Tag Archives: aperture priority

Camera Settings – Wildlife Photography

An American White Ibis preens in the late afternoon light at Disney World Epcot theme park. (Bill Ferris)

This post continues a series on camera settings for specific genres of photography. As I mentioned in the first installment, I am not suggesting these settings will be best for every photographer. I am sharing them because they work for me and may be of some help to you.

As the above image indicates, this post will focus on settings for bird and wildlife photography. Let’s begin with my goals when shooting animals in a natural setting:

Communicate the wild
Convey the personality of the animal
Bring the viewer close

There is something about an animal in a wilderness setting that captures the imagination. This is particularly true in cultures that feel a strong connection to a past when people lived, struggled, thrived and died in wilderness places. They competed not only with the land and weather but also with animals. Some animals were hunted as sources of food and clothing. Others were hunted as competitors for scarce food resources or as threats to people.

A photograph of an animal in a wilderness setting has the potential to reconnect us with that pioneer heritage. It can make the pulse quicken and loose a surge of adrenalin in the blood. Communicating the wild is as much about setting as the animal, itself. Framing the shot with a rugged terrain or severe weather conveys a sense of wilderness. The personality of the animal comes to life through action. Interesting – even aggressive – behavior does the trick. Sometimes, the suggestion of a behavior that is about to happen can be even more compelling. Capturing the instant before the animal becomes aggressive hints at wildness and allows the audience’s imagination to fill in the rest.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris tour at Disney World Animal Kingdom exposes visitors to a host of animals native to Africa, including the giraffe. (Bill Ferris)

A long telephoto lens can bring the viewer close enough to feel the breath of the animal. Stealth and patience, when skillfully employed, can have the same effect. Every guideline has its exceptions and this one is no different. A wide angle lens capturing the interesting behavior of a collection of animals in the wild can be just as inspiring.

Bird and wildlife photography is a relatively new interest for me. I’m still searching for that heart-stopping image of an apex predator in the wild, or an iconic creature persevering against nature’s maelstrom. However, the technique of capturing such moments is fairly well ingrained. I’ll be ready when the moment arrives. Here, are my settings:

Aperture: f/2.8 to f/5.6
ISO: ISO-auto with 1/500 to 1/1000-second as minimum shutter speed and 6400 as maximum ISO
Back Button Focus: AE-L/AF-L button assigned to autofocus control
Burst Rate: Low (3 fps) to Continuous High (6 fps)
Image Quality: RAW
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to 0 to -2/3 stop

I use a large aperture to blur the background and isolate the subject. A wide open aperture also allows for the use of more reasonable ISO’s when shooting early in the day. Now, an aperture closed one stop from wide open will do a better job of capturing pin sharp detail in the animal. So, if the light level will allow it and if there is significant distance between your subject and the background, consider closing down the lens a bit.

Back button focus is a great technique for just about any type of photography. It gives you more control over focus point and framing. If the animal is moving slowly, a shutter speed of 1/500-second will do an excellent job of freezing action. However, birds in flight and other more aggressive actions demand a faster shutter speed. A low burst rate works fine for an animal slowly grazing for food. A faster burst rate is called for when shooting birds in flight and other more dynamic action.

A bull elk eyes a gathering crowd of tourists on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

Finally, you’ll want to pay attention to the coloration of an animal. Animals with dark fur may require an exposure compensation of +2/3 stop to preserve detail. By contrast, compensation of -2/3 stop will preserve feather detail when photographing a bright white bird.

These are the settings I use when photographing birds and animals. If you give them a try, I think you’ll find the results rewarding. At the very least, you’ll gain a better understanding of the settings that work best for you.

Now, get out there and shoot!

Bill Ferris | April 2015

Camera Settings – Sports Photography

NAU’s Eddie Horn grabs a handful of facemask to prevent Eastern Washington’s Quincy Forte from reaching the end zone (Bill Ferris)

With this post, I’m launching a series in which I will share the settings I use for specific genres of photography. Each article will focus on one kind of photographry: landscape, wildlife, event, portraiture and, in this entry, sports.

Right off the top, I want to be clear about something. The settings I use are not necessarily best for everyone. In fact, I suspect the opposite may be closer to the truth. Many professional and experienced amateur photographers prefer to shoot in full manual mode. I don’t.

In any given situation, there are some settings I absolutely want to control and others I’m perfectly comfortable allowing the camera to control. It’s been my experience that modern digital cameras are reliably competent at choosing settings like shutter speed and ISO. Even if the setting the camera chooses is off by 1/3 to 1/2 a stop, shooting in RAW allows me to correct for that in post with just a few clicks of the mouse.

