THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE

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whether the camera is in manual or automatic mode, whether your flash has recharged, etc. Take some time to explore your viewfinder. If you aren't certain what everything in it means, consult the user's manual for your camera or ask an experienced photographer. • ASA/ISO The first step of any photo assignment is to set the correct film speed. This will be listed on the film carton, or box, (and also on the canister, the metal container holding the film) as ASA or ISO. These two terms are used to describe the same thing: the film's sensitivity to light. In fact they often appear together, as ASA/ISO. ISO is becoming the more common term, however, so we'll be using it throughout this book. (Both "ASA" and "ISO" are the initials of organizations —the American Standards Association and the International Standards Organization —that establish scientific measurements.) The ISO indicator is generally built into the rewind knob, on the left side of the top of the camera. The ISO numbers are usually visible through a little window in the rewind knob. Each number is usually double the preceding number: 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, etc. Dots between the numbers indicate settings in between these numbers. So, for example, ISO 125 is one dot above ISO 100. You must remember to change the ISO setting every time you use a different kind of film. If you are using any automatic exposure system, your camera will base its decisions on the ISO setting you've selected. If it's wrong, all your photos will be incorrectly exposed. The same holds true for the camera's internal light meter. If you're setting the shutter speed or aperture according to the meter, your exposures will only be correct if the ISO setting is correct. Even if you're doing everything manually, the ISO setting is an important reminder of what kind of film you're using. To change the ISO setting, you generally turn a knob that moves the numbers through the indicator window. You may first need to press a button, lift the knob or otherwise release a lock designed to prevent you from changing the setting accidentally. On many modern cameras, you'll change the ISO by pressing a button until the right number comes up in a display panel. Some cameras will set the ISO for you automatically, reading the proper setting from a code on the film canister. (Film that has been coded for this purpose is labeled "DX.") Locate the ISO indicator on your camera. Adjust the setting to see how low and high it goes. Professional cameras will provide ISO settings as low as 6 and as high as 6400. Many popular models have a range of 12 to 3200. Don't worry if yours doesn't go as high or as low as that. Most films fall between ISO 25 and 1200. Once you've checked out the limits of your camera's ISO indicator, set it to ISO 125. This is the speed for Kodak's Plus-X film, which you will be using in your first assignment. • Shutter-Speed Control The shutter-speed control is almost always on the top right of the camera. It determines how long the shutter will remain open for each photograph. It is simply a timer. When you press the shutter release, the shutter opens, light enters through the lens, and the timer begins counting. When the shutter has been open for the amount of time you have selected, it closes again. The numbers on the shutter-speed control indicate fractions of a second (60 = 1760 of a second, and so on), so the timer has to count very quickly. The most commonly used shutter speeds are probably 60 and 125. Both are fast enough to stop most action with a 50mm lens, while allowing for a fairly small aperture in most lighting conditions. Notice that 125 (or 1/125 of a second) is almost exactly twice as fast as 60 (or 1/60 of a second). The next speed above 125 is 250— twice as fast again. Depending on your camera, the highest speed may be 1000 or even higher, fast enough to "freeze" a bird in flight or a race car at the Indy 500. Moving down from 60, the next speed is 30. Again depending on your camera, the shutter speeds may go as low as 1, for 1 second. Some cameras provide even longer automatically timed exposures, even as long as a minute or more. The last indicator on the shutterspeed control should be a "B." This
stands for "bulb." In the early days of photography, the shutter was released by squeezing a rubber bulb, and it stayed open as long as the bulb was squeezed. The photographer had to decide when enough light had entered the camera, and then let go of the bulb to close the shutter. Since film was very slow in those days, that wasn't as hard as it sounds. Today, although everything about the cameras we use is far more complex, this term remains the same. The "B" simply means that the shutter will remain open as long as the release is held down. This is useful for very long exposures, primarily at night. To use the "B" setting, you will almost certainly need to use a tripod and a cable release, which (like the old-fashioned bulbs) is used to avoid shaking the camera. • Shutter Release Next to the shutter-speed control (top right of the camera) you should find the shutter release. It is simply a button which, when pressed, triggers the shutter mechanism. (Note: On some cameras, the shutter release is pressed part-way down to measure the light or "freeze" the aperture setting.) • Film Advance Lever The film-advance lever (or winder) is generally located directly behind the shutter release, making it easy to click-and-wind quickly. Try turning the winder (counterclockwise). If it doesn't move more than an inch, press the shutter release. You should hear a sharp click. Then try the winder again. It should swing easily out to the side of the camera and snap back into place when you let go of it. If you had film in the camera, you would have just taken a photograph and advanced the film to the next frame. • Rewind Release As you wind film through the camera, it travels from its canister (on the left) to the "take-up reel" below the advance lever (on the right). When you reach the end of a roll, the lever will jam. You will no longer be able to turn it easily. The next step is to rewind the film back into the canister. Before you can do that, you'll need to release the lock that keeps the film from slipping backwards by accident. Remove the camera from its case and look on the bottom of the camera body. You should find a small button directly below the film advance lever. Pressing this button will release the lock, so you can rewind the film. (Until