Black and White Digital Photography Photo Workshop

Chapter 3. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CAMERA

• Read the Manual

• Knowing the Controls

• Using the Exposure Modes

• File Settings

• Adjusting Tone and Contrast in Camera

• White Balance Questions

• Using Filters

• Settings to Start with

Many times each week, I am asked which camera I use and, honestly, it's a question I never tire of answering. I often get this during portrait shoots because the subject is thinking about getting a new camera. Sometimes, it comes up during an event because a passerby notices the size of the camera and lens I'm using and is curious about what in the world I have in my hands. Finally, it may come up when my assistant asks me which camera to unpack.

As a professional photographer and a photo hobbyist, I own and use a lot of cameras. From pocket-sized digital cameras (see 3-1) to large dSLRs and large-format film cameras, each type of camera has its own function and reason for being in my hands at any particular time. There are so many cameras out there, and they all do a million different things. It is important to know which tools are available on each model, and how to use the different features and functions to create the photographs that you envision.

READ THE MANUAL

Virtually everyone who owns a camera — from my mother and my neighbor to my students — has a question about its operation. Inevitably, I answer that question with another: "Have you looked to see what it says ...