UNIVERSITY APPROVED DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE

UNIVERSITY APPROVED DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE

In the past 5 years  photography has become all pervasive. Virtually every cell phone sold  today has a built-in digital camera. In fact the electronics associated with the camera and the memory for saving your photographs along with the pixel editing software constitutes more than 50% of the price of the phone. Considering that cell phone manufacturers skimp on the actual phone circuitry hence they constantly drops calls and distort  voice communication. Be that as it may, Selfys or selphys on Facebook, Pinterest, Myspace and Instagram has reached a record high. People's fascination with themselves as subjects is currently the order of the day. But every photograph on display is not a good photograph because there is a huge difference between the photographic quality of the average photograph taken with a Samsung / Apple  iPhone / Sony Ericsson / Blackberry / Motorola / LG / HTC cell phone camera and a photograph taken with a SLR Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Sony,  Mamiya, Sigma, Leica, or Hasselblad  camera with a compound lens consisting of numerous optical lens elements needed to  correct optical aberrations as much as possible. 

All telephoto lenses with optical zoom beats phone camera digital zoom by a 1000:1, besides camera phones don't do depth of field or fish eye or long exposure open aperture photographs or distant night shots. A cell phone cameras generally has  a poor excuse for a lens, even it was made by Carl Zeiss himself.  The advantages of an SLR camera by far exceeds that of a phone camera even if some phones cost as much as Single Lens Reflex Cameras. In fact they are not even comparable. So, it is better for you to invest in an average cell phone purely for communication and use the rest of the money to buy a decent SLR camera. Take pride in the photographs you shoot because one of them could become an award wining photograph. Photography is an art and not a point-and-shoot-exercise, kinda like clay pigeon shooting. Composition is a key element in photography especially in portraiture, wedding photography and even landscapes. But most of all, you need to know your camera to take National Geographic like quality pictures. 

The University of Cape Town is offering a 10 week (70 hour) photographic short course for R8,100  / 627.785 US Dollars which focuses on getting to know your camera. This includes understanding aperture, ISO/ASA and shutter speed, when and how to use a flash and  basic photo editing techniques useing computer software. However, if you not in a position to fork out that kind of cash but have an interest in learning all there is to know about photography then its best that you follow http://photo-magix.blogspot.com. Our tutorials will guide you from a novice that knows nothing to a professional photographer absolutely free.  Our successive blogs will cover:- 

Differences between Cameras
Box cameras / disposable cameras / View finders / 126 / 135 / film cameras / digital cameras / etc..

Manual Cameras Vs Automatic cameras
Depth of field / Auto Focus / Lens types / Target audience  / etc..

Choosing a camera to suit your personality
Camera size / weight / type / cost / compatibility / split screen focus / ground glass focus  / etc..

Getting to know your camera and understanding its operation
Interchangeable lens mounts / Shutter speeds / Prism / Dust covers  / etc..

Understanding  lenses, aperture and depth of field
Lens elements / focal length / fast & slow lenses  / etc..

Focal place shutters Vs Leaf shutters 
Camera settings / freeze and blur / Cable release / Self timer

Film ISO/ASA Vs Pixel density and Luminosity
Grainy film / fast film / Digital display / Back lighting / reciprocity

Using a  flash, strobes and sychronized flash units
Hot shoe / flash bulbs / strobes / umbrella flash / soft box  / etc..

Photographic composition
Subject height / Colours / Backgrounds / position / Angle / Stance / Seating  / etc..

Wedding photography and Portraiture
Close-up bellows / Closeup & UV filters / Flash fill  / etc..

Objects Landscape and Commercial Photography
Panoramic photographs / 3D photographs  / etc..

Pixel editing techniques with Photoshop.
Image resizing / pixel density / colour depth / sepia tone / monochrome / touch-up  / etc..