there is film in the camera, however, it won't have any effect, so don't bother testing it yet.) • Rewinder Once you've released the film lock, you'll need to crank the film back into its canister, using the rewind knob on the left side of the camera's top. Generally, a small crank is lifted out of the rewind knob for this purpose. There should be an arrow indicating that the crank turns clockwise, in case you get confused. As you rewind the film, it is a good idea to keep your finger on the rewind release button so it doesn't lock again and tear the film's sprocket holes. • Battery Compartment Another important component is generally located on the bottom of the camera: the battery compartment. If yours is there, it will probably have a round metal cover with a slit in it. To open the compartment, you place the edge of a coin (a penny works well) into the slit and turn it counter-clockwise. When the cover is removed, a small packet with one or two coin-shaped batteries should slide out. These batteries are very sensitive and may not work if you get dust or fingerprints on them. So treat them carefully. Fortunately, your batteries rarely need changing. If you found a round metal cover with a slit in it, but did not find any batteries under it, then you've probably just discovered your camera's motor-drive connector. This is a gear that connects a separate motor-drive unit to your camera's film advance mechanism. (To learn more about Tools 43
Page 1: REVISED EDITION THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EY
Page 4 and 5: Student photograph by Gregory Conra
Page 6 and 7: Part 3 People, Places & Things: Exe
Page 8 and 9: part 1 Getting Started Student phot
Page 10 and 11: chapter 1 S urprisingly few new art
Page 12 and 13: light, producing a positive image o
Page 14 and 15: Mathew Brady, Magazine in Battery R
Page 16 and 17: Peter Henry Emerson, Gunner Working
Page 18 and 19: Alfred Stieglitz, The 'Flat Iron',
Page 20 and 21: chestra. His first photographic job
Page 22 and 23: 1959 Development of first zoom lens
Page 24 and 25: Minor White, Moon and Wall Encrusta
Page 26 and 27: Fortunately, however, commercial ph
Page 28 and 29: 1904-71 Margaret Bourke-White, Airs
Page 30 and 31: Variations Mixed in with these gene
Page 32 and 33: Student photograph. 34 The Photogra
Page 34 and 35: violin money can buy, but a blues s
Page 36 and 37: Each kind of lens has its own chara
Page 38 and 39: Additional Tools Once you've select
Page 42 and 43: motor-drives, see Appendix 4.) In t
Page 44 and 45: • Film-Advance Sprocket Just to t
Page 46 and 47: EXERCISE Testing the Shutter & Aper
Page 48 and 49: Is a plastic hose interesting? It i
Page 50 and 51: Attention to detail is the primary
Page 52 and 53: 54 The Photographic Eye Weighting t
Page 54 and 55: still seem to be interestingly dist
Page 56 and 57: FOCAL POINT: Composition Tips As yo
Page 58 and 59: An unusual kind of balance is produ
Page 60 and 61: Two kinds of dynamics are at work i
Page 62 and 63: EXERCISE Mat Frame Turn to the back
Page 64 and 65: Student photograph by Jay Le Claire
Page 66 and 67: produced. Skill is the key ingredie
Page 68 and 69: Another "rule breaker"—this time
Page 70 and 71: Placing everything in sharp focus h
Page 72 and 73: focused. Use a focusing aid (see Ap
Page 74 and 75: EXERCISE Sample Crit Describe the d
Page 76 and 77: The value of this photograph is res
Page 78 and 79: How would you evaluate this photogr
Page 80 and 81: Used correctly, the "point of depar
Page 82 and 83: Student photograph by Linda Raymond
Page 84 and 85: There are three basic line effects
Page 86 and 87: How many basic line effects are in
Page 88 and 89: Notice the soft-focus lines behind
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EXERCISE Pattern Your assignment is
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Can you distinguish line from textu
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Student photograph by Man- McCoy. 9
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photograph, your attention may also
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EXERCISE Leaves Your next assignmen
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A series of similar curves, an inte
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In this high-contrast print, shape
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106 The Photographic Eye
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As with line and texture, a photogr
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EXERCISE Circles & Ovals Use at lea
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Student photograph by Bruce Cakebre
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Bright sunlight is best suited to c
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An unlighted subject against a ligh
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Low-light tends to be very somber,
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FOCAL POINT: Light Meters If your c
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couch. The average light in the sce
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promote rhythm. Alternating bands o
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long, or "wide," depth of field, th
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A skillfully handled blurred motion
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A fast shutter speed (or flash) wil
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Panning will at least slow down a m
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EXERCISE - Blurred Movement Assignm
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Converging lines and an appropriate
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For now, let's stick with the liter
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feet, making distant objects appear
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you'll have many focal lengths to c
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Student photograph by Russell Wells
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EXERCISE Point of View Assignment:
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part 3 People, Places & Things: Exe
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chapter 12 Things y now, you should
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1886-1958 Edward Weston, Pepper, 19
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Student photograph by Charles Stuar
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Student photograph by Han June Bae.
