Photo Class - Episode 2!

This week, photo class on Amy's blog focused on light and how to manipulate the settings on the camera to achieve the ideal lighting to make a great picture.  While ISO, aperture and shutter speed can be manipulated to get some incredible effects, the focus this time was to adjust the settings to compose a balanced picture.

I've been too chicken to shoot completely manually, (I'm afraid of missing moments that I could have captured because of goofed up settings), so I've been shooting either in aperture priority (Av) or shutter priority (Tv).  I've been trying to pay attention to what the settings adjust to when I change the aperture or the shutter speed.  I definitely think this will help me on those, (hopefully more frequent), instances when I shoot fully manual.

Anyway, here are a few shots that are straight out of the camera that really exhibit good lighting, (in my humble, non-photographer's opinion).  Enjoy!

Focal Length: 50mm
Shutter Speed: 1/160
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 400
Mode: Av

Focal Length: 50mm
Shutter Speed: 1/40
Aperture: f/2.5
ISO: 200
Mode: Av

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi
Focal Length: 35mm
Shutter Speed: 1/80
Aperture: f/2.5
ISO: 400
Mode: Av

None of these pictures are perfect compositions, but in each, the lighting adds an element of interest.  The first two really highlight the kids' eyes which immediately makes them the focal point in the pictures.  (Which is a good thing, especially in the second picture because then you probably don't notice the random apple hunk trying to attack my kid's face right away...  this picture could really benefit from a good crop).  The third picture isn't focused quite as sharply as I would have liked, but I like the way the soft lighting captures the deep colors in my niece's (unusually serious) face. 

Anyway, that's my humble contribution to this week's class. :)