PHOTOGRAPHY: GET TO KNOW YOUR DSLR

      

WITH NIKON

When starting this blog aged 17 back in 2007, I didn’t have a clue how to take a good picture, let alone work a fancy DSLR camera (just take a peek at my archives!) But 5 years later, questions related to photography are at an all-time high and my camera is practically fused to my hand. We’re inseparable. And it was all just through learning a few basic rules, tips and tricks with a bit of practice thrown in!

I’ve teamed up with Nikon who have loaned me some great equipment for bloggers starting out with DSLR photography to show you those rules and tips that helped me create the photographs that I take today, as well as the equipment you’ll need.

If you’re already familiar with aperture et al, this post might be a little basic for you – but do come back soon as I’m also going to be covering getting the most out of a shoot.

THE GADGETS

People are forever asking for recommendations when it comes to first DSLRs, and the truth is, there are plenty of cameras that are great for beginners to learn how to shoot and take some amazing quality snaps without breaking the bank.

The Nikon D3200 is a great example. At around £350, it’s an affordable body, shooting with a great pixel count, as well as being super lightweight (as far as I’m concerned, a very important feature for a blogger!). If you’re a YouTuber, you’ll be pleased to know it also shoots HD video.

LENSES

Over the years I’ve persuaded many a friend to swap out the kit lens (the lens you receive with your camera) for something a bit more impressive, and it’s not long before the “why didn’t I buy one sooner?!” It’s a topic not to be taken lightly – a new lens will transform your pictures.

You’ve probably heard a lot about bloggers using the ‘nifty fifty’, or 50mm lens, but the truth is, if you’re not stood across the street from your subject, you’re probably not going to fit them in the frame. This is because most cameras under the £1000 mark aren’t full-frame, meaning photos taken on a Nikon D3200 will have a tighter crop than those taken on a Nikon D800 (another big difference being the huge price gap – £350 vs £2000).

If you’re not sure whether your camera is full frame or not, you’ll be able to find out by taking a look at its specs online.

So, with that in mind, the NIKKOR 35mm 1.8 is the lens you’re going to want to recreate the look. The focal length is just right for shooting everything from outfits to product shots, and the 1.8 aperture is going to give you that elusive blurry background!

APERTURE

So, what does the 1.8 bit actually mean?

All lenses will have an f number – the 18-55mm Nikon kit lens has an f number of 3.5, whilst the 35mm has an f number of 1.8. In short, the lower you can get your f number, the shallower the depth of field and the blurrier your background will be – this is associated with dreamy bokeh, and means only a small area of your photograph will be in focus.  The lower the number, the lighter your images will be, as the hole that lets in the light will be larger. I aim to keep my aperture as low as possible, allowing for bright images with a dreamy background.

As each camera varies, it’s best to check your camera’s manual online or offline to find out which buttons to press to make these changes!

SHUTTER SPEED

The shutter speed determines what it says on the tin – how fast your cameras shutter is open and allowing in light. The faster the shutter speed, (a high number such as 1/250th of a second), the sharper your image will be as it will freeze any action – but also, the darker it will be. This is where you may have to compensate by opening up your aperture further, i.e. a smaller number lets in more light such as 1.8), or upping the ISO.

Try not to let your shutter speed fall below 1/100, as this will make for a blurry image. Remember, a faster shutter speed helps to freeze action, whereas a slower shutter speed such as 1/50 will lead to motion blur.

ISO

The ISO measures how sensitive your camera is to light so if you’re at a party with not much natural light coming through the windows, you’ll need a higher ISO than if you’re outdoors on a sunny day. The higher the number, the more sensitive the camera will become to light – but this also means your photos will tend to be grainier.

Try to keep your ISO as low as possible for the best possible shots. When shooting on a sunny day outside, ISO 100 is perfect. Crank it up when you’ve got cloud coverage or if you are shooting inside as this will  allow you to use  a higher shutter speed and still get sharper images.

RAW

If you find that your images are often not quite what you expected when uploaded, it might be a great idea to start shooting in RAW. You can find this setting in the menu on your camera, usually under the title ‘Image Quality’ or ‘Quality’.

Shooting in RAW might take up more room than JPEG, but it’s worth it. When opening your RAW files, you are presented with options that alter the state of the original file. If your image was too blue when it was taken, you can correct the white balance. If your image was too bright, you can adjust the exposure. This means you can perfect your images before editing them any further.

QUESTIONS?

I hope this little guide is enough to get you started, or curious to learn more about shooting with your SLR. If anybody has any questions on more advanced topics or anything I’ve covered above, just drop me a comment below! I’m no professional and learnt by trial and error – now it’s your turn!

P.S – If you’ve just bought a Nikon and want a one-stop shop for learning how to use it, be sure to check out the Nikon School  for courses such as Getting Started with DSLR Photography