Digital SLR Settings and Shortcuts For Dummies

Part I

Action

If you like action such as a marathon runner racing toward the finish line, a horse and rider negotiating a steeplechase obstacle, or a race car gobbling up asphalt at top speed, but don’t know how to capture the beauty of motion and speed with your digital camera, the chapters in this part will get you going in the right direction. In this part, I show you the settings to use to freeze action and to artistically depict the beauty of athletes and machinery in motion.

Chapter 1: Children Playing Sports

Corbis Digital Stock

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot or Continuous

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/250 of a second

ISO Setting: The lowest ISO setting for available light conditions

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: 100mm or longer (35mm equivalent; see Understanding focal lengths in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

If you’re a soccer mom, you probably drive your kids to and from each soccer practice and match. Did you ever think of taking pictures of your children while they play? The resulting pictures can provide many wonderful memories in years to come. You just need to bring your camera to every practice and match. Your camera gear, your wonderful athlete, and the settings in this chapter provide the recipe for some wonderful images.

Setting the Camera

You may find creating great pictures of your children playing sports very rewarding. You can be the proud dad who shows all your coworkers what a great athlete and kid you’re raising. You can use a Single Shot Drive mode for this type of photography or Continuous Drive mode to capture a series of images of your child scoring a goal. To stop action, shoot in Shutter Priority mode. The suggested shutter speed freezes the action. The focal length gets an up-close-and-personal image without requiring that you get up close and personal when taking it.

Taking the Picture

You have to be quick when you’re photographing children playing sports. Unless you’re really fit, they can give you a run for your money — especially if you’re photographing football practice while your son is racing down the field toward the goal line.

1. Enable the camera settings discussed earlier in this chapter.

2. Patiently wait until the kids begin playing.

3. When your child is ready to score a goal or do something exciting, zoom in on her, and then press the shutter button halfway to achieve focus.

When you photograph with Continuous Auto-Focus mode enabled, the camera updates focus when your child moves, as long as you keep your finger pressed halfway on the shutter button. You may have difficulty composing an image when your child is in the heat of battle, but do your best. If your child is at a practice session, ask the coach whether you can get near the sidelines and photograph your child dribbling the soccer ball (see Figure 1-1).

PureStock

Figure 1-1: Photograph your athlete from a unique vantage point.

4. Press the shutter button fully to take the picture.

If you photograph by using Continuous Drive mode, the camera continues taking pictures as long as you continue to hold your finger on the shutter button. The camera stops taking pictures when you release the shutter button.

trythis_4c.eps Tag along when your husband teaches your son how to bowl or play pool and then find an interesting vantage point. If your son is learning how to play pool, take a shot from overhead as your husband positions your son’s hand over the pool cue. If your son is learning how to bowl, walk down the lane (when it is almost empty), and photograph your husband showing your son how to hold the ball. Just make sure your son doesn’t send the ball down the alley while you’re still there.

Troubleshooting

My child is not in focus. Make sure the auto-focus point is your son when you press the shutter button halfway, and make sure the auto-focus point illuminates to signify that the camera has focused on your child.

The depth of field is too shallow. You may have this problem when you photograph a sporting event in low-light conditions. To compensate for the low light, the camera chooses a larger aperture, which results in a shallow depth of field. In some instances, such as when you’re photographing action (for example, your child running for a touchdown), you want to use a shallow depth of field. When you’re photographing several children in action, you need a larger depth of field. To increase the depth of field, increase the ISO rating.

Chapter 2: Runners

Athletes in motion personify beauty, grace under pressure, and power. If you’ve ever watched any type of a track and field event, or a marathon, you know that running isn’t for wimps. You also know that capturing an artistic image of a runner involves more than just freezing the action of the runner.

When you photograph a solitary runner, you want to capture the beauty of the runner’s fluid motion, which you can do by using the settings in this chapter.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/15 of a second

ISO Setting: 100

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: Varies (see Understanding focal lengths in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

Setting the Camera

For this type of photography, you shoot in Shutter Priority mode with a slow shutter speed. The low ISO setting gives you a noise-free image — as well as a small aperture, but depth of field is really not important with this type of photography. You’re rendering an abstract image that shows the beauty of an athlete in motion. The runner’s torso and head are recognizable, but his legs and arms are an artistic blur of motion. You use continuous auto-focus so that the camera updates focus continuously while you pan the camera with the runner. Your proximity to the runner determines your focal length. Image stabilization can help you correct for any up-and-down movement while you pan the camera with the runner.

