EXPOSURE, SHARPNESS AND DEPTH-OF-FIELD ARE THE IMPORTANT TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS.

COMPOSITION/DESIGN IS THE IMPORTANT AESTHETIC CONSIDERATION.

EXPOSURE: Your camera will choose a middle tone exposure (18% gray). You must use exposure compensation if that middle tone exposure will not give the best exposure result. Practice and learn how your camera sees tones. Use exposure compensation and bracket widely until you become familiar with this.

When compensating remember "opening up" adds more light. "Closing down" subtracts light.

Add or subtract light by choosing a larger or smaller aperture (lens opening) or by choosing a slower or faster shutter speed.

The aperture selected also controls "depth-of-field". I prefer the aperture priority shooting mode for most of my photography to control "depth-of-field". In aperture priority shooting mode the exposure compensation dial will change only the shutter speed.

SHARPNESS & DEPTH-OF-FIELD: Use a sturdy tripod and cable release. The range of sharp focus will occur one-third in front of the focus point and two-thirds in back.

The largest aperture results in a "shallow" depth-of-field. The smallest (usually f22) provides the deepest depth-of-field. Practice shooting scenes at the widest and the smallest lens openings to learn how this affects your photographs.

COMPOSITION/DESIGN: Clean, simple compositions with good visual balance work best!

Simplify, simplify, simplify. Eliminate what does not make your composition better. Do this by filling the frame with your subject while leaving a comfortable space around it.

When composing remember that the viewer's eye goes to the brightest spot first, and then to the area in sharpest focus. If this is not what you want find another angle and re-compose. If you include a bright spot in your composition make sure that it plays an important role in the photo and is not a distraction.

A large lens opening can blur the background and eliminate distractions.

The sky is not your friend! Unless the sky is your subject or is strongly supporting your composition, eliminate or minimize it. It is often the brightest part of the photograph and can command too much attention.

Watch the edges of your viewfinder. Most viewfinders show only about 90% of the scene. Distractions at the edge of the frame are the worst kind. Practice to learn the full reach of your lens. Practice to reach your full potential.

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