In short, the settings I use work for me and my workflow. My intent in sharing them in this series is that they may help you to make better photos and get more satisfaction from photography.

So, let’s get to it. Here, are the settings I typically use with my Nikon D610 when shooting sports:

Mode: Aperture Priority
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: ISO-auto with 1/1000-second as minimum shutter speed and 6400 as maximum ISO
Autofocus: Continuous with a 9-point cluster at the center
Back Button Focus: AE-L/AF-L button assigned to autofocus control
Burst Rate: Continuous High (6 fps)
Image Quality: RAW

Why? Let’s start at the beginning. Before I start shooting, I give some thought to what I want to accomplish with the photograph. Here are my goals for sports photography:

Capture the decisive moment
Communicate the emotion of that moment
Put the audience in the middle of the action

The above settings allow me to accomplish all three.

A goalkeeper prepares to send the ball out of her zone. (Bill Ferris)

The first decision I make when setting up the camera is selecting a mode to use. I never shoot in full Auto. In that mode, the camera makes all the decisions and I’ve yet to find a camera having an aesthetic identical to mine. I rarely shoot in Manual. In that mode, I make all the decisions and, frankly, that’s just a lot of work.

Aperture Priority allows me to lock in a focal ratio. Normally, I’ll set the lens to f/2.8. Since I’ll be using a fast shutter speed to freeze action, I need to deliver big heaping gobs of light to the sensor to produce a properly exposed image. Shooting at f/2.8 maximizes the light collected by the lens and delivered to the sensor, at any given moment.

A large aperture also produces an image with a shallow depth of field. That is a huge plus when shooting sports. Often, the shot is focused on one player, coach or person. But how to draw attention to someone who is surrounded by a melee of athletes, officials and fans? A shallow depth of field serves to isolate the subject by putting everything and everyone else out of focus.

With a wide aperture selected and locked in, the next choice is which shutter speed to use. For basketball, soccer and football, I have found a shutter speed of 1/1000-second does a great job of freezing the action. Now, I could do this by putting the camera in manual mode, selecting the aperture (f/2.8), shutter speed (1/1000-second) and ISO. But I’m lazy. I don’t want to be responsible for all three variables. I want the camera to do some of the work. I’ll choose the aperture and shutter speed, and let the camera choose the ISO.

This is why I use Nikon’s Auto-ISO setting. In this setting, you choose a minimum shutter speed and a maximum ISO. For sports, I select 1/1000-second and a maximum ISO of 6400. Shooting with the D610, I’ve been very pleased with the quality of images taken at ISO 6400

At this point, I’m almost ready to start shooting.

This photograph was taken with a Tamron 70-200mm at 135mm, f/2.8, ISO 3600, 1/640-second (Bill Ferris)

Next, i check the image quality setting to confirm it’s still in RAW. Shooting in RAW serves several purposes. First, it is the format that captures and preserves the most information about each image. The more information there is at my disposal, the greater the flexibility I have in post. RAW allows for adjustments to be easily made in Lightroom, not just in exposure, but also in white balance, contrast and a host of other key settings. As such, shooting in RAW gives me the greatest latitude when processing an exposure. And since I’m trusting my camera to choose the ISO, RAW acts as my insurance policy against a setting that is off by as much as a full stop. Typically, however, the Nikon D610 is within 1/3-stop in the ISO it chooses.

To ensure that my photographs are properly focused, I use Nikon’s AF-C or continuous autofocus mode. In this mode, the camera continuously adjusts focus to keep the subject sharp, For most events, I’ll use a cluster of nine autofocus points – sometimes, a single point – to allow the camera to focus on the subject while ignoring distracting objects within the frame. The autofocus points at the center of the frame are most accurate. Hence my preference for a central grouping.

Now, to give myself more control over when and where focus is set, I also engage back button focus. This is a technique where you assign focus control to a button on the back of the camera body. I assign focus control to the AE-L/AF-L button on my Nikon D610. With back button focus engaged, I am able to push the AE-L/AF-L button when I want to set focus. If I’m shooting a stationary subject, I can set focus then remove my finger from the button and recompose. If the subject is moving, I’ll continue pressing the button and allow the camera to follow focus while I’m keeping the subject framed.

With 12-seconds left in regulation, NAU’s Dan Galindo hauls in a Jordan Perry pass to score the game-winning touchdown. (Bill Ferris)

Almost by definition, athletes are quick and fast-moving subjects. As such, I use my camera’s highest burst rate to rip 6-10 exposures in a 1-2 second burst. This gives me the best chance of capturing the decisive moment. The only thing that’s missing from the above photo, is the official’s arms in the air signaling a touchdown. But that didn’t happen until long after the receiver made the catch.

