Sharing a 10EZ steps to master your DSLR for nice and Quality Pictures everytime!

1. Crash Course for DSLR Owners
Master your DSLR in 10 Easy Steps
• Unsure of the best way to use
your new DSLR to capture the
best shot?...
• Confused on which Setting to
use?...
With so many buttons &
menus packed in today’s
DSLR, this is totally
understandable.
Well fret no more as we will
cover all this in the next few
slides to guide you through
until you master your new
DSLR.

2. 1. Right way to set up your DSLR
DSL enable you to
take much more
creative photos but,,,,
You have to know how
to set the DSLR before
starting to Shoot.
This can be frustrating
but it’s the only way to
ensure your DSLR is
set up for the best
results.

3. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR
QUALITY CONTOL
• Which File format?
• Shoot RAW instead of
JPEG if possible. Extra
Data in uncompress RAW
give more flexibility in
post processing.

4. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR
QUALITY CONTOL
• Try to keep ISO low
as possible,100-400.
High ISO - Noise that
looks like Image
Grain.
• White balance-Auto
Set it when you are
confident – Cloudy,
Tungsten.

5. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR
KEY CONTROL
• Aperture & Shutter Speed
Explained.
Combination affects amount
of Light captured & also the
way Image looks.
• Aperture controls Depth of
Field-area of Image in
Sharpness.
• Small f/2.8 gives sharp
image & Blurred background
-Portrait
• Big f/16 gives all sharpness
from Subject till background
-Landscapes

6. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR Key
KEY CONTROLS
• Shutter speed
controls blurring a
moving subject or
freezing it.
• Slow shutter speed
creates motion blurr
as well as camera
Shake.
• Fast Speed freezes
motion & also
prevents camera
shake

7. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR
SETTINGTHE RIGHT EXPOSURE MODE
DSLR offers a range of
Exposure modes from fully
automated –Compact camera to
fully Manual mode.
2 popular Semi Auto modes are
-Aperture Priority and -Speed
Priority.
• In A mode, you set the Aperture
& the Camera decides the
Shutter Speed. In S mode ,you
set the Shutter Speed & the
Camera decides the Aperture.

8. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR Key
GETTING METERING RIGHT
Metering modes varies with
camera but 3 most
common are 1.Multizone,
2.Center Weighted &
3.Spot
1. Multi-zone reads across a
whole scene.-Everyday use
& pretty accurate
2. Center Weight reads 70%
center of frame & features
out. –Portrait
3. Spot reads a tiny area & is
most advance & precise
metering.

9. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR
SETTING THE AF & DRIVE MODE
To make your pictures pin
sharp, DSLR offers a number
of Focus modes. 2 main
modes are:
• Single Servo - Stationary
• Continuous Servo - Moving
• Drive Mode allows Single (S)
frame shot or Continuous (C)
frame shot for as long as the
shutter is press down.
Most DSLR allow you to
manually select a focus point
to lock focus on off center

10. 1.Right way to set up your DSLR
MAKE FULL USE OF THE LCD SCREEN
• Use the big LCD screen
properly to Zoom in to
check for Sharpness &
Image Noise.
• Check the exposure using
the Histogram. Histogram
bunch up to the
Left – Under-exposure.
Right –Over-exposure

11. 2.LANDSCAPES
Landscapes contain Large bright
areas causing difficulty for
right exposure. Expose Sky
or Foreground?
Best time ,1st
and last 3 to
4 hours of Sunrise/Daylight.
Great punchy & golden glow
instead of flat & dull
contrasting Midday.
• Use a graduated ND or a
Circular Polarising Filter.
• Small aperture of f 16/22 for
Sharpness.
• Tripod for low shutter speed.

12. 3.KNOW YOUR DSLR TOP DIAL
Auto (Green Square)
Choosing which Exposure
mode to use is about giving
you the freedom to stop
worrying about settings and
to concentrate on taking
great shots.
Auto settings(Green) with modes for Portraits, Landscapes,
Kids, Sports Action & Close-ups. This mode is ideal for
beginner converting the DSLR like a Compact Point &
Shoot with Shutter speed, Aperture, Flash & ISO all taken
care off.

13. 3.KNOW YOUR DSLR TOP DIAL
Deciding Priorities- Auto,P,S,A,M
On many of the digital
cameras, there are four
basic exposure shooting
modes on top of Auto.
It provides different
approaches for setting
the camera's aperture
and shutter speed to suit
the light in the scene.

