Click HERE to view as a web page

MPS PHOTO TIP OF THE MONTH

ISO Settings...

  This time of year we do alot of indoor shooting in less than ideal light... so we thought it would be a good time for a refresher on the ISO settings. 
  ISO ( or ASA) in film photography is the indication of how sensitive the film is to light. Numbers are used to indicate this. You see numbers like 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and so on. The lower the number, the less sensitive to light, the film is, and the grain is finer. This fine grain results in sharp, clear images at all stages of enlargement.

  Digital cams take on the same number scheme, but the numbers are now measuring the digital sensors sensitivity to light, or the amount of "amplification" the cameras electronics  applies to the sensor. The higher numbers, just like in film, allow you to use faster shutter speeds and/or smaller apertures in low light situations without flash or other external lighting. The trade off is grain... not so bad on smaller prints, or for artistic effect, but enlargements can produce some undesired  effects... The higher the ISO you use, the more grain you will likely get. 

  Using lower ISO numbers is beneficial when doing night photography to ensure nice crisp prints with little grain. I shoot most of my night scenes using a tripod, at an ISO setting of 100-200. When I need to shoot an indoor scene, and flash is not allowed, that is the time I use the higher numbers, so I can use a faster shutter speed. 

  ISO is one setting that allows you more control over your photography... I urge you to experiment and practice with various ISO settings... Get your camera off the AUTO mode, and put it to work for you. 

  One final tip, I mention this because I have had my share of sessions not turn out quite as expected. CHECK YOUR ISO each time you power up your cam... make it a habit.   Shooting ISO 1600 in perfectly good light where ISO 200 would have worked, adds some "less than desirable" elements in your photos, and can cost you considerable time in post production to fix problems. 

Shoot ON!

SAFARIAN IMAGE GALLERY

As I write this month's newsletter, its -8 degrees, so I decided to look back on some safarians work from a "warmer" time. Shelly H. from Stillwater took this nice image of the Third Avenue Bridge and the Horseshoe Dam on Safari last August... A nice 80+ degree day on the Heritage Trail ! This image was taken at Water Power Park. We visit this area on both morning and afternoon sessions of Safari 1  Good Work Shelly!  Thanks for your submission