Lens Revolution: Understanding ISO

Thursday, April 02, 2015

Samantha's Lens Revolution is a chance for me to challenge myself and to learn more about what makes for a great photo.  


When I found out that this week's challenge would involve ISO, I decided to take my gear outside! I chose a shady spot where the early morning sun was coming over my shoulder from behind me. I used my Canon Rebel XTi, a 50mm lens, and my brother's tripod. 

In each shot, the aperture was 1.8 and the shutter speed was 1/1000*, the only thing I changed was the ISO.

 

ISO 100


ISO 200


ISO 400


ISO 800


ISO 1600 

When I first got my DLSR, ISO was the first thing I learned about. It is the element of photography that I have the deepest understanding of. Basically, the more light that is available the better. The better the lighting, the lower the ISO and the cripser your image is going to be. If the light is poor, you're going to need to have a higher ISO.

The toughest part about this week's assignemnt was NOT messing with the shutter speed! I've gotten used to shooting in all kinds of light conditions. The secret to creating good photos is choosing the right ISO and then complementing it with the best shutter speed. I mess with the shutter speed without even thinking about it. *It turns out, the shots with an ISO of 800 and 1600 actually have a shutter speed of 1/4000. Oops!  


And this guy gets to make an appearance because he really wanted to be in the pictures! He followed me all around the yard while I was wandering around deciding what I should shoot.


Which of these pictures do you like the most?

Have you ever taken part in a photography class or challenge?

What element of photography comes easiest for you?
 




The Lens Revolution at Through * For * By:

Week One: Understanding Aperture and Shutter Speed



Be sure to check out Samantha's blog for next week's assignment!

3 comments:

  1. Ah! I love that you did your pictures outside! So fun! Oh man, it was tricky to stick with the same aperture and shutter, but I hope it was a good challenge! :) Love that photo of your cat too! :)

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  2. wow that shot is awesome! I've always wanted to get better at manual mode and understanding it all clearly. I did a photography course almost 13 years ago now and i've completely forgotten everything. so you are inspiring me to get in and learn it all again!!!

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  3. These are such great shots!! What a fun challenge :-) I've been wanting to get a 50mm lens. I love how well it can blur out the background!

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