14. 3.KNOW YOUR DSLR TOP DIAL
Program (P)-Auto
In the Program (Auto) mode, the
Camera adjust the optimum Aperture
and Shutter speed depending on focal
length of lens used. You control the
ISO, Exposure Compensation (Lighter
or Darker)
This mode handles a very wide range
of lighting and you can even change
the camera setting to takes care of the
ISO.
You just have to pay attention to
composition and switch on the Flash
if it is too dark or back lit.
The camera Program Auto mode is the easiest to use and extremely
accurate. This option is a foolproof setting for immediate shooting
where you don’t have time to decide.

15. 3.KNOW YOUR DSLR TOP DIAL
Shutter Priority mode - S
Shutter Priority (S)
mode works the other
way. You sets the
shutter speed and the
camera selects the
aperture automatically to
suit the light in the
scene.
The mode is useful in Sports & Action Photography
where you want to freeze motion using a high Shutter
Speed or to create image blur by using a slow Shutter
speed.

16. 3.KNOW YOUR DSLR TOP DIAL
Aperture Priority mode-Av
In the Aperture Priority (Av)
mode, You set the Aperture and
the camera adjusts the Shutter
speed automatically.
The mode will handle a very wide
range of lighting conditions, since
cameras offer far more potential
Shutter settings than f-stops.
You just have to pay attention if
the camera is picking a slow
shutter speed thus resulting in
blur.
This option is helpful for Close-ups, where the depth of field is critical
or using a small f-stop for Portrait to get a blurred background.

17. 3.KNOW YOUR DSLR TOP DIAL
Deciding Priorities- Auto,P,S,A,M
The Manual Mode is the most
basic and flexible option. You set
both the Aperture and Shutter
speed for a given scene and the
camera adjust the ISO for a
correct Exposure within the
range.
The Bulb B mode enables you to
shoot long exposure for night
scene. Again check the
Histogram for correct exposure
and change setting to suit.

18. 4.EXPLORING YOUR DSLR IN MORE DEPTH
White Balance
It is possible to rely on the Auto
White Balance setting for most
scenes. Only a few situation with
mixed lighting, under heavy
shade, the Auto mode can be
confused & fooled.
Switch to a custom WB setting
that suits like, Shade, Cloudy,
Flash, Incandescent and your
picture will look the same like the
scene you see with your naked
eye.

19. 4.EXPLORING YOUR DSLR IN MORE DEPTH
ISO Sensitivity
The ISO sensitivity you
choose will affect the your
DSLR sensitivity to light.
To produce the cleanest
image use the lowest ISO
rating possible.
However it is not always
possible in low light or hand
held-slow Shutter speed will
cause Image blur.
In modern DSLR, you can
even shoot as high as ISO
800 without Intrusive Noise.
High ISO will also allow
higher shutter speed helping
out camera shake.

20. 4.EXPLORING YOUR DSLR IN MORE DEPTH
Choosing a File Format
The big advantage of
shooting RAW is you get
full detail image data as
your camera captures it.
JPEG compresses image
so you loose some detail.
RAW can be perfected
using software & later
compresses it back to
JPEG to save file space
for sharing.
Some DSLR allow JPEG
& RAW together giving
maximum flexibility

21. 4.EXPLORING YOUR DSLR IN MORE DEPTH
Essential Accessories
After having a DSLR with a
kit lens, it is good to save up
for a better & faster lens and
invest in a sturdy portable
Tripod.
Choose one that is not too
big when retracted but
sturdy when extended and
has a good & smooth swivel
head.
• A tripod allows you to shoot
at small apertures for
maximum depth of field.
• It also allows low shutter
speed without camera shake
causing unintended blur.

22. 5.SELECTING FOCUS & DRIVES
Focus Modes, 3 Available S,C & M
Focus & Drive modes are often
overlooked, but very essential to
cope with challenging conditions.
Three available focus modes are.
Single- servo AF (S)
Focus & stays locked as long as
Shutter is pressed halfway, subject
must not move
Continuous-servo AF (C)
Perfect for Moving subject or Sports.
Servo will continue to refocus as
subject moves as long as Shutter is
pressed halfway
Manual (M)
Bad lighting, Low Contrast, Fine
detail ,Shooting through glass.
Switch to M focus if your camera
fails to focus lock.

23. 5.SELECTING FOCUS & DRIVES
Focus Points
Do not just rely on autofocus AF (S),
specify exactly where you want to
focus. Two main choices here, let the
camera take control by searching a
scene or you can select an area
manually.
Single point AF
This mode is best when shooting a
Portrait or any subject is relatively still.
You can select a focus point
manually that doesn’t have to be in
the center of the frame
Dynamic area AF
This mode is perfect for shooting fast
moving or erratic moving subjects.
Some DSLR like D300 has up to 51 AF
points although 9-21 are common.
When you choose 1 focus point but the
subject if the subject briefly leaves the
that point, the camera will re-focus on a
point just next to the one you have
chosen.

