Digital cameras 101

[toyds]

Hello All,

I would like to ask regarding this "Press the shutter-release button down half way to lock focus. While holding the button in this position, RECOMPOSE and then fully depress the button to take your shot"??


what is RECOMPOSE mean?

thanks a lot

[ShutterbugGail]

Excellent question about a very important digital camera techinque!

Here is an illustration about locking focus and recomposing:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/taking-photos/basic-techniques/fe-lock.php

Here is information and illustrations about correctly using a digital camera shutter release button on a point and shoot digital camera:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/taking-photos/basic-techniques/shutter-button.php


Note: I orginally had the two urls mixed up but now they are in the correct order.

[toyds]

thanks a lot sir Gail

[toyds]

Hello Gail,

Follow up question regarding RECOMPOSING..
If i already locked the focus and ready to take the shot is it OK that i will change the ANGLE of my shot?

thanks a lot

[Deb]

Hi there toyds, if by changing "angle" you mean changing your position to the subject which effectively results in a change in your distance to your subject, it is not ok (depending on your aperture setting, focal length of the lens, and your distance to the subject). That is, if you have a short depth-of-field, and your distance to the subject changes as you change your "angle", you run the risk of your subject being out of range of that depth-of-field and thus no longer in focus.

Hope that helps.  

[toyds]

Hello Deb

i read this tips from this site

http://cp.c-ij.com/english/photoshooting/techniques/composition/composition02.html

" Photographs with the subject right in the center are not very interesting. They are like mug shots or passport photos.
By using focus lock to move the main subject slightly off-center, you can make a much more impressive photograph and avoid the "mug shot" look. "Focus lock" is the technique of focusing on the subject in the center of the frame, then pressing the shutter button half-way to "lock" the focus on the subject. With the focus locked, you can now move the camera so the main subject is not in the center of the picture but is still in focus.(Today, almost all digital cameras have this feature.)"

this is what i mean here.
is it OK to follow this tips?


thanks a lot

[Deb]

Hi, yes indeed. But be sure not to change your distance to your subject. (Refer to my post of May 12.)

[ShutterbugGail]

toyds,

It's so nice to hear that you're learning something about composition! You may find this information on composing photos helpful:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/taking-photos/advanced-techniques/composing-photos.php

As they say, "A picture says 1000 words." Some of the principles of composition are illustrated in these photo galleries:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/gallery/index.php?level=collection&id=7

[toyds]

thanks a lot sir Deb

thanks a lot sir Gail,
yes this site really help me alot regarding photography using our compact point and shot digital cameras.

Sir Gail,hope you can post some more photos using your canon SD700 IS

thanks a lot..

[ShutterbugGail]

yes this site really help me alot regarding photography using our compact point and shot digital cameras.

Sir Gail,hope you can post some more photos using your canon SD700 IS

So very glad information at the site is of some help!That's our goal.

I have some SD700 photos in my pBase galleries:

http://www.pbase.com/gailb/sd700is

[toyds]

thanks a lot sir gail

[rhinorick]

Also remember, not only focus and depth of field, but also lighting.  If you compose a shot in a dark area and then move your angle/frame to an lighter area, your camera may not compensate for the change since you "locked in" by holding the shutter button down halfway.

I discussed locking focus and recomposing a shot HERE if you would like further explanation.

[ShutterbugGail]

Thanks so much for sharing that! Love the photo of the bee. For sure never saw one that looked that relaxed. Unless it was sleeping!  

[rhinorick]

Thanks.

When I found it there, I was afraid that it was dead.  I didn't want to be morbid and take photos of a dead bee.    But it flew away later.  I guess it just needed a rest.    It cooperated really well in the photo shoot.