Taking the Picture

When you photograph an athletic event, such as a track meet or a marathon, your vantage point is extremely important. If you photograph a track meet from the sideline, you need an unobstructed view of the runners. Photographing runners at a marathon also requires an unobstructed view, but you face different challenges at a marathon. You have to contend with city streets, buildings, and a lot of spectators. In either case, you need to arrive early to get a good spot from which to view and photograph the event. If you’re photographing a marathon, you can move around a bit, first photographing all runners when they leave the starting line, and then positioning yourself where you can more easily photograph individual runners during the race.

1. Choose a vantage point where the runners will be passing an innocuous background, such as a group of trees.

If you don’t, the background may detract from the image.

2. Enable the camera settings discussed earlier in this chapter.

3. When a runner you want to photograph comes into view, frame her in the viewfinder, zoom in, and compose the picture.

Leave some room in front of the runner to give the viewer the impression that the runner is going somewhere.

tip_4c.eps If you’re photographing a marathon, capture a close-up picture of the runner’s head and shoulders by using the settings in Chapter 68 when the runner nears the finish line. The runner’s face will be etched in pain, and his hair will be matted with sweat, even on a cold day. You’ll end up with a great shot that shows the pain and agony the runner goes through to complete a marathon.

4. Press the shutter button halfway to achieve focus.

5. Pivot smoothly from the waist to pan the camera with the runner.

6. Press the shutter button fully to take the picture and follow through.

trythis_4c.eps Create a story surrounding the event. Photograph the group when they leave the starting line, and then take several shots of your favorite runners by using the technique and settings in this chapter. Make sure you get a stop-action photo of your favorite runner crossing the finish line with her finishing time as part of the picture (see Figure 2-1). This of course requires a faster shutter speed to freeze the action of the runners as they cross the line. Use a shutter speed of 1/250 of a second or faster.

Figure 2-1: Tell the story of the event.

Troubleshooting

The runner’s head appears to be bobbing up and down. You don’t hold the camera perfectly level while you pan. If you move the camera up or down while panning, the runner appears to be bouncing up and down. Image stabilization can also cure this problem if your camera or lens has this feature.

The runner is tilted. You tilt your body while panning. Make sure you’re perfectly upright while you pan with the runner.

Chapter 3: Bikers

If you enjoy events such as the Tour de France and have bike races or triathlons in your area, you can capture the thrills of a bike race digitally with you camera. Professional bike riders can attain tremendous speeds on their ultra-lite bikes. You can use the same techniques the pros use to capture compelling photos of bike racers, whatever the bikers’ speed. When a biker is traveling perpendicular to you, pan the camera with the subject to capture the essence of motion. With amateur bikers, you use a fairly slow shutter speed, which creates a dreamy look that makes the rider look like he’s going much faster than he is. You use the same technique with professional bike riders — albeit with a faster shutter speed.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/15 to 1/30 of a second

ISO Setting: 100

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: Varies (see Understanding focal lengths in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

Setting the Camera

For this type of photography, you shoot in Shutter Priority mode with a slow shutter speed, which gives you a slightly blurry picture that captures the essence of speed. The low ISO setting gives you a noise-free image, as well as a small aperture, but depth of field is really not important with this type of photography. The bike will be readily identifiable, but the wheels will be blurred and the detail will be soft because of the slow shutter speed. You use continuous auto-focus so that the camera updates focus continuously while you pan the camera. Image stabilization is helpful to correct for any up-and-down movement of the camera while you pan the camera to track the biker.

tip_4c.eps If you’re photographing fast bike riders, use a shutter speed of 1/30 of a second. You’ll still have a nice blurry background, but the bike rider will be in relatively sharp focus.

Taking the Picture

When you photograph an athletic event, your vantage point is extremely important. You need an unobstructed view of your subject. If you’re photographing a triathlon, the bikers won’t leave in a group, but you can get shots of them while they change from their swimming gear to biking gear. Then it’s a matter of following these steps to get a great picture:

1. Choose a vantage point where the bikers pass a non-descript background, such as a solid colored wall or dense shrubbery.

A busy background distracts the viewer’s attention from your subject.

2. Enable the camera settings discussed earlier in this chapter.

remember_4c.eps If you choose a focal length longer than 80mm, increase the shutter speed to 1/50 of a second.

3. When a biker you want to photograph comes into view, frame her in the viewfinder, zoom in, and then compose the picture.

Leave some room in front of the biker so that your picture gives the viewer the impression that the rider is going somewhere.