24. 5.SELECTING FOCUS & DRIVES
Drive Modes
The drive modes controls the
shutter whether you need a
single shot or a burst of frames.
Single Frame shooting (S)
The Camera will only fire ‘Once’
every time you press the shutter.
Best used for still subjects like
landscapes, portrait shots & still
shot where you don’t a burst of
frames to capture it.
Continuous Shooting (C)
This mode is will fire off shots
at the maximum frames set for
(2.5-8 fps) for as long as the
shutter button is held down.
Ideal for Sports or Action.

25. 6.SET YOUR CAMERA UP FOR…
Portraits
For taking shots of friends, family
members or fashion in a studio
and most important Portrait
photography, is to choose the
correct focal length of lens for the
desired effect.
For a good flattening Portrait
without facial distortion, you need
to be at least 10-12X away from
Nose/Ear distance.
Classic portrait focal lengths fall into
the 85mm to 135mm range for a
35mm film or full frame FX DSLR
to achieve a head & shoulder to a
full portrait
In a DX DSLR (1.5crop) cropped
sensor, it is 55-90mm.

26. 6.SET YOUR CAMERA UP FOR…
Portraits
Suggestion for best Results
• Use an aperture of around f/5.6 to
throw distracting background out of
focus.
• Set your metering to Center-weighted
for optimal exposure of the face or
Spot metering if it is a back lit or
dark/light back drop.
• Focus on the Eye for very best results
to make your model stand out and
allow the face to be sharp.
• For Outdoor, shoot in the shade or
later in the day can produce softer
and more flattening images.
Bright overhead light can cause
dark areas in the eyes & produces
harsh images.

27. 6.SET YOUR CAMERA UP FOR…
Portraits
Suggestion for best Results
For me, Portrait captured around f5.6 with
shutter speed near reciprocal of focal
length gives the best optimum
results.
At f2.8 and bigger, eyes may be sharp but
not ears... In Portrait, you do not want
to show the subject’s eyes only.
Try avoid going below f5.6, as DOF
starts playing role and facial
sharpness decreases to a single
point.
At a longer focal length, the image
background will be more blurry, more
‘bokeh’ will be. This is why a lot of
people like to shoot portraits with
longer lenses, like 55mm and up for
DX format.

28. 7.ENSURE PERFECT EXPOSURE EVERY TIME
The Camera Auto Exposure Meter
Why photos are
darker and how
to shoot photos
brighter and
more pleasing to
the eyes.
The Camera Auto
Exposure Meter
is easy to use
and extremely
accurate but….

29. 7.ENSURE PERFECT EXPOSURE EVERY TIME
Get it right 1st in Camera
DSLR have meters to
measure light and
reflected from the scene.
Modern DSR are good at
working out the exposure,
however there is no such
thing as a foolproof system.
Certain subject can fool your
camera to be either too dark
or too bright depending on
where the light is coming
from. For this, it is vital you
know which metering mode
to use.

30. 7.ENSURE PERFECT EXPOSURE EVERY TIME
Get it right 1st from the Camera
UNDER-EXPOSED
Too little light had been allowed
into the sensor, caused either
too fast a shutter speed or too
small an aperture.
The histogram will be bunched to
the left, known as ‘clipping’ if
printed the clipped area will
become black, and all shadow
will become lost.

31. 7.ENSURE PERFECT EXPOSURE EVERY TIME
Get it right 1st from the Camera
CORRECT EXPOSURE
This correctly exposed
image shows lovely crisp
colors with light % dark
tones throughout.
A correct exposure on a
histogram will have tonal
value as far to the right
without clipping the
highlights. Note the tell-
tale ‘peaked’ shape.

32. 7.ENSURE PERFECT EXPOSURE EVERY TIME
Get it right 1st from the Camera
OVER-EXPOSED
This shot is over-exposed
as too much light has
reached the sensor.
Notice the histogram have
the tonal distribution
pushed to the right .In the
print out the supposed
detail area are blown out.

33. Master the Metering modes
MULTI-ZONE METERING
A correct exposure on a histogram will have
tonal value as far to the right without clipping the
highlights. Note the tell-tale ‘peaked’ shape.

34. Master the Metering modes
SPOT-METERING
A correct exposure on a histogram will have
tonal value as far to the right without clipping the
highlights. Note the tell-tale ‘peaked’ shape.

35. Master the Metering modes
CENTER-WEIGHTED AVERAGE
A correct exposure on a histogram will have
tonal value as far to the right without clipping the
highlights. Note the tell-tale ‘peaked’ shape.

