Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies

6 Books in one!
Boost your DSLR photography skills with this amazing book When you're investing in top-notch camera equipment, it's also time to build top-notch photography skills that help you create the stunning images you see in your mind. This book gets you started on the path to capturing incredible photos of life's most precious moments. Cut through the jargon and techspeak as you get down to the essentials of taking control of your powerful camera and leaving the days of washed-out and blurry photos behind. 6 Books Inside? Review digital photography basics and camera controls Get the right lens for the shot Take creative control of exposure settings Shed some light on your subject Perfect the picture with editing Follow recipes for portraits, landscapes, close-ups, and action shotsIntroduction 1 About This Book 2 Icons Used in This Book 2 Where to Go from Here 3 Book 1: Pursuing Digital SLR Photography 5 Chapter 1: Embracing Digital SLRs 7 Introducing the Digital SLR 7 Naming and Classifying Digital SLRs 9 Make and model 9 Sensor size 11 Pixel count 12 Lens mount 13 Mirror and viewfinder type 15 Lenses 16 Wrapping it up 16 Pricing Digital SLRs 16 Consumer dSLRs 17 Mid-range models 18 Professional cameras 18 Delving into Camera Specifications 19 Basic information 20 Crop factor 20 ISO 21 Shutter speeds 21 Autofocus system 22 Movies 23 Shooting modes and scenes 24 In-camera processing 25 Filters and other creative effects 25 Media 26 Viewfinder specs 26 Image stabilization 27 Following Recent dSLR Developments 29 Shopping for a dSLR 31 Understanding the system 31 Going shopping 31 Investing in accessories 33 Embracing dSLRs 35 Chapter 2: Handling, Cleaning, and Protecting Your Camera 39 Anatomy of a dSLR 39 Front and center 40 Around back 40 Top and bottom 42 Both sides 43 Working the Controls 45 Gripping the Camera 47 Standard grip 47 Vertical grip 48 Over-the-shoulder grip 49 Live View grip 49 Providing Additional Support 50 Handling an Articulated Monitor 52 Using a Touchscreen 53 Changing Batteries 54 Checking battery power 54 Inserting a battery 55 Removing a battery 56 Inserting and Removing Memory Cards 57 Inserting a memory card 57 Removing a memory card 58 Cleaning Your Camera 59 Wiping off the camera body 59 Cleaning monitors and LCD panels 60 Cleaning inside the camera 61 Protecting Your Camera 63 Using a camera strap 63 Carrying a camera bag 64 Buying extra lens and camera caps 64 Armoring your camera 65 Dealing with adverse weather 65 Chapter 3: Learning about Lenses 69 Identifying and Naming Lenses 69 Brand name 71 Lens mount 72 Focal length 72 Aperture 73 Image stabilization 74 Other identifiers 74 Other lens characteristics 75 Older lenses 76 Categorizing Lenses 77 Normal lenses 78 Wide-angle lenses 78 Telephoto lenses 79 Prime lenses 80 General-purpose zoom lenses 81 Wide-angle zoom lenses 81 Telephoto zoom lenses 82 Specialty lenses 82 Looking at Lens Anatomy 85 Working with Lenses 88 Getting a grip 88 Mounting a lens 91 Removing a lens 93 Zooming in and out 94 Switching from auto to manual focus 95 Manually focusing 96 Activating lens-based image stabilization 97 Cleaning Lenses 98 Chapter 4: Exploring Menus and Camera Settings 101 Understanding How Menus Are Organized 101 Opening and Using the Menu 103 Setting Up Your Camera 106 Date and time 106 Language 107 Feature guides and expanded help 107 Review time 107 Auto power off 108 Sound 108 Touchscreen settings 108 No card 109 Setting Typical Shooting Options 109 Image size and quality 109 Using multiple memory cards 110 ISO settings 111 Picture control or creative style 111 Color space 112 Highlight and shadow options 112 Noise reduction 113 Aspect ratio 113 Red-eye reduction 113 Flash options 114 Movie options 114 Making Other Choices 114 Display settings 114 Display brightness and color 116 Filenaming and numbering 116 File and folder structure 117 Auto Rotate (camera orientation) 