4. Press the shutter button halfway to achieve focus.

5. Pivot smoothly from the waist to pan the camera with your subject.

6. Press the shutter button fully to take the picture and follow through.

trythis_4c.eps Every event — such as a triathlon that includes swimming, bicycling, and running portions — has a beginning, middle, and end. To document a whole triathlon, first photograph the athletes going through their pre-race rituals such as stretching and limbering up. Then photograph the start of the triathlon, when the group races from the start line and splashes into the water to begin the swimming portion of the event. Next take pictures of the bikes queued up for the riders (see Figure 3-1). Photograph the athletes as they don their biking gear and race off into the distance. Then photograph the transition when the athletes begin the running portion of the event. Finally, photograph the athletes as they race to the finish line, and then photograph them recuperating.

Figure 3-1: Tell the story of the event.

Troubleshooting

The biker is not in focus. This problem happens when the camera doesn’t achieve focus on your subject, and unfortunately, it’s inevitable when you do a lot of panning. When your subject comes into view, make sure the auto-focus point is over your subject and that the point is illuminated, which indicates that the camera has focused on the right subject.

The picture isn’t level. Make sure the camera is level with the ground before you take the picture, and keep your body upright while you pan. If you tilt your body while panning, the camera is not level, hence the picture is not level.

The resulting image doesn’t seem as sharp as it could be. Make sure you follow through. If you stop panning when you press the shutter button, the image won’t be really sharp because your subject is still moving and the camera isn’t.

Chapter 4: Sporting Events

Photography is a wonderful pastime. You can use your camera to capture memories of the things that interest you. If you’re a sports fan, you can photograph your favorite sport. You can photograph individual athletes (see Chapter 48), but sports have more to them than just the athletes. Whether your favorite sport is football or auto racing, each one has its own rituals. And every sport includes a supporting cast. When you photograph a sporting event, you photograph each chapter of the event, from the pre-games festivities, to the opening kick off, to the winning touchdown. Your creative mind, a knowledge of the sport, and the settings in this chapter give you all the tools you need to tell a story. You begin at the beginning, before the athletes flex their muscles or the drivers start their engines.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot or Continuous

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/250 of a second or faster

Aperture: Varies

ISO Setting: The lowest possible ISO setting for the lighting conditions

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto-Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: Varies (see Understanding focal lengths in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

Setting the Camera

This chapter gives you a couple of different shooting scenarios. When you’re photographing the pre-event festivities, you shoot in Aperture Priority mode. When your goal is to photograph an athlete preparing for the event, you want a shallow depth of field, therefore, you choose a large aperture (a small f/stop number). When you want to photograph the crowd, or a group of athletes practicing, you use a small aperture (a large f/stop number) to ensure a large depth of field. When your goal is to stop action, you shoot in Shutter Priority mode at a speed fast enough to freeze the action. For an athlete, you can freeze motion with a shutter speed as slow as 1/25 of a second. To stop a racecar dead in its tracks, you need a fast shutter speed of 1/2000 of a second (see Chapter 5). To capture the beauty of a speeding racecar with a motion blur, you pan the camera and shoot with a shutter speed of 1/125 of a second (see Chapter 6). The focal length you use varies depending on how close you can get to the action. If you’re photographing a large crowd before the event, use a wide-angle focal length of 28 to 35mm. If you’re photographing individual athletes, zoom in.

Taking the Picture

When you photograph a sporting event, you have to be in the moment. Before the event starts, you can capture interesting pictures of the crowd, the athletes performing their pre-event rituals, and the athletes warming up. When the event starts, you can capture the frenetic action. When the event is well and truly underway, keep alert for any interesting situations that may arise and, of course, any team player who scores. If you’re photographing an automobile race, be sure to include pictures of pit stops and other associated activities. And you probably want a picture or two of the winning driver spraying the champagne.

1. Arrive at the event early and take pictures of anything that interests you.

You have to change settings based on what you’re photographing.

2. Photograph the pre-event activities, such as the introduction of the players, the coach meeting with her team on the sidelines, or if you’re attending a race, pictures of the drivers getting ready.

You can get creative with your composition when you photograph the pre-race events. Don’t be afraid to turn the camera diagonally or venture to an interesting vantage point. Let your inner child run amuck and capture some unusual pictures.

3. Photograph the start of the event.

The action can get a little crazy. Each team is trying to gain an advantage over the other. If you’re photographing a race, drivers may battle fiercely to achieve the lead by the first corner. You never know what might happen. Stay alert for any possibility. Hold the camera and be ready to compose an image when you see something interesting about to happen. Be proactive: Have the camera to your eye a split second before the crucial moment.

