SAY CHEESE!

Our Cannon camera has been in non-stop use ever since we bought it. From photographing portrait images, to making stop motion films, we all have enjoyed improving our skills at photography. Studying on the subject has expanded my abilities.

When my nieces and nephews came over for a visit, I thought a photoshoot would be loads of fun and a terrific way to get in some practice. While everyone slipped into costumes from our dress up clothes, I worked on the settings on the camera.

First, I prepared the ISO. This feature regulates how much light the camera lets in. A higher ISO will let in more light, and a lower one, less. I found that with a higher ISO, I had to watch for grainy texture in my photos. When in doubt, I set the ISO at a lower number.

Next, I adjusted the Aperture. Although this setting determines how open or closed the hole, or opening, in your camera is, it more importantly establishes the depth of field a shot will have. Depth of field means how much in the photo will actually be in focus. Aperture is measured in f/stops. The larger the f/stop, the less depth of field you have. While photographing a portrait, a larger f/stop will make your subject be in focus while the background is blurred. Using a smaller f/stop keeps everything equally in focus.

Last of all, I determined the shutter speed. measured in seconds, this is how long the camera lens is open. Faster shutter speeds freeze the object being photographed, making them appear sharp and crisp, while slower ones blur or smooth objects. Since I was photographing people, I needed a faster shutter speed.

Camera setting complete, it was time for the shoot! Although my subjects were becoming restless, we got so many fun pictures of everyone in different outfits and poses. It made it all worth the investment of time.

Taking the opportunity and effort beforehand to improve my skill at photography certainly paid off, as I caught several good shots. Also, my blog entry pictures are much better for it. Learning more about the Cannon camera and its various settings has been and continues to be tons of fun!

~Halayah