Have You Mentored A New CCB Member Lately?

by Gordie Elwell

New photographers are often bewildered by all the technical buzzwords and other jargon in the photography field. Such baffling terms as “stops of light” (or exposure), “depth of field, “image noise,” and similar terms just serve to confuse many folks, and let’s face it, deflect or deter otherwise interested individuals from joining in the fun.

They may LOVE the images but are completely turned off by what appears to be the overwhelming challenges of learning the trade. Ironically, in the new digital age, and even more in the mirrorless age, photography that should be easier can often be even more challenging than the old film days.

Anyone besides me remember the “sunny – 16” rule? How about “flash film, daylight film, or indoor film?” How about “point and shoot?”

All of these terms and anecdotes from the past have the same things in common… the photographer simply wants to capture the scene in front of his eyes in a way that can be easily remembered and shared with others. One of the very best analogies for helping folks understand the many challenges is the “Exposure Triangle.” This relatively simple term and concept can go a long way to help get folks “on their way” to becoming an accomplished photographer. This “Exposure Triangle” concept, however, is just the beginning.

Understanding the how’s and why’s of capturing light (and therefore an image) is fundamental, but the real progress takes place when our intrepid new photographers apply their newfound understanding but get frustrated with their results. Their images(though in general adequately exposed) just don’t convey what they think their eyes were seeing at the time.

This is where we at CCB come in. Everyone needs to chime in and help our budding new photographers get past the basic challenges of exposure and help them turn their snapshots into true photographs. Such concepts as composition, balanced subjects, leading lines, color temperature, golden hour, optimal cropping, and more will help get these folks on their way!

A couple of great resources on the web for basic exposure are CaptureTheAtlas.com and PhotographyLife.com, both great resources for basic Exposure Triangle understanding.