4. Photograph the middle of the event.

The middle of any event is a great time for photographers. If you’re photographing an event such as a basketball or football game, you can get some shots of substitutions. You can also photograph the fans to capture their reactions to a winning score and so on. If you’re photographing an auto race (as shown in Figure 4-1), the cars are now a little battle weary, with tire marks, racer’s tape, and other chinks in their armor.

5. Photograph the end of the event.

Be on your toes, especially if the score is close. In the final minutes or final laps, it’s do or die. Athletes give their all to win the event, which gives you opportunities for some great pictures.

6. Photograph the post-event activities.

Take photographs of the winning team celebrating and capture the glum looks of the losers. Take photographs of any award ceremonies. Tell the complete story of the event.

Figure 4-1: Photograph the middle of the event when the participants are a little battle weary.

trythis_4c.eps Photograph an athlete going through his pre-event ritual. Figure 4-2 shows champion driver Allan McNish with a mask of concentration at the drivers’ meeting.

Figure 4-2: Photograph athletes performing their pre-event rituals.

Troubleshooting

I don’t know which mode to use. If you’re photographing athletes in motion, use Shutter Priority mode to freeze motion. If you’re photographing people and things before the event, use Aperture Priority mode to control depth of field.

The picture isn’t level. This problem often happens when you’re photographing people in motion, especially when you’re panning the camera. Make sure that you’re standing straight and that you don’t lean when you pan the camera. You may also want to use the grid that’s built into many cameras as a guide.

I can’t get close to the action. When you photograph a spectator event, sometimes you just need to wait for someone to move. Of course, always try to get a good seat ahead of time. If the event doesn’t include assigned seating, arrive early.

Chapter 5: Race Car (Stop-Action)

When a racecar is coming almost straight at the vantage point from which you’re photographing the race, your goal is to stop the motion of the car. Stop-action photography requires a fast shutter speed. The racecar, as well as any cars that are following closely, should be in sharp focus, and the background should be out of focus to draw the viewer’s attention to the car. Having a long lens is helpful because it enables you to fill the frame with the car. A long focal length when you’re shooting a group of cars can make the pursuing cars seem closer than they actually are.

To capture a good photo of a racecar requires some knowledge and a bit of planning. Get to know the series that you’re photographing. If you’re a NASCAR fan, watch some of their races on TV and get to know the lay of the land. When you watch a race on TV, you get an idea of what the course looks like and can often figure out the best vantage points to photograph the race from. If you just show up at the racetrack expecting to get good photos, you’re sadly mistaken, especially if you’re photographing a road race. Study a map of the track before you attend the event. If you can, get to the racetrack early so that you can watch practice for the event you’re photographing and any support races. Armed with this knowledge and the following information, you can get some great pictures of racecars at speed.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/2000 of a second

ISO Setting: Choose an ISO that gives you an aperture setting of f/8.0 or smaller (meaning a larger f/stop number).

Focus Mode: Manual Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point

Focal Length: Varies from 100mm to 300mm (35mm equivalent; see Understanding focal lengths in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: Not required

Setting the Camera

When your goal is to freeze action, use Shutter Priority mode. Shooting with a shutter speed of 1/2000 of a second freezes the motion of a fast racecar. You set the lens to manual focus because the camera can’t lock focus on a car traveling at a high rate of speed. Focus on an object that will be in the same position as the car you want to photograph. If the track has expansion joints, for example, focus on one that’s in the same position the car will be when you press the shutter button. Alternatively, you can focus on something on the side of the track, such as a guardrail or advertising banner that’s in the same position as the car will be when you take the picture. The suggested focal length range covers situations where you can safely get close to the track (100mm), or you have to photograph from a distance (300mm). The ISO setting depends on the amount of available light. The focal length varies, depending on how close you can get to the action. If you’re photographing a single car, choose a focal length that captures the entire car in the frame, and then zoom out so that you can see some of the track around the car. If you’re photographing a group of cars, choose a focal length that captures all the cars in the frame, plus a little wiggle room.

warning_4c.eps While you photograph the race, monitor your camera’s f/stop. If the light gets brighter, decrease the ISO to maintain the desired f/stop. If it turns overcast or you’re photographing a long race, increase the ISO setting to preserve the desired shutter speed when the racetrack gets darker.