117 Copyright 117 Wi-Fi connectivity 118 Video mode or system 118 Controlling Playback 118 Protect Images 119 Rotate 119 Erase/Delete 119 Print order 119 Slide show 120 Retouch 120 Keeping Everything Running Smoothly 120 Showing battery information 120 Formatting memory cards 121 Cleaning the image sensor 121 Creating a dust reference photo 121 Resetting the camera 122 Updating the firmware 122 Exploring Advanced Options 123 Using custom functions and settings 124 Creating custom shooting profiles 124 Tweaking autofocus settings 124 Configuring bracketing settings 125 Customizing the controls 125 Creating custom menus 126 Chapter 5: Taking Pictures with Your dSLR 127 Seeing the Big Picture 127 Planning Ahead 128 Unpacking and Readying Your Gear 129 Setting Up Your Camera 131 Performing an initial checkup 131 Preparing for still photography 132 Choosing a shooting mode 132 Setting the image quality 144 Choosing a viewing mode 144 Configuring the display 146 Setting exposure controls 146 Setting other parameters 147 Taking and Reviewing Photos 154 Book 2: Looking Through Lenses 161 Chapter 1: Appreciating Standard Zoom Lenses 163 Embodying Versatility 163 Taking Wide-Angle Shots 165 Working with Normal Focal Lengths 168 Zooming In 170 Capturing telephoto shots 171 Capturing portraits 172 Capturing close-ups 173 Chapter 2: Enjoying Wide-Angle Lenses 177 Wide-Angle Whatzit 177 Looking at Landscapes 179 Capturing Wide-Angle Cityscapes 180 Focusing on Single Buildings 182 Photographing Interiors 184 Shooting Wide-Angle Portraits 185 Improving Your Wide-Angle Shots 186 Frame tall objects from afar 186 Get up close and personal 187 Use the vertical 188 Combine different elements into one shot 189 Emphasize height 189 Chapter 3: Capturing Macros and Close-ups 193 Defining Macro and Close-up Photography 194 Shooting at Close Ranges 195 Managing Depth of Field 196 Shooting Handheld with a Flash 197 Maximizing Shutter Speed 198 Shooting in Controlled Conditions 199 Exploring Creative Alternatives 201 Relaxing your angle of view 201 Shooting close-ups with everyday lenses 202 Using telephoto lenses 202 Using Holga lenses 203 Shooting with Special Accessories 204 Using a teleconverter 205 Using extension tubes 205 Using diopters 207 Using reverse rings 209 Using a macro bellows 211 Chapter 4: Reaching Out with Telephoto Lenses 213 Learning the Lingo 213 Using a Super Telephoto Lens 216 Capturing Action with Telephoto Lenses 219 Using Telephoto Lenses for Close-ups 221 Capturing Portraits 223 Photographing Animals 225 Chapter 5: Exploring Other Lenses 229 Fisheye Lenses 229 Tilt-Shift Lenses 233 Holga Lenses 236 Lensbaby Lenses 239 Pinhole Lenses 241 Diana F+ Lenses 242 Book 3: Taking Creative Control 245 Chapter 1: Making Sense of Exposure 247 Understanding Exposure 247 Evaluating exposure 248 Controlling exposure 249 Comparing exposure intervals 250 Keeping an Eye on Exposure Information 252 Reading the exposure level 252 Viewing exposure settings 253 Paying attention to warnings 255 Measuring Light by Metering 255 General metering methods 256 Camera metering modes 256 Changing metering modes 258 Metering the scene with your camera 258 Using an external light meter 259 Reviewing and Analyzing Your Photos 260 Delving into photo playback 260 Interpreting histograms 262 Troubleshooting Exposure 268 Using exposure compensation 268 Setting the exposure manually 269 Using AE lock 271 Autoexposure bracketing (AEB) 274 Using other exposure tricks 275 Chapter 2: Setting the Aperture 277 Investigating f-numbers and Apertures 277 Learning about f-numbers 277 Lenses and apertures 278 Setting the Aperture 281 From the camera 281 From the lens 282 Digging into Depth of Field 283 Controlling the depth of field 283 Previewing the depth of field 285 Paying attention to the blurry parts 286 Being realistic 287 Designing with Depth of Field 288 Landscapes 288 Portraits 289 Macros and close-ups 292 Action 293 Tilt-shift lenses 294 Chapter 