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Hello, .

One of the things we do during week one of the Introduction To Photography class involves studying and practicing effective camera operation and changing tonality with exposure and ISO in one-stop increments. 

We do this in preparation for week two, where we work entirely in manual exposure mode and learn to meter. We cover how aperture controls depth of field and shutter speed controls our ability to record motion as blurred or not blurred. (I prefer saying "static" when describing recording motion as not blurred.). 

When we learn to meter, we discover a technique and acquire a skill essential to getting more involved in our work. 

For example, I want to control the depth of field. In that case, I'll pick whatever aperture I feel is appropriate to get the desired outcome and meter to achieve a standard tonality using shutter speed and ISO only. 

By doing that, I've made my aperture a "priority" in manual exposure mode. 

We would do the same thing if we wanted to make the shutter speed our "priority."

The same would hold if we wanted to prioritize ISO.

We also learn a technique I describe as equivalent or equal tonalities. 

This technique allows us to juggle our settings while maintaining our preferred tone. We do this to avoid metering again and work more efficiently.  

Why would we want to juggle our settings? We can move from a faster shutter speed to a slower one to achieve more blur from moving things in our picture or to achieve a shallower or deeper depth of field by changing the aperture. We then adjust the other settings to compensate for our increase or decrease in tonality. Hence, it equals the tonality from where we started. 

The problem with metering again is we may meter off a different light intensity than we initially did. If we do that, then we're not controlling tonality for the thing we want to control tonality for. 

Working in manual exposure mode gives us compositional control that is impossible in any other exposure mode.

We learn to use the camera as a visual communication tool, much like a writer would use a pen.  

A writer uses words and a pen. We use light and a camera. 

Observing light comes naturally to us; using the camera as an effective communication tool requires some work. 

I've been posting online video tutorials related to my Introduction to Photography class to my online learning platform for photographers. 

The video tutorials are an excellent way to reinforce your studies and practice if you're taking, or have taken, the Introduction to Photography class or are practical on their own. You can even ask me questions via the platform. 

As the photographer I worked with yesterday mentioned, places like YouTube aren't reliable ways to learn photography. You'll find my video tutorials only on my platform. They're the next best thing to being in an in-person class with me, and monthly access to the platform will cost you less than you're paying for a weekly coffee habit. 

The Introduction To Photography classes scheduled for March are now open for registration. Other scheduled group classes are below.

Smaller classes mean better learning, so no more than five participants and me are in each class. 

But smaller classes also mean spots fill up quicker. 

And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture daily. 

That's all for now; thanks for reading! 
Sam

I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me. 

And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? If that's the case, let's schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online private instruction that covers the same things as my group classes. 

Ways to work with me are listed below.