get a decent bird shot).
10. Now.. review the image on your camera...how did you do? Still too blurry? NO PROBLEM...turn the dial even FASTER... Try 1/1000 if it is a bright day and take a shot. Review your images and adjust the shutter speed FASTER until you manage to STOP TIME in it's tracks....
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As with the first assignment , you will notice VARIABLES...(geez I hate that word...it never means a good thing).
As you INCREASE shutter speed (make it faster), LESS light comes into the camera...
Less light = darker...
Think about it this way...
When the sun is up...there is more light = LIGHTER
When the sun is gone...there is less light= DARKER
(yes..I know...my knowledge of simple basic things is absolutely astounding...)
Increasing shutter speed = LESS LIGHT
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So how to I fix this dark image Obi-wan???? HELP ME SEE THE LIGHT MAN !!!!
My answer???
No... Sorry...can't do it. ...
Not yet !!...
We will cover that next lesson... For this week... DON'T Worry about how dark or light the image is...JUST STOP TIME. Get rid of the blur from your fast moving image. If the image is TOO DARK, Slow down the shutter speed back to 1/800 or less until you can at least see the image.
See the bird example below...it was shot at 1/5000 of a second in TV mode. It was very bright out, so I was able to get such a high speed. THE TIP HERE IS ***** Try to shoot this part of the assignment in a ton of light...MID DAY SUN*****
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Part II... Using TV mode to get all Artsy and stuff.... (wow..my technical jargon is hot).
1. Set up camera on tripod and point it at a subject that has flowing water. (waterfall, fountain, sink faucet, cat peeing...what ever you got). Do this when it is not so bright out. Sunrise and sunset is ideal. (for the REVERSE reason of the above example...for this one, you want to shoot in a DARKER conditions.
2. For your "before" shot, just use P mode or Fully automatic mode.. simple stuff.. We just want to see what your subject is as your "before" pic.
Now, using that dial you used to set the speed at 1/500 in Part 1, now go the OTHER WAY...
We are gonna slllllllloooooooowwwwwww it down here... Let's try a shutter speed of 1/4 or up to even 2 seconds !
3. If you don't use a tripod here? quit, and go play golf or something. Because you will fail horribly.
4. Now.. focus on the rushing water, and take the shot being VERY careful not to shake your camera. You will hear your camera take an image like it was on prozac. verrrrrry slow. If you know how to use your camera's timer, set it for 2 seconds or more, and take the shot, so you don't move the camera when shooting. (If you have a remote release, or wireless remote..use that).
5. Your result will show the surrounding area in focus, but the rushing
water will be blurred... cooooooool.. The LONGER the exposure time? The
more dramatic the effect on the rushing water.
6. See the examples below of the waterfall, contributed by your resident Moose. It shows the effect of changing the shutter speed time from 1/60, and SLOOOWWED down to 2 seconds. (you will notice his ISO changed as well).. More on that as we go through the assignment.
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***Pro-tip.. if any of you hot shots try to tell the beginners to use Mirror Lockup, I'll smack you with a 3 week old tuna.***
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You knew this was coming.... there is ALWAYS a but.... (insert your own joke here).
We now have the reverse problem as the first submission...It can be possible now that we are now letting TOO MUCH LIGHT IN !!.. That shutter thingy is open for too long, and now there will be TOO MUCH LIGHT...
Which means THE LONGER your shutter time, the BRIGHTER the image will be if we don't somehow compensate for it.
Read that again...
THE LONGER your shutter time, the BRIGHTER the image will be, unless we compensate for it.
So in example #2, if your Shutter speed is TOO LONG, your image could be blown out or the big term "overexposed." If your image looks like a snowball fight between two polar bears in the middle of white out blizzard...you overexposed your image..
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So how to we fix this?
Why Can't I get a super fast shutter speed without having the image too dark. Or in the second case.."Why can't I get a super slow shutter speed without blowing out my image?"
Well? You know what? I'm not gonna tell ya yet.
Wait till next week ! If your image is a little on the bright side...Thats fine at this point.
Next week we are going to tie the first two assignments together and find a way to answer these very important questions !!
***jeez...it almost looks like Gtrman had a plan here...*** (keyword......almost).
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To Wrap up:
This week's lesson is a little more complicated, and you may have more trouble getting a quality shot, as there are more variables involved this time. Be prepared to get some WILD exposures ( too dark or too light), as MUCH of this technique has to do with what kind of light you are working with. Don't be afraid to post your failures as well as your successes. I'll bet we all learn more about our cameras with this lesson, than any other.
Adjusting the shutter speed from slow to fast, when shooting water can create some incredible images... I can't wait to see yours !
Next week we find out how to control that darn light ...But for now...let us see you STOP TIME, and see your best artistic water shot using nothing but TV mode.
Remember...the only dumb question is the one you didnt ask....
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that and.... "hey.... do I need a tripod?"
Have FUN !!!
Gtrman
P.s. I'm gonna do this one too ! I want to see what I can do with TV mode without changing any other setting. Mid level photogs/advanced..lets see how we can push the limits of these cameras without changing iso speed or using any filters etc.
Strange how laughter looks like crying with no sound....
Raindrops taste like tears....without the pain.