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Student photograph by William Roche
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Student photograph by Lynne Mattiel
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,- Student photograph by Lynne Matt
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EXERCISE Old Things Assignment: Pho
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chapter 13 Places s you progress fr
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1902-1984 Places 169
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Student photograph by Al Webb. Stud
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Student photograph by Mark Crew. St
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Student photograph by Gerald Allen
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The placement of the cat, combined
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EXERCISE Construction Sites Assignm
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chapter 14 People oving from photog
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is especially useful on location, i
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People 185
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EXERCISE Elders Assignment: Do a se
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Student photograph. Student photogr
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EXERCISE Side-Lit Portrait Assignme
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Student photograph by Michael Cothr
Page 192 and 193:
EXERCISE Mood Portrait Assignment:
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chapter 15 Putting It All Together
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1908- During World War II he served
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Student photograph by Amy Walsh. Pu
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EXERCISE Rain Assignment: Do a seri
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Student photograph by Vinnie Rodzie
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Student photograph by Karen Demuth.
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chapter 16 Breaking the Rules hroug
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Diane Arbus, Identical Twins, 1966.
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Student photograph by John Dean. St
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Student photograph by Dave Hornback
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Student photograph by Lynne Mattiel
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As this photograph demonstrates, gr
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EXERCISE Photo-Copy Photos Assignme
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Variations: Shoot a sequence at dif
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In this example, an excerpt from a
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appendix 1 Processing PROCESSING FI
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perience. Start by loading your pra
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influences, such as incorrect expos
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The enlarge: can be raised or lower
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6. Place the negative file over the
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The easiest way to identify the emu
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that amount of time. Then cover the
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camera or are being careless during
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appendix 2 Color t's a good idea to
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Complicated Imagery The first thing
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of white mat board) or flash fill (
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TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS In additio
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more important consideration: cropp
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appendix 3 Manipulation & Presentat
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5. Use an 8" strip of masking tape
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7. Expose 2 more 2x3" sheets. 8. De
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just called opaque), a sticky red g
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Student photograph by Ray Shaw. 4.
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Retouching Even if you are extraord
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appendix 4 Advanced Techniques TOOL
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image area. Special effects filters
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amount of control over everyday lig
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and some black dots in the white ar
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Mat frame. Trace this frame, cut it
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The Museum of Modern Art (of New Yo
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Glossary Aperture Ring The ring on
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Index Adams, Ansel, 23, 152, 168, 1
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fixed lens, 36 fixer, 228-229, 231,
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ain (exercise), 203 range of light,
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Acknowledgments The authors wish to
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ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS The following is
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Copyright 1445 Da\ is Publications.
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Introduction TECHNIQUE vs. CREATIVE
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port 1 Teaching with The Photograph
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Similarly, a teacher who has darkro
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work of your students in a rotating
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a wealth of old photographs of inte
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PREPARING THE CLASSROOM slide show
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A well-equipped (and carefully desi
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Film drying closet rows, creating a
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2. One full array of developing tra
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part 2 Planning the Course Naturall
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Crit sessions offer an opportunity
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STUDENT PORTFOLIO Our recommended g
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RESEARCH PROJECTS You may want to m
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• the moral and ethical implicati
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TEXT PAGE p. 100, 101 p.l 10, 111 p
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RETEACHING OPTIONS AND PRODUCTIVE P
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far enough away from each other to
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Chemicals A student examines a newl
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Photo Processes to be Avoided in th
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WEEK? WEEKS WEEK 9 44 Topic: Light
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WEEK 3 46 Goal: Begin taking and pr
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WEEK 21 WEEK 22 WEEK 23 48 Topic: P
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ADDITIONAL SOURCES Films 50 Write t
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Books Davis, Phil. Photography. Dub
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54 lines. A reasonable amount of le
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Photograph Evaluation Name Assignme
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Early Photography — Reading Works
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Early Photography — Reading Works
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Early Photography — Photography R
Page 347 and 348:
Quiz for Chapter 2 — Tools 9. Wha
Page 349 and 350:
Quiz for Chapter 2 — Tools — An
Page 351 and 352:
Film Developing — Photography 8.
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70 Contents Chapter 1: From Blurs t
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72 Contents Chapter 12: Things Chap
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