Feast your eyes, lick your lips,

Photo, Photograph, Photographic, ISO/ASA, leaf shutter, focal plane shutter, lenses, apertures, camera, cameras, SLR camera, view finder, 3D photographs, Box Cameras,  Digital cameras, depth of field, Auto Focus, shutter speed, split screen focus, cable release, self timer, hot shoe, film. strobes, flash, umbrella flash, flash bulbs, Close-up filters, UV filters, Prism filters, close-up bellows, flash fill, colour depth, sepia tone, monochrome, Panaramic photographs, fisheye lenses, telephoto lenses, wide angle lens, camera body, Macro lens, super flash, tripod, Sigma lense, Nikon lenses, Nikon cameras, Minolta, Nikon Coolpix, Canon, Nikkor, Zoom lenses, Nikon mount, Fuji, Canon, AF-S VR, Nikon battery holder, Carl Zeiss,

The Lens

A Journey into the World of SLR Camera Lenses

In the annals of photography, the SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera lens stands as an icon of precision and innovation. Its evolution mirrors the quest for clarity and perfection in capturing the world through the lens of a camera. Let us embark on a journey to unravel the intricacies of this trusty companion, from its inception to its modern-day prowess.

Origins and Evolution:

The story of the SLR camera lens traces back to the early days of photography when pioneers sought to improve image quality and control. Inspired by the human eye's ability to focus and perceive depth, inventors experimented with single lens systems that could reflect light onto a focusing screen. This led to the birth of the SLR mechanism, where a mirror reflects light through the lens onto a prism or series of mirrors, allowing photographers to see through the lens itself.

Comparing to the Human Eye:

Much like the lens of the human eye, the SLR camera lens is designed to bend and focus light onto a focal plane. The cornea and lens of the eye refract light onto the retina, forming an image, while the SLR lens system achieves a similar feat by refracting light through multiple glass elements onto the film or digital sensor.

Zero Aberration and Lens Matching:

The quest for optical perfection drives the meticulous process of matching front and rear lens elements to achieve zero aberration. By carefully selecting and aligning glass elements with specific curvature and refractive indices, lens manufacturers ensure minimal distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting, resulting in sharp, clear images.

Importance of Front Glass Element:

The front glass element of a camera lens serves as the gateway through which light enters the optical system. Its quality and design significantly impact image sharpness, contrast, and overall optical performance. As such, it is often regarded as the single most important part of any camera lens.

Zoom Functionality and Focus Mechanism:

The zoom capability of a lens is achieved through a complex arrangement of movable lens elements. By adjusting the position of these elements, photographers can vary the focal length and magnification of the lens, enabling versatile framing and composition. Meanwhile, the focusing mechanism directs light rays onto the film or digital sensor, ensuring precise image capture at the desired focal plane.

Interior Design and Autofocus Technology:

The interior of a camera lens is typically coated with a matte black material to minimize internal reflections and stray light, thereby enhancing contrast and reducing flare. Additionally, autofocus functionality is facilitated by a sophisticated interplay between the camera's internal computer chip and a motorized focusing mechanism within the lens. Through advanced algorithms and feedback mechanisms, autofocus systems accurately detect and adjust focus based on subject distance and user preferences.

Zeiss Icon and Industry Rivalry:

Zeiss lenses have long been revered for their uncompromising optical quality and precision engineering. However, advancements by industry giants such as Sony, Nikon, and Minolta have paved the way for breakthroughs in lens design and manufacturing. Through relentless innovation and collaboration with top photographers, these companies have elevated the standard of excellence in lens technology, rivaling even the esteemed Zeiss Icon lenses.

The SLR camera lens stands as a testament to human ingenuity and craftsmanship, enabling photographers to capture the beauty and complexity of the world with unparalleled clarity and precision. As technology continues to evolve, so too will the art and science of lens design, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of visual storytelling.

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Photo, Photograph, Photographic, ISO/ASA, leaf shutter, focal plane shutter, lenses, apertures, camera, cameras, SLR camera, view finder, 3D photographs, Box Cameras,  Digital cameras, depth of field, Auto Focus, shutter speed, split screen focus, cable release, self timer, hot shoe, film. strobes, flash, umbrella flash, flash bulbs, Close-up filters, UV filters, Prism filters, close-up bellows, flash fill, colour depth, sepia tone, monochrome, Panaramic photographs, fisheye lenses, telephoto lenses, wide angle lens, camera body, Macro lens, super flash, tripod, Sigma lense, Nikon lenses, Nikon cameras, Minolta, Nikon Coolpix, Canon, Nikkor, Zoom lenses, Nikon mount, Fuji, Canon, AF-S VR, Nikon battery holder, Carl Zeiss,

THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY | Learn Photography

THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY / PHOTOGRAPHIC TRICKS

Photography can roughly be divided into two categories namely, technicolour and monchrome, more commonly known as Colour and Black & White. Monochrome pictures are beautiful and is essentially a play on 256 shades of grey.