Taking the Picture

To capture a crystal-clear photograph of a racecar traveling toward you at high speed, your focus has to be spot-on. Due to the speed the car is traveling, you have to anticipate where the car will be when the shutter opens, which means you’ll have to press the shutter a fraction of a second before the car reaches the point at which you want to photograph it.

1. Move to an unobstructed vantage point and enable the camera settings discussed earlier in this chapter.

2. Adjust the ISO setting until you have an f/stop of f/8.0 or smaller (meaning a larger f/stop number).

If you’re shooting in overcast conditions, you may have to use a higher ISO setting.

3. Manually focus on the part of the track where the car will be when you take the picture.

4. Zoom to the desired focal length.

tip_4c.eps Leave some room in front of the car to gives viewers the impression that the car’s going somewhere.

5. Press the shutter button fully just before the car reaches the point where you want to photograph it.

trythis_4c.eps When you photograph one car that’s closely following another, use a lens that has a focal length of 200mm or greater. This driving technique is known as drafting (in NASCAR speak) or slipstreaming (in sports-car and Formula 1 speak). The long lens makes those cars appear to be closer than they actually are. If you photograph a car that has its engine mounted in the rear or middle of the car body, the picture will show a heat haze, as well (see Figure 5-1).

Figure 5-1: Photograph cars traveling in close company.

Troubleshooting

My image is blurry. Choose a higher shutter speed and enable image stabilization if it’s available on your lens or camera. Alternatively, you can mount the camera on a tripod. You can end up with blurry pictures if your arms get tired when you’re photographing a long race, for example.

My image isn’t level. Make sure you’re holding the camera level when you compose the shot. Most cameras give you the option of displaying a grid in the viewfinder. If you need assistance leveling the camera, enable this feature and align one of the grid lines with an object that should be horizontal in the resulting image, such as a guardrail.

The details on the car are not clear from front to back. Choose a higher ISO speed to achieve a smaller aperture (larger f/stop number), which results in a greater depth of field.

The front of the car isn’t in focus: Make sure the shutter opens when the car is at the exact spot on which you focused. If the shutter opens when the car has moved beyond this spot, the front of the car will be out of focus and the part of the car that was on the place on which you focused will be in focus. Remember that you have to anticipate where the car will be and press the shutter button just before the car reaches that spot.

Chapter 6: Race Car (Motion Blur)

A car rocketing down a straightaway is a visual feast for any motor-racing fan. Racecars are sculpted works of art with colorful sponsor decals, exquisite graphics, and bold colors. Taking a picture of a parked racecar is fairly simple. But how do you capture the beauty of a racecar and the art of racing in one photograph when the car rushes past you at well over 100 mph?

The trick to capturing the details and speed of the car in a single shot is to use a relatively slow shutter speed and pan the camera. If you use a shutter speed fast enough to capture the fine details, you freeze all motion, and the car looks like it is parked on the track. If you use a slow shutter speed and don’t pan the camera, you end up with a picture of the racetrack with a colorful blur in the center, which is the speeding racecar. In this chapter, I show you the settings that you need to use to photograph a racecar that’s traveling at high speed and perpendicular to you.

Camera Settings

Metering Mode: Evaluative

Drive Mode: Single Shot or Continuous

Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/125 of a second

ISO Setting: Lowest ISO setting for available light conditions

Focus Mode: Continuous Auto Focus

Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point in the center of the frame

Focal Length: Varies (see Understanding focal lengths in the appendix)

Image Stabilization: On

Setting the Camera

The goal of this type of photography is to take a picture that shows every subtle detail of the car, yet blurs the background, which shows the car is traveling fast. If you shoot in Shutter Priority mode and use a shutter speed of 1/125 of a second while panning the camera, you get an image that shows the details of the car, yet renders the background an out-of-focus blur. Use a faster shutter speed, such as 1/160 of a second or faster, if you’re using a lens that has a focal length greater than the 35mm equivalent of 200mm. Select an ISO setting that gives you an f/stop of 8.0 when you dial in the suggested shutter speed. Set your camera to auto-focus continually so that your camera updates focus while the car moves closer to you. Most modern cameras can track a rapidly moving object that’s perpendicular to them.

If you want to take a series of pictures of the car while it rushes past, set the drive mode to Continuous to make the camera takes pictures as long as you hold your finger on the shutter button. The focal length varies, depending on how close you can get to the action. At many road courses (a race track that looks like a country road where the cars turn right and left as opposed to an oval track), you can get fairly close to the track, which can give you great results if you have a focal length that’s the 35mm equivalent of 100mm. If you’re photographing a race from a grandstand, you may have to use a focal length that’s