3: Choosing a Shutter Speed 295 Decoding Shutter Speed 295 Learning about the shutter 296 Reading the speed 298 Shutter speed and exposure 300 Setting the Shutter Speed 301 Combating Blur and Noise 302 Camera shake, rattle, and roll 302 Shooting moving targets 307 Enabling Long Exposure Noise Reduction 308 Designing with Shutter Speed 308 Shooting crisp photos 309 Accounting for flash sync speed 311 Photographing action 312 Being creative with water 313 Working with slow shutter speeds 315 Using Bulb mode 316 Shooting macros 316 Chapter 4: Selecting an ISO 319 Understanding ISO 319 A bit of history 320 Inside the numbers 321 Generating noise with high ISOs 323 The funny thing about noise 324 Setting ISO 325 Controlling ISO yourself 325 Using Auto ISO 326 Restricting Auto ISO 327 Using High ISO Noise Reduction 328 Managing ISO 329 ISO Gallery 331 Elevated ISO 331 High ISO levels 332 Extreme ISO settings 334 Chapter 5: Using Filters 337 Learning about Filters 337 Looking at how filters work 337 Considering filter pros and cons 339 Using filters with dSLRs 341 Taking Shape with Filter Systems 342 Circular (screw-in) 343 Rectangular frame slide-in 345 Using Filters for Different Purposes 346 Protective 346 Circular polarizer 347 Ultraviolet (UV) 348 Neutral density (ND) 349 ND graduated 351 Color filter 351 Color grad filter 352 Other filters 352 Book 4: Lighting the Scene 355 Chapter 1: Working with Ambient Light 357 Working in Natural Light 357 Shooting during the morning golden hour 358 Fighting with the light at noon 359 Going out in the early evening 360 Enjoying the evening golden hour 360 Photographing the sunset 361 Capturing twilight 362 Shooting at night 363 Dealing with Weather 364 Capturing clouds 364 Working in the snow 365 Using fog 366 Shooting Inside 367 Photographing in large interior spaces 367 Photographing in living spaces 368 Using stage lighting 369 Being Creative in Different Situations 370 Working with indirect light 370 Capturing reflections 370 Dealing with glare and haze 371 Shooting high-contrast scenes 372 Photographing low contrast scenes 373 The Shadow knows! 373 Chapter 2: Exploring Basic Flash Photography 375 Finding the Flash 376 Using the Flash Automatically 377 Setting a flash-friendly shooting mode 377 Preventing the built-in flash from firing 378 Customizing automatic flash settings 378 Manually Activating the Built-in Flash 379 Using the built-in flash 379 Knowing when to use flash 381 Disabling the built-in flash 384 Tips on Using the Built-in Flash 384 Getting Fancy with the Flash 386 Enabling red-eye reduction 387 Using flash compensation 388 Using FE Lock 389 Controlling the flash strength manually 389 Unlocking more advanced features 390 Chapter 3: Using an External Flash and Accessories 393 Getting to Know External Flash Units 393 Looking at the front 395 From the back and sides 397 Accessorizing your external flash 399 Handling an External Flash 402 Attaching it to your camera 402 Removing the flash 403 Tilting and swiveling the flash head 404 Attaching a mini stand 405 Working the controls 405 Configuring Your External Flash 407 Trying Different Techniques 408 Using high-speed sync 408 Bouncing and diffusing 409 Using an umbrella 410 Focusing light with a snoot 411 Using a stand 412 Elevating the flash with a bracket 413 Cords galore 413 Going wireless 414 Book 5: Managing and Processing Your Shots 417 Chapter 1: Transferring and Managing Files 419 Getting a Workflow 419 Early Decisions 422 Transferring Files 422 Connecting 422 Downloading 426 Getting a Grip on Your Pictures 428 Manual management 428 Media-management software 429 Processing and managing software 430 Photo editors 433 Managing Photos 434 Quickly Processing the Good Ones 435 Advanced Editing When Desired 436 Publishing 436 General considerations 436 Resizing options 438 Saving and exporting 439 Archiving 440 Playing it safe 441 Putting the plan into action 442 Chapter 2: Quickly Sprucing Up Shots 445 