BLACK & WHITE

The key to a good monochrome  photograph is to ensure that the white areas are white and the black areas are black, which would then result in good contrast between the rest of the greys in between. You may ask why B & W photos, when we are living in a colour World? Well, the short answer is that B & W film preceeded colour film by several years. B&W film also has a faster ASA than colour film and is easy to manipulate for sepia tones and spot colouration as can be seen in these pics below. Mono is also easy to develop and less expensive, if done by yourself  in your bathroom (darkroom) at home. The longer answer will be explained over time.

B&W Photography requires whites to be white 
and black areas to be black.

SEPIA TONE

Sepia tone give the appearance of an old or antique photograph or even looks like it was taken with expired film but it's a desired effect often used in wedding photography for effect. As can be seen this photo is not very old since Altus from 7de laan is standing centre back row. For more about this popular soap opera, click here.

Sepia tone created from a colour photo. First is used 
desaturated then converted to sepia tone

COLOURATION

Colouration was the in-thing before colour film and many an ardent photographer used food colouring and a fine brush to add colour into their photographs, however with the advent of pixel editing computer software, the goal posts has some what changed. It changed so much that B&W processing is as expensive as colour processing if not more so. But the coolest part of Computer software like Photoshop, Paintshop Pro & Gimp is that desaturating of any colour photographs is so simple.

A lone red rose among white roses created with spot colouration.  

Photography has now moved from an art-form to a higly skilled business and a lucrative business at that, if you know what you doing.

Two colourised photographs that was manipulated with
picture editing computer software.

Learning the Art of Photography starts with an ordinary, preferably 35mm camera. Get yourself one from a pawn shop or second user photographic store. At the moment it isn't neccessary to get a flash just yet, but it would be an asset to have. Digital cameras will be discussed later, when you really know what you doing.

Photo, Photograph, Photographic, ISO/ASA, leaf shutter, focal plane shutter, lenses, apertures, camera, cameras, SLR camera, view finder, 3D photographs, Box Cameras,  Digital cameras, depth of field, Auto Focus, shutter speed, split screen focus, cable release, self timer, hot shoe, film. strobes, flash, umbrella flash, flash bulbs, Close-up filters, UV filters, Prism filters, close-up bellows, flash fill, colour depth, sepia tone, monochrome, Panaramic photographs, fisheye lenses, telephoto lenses, wide angle lens, camera body, Macro lens, super flash, tripod, Sigma lense, Nikon lenses, Nikon cameras, Minolta, Nikon Coolpix, Canon, Nikkor, Zoom lenses, Nikon mount, Fuji, Canon, AF-S VR, Nikon battery holder, Carl Zeiss,

PHOTOGENIC | Learn Photography

LEARN THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY

A photographer is only as good as his equipment, or so they say! But that's not entirely true. I have seen the most amazing shots taken with "two and a quarter cameras", plate cameras and even disposable cameras. So the quality of the camera is no reflection on the photographer. But owning the right camera for yourself is what photography is all about, regardless of its make and quality. Knowing your camera along with all its features and capabilities and incapabilities, is what makes you a good photographer. Remember its the lens that makes the difference.

In essence a camera is only a light proof container housing the film, so any light proof container could suffice but the lens is what captures the light along with your experience that defines the quality of the image. As the photographer you have a light proof container with a lens and you determine how "much light enters the lens" and the "duration you want the light to enter" in order to capture the perfect image. One could say that the perfect image is in perfect balance. Like Chakra for humans, Chi for houses, ballance of mind and body. You are the balance operator, because you control the "quanity of light entering the lens" which we can place on one side of the scale and the "duration of time" light is allowed to enter is placed on the other side of the scale. If you get the balance perfect you are almost guaranteed of a perfect photograph.  In photographic terms these aforementioned controls are F stops and shutter speeds respectively, both of which are adjustable camera controls on your camera. In most SLR cameras the F stop is a leaf aperture mechanism  inside of the lens and the shutter speed control is an electronic setting on the camera body. Different camera manufactures employ different F-stop and shutter systems, the type I favour is the leaf type used by Leica. Leica cameras, or some at least have both a shutter inside its lens, so what ever you do, don't drop it, because they are sensitive and expensive. The difference between an expensive camera and a cheaper camera is normally the quality of the lens. Good lenses makes for good photos hence most cell phone camera photographs suck even though they sport a Zeis lens. Zeis lenses are certainly one of the better lenses on the market. So, if you have any lightproof container fitted with a Zeis lens and you can control the incomming light, based on your experience, should you be able to do this well,  then you are heading for Photoguru status.

