Antczak+Hannah

= Composition, Focus and Lighting =

What is important about focus? How do you get good focus in a digital slr photograph?
Focus is a very important aspect when taking pictures. Everything that is in focus is usually the focal point, or the first thing to catch the viewer's eye. Take the time to make sure your camera is in focus before taking the photo so that you can be assured your final photo will be in focus. If you want the photo to be in focus, you can’t be too close to your subject while shooting the picture. A good tip to follow is stay within an arm's length of your subject, this will guarantee that your picture will be in focus. Sometimes, using soft focus (making your entire picture a little blurry) or having a small depth of field (making only one item in your photo in focus) can be really cool compositionally and can be an interesting technique when taking photos.

Explain in your own words what depth of field is and why it's important to understand when shooting photos.
The depth of field includes everything in the picture that appears “sharp” and not blurry, or the amount of your photo that is in focus. The focus distance, aperture and type of camera all have an effect on the depth of field. If there is a larger depth of field, more items/objects in the photo will be in focus, and if there is a smaller depth of field less items/objects will be in focus and more of the photo will be blurry. If you want to take a picture of a garden, but you only want one of the flowers to be in focus,

== What is the exposure triangle and why is it important to making quality photos? (HINT...there are 3 parts to the Triangle make sure you explain all three and how they relate to each other and making a good photo.) ==

The exposure triangle is a very important part of photography and is necessary to create a good quality photo. There are three parts to the exposure triangle: An example of a metaphor from Darren Rowse's findings is a garden hose. The ISO is represented by the pressure of the water. If there is a higher pressure, the stream of water is stronger and could knock something (such as a small bucket) over easily when trying to fill it. If the pressure is low, the water won't knock the bucket over when filling it with water. The hose's width represents the aperture. If the hose is wider, more water will flow out. If the hose is narrower, less water will flow out. Lastly, the shutter speed is similar to the time the water is running, or how long the hose is on. If the hose is on for 45 seconds, a lot more water is going to come out than if the hose were left on for only 5 seconds. All of these aspects work together to create a perfect photo.
 * ISO measures how sensitive the camera is to light. The higher the number, the more sensitive your camera will be, and the lower the number, the less sensitive it will be. The sensor in your camera is what controls the ISO.
 * Aperture is the size of the lens in the camera, and it controls the amount of light that is exposed through the opening.
 * Shutter speed is how long the camera shutter is open, or how long the sensor inside the camera is exposed to light. This can also be referred to as exposure time. The longer the shutter is open, the more light is allowed in and this can affect the sensor.

What are the 5 compositional techniques we use in photography? EXPLAIN don't just list.
- The Depth of Field that you select when taking an image will drastically impact the composition of an image. It can isolate a subject from its background and foreground or it can put the same subject in context by revealing its surrounds with a larger depth of field. - Lines can be powerful elements in an image.They have the power to draw the eye to key focal points in a shot and to impact the feel of an image. Diagonal, Horizontal, Vertical and Converging lines all impact images differently and should be spotted while framing a shot and then utilized to strengthen it. - Framing is used in order to bring forth emphasis to a part of a photo or to draw away attention from a certain part. By doing this, it will affect the way a person sees the photo. A subject can fill the frame completely or may even extend off the frame. - Leveling the Horizon is a technique in which can be used or avoided when photographing. A symmetrical shot with strong composition will lead to a strong point of interest but without it, the image can seem a little unpredictable. - Point of view is utilized in a photograph in order to provide the image with dimension in which makes it come to life. By focusing on this, the photo will have emphasized features and details and will show the viewer a different perspective.

Which lighting techniques come from natural sources and which come from artificial? When would you use one vs another?
Some lighting techniques that comes from natural sources include indoor and outdoor areas. In an indoor area. the natural light could be produced by things such as sun through a window, glass door, or skylight. Another indoor source could be provided by a fire burning from a fireplace or candle light. In an outdoor setting, such natural light could be produced from things like the sun, filtered sunlight on a cloudy day, or the light from the moon. There are also artificial lighting techniques. These would include using the flash on a camera, a studio light such as a spot light or strobe light, or just the general lighting in a room. Overall, it depends what type of setting you are in to determine when you would use a certain lighting technique.

In terms of lighting what kinds of light sources do you already have experience shooting photos with? Explain.
In my experience shooting photos, I have not necessarily considered what the lighting is when doing so. Looking back, I realize that I have shot a lot of photos on my cell phone. When doing so, I would normally use the flash. By experimenting with my camera's flash, I have found that the pictures usually turn out the best when I use the flash in a dark area or when I am inside. This means that it is common for me personally to use artificial light. When using the flash, I am using artificial light and I feel like my photos have come out much clearer in which is why I like to use it. I have also shot pictures outside in which have also turned out good. My best photos have been taken on a sunny day with only a few clouds in the sky. This lighting really has helped my photos to come out clear. By utilizing the light from the sun, I was using natural light.