Software for Sprucing Up Photos 445 Deciding on an Image Quality 446 Benefits of Raw images 446 Challenges of working with Raw photos 447 Non-destructive editing 448 Getting Started 448 Reviewing and flagging good photos 448 Switching to the Develop module 451 Setting the lens profile 451 Testing the waters 452 etting Brightness and Contrast 453 Adjusting the exposure 453 Improving contrast 454 Protecting highlights and shadows 455 Setting the black and white points 456 Working with texture, clarity, and haze 457 Correcting and Improving Color 459 Checking the white balance 459 Adjusting color vibrancy and saturation 459 Making Additional Improvements 461 Finishing Up 463 Straightening and cropping 463 Exporting images 464 Processing Photos In-Camera 464 Chapter 3: Digging Deeper into Photo Editing 467 Software for Editing Photos 468 Dealing with the Mundane Stuff 468 Creating a Photoshop file 468 Helpful Photoshop features 470 Coping with color management 471 Saving your final images 472 Dodging and Burning 472 Using High Pass to Sharpen 474 Making Minor Adjustments 476 Applying Changes Selectively with Masks 477 Mashing Up Versions of the Same Shot 478 Stamping Out Imperfections and Distractions 480 Dusting and cleaning 480 Removing other distractions 482 Improving complexions 482 Adjusting Final Composition 484 Words of Caution and Encouragement 486 Chapter 4: Expressing Your Artistry 489 Why Be Creative? 490 Software for Your Artistic Endeavors 491 Converting to Black and White 492 Using black-and-white adjustment layers 493 Photo gallery 495 Colorizing Your Photos 498 Tinting the fast and easy way 498 Colorizing with Hue/Saturation 500 Split toning using Color Balance 500 Cross-processing with Curves 502 Using color layers 503 Creating duotones 506 Experimenting with Artistic Filters 508 Using the Filter Gallery 508 Applying other filters 510 Smart Filters 510 Filter fun 511 Using In-Camera Creative Styles and Filters 514 Using in-camera styles 514 Applying in-camera filters 516 Chapter 5: Creating Panoramas 519 Shooting Pan-tastic Panoramas 519 Getting your camera ready 520 Shooting tripod-assisted panoramas 520 Shooting handheld panoramas 522 Stitching Photos Together 523 Creating panoramas with Lightroom 523 Creating panoramas with Photoshop 527 Stepping Up Your Game 530 Advanced blending in Photoshop 530 Using a panoramic tripod head 531 Using specialized panorama software 532 Shooting HDR panoramas 533 Shooting Automatic Panoramas 534 Chapter 6: Enjoying HDR Photography 537 HDR Software 538 Learning about HDR 538 Shooting Exposure Brackets for HDR 540 Configuring your camera 540 Setting up automatic exposure bracketing (AEB) 541 Shooting the exposure brackets 543 Tone Mapping in Photomatix Pro 544 Creating the HDR image 544 Tone mapping the HDR image 548 Trying Alternative Techniques 552 Using your camera's HDR modes 552 Preparing your images differently 553 Trying single-exposure HDR 554 Creating your own brackets from a single shot 554 Manually bracketing exposures 555 Using other applications for HDR 555 Book 6: Showcasing Different Scenes 559 Chapter 1: Portraits 561 Capturing Animal Portraits 561 Copy What Works 563 Snapping Casual Portraits 563 Posing Group Photos 565 Say Cheese! 566 Chapter 2: Landscapes 567 Using an Ultra Wide-Angle Lens 567 Getting Up Early 568 Going Different Places 569 Getting Out in the Weather 570 The Classic Sunset 571 Chapter 3: Action 573 Tracking the Action 573 Using an External Flash 574 Finding the Right Spot 575 Great Light is Great 576 Pushing to the Limits 577 Chapter 4: Close-Ups 579 Zoom In 579 Be Ready to Grab Your Camera 580 Using Diopters 581 Whatever Works, Works 583 Focus on Small Details 584 Index 585Robert Correll has over two decades of experience in writing and photography. He is the author of all previous editions of Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies and has written several other books specific to individual DSLR camera models.