While we’re on the subject of moments, let’s address a setting that, all too often, is ignored. Moments are fleeting. As soon as you recognize one as being of significance, it is already gone. One of the keys to successful sports photography is anticipating a decisive moment, recognizing that it is about to happen. This has more to do with you, as a student of the game, than with your camera settings. Know the sport. Decide ahead of time the kind of moment you want (a score, a collision, the joy of victory, dignity in defeat), watch for that moment, recognize when it is about to happen and press the shutter release.

Now, get out there and shoot.

Bill Ferris | January 2015

M, Is for Manual

This single exposure was shot at sunset from a vantage point below Desert View Watchtower on Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Angels Gate, an iconic formation in the canyon, stands in silhouette toward the upper right corner. (Bill Ferris)

If you’re up for having some fun with your new camera, rotate the program dial to the M setting. M, stands for Manual. In this setting, you get to choose the ISO, the aperture and the length of the exposure. I realize the thought of taking responsibility for these critical settings can be intimidating. But don’t let that stop you. Sometimes, it’s fun to be a little afraid or intimidated. And you know what, it’s actually pretty easy to take good photos in manual.

We’ll start by keeping the camera in Auto, framing a shot and taking an exposure. Next, review the image and note the three critical settings: ISO, aperture and length of exposure. Write down the numbers. As we’ve discussed, ISO is the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light. ISO settings typically range from a low end of 200 to a high end of 3200 or more. Pro camera bodies often have the ability to select an ISO as low as 100 and go to 25,000 or higher. Generally speaking, the lower the ISO, the more pleasing the final image will be. As ISO sensitivity increases, noise becomes more evident in the image. At very high ISO settings, the amount of noise or grain visible in the image is substantial.

Aperture is the diameter of the lens opening allowing light into the camera body and onto the sensor. In aperture mode, rather than selecting the size of this opening, you actually select the ratio of the focal length of the lens to the aperture. This is referred to as the focal ratio or f/ratio. If you are shooting with a 50 mm lens or with a zoom lens set to 50 mm, and if the aperture is set to f/9, you know the lens focal length is nine-times the diameter of the lens opening or aperture. If you do the math, the aperture should be about 5.6 mm. Suppose you select an aperture setting of f/4.5, the lens focal length would be four-and-a-half times the aperture. That works out to roughly 11 mm. So, as the focal ratio gets smaller, the aperture or lens opening gets larger.

Finally, the length of the exposure is the amount of time the shutter is left open allowing light to hit the exposed sensor. This is also referred to as shutter speed. If your goal is to freeze a moment in time, you’ll want a short exposure or fast shutter speed. With a fast shutter speed, moving people or objects will appear stationary–frozen in time–but as the shutter speed slows, moving objects and people look more blurry. Keep in mind that there are situations where you will want to use a long exposure to capture blurred movement. Flowing water is one such situation. We’ll talk more about that a little later.

Now that you’ve taken an exposure in Auto and noted the settings, turn the mode dial to manual (M). Use the camera controls to set ISO, aperture (f/stop) and shutter speed to the settings you noted. Frame the same shot you just took and take another exposure. Then, compare this with the first frame. They should look very similar, if not identical. If you’re shooting outside in natural sunlight, any differences between the two images will most likely be attributed to a change in lighting conditions.

Let’s talk about the adjustments you might make to improve the overall look of the shot. If the shot you’ve been taking is a general wide shot of the room you’re in, you probably want to capture a good depth of field. In other words, you’ll want the lamp in the foreground and the chair next to that far wall both to be in focus. For good depth of field, you’ll want to select an f/stop in the f/8 to f/10 or f/11 range. The relatively small aperture will ensure objects both near and far will be in focus.

Suppose you really like that lamp in the foreground and you’d like to isolate it in a portrait. One way to isolate a subject in a portrait is to use a fast f/stop to create a shallow depth of field. Rather than shooting at f/9, you’re going to rotate the command dial to select an f/stop as small (fast) as your lens is capable of producing. Hopefully, you can dial in at least an f/4.5 or f/4 setting. If you can go as fast as f/2.8 or smaller, do it.

So, in which direction did you rotate the command dial and how many clicks did it take to settle on your desired f/stop? If you increased the f/stop (closed the aperture) then you’ll need to compensate by adjusting either the ISO or shutter speed. Increasing ISO will compensate for a large (slow) f/stop by making the sensor more sensitive. A slower shutter speed will lengthen the exposure, allowing more light to pass through the restricted aperture to hit the sensor. if you adjust one or both of these settings in the proper direction by the same total number of clicks, you should be very close to compensating for the aperture change and creating a photograph that matches your expectations.

