Taking a picture

*There are no absolute rules on how to take a picture. The following are tips to help you*

Loading film is different for all cameras, read the manual for your camera to learn how to load the film.
You are less likely to get a great picture if you walk around and quickly shoot anything you see. I suggest taking pictures of subjects that interest you. For example, I love dogs; so I take a lot of pictures of my dogs.
Never be afraid to try something new, that is how you learn.
There are three main aspects of taking a picture:

1) Focusing is important because it determines if the picture is sharp or not. If your picture is not in focus then it will come out fuzzy.

2) The aperture determines how much light enters the camera. The aperture is represented on your camera by the letter "f" followed by a number (f1.4 - f2 - f4 - f5.6) - called an "f-stop". The lower the number, the more light enters your camera. If you want to make your picture brighter set the aperture to a lower f-stop. Subsequently, if you want to make your picture darker set the aperture to a higher f-stop.

This diagram shows how the aperture changes
the amount of light that is let in the camera.

The shutter speed determines how long the shutter is open. Think of the shutter as a door that opens to let light in. The lower the shutter speed the longer the “door” stays open; and the higher the shutter speed the shorter it stays open. If you are shooting in a dark area or at night, you will need a lower shutter speed. One option on most cameras is the shutter speed "B" which stands for bulb. This feature allows you to determine the length the shutter stays open. It will stay open for as long as you press down the button.

In these pictures you can see how the shutter speed affects
movement in your pictures.

Automatic cameras set the aperture and shutter speed for you. Manual cameras let you have more control over your picture by letting you set the aperture and shutter speed. Many cameras that you buy these days have both automatic and manual options, including focus. Many of these cameras while in the manual mode will suggest an aperture and shutter speed but allow you to change them if desired.

Your camera will have a light meter (the location is different on every camera) that lets you know whether your aperature and shutter speed are suitable. Check your manual for how your individual light meter works.

The negative sign in brackets between the 20 and 11 is the light meter.

One of the best ways to learn how to pick the right aperture and shutter speed is to experiment with them. Try taking three shots of the same picture with the same shutter speed, but alter the f-stop. When you print, you will see the difference between the various f-stops.

Ready to DEVELOP.