Photo, Photograph, Photographic, ISO/ASA, leaf shutter, focal plane shutter, lenses, apertures, camera, cameras, SLR camera, view finder, 3D photographs, Box Cameras,  Digital cameras, depth of field, Auto Focus, shutter speed, split screen focus, cable release, self timer, hot shoe, film. strobes, flash, umbrella flash, flash bulbs, Close-up filters, UV filters, Prism filters, close-up bellows, flash fill, colour depth, sepia tone, monochrome, Panaramic photographs, fisheye lenses, telephoto lenses, wide angle lens, camera body, Macro lens, super flash, tripod, Sigma lense, Nikon lenses, Nikon cameras, Minolta, Nikon Coolpix, Canon, Nikkor, Zoom lenses, Nikon mount, Fuji, Canon, AF-S VR, Nikon battery holder, Carl Zeiss,

PHOTOGRAPHY | Learn Photography

LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY 

Photography, is probably one of the most post popular hobby of all times. Photographic cameras have metamorphosed from the pinhole box camera of last century to its modern day single lens reflex (SLR) and view finder film cameras to the digital incarnation of today.  Virtually every modern cellphone incorporates  a digital camera and its manufacture's rather highlights camera features above phone features for very obvious reasons - only cameras makes memories with photographs.

Most people use these phone cameras to SMS pics to one another and taking the occasional picture of the dog, or a pic of a stunning set of rims on a car or of a sexy dudette passing by. Some use it to shoot their self portraits (selfy), others for family pics, pics around the office and the company picnic. But, there is a whole lot more to photography than this. Continuous tone photography (film) is far superior to digital photography, but with care, good lighting, composition and steadiness a picture of equivalent appearance can be had, though not equivalent quality. I have been involved in photography since before the invention of sliced bread and dare say that I have hoards of experience with all type of cameras, even plate cameras. As you may all know by now, there is no substitute for experience, so with this blog, I will try to impart some of this experience and photographic knowledge to those who are interested and willing to learn the art of photography.

If its digital photography you interested in, I will cover that in later blogs when I discuss picture manipulation, compositing and other Photoshop techniques. Initially I will be covering cameras and the various gadgets and attachments. I will also cover the differences between cameras and or guinea pig will be an SLR (single lens reflex) camera which we will use to explain lens apertures, F stops and shutter speeds. I will only briefly touch on view-finder cameras because I believe hardly anyone still wants to use them, or even use them anymore. I will mainly concentrate on 35mm cameras with interchangeable lenses. Hassleblad, Contax and Bronica medium format cameras will be covered under professional photgraphic equipment as well as closeup photography for advertising (jewelry) and zoology (insects).

So, I welcome you to "Learn Photography" and hope you will derive much benefit from it. Wedding photography is a fairly lucrative business, so start today.  Contact PhotoJani for your wedding Photgraphic needs 0847458258

If you'd also like to learn electronics CLICK THIS!

Photo, Photograph, Photographic, ISO/ASA, leaf shutter, focal plane shutter, lenses, apertures, camera, cameras, SLR camera, view finder, 3D photographs, Box Cameras,  Digital cameras, depth of field, Auto Focus, shutter speed, split screen focus, cable release, self timer, hot shoe, film. strobes, flash, umbrella flash, flash bulbs, Close-up filters, UV filters, Prism filters, close-up bellows, flash fill, colour depth, sepia tone, monochrome, Panaramic photographs, fisheye lenses, telephoto lenses, wide angle lens, camera body, Macro lens, super flash, tripod, Sigma lense, Nikon lenses, Nikon cameras, Minolta, Nikon Coolpix, Canon, Nikkor, Zoom lenses, Nikon mount, Fuji, Canon, AF-S VR, Nikon battery holder, Carl Zeiss,