Unit Two : The Gear
So you can now identify the parts of your camera, and different types of cameras. Let’s do a little exercise to try and see why the technical parts may even matter.
If you’re using a dedicated camera (of any type), your assignment is as follows:
Take two of the same photos; meaning at the same time, of the same subject.
Photo One: Use your phone camera. If you have access to manual controls either natively or through a third party app, and you feel comfortable adjusting settings, feel free. If you don’t have access to manual controls, or are not comfortable with settings, not to worry! Let the phone do the backend work, and you just focus on your composition.
Photo Two: Use your main dedicated camera. If you are comfortable adjusting settings, go for it. If not, automatic modes are your friend. Again, let’s just focus on composition here.
Now, submit the photos side by side. Take note of your processes - what did you focus on, what was your goal for the photos. How do the two photos differ? Are you surprised by the outcome of either, or both? Did you find any limitations either from the cameras themselves or in your level of knowledge? What worked in both of the photos? These are the questions you should be thinking about as you fill in your learning journal.
When posting the photos, don’t mention which photo is which - let your peers guess!
If you’re using a phone camera exclusively, your assignment is as follows:
Take two photos of the same subject, in the same location, under different conditions.
Photo one and two should be of the same subject in the same location - the one difference should be the conditions. The shift in conditions can be different times of day (good for outdoor photos), or changing in lighting (think: turn off and on different lights indoors). If you are comfortable with manual settings either native to your phone or through a third party app, feel free to use them - if not, don’t worry, we’re covering settings in future lessons!
Submit the photos side by side, taking note of how your phone handled the different conditions. Were there any limitations you encountered? How did your phone adjust for the changing conditions? Where did you find success and where did you struggle? Take note of all of this in your learning journal.