The Zen of Photography - learn photography from A to Z for Free



This is Zen of Photography. In here, you will learn photography from A to Z because we cover everything from beginner courses to advanced ones. We start of from the basics of photography and learn how the camera works in general. From there we would make our way to more the fundamental concepts of shooting such as the exposure triangle and others more. Then, we cap off the whole series by discussing advanced concepts and giving you tips to shoot manually and independently.

I.Photography Basics:

Getting the basics right will give you a solid ground of fundamentals as you go along the way in photography. This section will include topics starting from the mechanics of the camera - how it works, what are its parts, and what are its specifications.

Next up, we dwell on the photos themselves like what formats are there and how do you utilize these settings. Lastly, the basics will also tackle lessons like the shooting modes, depth of field, and the white balance chart to finish your fundamentals.

Lesson one: How Does A Camera Work?

First things first, before we Dwelling deeper into photography we must have a solid foundation on the knowledge and the logic that surrounds it. With that, the first thing that we must learn is concerned with the very tool that we use: the camera. In this lesson, you will be learning about the two types of camera, film and digital, and how they work to produce the stunning images that we see today. Read more.

Lesson two: Shutters & Sensors

Dwelling deeper into the mechanism of the camera, the next two things that we will be learning are the shutter and the sensor. Shutters and sensors are your two main mechanisms responsible for producing an image. Shutters let in the light and manage how much of that comes in whereas the sensor is the one receiving the light and reads it. Read more.

Lesson three: Sensor Size Chart

For our third lesson, we will be talking about something that most people tend to disregard already due to the fast development of photography equipment. The sensor size chart is a necessary knowledge that can name the difference between a professional photographer and an amateur. The full frame sensor is commonly seen in high-end cameras such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV while the APS-C sensor may just be the one you are working with right now. Read more.

Lesson four: RAW vs. JPEG

Taking a little rest from the technicalities of the camera, the fourth lesson will put us in the crosshairs of the RAW versus JPEG debate. Knowing these two file formats is very critical in photography as they will determine the quality of the image you will be producing. RAW files are more untreated and uncompressed thus leaving you with more room for editing and tweaking whereas the JPEG files are its total opposites with a smaller file size, compressed data, and upload-ready quality. Read more. 

Lesson five: Shooting in RAW

We’ve already talked about file formats so it’s just right to dwell more on the specific format that most people recommend and that is RAW. RAW files are images with uncompressed and lossless data and because of this RAW files tend to be bulkier. However, these things also give you the power to post-process your photos with more flexibility and attention to detail. RAW is the format that most professionals use in order to produce images with superior quality. Read more. 

Lesson six: White Balance Chart

This lesson will dwell on one element that will largely influence the look of your image: white balance. The white balance chart is commonly composed of eight modes with one of them being a custom mode and another one being the auto white balance. The remaining six are daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten, white fluorescent, and flash. Each mode uses a different amount of light and balances out the temperature of an image accordingly. Read more. 

Lesson seven: Burst Mode

Dwelling into your camera preferences and settings, the burst mode or continuous shooting mode allows your camera to capture pictures in rapid succession. The burst mode is great for capturing scenes or subjects you can’t control such as in the case of sports photography. Using the burst mode can give you an edge in photography that’s why learning it is also important. Read more. 

Lesson eight: Scene Mode Chart

Scene modes can make your life as a photographer much more convenient. Different scene modes are meant to be used in different situations such as for portrait, landscape, night, sports, macro, and more. Although scene modes can be conveniently used, learning about how they adjust your camera is something you really need to know because it will set you up good for manual photography. Read more. 

Lesson nine: Depth of Field Explained

This lesson signifies the end of your basics but also the start of much more advanced lessons in the future. Manipulating the focus of your camera by setting up you aperture differently requires an understanding of how your camera works in that department and that is what this lesson will be talking about. Read more.

II. Understand Exposure

In order to proceed and advance in photography you have to learn the key concepts behind it. With that said, one of the things you need to master is light and its relationship with your camera - something that can defined through the study of exposure.

In this section you will be dealing with the factors and elements surrounding exposure to give you a better look at the light in photography. What you will be studying in this section are the irreplaceable things in photography such as you exposure triangle, metering, and reading the histogram.

Lesson one: What is Exposure?

In this lesson, we will elevate a bit from the basics of the previous section and dig deeper on concepts that will heavily affect our photos starting from exposure. Exposure is concerned with everything about light in photography. From the light hitting your subject to the light you are letting in your camera, your adjustments can really make or break your image. Read more.

Lesson two: What is Aperture?

One way to control the amount of light coming inside your camera is through the aperture. The aperture serves as your camera’s pupil that can be adjusted in order for your sensors to see better in darker or brighter situations. In this lesson, we will be critical concepts, such as the math behind aperture, in order to complete your knowledge on this topic. Read more.

Lesson three: Aperture Charts

In order to further understand the concept of aperture, you need to see the correspondence of the values with the size of the opening itself. With that said, the best way to see the relationship of the numbers with the aperture is by visualizing it. Visualizing the aperture is critical in understanding the concept of aperture and that can be done through the aperture chart. Read more.


Lesson four: What is Shutter Speed?

The next element in exposure that you need to study is the shutter speed. The shutter speed is responsible for managing the amount of light entering your camera by varying the time of exposure. In this lesson, you will be learning what the shutter speed is and how you can properly utilize it. Read more.

Lesson five: The Implications of Shutter Speed

As a form of continuation from the previous lesson, this next lesson will further dive deep into the concept of shutter speed. The different shutter speeds have different implications and applications to photography - both fundamentally and creatively. In this lesson, you will explore the proper way of using the shutter speed depending on what situation you are in. Read more.

Lesson six: What is ISO?

Another element that you have to learn about when talking about exposure is the ISO. The ISO is an element in exposure that has gone through a drastic change since cameras transitioned to the digital age. In this lesson, you will learn the principles behind the ISO, how it can affect your photos, and how you can use it to your advantage. Read more.

Lesson seven: What is the Exposure Triangle? 

The aperture, shutter speed, and ISO are important as individual elements but together they can achieve more. When you combine these three elements, you get what is called the exposure triangle which is perhaps the most important concept in the topic of exposure. In this lesson you will learn what exactly the exposure triangle is and how it affects your image. Read more.

Lesson eight: Visualizing the Exposure Triangle? 

To give you a better grasp of the exposure triangle, you have to learn how it actually works from the inside. The aperture, shutter speed, and the ISO may all affect the amount of light in your image but their effects do not stop there. The exposure triangle is also concerned with the secondary effects of these elements and that is what this lesson is all about. Read more.

Lesson nine: Using the Light Meter

рThe light meter is one of the most underrated tools that your camera has to offer when it comes to exposure. As the name suggests, the light meter measures the light your camera is seeing to give you a reading whether your image will be exposed or underexposed. In this lesson you will learn how to read the light meter and how to adjust in accordance with it. Read more.

Lesson ten: Spot vs Center-weighted vs Matrix metering

The light meter can average the light your camera is seeing through different means. These three types of metering are spot, center-weighted, and matrix. Each has its own advantage and that’s what this lesson is all about. Read more.

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