Practical Artistry: Light & Exposure for Digital Photographers

8 Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Lobelia

105mm f/2.8 macro lens, extension bellows, 4/5 of a second at f/36 and ISO 100, tripod mounted.

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This b

ook treats the techniques of classical photogra-

phy and the tools of the digital artist holistically: they

are both integral to the best practices of modern digital

photography.

I

n recent years, the art and craft of photography has

changed beyond recognition. Today’s photographer is

one part digital artist and one part photographer.

This book aims is to present the best practices of the

craft of photography in the context of the digital era.

A great photograph starts with the photographer’s un-

der

standing of light, and proceeds with a good (and

sometimes creative) exposure.

While there are some books that treat light and exposure

in the context of analog photography, the subject has yet

to be thoroughly explained for the digital photographer.

It is fundamentally flawed to assume that incorrect ex-

posures can be “fixed in Photoshop.” Photoshop, and

other digital darkroom programs, can do great things,

but are best used as creative tools for further enhanc

-

in

g photos that are already good.

Understanding exactly what can be done in post-

processing should help to inform your decisions as a

digital photographer at the moment of exposure. And

a good understanding of the concepts of photography

will help you make better use of digital tools. For ex-

a

mple, if you want to adjust exposures in the Adobe

Camera RAW plug-in, it is essential to understand

how apertures and f-stops work.

Light & Exposure for Digital Photographers i

s a prac-

tical book for digital photographers who want to un-

der

stand light and exposure and to use photography to

explore their worlds. It is a substitute for neither your

camera manual nor a good Photoshop book. My phi

-

los

ophy is that if you understand the principles behind

a concept, it’s easy to look up the details.

Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t possibly explain the con-

trols on each digital camera model. There are just too

many different camera models, and they all implement

their exposure controls in slightly different ways.

But I can tell you what makes up an exposure—aper-

t

ure, shutter speed, and sensitivity—and explain when

to change each of these settings, and the likely impact of

the change. Your camera manual will tell you the rest.

That said, this book is r

ich in pragmatic details. For

example, you can find the exact lens and exposure set-

t

ings I used for every photo in this book.

Speaking of the photos, I do believe that a picture is

worth a thousand words. This cliché is certainly true

when it comes to learning photography. It’s very reason-

a

ble to start with this book by finding a few photos that

interest you, and discovering how they were made.

In fact, I designed this book to work for you on a num-

b

er of different levels. If all you want to do is browse my

photos, read the captions that discuss how each photo

was made, and consider some of the light and exposure

issues that went into making them, that’s fine. You can

use the photos as a springboard, or an idea book, for

taking photos of your own.

The photos are strategically placed in the text, so you

can learn a bit more about the techniques I used by

dipping into the text near each photo. Most of the

topics in the book can be read on their own, if they

interest you.

In other words, you don’t have to start at the beginning

and end at the end. But, of course, I hope that eventu-

a

lly you do so—and that your journey with this book

and making photos is as joyous and magical as mine

has been.

Berkeley, California

9