36. 8.Nailing Aperture & Shutter Speed
• Shutter speed & Aperture combination have a big
Impact on your photograph.
• It determines correct Exposure while you choose
whether you want to blur or freeze a subject or
how much subject you want in focused.

37. 8.Nailing Aperture
• Wide Aperture

38. 8.Nailing Aperture
• Small Aperture

39. 8.Nailing Shutter Speed
• Shutter speed allows control of exact amount of time shutter
stays open.
• Working in conjunction with selected aperture it determines
correct Exposure.
• Main function is to determine amount of Subject movements.

40. 8.Nailing Shutter Speed
• Shutter speed allows control of exact amount of time shutter stays open.
• Working in conjunction with selected aperture it determines correct Exposure
• Main function is to determine amount of Subject movements.
• Shutter Speed are read in fraction of a sec.eg 1/15 to Blur a moving Object
and 1/1000 to Freeze a fast moving Subject.

41. FART 1st FOR GOOD PICTURES
Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
• FART is short for Feel, Ask,
Refine & Take
• Best Pictures are taken when
you FART first.
• FART helps us remember to
make a Strong, Meaningful
photo instead of just snapping
away with a lot of boring,
thoughtless snapshots.

42. FART Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
F: Feel
• A good photo starts when you have
the feeling to take a picture.
• Many photographers just shoot to get
something, but often they don't .
• Identify what exactly catches your
eye. Do not expect the viewer to
figure it out, and as they won't bother
instead just move on to the next shot.
• Like "a Ferrari." What catches our
eye and lead to a great photo is their
bold, solid, primary colors and their
brilliantly pure styling.

43. FART Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
A: Ask
• Once you feel like stopping over to
take a picture, stop and ask yourself
exactly what it is that made you stop.
• Is it a bold color? Is it a crazy
juxtaposition? Is it the wild light?
What is it, exactly, that made you
want to take a picture?
• Is it the brilliant Italian design, lines,
motion and proportion of the Ferrari?
If so, what exactly about the design
caught your eye?

44. FART Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
R: Refine
• Now, refine the image to emphasize
whatever it is. If you can emphasize
what it was that stopped you, the
photo will be more likely to make
others say WOW!
• In other words, if you liked
something, was it because it had a
weird texture? If so, show that
texture as boldly as you can.
• If you like the color of something, fill
the whole frame with it.
• Get rid of everything that is not
directly related to it is that made you
want to take the photo.

45. FART Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
R: Refine
• Compose as strongly as you can.
Eliminate things not related to the
photograph.
• In the case of a Ferrari, if you don't
FART before snapping, you're likely
to make another boring photo of the
whole car from eye level.
• If you FART first, you'll ask ,what is it
about the Ferrari that catches your
eye, and when you can Answer that,
maybe wind up with a close-up of
those big round Hella tail lights, or
maybe realize that it was the
redhead driving it, and instead, head
out to lunch with her and save the
photo shoot for later.

46. FART Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
R: Refine
• It's always something more basic
and subconscious that draws us to
want to make a picture of something.
• You always can refine more and
more, and as you do, your photos
become stronger. If it was the
redhead that caught your eye, what
exactly about her that caught your
eye? If it was her hair, what exactly
about her hair grabbed you?
• The better you can Answer and keep
Refining this, the more your photos
will grab people, your friends, family
& contest Judges or Art buyers.
•

47. FART Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
T: Take
• This is the easy part. Take the
picture.
• Be sure the exposure and color (WB)
are OK, and you're done.
• Reprise
• Ask yourself first, do your best to
Refine and simplify your image, and
Take it, You'll get much better images
because you were thinking.
• Because we forget to ask ourselves
before we take a photo, all we get are
boring snapshots, regardless of how
fancy our camera or how involved our
techniques.

48. FART Feel, Ask, Refine & Take
Reprise
• If you forget to FART first, as most
people do, your photos will usually
be boring.
• FART first, and you'll make better
pictures.
• Forgetting to Ask yourself "why am I
taking this picture" is the leading
cause getting our pictures back, and
having to ask ourselves "what was I
thinking?"
• Ask yourself first, do your best to
Refine and simplify your image, and
when you Take it, you should never
have to ask yourself later "what was I
thinking?"

49. Crash Course for DSLR Owners
Want to learn More?
Contact Person: Timothy Wooi
Address: 20C,Taman Bahagia,
06000,Jitra,Kedah.
Bio: Wedding / Product Photographer
from 1982 & Hands On Technical
/Outdoor Photographer & Trainer.
H/p: (6) 019 4514007
Office: (6) 04 9171476
FB: https://facebook.com/timothy wooi
Email: timothywooi2@gmail.com
Onsite Facilitation: Minimum 10 Pack
@RM100/Head with copy of Printout.