Facts About Modern Photography - Learn More Here

Once the birth of the camera arrived and the popularity of photography exploded, the only thing that could follow was mass production of cameras as well as the wide distribution of pictures. As a result of photography, it has changed history, art, memories and the in which we view the world.

This also affected well known public figures and this caused their privacy to vanish. They were constantly being photographed. Having a photograph with clear evidence that a certain event has taken place would cause things to go unchallenged.

The Art Form-

It was not accepted in the early years. The art form was criticized and challenged by many of those that opposed it being considered an art form. Photography was considered a hobby or craft and was looked at as an insult when one considered it an art.

Photography is finally accepted-

Once art schools and galleries as well as museums finally started to come around and embrace it as an art, the impact grew wildly and the end result is what we have today in the world of photography.

During the mid 1960's photography was accepted as a visual art and photographers started creating mediums of interest that were different from the more traditional norms that were first used within the art form.

Photography has been combined with other forms of expression such as multi-media and other forms of imaging.

Practical Photography-

Photography has been used for many practical situations. Photography is often time used in medicine, real estate development, military planning as well as business and media.

One area that has benefited from photography the most is science. If you think in terms of aerial maps, meteorology and geology, you'll notice they all use photography to advance the research and fact finding process.

Digital Photography-

With the invention of digital photography and the use of software, images can be changed and appear to be more or less than what they are.

As a result of digital photography being created, this caused a change in the way in which many photography techniques are used.

Photography is more than 100 years old and this is one art form continues to innovate and create new and improved technology and methods. You'd think we were on the tail end of the art form but the art continues to grow and develop and it does not appear to being slowing down anytime soon.

If you'd like to keep up with the latest developments in photography, I'd suggest you subscribe to a few of the leading magazines as well as follow a few of the cutting edge blogs.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.

Facts About The Birth Of Photography

The title of photography was derived from two Greek words- "photos" and "graphein". This item was first used by the scientist John Herschel. Photography is essentially the process of using light, radiation in addition to sensitive materials.

The birth of the first image-

It has been stated that around, the early 1800's that Joseph Semaphore was able to create the first image by working for at least 8 hours on its development. A fellow citizen of the same homeland as Semaphore, Louis Daguerre was able to come up with a way to lower the exposure time to as little as 30 minutes.

The Daguerreotype-

Daguerre was the first to create the best and most useful methods for developing pictures. Louis was born near Paris. Prior to photography, he was a painter of sorts. He came up with his process and methods after experimenting with light and the way in which it effected images.

In the process of doing so, he developed a more efficient way of developing photos. After he created his methods, he wrote a book about the process and his discovery. After further discoveries in the early stages, the Pinhole camera as well as the flash bulb were created.

The arrival of instant photos-

Edwin Land created what is known as the Polaroid camera. As a result of his awesome work, we were able to take photos and get them instantly. This completely eliminated the time it took for the image to be exposed.

Digital Photography-

as we moved into the 90's the most exciting form of photography was born. Digital photography has had more impact on modern photography than anything. As a result of digital cameras, anyone can enjoy the fun that comes along with photography. You no longer needed to go you your local film processor or buy film. You also no longer needed expensive cameras that were on the market place.

Digital cameras are easy to use. They consist of advanced technology, but they are made to be user friendly so even the technically challenged can have fun using them.These are just a few facts about the birth of photography.

If you learn these facts and others, you'll have a great appreciation for photography as an art and science. When you're pursuing your photography ambitions be sure to think about all of the work that was applied to creating this wonderful art that we can enjoy today. Consider adding as much to the art form as possible that way the next generations can experience what we've been able to experience.

To learn more visit your local library and borrow a few books about the history of photography.

About The Author

Keith S. Black has many different photography methods. He is a successful photographer and makes a full time living as a photographer. To find out about one of the best cameras to use for your photography you can visit: http://reviewdslrcameras.com/nikon-reviews/ to read one of Keith's Nikon Reviews and get more information.

Your SLR Camera's Automatic Diaphragm - The Facts You Need to Know

Many new photographers assume that  the term automatic diaphragm refers to the automatic aperture adjustment offered by their dSLR.

In fact, the term auto diaphragm has nothing to do with automatic exposure. An automatic aperture is designed to remain at its maximum opening for focusing and composing, no matter which f/stop is selected.   The lens only stops down to the desired aperture at the moment the shutter fires.

