Monday, November 3, 2008

Black and White Photography Quick Tips

By SFXsource

While taking photographs in color is often a common choice, black and white photography often affords interesting results. The following points are quick tips for black and white photography.

1. There are many different sizes of film, and different formats: 35mm (1" x 1"), medium format- 120 (2" x 2 "), and large format (4" x 5"). Typically, people will start off using a 35mm SLR (single-lens reflex) camera. With an SLR, you can focus and view the subject directly through the lens.

2. Film speed should be taken into consideration, and films are rated by an ASA (American Standards Association) number. 32 ASA film is a slow film and is used in well-lit situations; slow film produces fine grain negatives. 125 ASA film is a medium speed film generally used for outdoor photography, and it produces medium grain negatives. 400 ASA film is a fast film and is good for indoor, dimly lit photography; this film produces coarse grain negatives.

3. You can control the amount of light entering the lens by changing the aperture. F-stop settings are a measurement of the size of the lens opening. Small F-stop numbers mean a larger lens opening, allowing more light in. Large F-stop numbers mean a smaller opening, allowing less light in. Typical F-stop range: 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22.

4. Focal length is a measure of the lens size, measured in mm. For a lens with a longer focal length, the angle of view is narrower. A short focal length has a wider angle of view. The following are lens types and their focal lengths: normal (50mm), wide angle (21-35mm), and telephoto (105-300mm).

5. Shutter speed refers to the length of time the film is exposed to light. A fast shutter speed means the length of exposure time is short. A slow shutter speed means the length of exposure time is long. Shutter speeds: B, T, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, 1000. Shutter speed time can be better understood if you place a 1 over the number to turn it into a fraction. When you place a 1 over the 2, that means the shutter speed is a second.

6. Referring to shutter speed, the B stands for bulb, and the T stands for time. When you hold down the B, the shutter will stay open for as long as it is pressed down. If you use T, the shutter will remain open from the time you push it down, until it is pressed again.

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