understanding exposure

[stevescivic]

Is there an online resource of some sort to help me understand how to take pictures without relying on the the camera's automatic program mode?

I see that Bryan Peterson wrote a book on basic exposure techniques but from what i have read its a very very basic book that most ppl outgrow very fast.

I am open to any suggestions that you folks may have.

Thanks

[IndyJeff]

Get into a setting, doesn't matter what kind of light, in fact different settings under different conditions would be ideal. Now set the camera to P mode. Take a few shots of something. Notice the settings and jot them down on a notepad. Now change to AV or TV and do several test shots moving each way, up and down in Apt and shutter speed. Each time make a note on the setting used for each frame. Be sure to include the frame # with the notes.

Go home, sit down at the computer and look at the P mode shots. Now look at your experimental shots. See how the photo changes as you changed the settings? By using your notes you will be able to understand how a fasterslower shutter or smaller/larger apt can change the results.

Now go to the library and get a book on exposure techniques. You will better understand what they are talking about after doing this experiment and, if you have trouble comprehending what they are saying, use your experimental photos and notes to see what they mean.

[Steven M. Anthony]

Basic exposure principles are pretty straightforward. Shutter speed and aperture setting act in tandem to limit the amount of light that reaches the sensor/film. To produce a proper exposure, the two settings are inversely tied: Lengthen the shutter speed, reduce the size of the aperture; shorten the shutter speed, increase the size of the aperture. To create a proper exposure for a given scene, it needs a specific amount of light. There are many combinations of aperture and shutter speed that will provide your sensor with the correct amount of light to make a proper exposure.

You can either choose which combination of settings to use (using Manual mode, Tv mode or Av mode), or let your camera do it for you (Program or Automatic mode or any of the custom modes your camera might have).

[RichardtheSane]

Buy the book.

It may be basic but you are (and please don't take this the wrong way) asking a question about basics of photography. You can't read it and not understand the basics, even if you only need to read it once it is a valuable investment.

[Vega$50]

When I sit and do what I call "fart around shots" (for instance, today I shot about 150 water drop shots) I will go through all of my settings and speeds and make comparisons and see what worked and what did not for a particular situation. Like it was stated, you can read and read about this stuff, but it takes hands on to get it down. If you are looking for a general guideline as to where you should be for a particular shot.....Do a Google search for The Ultimate Exposure Computer. Read the directions...print out the sheet, and use the values as a starting point. You will then see how it starts to come together....Good luck!

[scottbergerphoto]

Farzad's, "The Confused Photographer's Guide to Photographic Exposure and a Simplified Zone System of Photography" at Amazon.com
Scott

[Jesper]

See the links in this thread:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28557