 

If you have ever used a camera with a manual  diaphragm, you will understand why this is so important. A fully automatic  diaphragm is a delight to use,  particularly  in dim light or when the lens is stopped down to maximize depth of field.

 

The term diaphragm is used to describe the system of blades that create the adjustable aperture. Many photographers use the terms aperture and  diaphragm  interchangeably. They are closely related, but the aperture is actual lens opening, while diaphragm is the collection of  components  that comprise the aperture assembly.

 

Turning the clock back to the early days of photography, you will find that early optics did not have adjustable apertures -- at least not the adjustable openings you and I are used to. When the first adjustable diaphragms appeared, they allowed the photographer to change the lens opening to allow more or less light through the lens. The diaphragm contained a number of preset openings, which became known as f/stops or f/numbers. Smaller f/numbers actually indicate larger lens openings, while the smallest lens openings are represented with higher numerical f/stops. This system continues more or less today.

 

The thing that sets modern lenses apart from the older  adjustable  aperture lenses is that the older units use a  completely  manual  diaphragm. As you change the lens opening from say f/4 to f/11, the amount of light passing through the lens is  reduced  accordingly. That regulates the exposure properly, but it causes problems for focusing and composing. A SLR is designed to show you exactly what the lens sees. If you reduce the lens opening in a manual diaphragm lens, the image in the view finder becomes dimmer. In low light conditions it may be impossible to see anything through the viewfinder. Even in bright sunlight, a lens stopped down to f/22 or smaller is  difficult  to see through.  

 

Camera designers solved this problem by creating an automatic  diaphragm. This design has been more or less standard on SLR cameras for the last fifty years. With an auto diaphragm, the aperture remains wide open, no matter which lens opening is selected. You may select an f/stop of f/16, but the lens will remain  opened  to it's maximum  aperture at all times. This provides the  brightest  possible image in the viewfinder.  

 

When you actually fire the shutter, a  mechanical  or electrical devise rapidly stops the lens down to the chosen aperture, creating the proper exposure. You don't see this happening, because at the same time the camera is stopping down the lens, the viewing mirror is swinging up. As the mirror moves up to allow light to reach the sensor, the viewfinder turns black for an instant. It is during that time that the auto  diaphragm  goes to work and stops the lens down. As soon as the exposure is made, the  diaphragm  springs wide open again, presenting you with a bright viewfinder when the mirror returns.

 

Of course if the selected f/stop  corresponds  to the lens maximum aperture, nothing happens; the lens cannot be stopped down, so it  simply  remains wide open.  

 

Is this just some interesting photography trivia? Not at all. Even though all of your current lenses probably contain an automatic diaphragm, there are several reasons you should  familiarize  yourself with how a manual diaphragm works.  

 

1: Many teleconverters and lens mount adapters do not offer an automatic diaphragm. Thus when you use these adapters, your modern new dSLR reverts to a manual  diaphragm  camera.

 

2: There are numerous manual aperture lenses still on the market. Some of these are new, special purpose lenses, while others are older (but still  usable) optics. You need to understand just what using a manual diaphragm entails before investing in one.

 

3: Many new dSLR's lack a proper depth of field preview option. When you stop a lens down, DOF grows wider, while opening the aperture up causes  DOF to appear shallower. Since an automatic  diaphragm  lens is always wide open, you cannot see  DOF in the viewfinder. Even if you have a lens that will stop down to f/32, you won't see the effect in the viewfinder unless your camera allows you to switch to a manual  diaphragm  preview  mode.  

 

4: If you understand about how an automatic  diaphragm  works, you will understand why a DOF preview is worth having. This could influence your future camera buying decisions.

 

The automatic diaphragm, although it has been around for decades, is just as important to modern SLR  cameras as auto focus, auto exposure and image stabilization. Understanding how it works and why it is needed is crucial to getting the most out of your dLSR.

Visit the basic photography area at Alphatracks.com to see photos and information detailing how the auto diaphragm operates.

Tom Bonner is the author of the Sony Alpha DSLR -A300/A350 Digital Field Guide, published by Wiley Publishing. A photographer for more than three decades, he offers photography and web design services to clients in the Charlotte, NC area.