Anatomy of the Gear
Camera Types
A mirrorless camera and a DSLR are different solutions to the same problem: focusing light onto a sensor. DSLRs use a mirror to bounce light into an optical viewfinder; mirrorless cameras remove the mirror entirely. Full-frame sensors (36×24mm) gather more light and produce shallower depth of field. APS-C crop sensors multiply effective focal length by 1.5×. Micro Four Thirds are smallest, trading some low-light performance for portability.
Lenses — The True Investment
Lenses outlast camera bodies and determine image character more than any other component. Wide-angle (14–35mm) exaggerates depth; standard 50mm approximates human perspective; telephoto (85–200mm+) compresses distance and flatters portraits. Prime lenses offer wider maximum apertures (f/1.4–f/1.8) for better low light and bokeh. Zooms offer convenience at the cost of maximum aperture.
RAW vs JPEG
JPEG is compressed: contrast, colour, and sharpening are baked in irreversibly by the camera. RAW is the raw sensor data — every photon captured, unprocessed. RAW files give you the ability to recover blown highlights, pull shadow detail, and grade colour precisely. Shoot RAW. Always.
The Exposure Triangle
Aperture
The aperture controls how much light enters and determines depth of field. Small f-numbers (f/1.8) = large opening = more light = shallow DOF (blurry backgrounds). Large f-numbers (f/11) = small opening = less light = deep DOF (landscapes). Each stop halves or doubles the light.
Shutter Speed
Fast shutters (1/1000s) freeze motion. Slow shutters (1/4s–30s) blur motion. The reciprocal rule for handheld: minimum shutter speed = 1/(focal length). At 50mm, minimum 1/50s. Image stabilisation extends this by 3–4 stops.
ISO
ISO amplifies the sensor signal. ISO 100 = base, cleanest. ISO 3200+ = more noise. Raise ISO only after maximising aperture and slowing shutter to acceptable limits. Modern mirrorless cameras handle ISO 3200–6400 with acceptable results.
Focus and Metering
Autofocus Modes
AF-S locks focus on half-press and holds. AF-C continuously tracks moving subjects. Eye-detection AF on modern mirrorless cameras is transformative for portrait work — learn to activate it.
Metering Modes
Evaluative/Matrix reads the whole frame. Centre-weighted biases the centre. Spot metering reads a tiny circle around your focus point — essential when subjects are dramatically brighter or darker than the background.
White Balance
Every light source has a colour temperature (Kelvin). Daylight = 5500K, tungsten = 3000K, shade = 7000K. If you shoot RAW, white balance is fully correctable in post without quality loss. Set custom WB for critical commercial work.
The Manual Mode Gauntlet
Shoot five distinct images exclusively in Manual (M) mode: (1) Portrait with blurred background, widest aperture. (2) Landscape sharp throughout at f/8+. (3) Frozen action at 1/1000s+. (4) Intentional motion blur at 1/15s. (5) Low-light available-light scene.
Success criteria: All five correctly exposed in Manual mode. Portrait shows clear bokeh. Landscape is sharp throughout. Action is frozen. Motion blur shows creative intent. Low-light avoids unacceptable blur.
Phase 1 Practice Exercises
12 exercises to build skill through direct application.
Aperture Bracketing
Tripod on static scene. Shoot same frame at f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11. Compare DOF across the series.
- Aperture visual effect
- DOF progression
- f-stop muscle memory
Shutter Speed Motion Series
Find moving water or a fan. Shoot at 1/500s, 1/60s, 1/15s, 1/4s, 1s. Observe how motion changes.
- Shutter speed visual effect
- Freeze vs blur choice
- Tripod stability practice
ISO Noise Comparison
In dim room, shoot same frame at ISO 100, 400, 1600, 6400. Zoom to 100% in post and compare noise levels.
- ISO noise relationship
- Camera ISO limit discovery
- Clean vs noisy evaluation
Spot Metering Practice
High-contrast scene (subject vs bright window). Shoot with evaluative, then spot metering on subject face. Compare.
- Spot vs evaluative metering
- Subject exposure control
- Metering mode switching
AF-S vs AF-C Test
Photograph stationary object with AF-S, then moving subject (pet/child) with AF-C. Assess focus accuracy.
- AF mode selection
- Continuous tracking practice
- Keeper rate improvement
White Balance Presets
Shoot same white object under same light using each preset (daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, auto). Compare colour casts.
- WB visual effect
- Manual vs auto WB
- Colour temperature awareness
Exposure Compensation
In Aperture Priority, shoot at 0EV, +1EV, +2EV, -1EV, -2EV. When does the meter fail?
- Metering limitations
- Exposure compensation reflex
- ETTR technique introduction
Reciprocal Rule Test
Handhold at a fixed focal length. Shoot 10 frames at the reciprocal minimum speed. Shoot 10 at half that speed. Check 100% for camera shake.
- Reciprocal rule application
- Minimum handheld speed
- Image stabilisation assessment
RAW vs JPEG Recovery
Shoot RAW+JPEG simultaneously. Over-expose by 2 stops. Recover highlights in both RAW and JPEG. Compare the recovery range.
- RAW recovery advantage
- JPEG limitations
- RAW workflow motivation
One Scene 15 Exposures
Same static scene, 15 different Manual exposures. Find three visually different but correct exposures.
- Creative exposure control
- Multiple correct exposures
- Manual mode fluency
Exposure Triangle Chart
Create a reference chart showing the relationship between aperture, shutter, and ISO. Include three real-world scenarios with chosen settings.
- Conceptual understanding
- Settings prediction
- Trade-off awareness
One Week Manual Only
For one full week, keep the camera in Manual mode only. Review 20 images daily. Identify which exposure decisions were wrong and why.
- Manual mode habit formation
- Self-critique discipline
- Exposure intuition building