All seats were taken for Gary Early’s presentation on back to basics in using a digital SLR camera.

Gary is keen to encourage photographers in their learning and understanding of their digital cameras, and the computer software they use to enable them to make the absolute most of their digital images. This involves good practice not only when taking images, but in preparing the camera before taking images, and getting into a regular routine when downloading, sorting, and storing images.

Referring quickly back to computer software, in addition to any evening’s presentation, Gary is always generous in his knowledge of computer software, and makes a point of stating what is currently available and letting everyone know about packages he has recently purchased and provides regular reviews about them.

As is usually the case during Gary’s sessions, he packs in so much, takes time to listen to members’ questions and to explain things as fully as possible, invariably the evening has disappeared and there’s still more he would have liked to have gone through.

It would take too much space to write here all the details of the evening, but to give you an idea, below are just a few of the things covered:

Advantages of Using a Digital SLR Camera

For example: super-fast autofocus helps to determine the best possible exposure indoors or outdoors, the camera offers total exposure control, it has a complete choice of multiple lenses … various flash controls, total control over shutter aperture … and there was much more!

Gary explained that the type of camera you use or need, depends entirely on the type and quality of images you want or need to take. All digital cameras have many functions but as you move up the price ladder, the flexibility of the camera’s functions, and therefore the quality of images produced, improves vastly. For example: higher quality ISO settings, faster and more accurate focusing, faster frame rate and write speed.

Things to Consider When Setting Up Your DSLR Camera

Gary listed, and then proceeded to explain the importance and uses of: colour space, colour mode, tone compensation, image sharpening, auto exposure lock, time and date.

Things to Consider When Setting Up Your DSLR Camera for a Camera Shoot

Again, Gary listed a whole host of items that we should consider before using the camera for a shoot including: ISO, white balance, image quality and size, shooting mode, focus mode, exposure mode, focus area … and there was much, much more!! In fact, he did say that preparing a camera checklist would probably be a good idea and to check the settings on your camera often. Other things to consider: card formatting and – basic but very important – checking the battery! He also added that all of the information he was sharing with us could be found in the camera’s manual, and the reaction was interesting when he asked how many of us had actually read the manual! The full functions and uses of each camera mode Gary itemised were covered in detail, and a few members commented that they wish they had brought their cameras with them so that they could go through the functions as Gary explained each one.

Gary’s explanations of each function and mode on the DSLR were clear and concise, and additional information he gave regarding using RAW or JPEGs, file compression, creating lighting systems – and so much more, were very useful. For me, I found his tip on using fill-in flash in bright daylight particularly helpful, and I think everyone went away with things to think about and to put into practice.

Gary’s aim was to try and get us to think about the functions on the camera, in relation to what we want to achieve when taking photographs, and to do that we all need to know our cameras and how to use them most effectively.