Which adjustment should you make? If you’re holding the camera by hand, you’ll want to use a shutter speed short enough to prevent any unsteadiness from creeping into the exposure. You can apply the reciprocal rule, in this scenario. The shutter speed should be no shorter than the reciprocal of the lens focal length. If you’re using a 100 mm focal length, you’ll want to shoot with a 1/100-second or faster shutter speed. The shorter the lens focal length, the longer your exposure can be when shooting handheld and still produce a sharp image.

The balance of the compensation can be made through changes to the ISO setting. Be aware that a significant increase in ISO to a setting of 1600 or higher stands a good chance of introducing unwanted noise or pixelation into the image. Of course, this is a situation where a tripod can be a godsend. If you’re able to mount the camera on a stable tripod, you can use shutter speed, alone, to compensate for a larger f/stop (smaller aperture) and still get very sharp images.

A silky water flow over Taliesin Dam at the Frank Lloyd Wright home in Taliesin, Wisconsin. (Bill Ferris)

As mentioned, there are times when you’ll want to give priority to the shutter speed over the aperture. For example, a slow shutter speed (long exposure time) can enhance a photograph of a waterfall by giving the water a silky smooth texture. In this scenario, you’ll want an exposure of several seconds or longer. You can compensate for this by selecting a slow f/stop (aperture setting) of f/9 or f/11. Also, choose the lowest ISO setting available on your camera. And you’ll definitely need a tripod to produce a steady, sharp image with such a long exposure. If the resulting image still looks overexposed, try adding a polarizing filter to the front of the lens to further cut down the amount of light entering the camera. If the image is still overexposed, come back during that golden hour just before sunset to capture the scene at a time when the light level is reduced.

These are just a couple of ways you can begin to experiment with shooting in manual to give yourself more complete control over the photographs you make. It may not be something that immediately produces great results for you. But with time, patience and experimentation, you’ll gain a better understanding of how changes to the primary camera settings affect the final image. Ultimately, this is a path to having more creative freedom with your camera, taking better pictures and having more fun.

So, get out and shoot!

Bill Ferris | August 2013

S, Is for Shutter Priority

A late summer afternoon glow fills Grand Canyon as seen from Yaki Point on the South Rim. Cedar Ridge and O’Neill Butte bask in the light in the foreground. (Bill Ferris)

When shooting landscapes, I will typically set my Nikon D90 to either Aperture priority or Manual. Aperture priority allows you to control the depth of field by selecting the aperture. The camera will choose an appropriate shutter speed to compliment the aperture setting. A setting of from f/8 to f/11 will typically produce an image with everything in focus, including the foreground, middle ground and background. It’s not a hard & fast rule but, as a general guideline, landscape images with crisp focus throughout can be very pleasing.

Manual mode also gives you, the photographer, control over the aperture setting, as well as control of ISO and shutter speed. When taking advantage of the dramatic, moody lighting at the end of the day, shooting in manual and experimenting with different setting combinations can produce a balance between the intensity of highlights (clouds & sky), and detail in the shadows (land) that pleases you. After all, if you don’t like the image, there’s no reason to expect anybody else will. But if you love the image, there’s a good chance others will enjoy it, too.

There are situations when you’ll want to force the shutter speed to either be very fast or very slow. At these times, shooting in Shutter Priority can lead to amazing results. One such situation is when photographing a landscape featuring flowing water. Water is an element with multiple personalities. On the one hand, a waterfall or churning river rapid can seem violent and dangerous. At the same time, watery landscapes have a beauty and a delicacy that is undeniable. Let’s talk about how to use shutter priority to capture the softer side of water.

At the bottom of Grand Canyon, the Colorado River flows past Tanner delta during evening twilight. (Bill Ferris)

This image of the Colorado River flowing through Grand Canyon National Park is a twilight scene that was captured about a half-hour after sunset. The Colorado has a well-earned reputation as a violent, dangerous river. Numerous rapids within Grand Canyon are so far beyond the most violent rapids you’ll find in other waterways that river runners have established a classification system just for the Colorado and other Western rivers.

In seeming contrast to that reputation, the Colorado River flows slow and quiet through much of Grand Canyon. The bend the river makes at Tanner delta illustrates the softer side of this great Western river. Photographing this scene, I wanted to capture this aspect of the Colorado River’s personality. To do that, I shot in shutter priority and selected an exposure time of 30-seconds. This allowed me to select a small aperture (f/9) to capture sharp focus throughout the image and to use an ISO of 200 to eliminate graininess from this twilight scene. That combination of long exposure and small aperture resulted in an image where the silky flowing river stands in stark contrast to the crisply focused inner canyon landscape.

It’s a ghostly, almost other worldly scene, and one that illustrates when to use shutter priority to capture a specific image. Give it try. Get out and Shoot!