Quick Snap Guide to Digital SLR Photography An Instant Start-Up Manual for New dSLR Owners

by Busch, David D.

• ISBN13: 9781598631876
• ISBN10: 159863187X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-04
• Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR

Summary

If you're a serious photographer, you know that no other camera offers as much sophistication and versatility as the digital SLR. The drawback to this sophistication comes in the form of tedious and lengthy user manuals that can make it difficult to find the essential information you need to get started. Quick Snap Guide to Digital SLR Photography provides you with a concise introduction to the most important features of your dSLR camera. Each topic is covered in two- or four-page spreads with plenty of illustrations and images, making it easy to follow along. Eliminating the frustration of timeconsuming user manuals, this book is the ideal guide for any new dSLR owner who wants to start taking great pictures right away.

Table of Contents

Preface	x
Introduction	xi
Exploring Your New dSLR	1	(14)
Typical Front Controls and What They Do	2	(2)
Typical Back Panel Controls and What They Do	4	(2)
Typical Top Panel Controls and What They Do	6	(2)
Inserting Media	8	(2)
Using Electronic Flash	10	(2)
Inside a dSLR	12	(3)
Setting Up Your dSLR	15	(24)
Battery Charging and Battery Life	16	(4)
Media Formatting	20	(4)
FAT Chances	22	(2)
Optimizing Compression and Resolution	24	(4)
Compression and File Format	24	(2)
Resolution	26	(2)
Making Basic Settings	28	(2)
Changing LCD Brightness and Review Modes	30	(2)
Other Shooting Options	32	(4)
Noise Reduction	32	(1)
Image Optimization	32	(2)
File Numbers and Folders	34	(2)
Custom Settings	36	(3)
Photography: The Basic Controls	39	(28)
Exposure Controls	40	(2)
Tonal Range	41	(1)
Choosing a Shutter Speed to Stop Action	42	(2)
Selecting the F/Stop	44	(2)
Sharpness	44	(1)
Variable F/Stops	45	(1)
Depth-of-Field	45	(1)
Diffraction Distraction	45	(1)
Changing ISO	46	(2)
Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority	48	(2)
Aperture Priority	48	(1)
Shutter Priority	49	(1)
Manual Exposure	50	(2)
Programmed Exposure Modes	52	(2)
Exposure Metering and Evaluation Modes	54	(2)
Overriding Your Camera's Exposure Settings	56	(2)
Working with Histograms	58	(2)
Automatic Focus Basics	60	(2)
Automatic Focus Modes	62	(2)
Single Autofocus	62	(1)
Continuous Autofocus	62	(1)
Automatic Autofocus	63	(1)
Manual Focus	64	(3)
Making Light Work for You	67	(22)
Quality of Light	68	(4)
Direction	68	(1)
Texture	69	(1)
Intensity	70	(2)
White Balance	72	(4)
Setting White Balance Manually	72	(2)
Measuring White Balance	74	(1)
Creating Your Own Presets	74	(1)
Other Factors	74	(2)
Using Multiple Lights	76	(4)
Main Light	77	(1)
Fill Light	78	(1)
Background Light	79	(1)
Hair Light/Rim Light	79	(1)
Electronic Flash	80	(2)
Flash Sync Modes	82	(2)
Flash Exposure	84	(2)
Connecting an External Flash	86	(3)
Choosing and Using Lenses	89	(24)
Zoom or Fixed Focal Length?	90	(2)
Lens Crop Factors	92	(2)
Wide-Angle Lenses	94	(2)
Using Telephoto Lenses	96	(4)
Using Normal Lenses	100	(2)
Using Macro Lenses	102	(2)
Parts of a Typical Macro Lens	103	(1)
Close-Up Accessories	104	(2)
Teleconverters	106	(2)
Distortion, Aberrations, and Anomalies	108	(5)
Creating a Photo	113	(18)
Choosing a Theme and Purpose	114	(2)
Selecting a Center of Interest	116	(2)
Orientation	118	(2)
Angles and Distance	120	(2)
The Rule of Thirds and Other Guidelines	122	(2)
Backgrounds	124	(2)
Using Straight Lines, Curves, and Balance	126	(2)
Framing Your Subject	128	(3)
Great Themes	131	(41)
Action	132	(2)
Animals	134	(2)
Amusement Parks	136	(2)
Architecture	138	(2)
Candid Photography	140	(2)
Child Photography	142	(2)
Concerts---Live!	144	(2)
eBay and Auction Photography	146	(2)
Events	148	(2)
Fireworks and Aerial Pyrotechnics	150	(2)
Lush Landscapes	152	(2)
Macro Photography	154	(2)
Moon Shots	156	(2)
Night Photography	158	(2)
Nature Photography	160	(2)
Panoramas	162	(2)
Portraiture	164	(2)
Still Lifes	166	(2)
Sunrises and Sunsets	168	(2)
Travel Photography	170	(2)
Glossary	172	(14)
Index	186