1. presents: DSLR Basics

3. You'll never need a better camera for portraits and everyday use. You have the best already!

5. A digital camera in which the subject is viewed through the same lens as the picture is taken with. A mirror is raised when the shutter button is pressed, allowing light to reach the image sensor.

7. quick access to manual exposure triangle elements with knobs and buttons

8. interchangeable lenses for telescoping or wide angle and better low light (up to f/1.8)

9. quick readouts on LCDs inside and out

11. more versatile WB, ISO, Shutter and aperture settings

12. able to add accessories and hot shoe external flash

13. in camera processing and special effects (layering, panoramas)

14. RAW format, Quick change of JPG quality (Fine, Large, etc.)

16. Most cameras have some sort of grip and even impressions for where fingers should go so this should feel natural. Use a strong grip with your right hand but don’t grip it so tightly that you end up shaking the camera.

19. If you have to stand and don’t have anything to lean on for extra support put your feet shoulder width apart to give yourself a steady stance. The stiller you can keep your body the stiller the camera will be.

21. The other method people use is the exact opposite – exhale and before inhaling again take the shot. It’s amazing how much a body rises and falls simply by breathing – being conscious of it can give you an edge.

23. Many options available

24. More versatile and better lighting than built in flash

26. The small, pop up flashes are usually very harsh and will either blow out highlights if too close, or not be powerful enough in low / no light situations to fill the background with light.

27. Be sure to read your manual and find out the optimum distance you should be shooting to the subject

30. Flash diffusers (Gary Fong, Stofen, Lumiquest)

32. Don't skimp on a cheap wobbly tripod!

33. Better ones are made of metal and have interchangable heads

35. lens hood

36. Camera bags

37. Filters (UV, Polarizer, haze)

38. Lenses

40. What lens do I use?

41. Consider your subject or shooting style

43. Generally an entry level quality zoom lens. They are usually a fairly general purpose lens designed for everyday shooting.

44. 18-55mm or equivalent

46. you do not need to physically get closer to your subject to get a tighter framing of the image.

47. Most versatile all in one lens

49. An f/1.8 or lower aperture lets in a lot of light for use in ultra low light situations without flash.

50. Does not zoom

52. tight focal area and ability to shoot inches away from small subjects (like a microscope).

53. Some have mirrors that bounce the image back and forth until it is large enough

54. DSLR Lenses: Macros

56. 6 -15mm produces an ultra wide angle of view

57. DSLR Lenses: Fisheyes

59. Very expensive

60. Great for nature sports or reconnaissance photography

61. Bigger ones require more light, expensive ones handle low light better and have better vibration reduction technology.

62. DSLR Lenses: Telephoto Primes

64. Creates specialty effects or enhances lenses

65. DSLR Lenses: Specialties

67. Cards come in different memory capacities (512Meg, 1Gig, 8Gig, etc.) the higher capacity, the more photos can be stored.

68. Resolution / quality of your photos will determine the amount of photos that can be stored.

69. Photo Resolution / Quality What is this “Megapixel” word that I hear so much about?

71. Pixels are simply the total number of dots of color in a photo. The more dots, the more detailed and sharp a photo will be.

72. “Mega” = 1,000,000

73. DPI (or PPI) = Dots (Pixels) per inch

74. Photo Resolution / Quality

75. Photo Resolution / Quality

77. For nice 8X10 prints: 2400 x 3000 or 7.2 Mega Pixels works just fine.

78. And for those big 11X14 prints: 3300 x 4200 or 14 Mega Pixels is best.

79. Most DSLRs are at least 10 - 16 MP as of this writing. So, unless you plan on printing posters over 11x14, 99% of cameras are safe. In other words, don't worry that much about MP.

83. Most attach with a USB cable (plug and play, be sure to unmount!)

84. Media Card Reader

85. Use “My Computer” or Explorer to find your “drive” then “Copy” and “Paste”

86. Be organized! Create new folders that are descriptive or by date or event.

88. Crop and edit them (Photoshop or other photo editing software)

89. Cull them! Delete them if bad (DON'T SAVE EVERYTHING!)

90. color correct them (basic brightness, contrast, HSL)

91. Convert them to art! Use creative filters

92. make web versions (reduce file sizes, physical sizes or compress with JPG)

93. email them, share them on social media sites, print them out

94. don't forget to archive them or back them up on a CD, DVD or external drive!

96. Always hold your camera correctly to prevent camera shake and promote good composition.

97. Use the right lens for the right job, make it easy on yourself.

98. Which accessories will make your life easier for the job or type of pictures that you need to take?

99. Know what kind of memory card your camera uses.

100. Know how to transfer and print out your photos.

101. Have fun!

103. Tell your friends!

104. Find some of the items mentioned in our Digital Imaging department!