A ShortCourse Book
Canon PowerShot G1X Photography

Canon PowerShot G1x Photography

Canon Powershot S100 Photography

This clearly written and easy-to understand short course on your Canon PowerShot G1x explains step-by-step how, why and when you use your camera's controls for better pictures. This guide is available as a traditional 172 page large-format (8.5 by 11) spiral bound book printed in black and white, and as a full-color, fully searchable PDF eBook you can order on a CD or download instantly.

 

Introducing Animations

The eBook edition of this book has links to 50 animations, movies, PDFs and other resources that illustrate and explain the core concepts of digital photography. Integrated throughout the eBook, these linked resources help you understand your camera better, and make you a better photographer.

To use the animations and other linked resources you need the eBook version of this book and an Internet connection.

 
Click to see how every camera is just a black box then minimize or close the animation window.
 
 
Click to see how full color images are created from only three colors then minimize or close the animation window.

Introduction

New, a Short Courses digital photography book for people who want to get better pictures with their Canon PowerShot G1x camera. This beautifully written and illustrated guide, pulls together answers to the questions you might have about using the camera.

Click to see samples from this book in a new tab

Contents

Cover...i
Short Courses Books and Web Site...ii
Preface...iv
The Technique Finder...v
Contents...vii

Chapter 1
Getting Started with your Canon G1X ...9

The PowerShot G1X—An Overview...10
Jump Start—Taking Photos in AUTO Mode...11
Good Things to Know...13
When Things Go Wrong...15
Using the Monitor...16
Using Dials and Buttons...18
  • Top of Camera ...18
  • Back of Camera ...18
Using Menus...20
  • Tabbed Menus...20
  • Resetting All Settings...23
Managing Images in Review Mode...24
Managing Images in Playback Mode...25
  • Using Index View...25
  • Using Scroll Display...26
  • Erasing and Protecting Images...26
  • Tagging Images as Favorites...27
  • Auto Rotating Images...27
Working with Groups of Images...28
  • Auto Category...28
  • My Category...28
  • Filtering Images and Jumping...29
  • Specifying a Range of Images...30
Connecting to a TV Set...31
  • Connecting to a Standard TV...31
  • Connecting to an HD TV...31
  • Slide Show Settings...31
  • Using a TV Remote to Control the Camera...32
  • Smart Shuffle...32
Selecting Image Quality Settings...33
  • Number of Pixels...33
  • How an Image is Captured...35
  • It's All Black and White After All...35
  • Choosing Image Quality and Size...Still Images...36
  • Selecting image settings...38
  • Hints & Tips...39
  • Resizing Images...40
  • Trimming Images...40

Chapter 2
Controlling Exposure ...41

Understanding Exposure...42
The Shutter Controls Light and Motion...43
The Aperture Controls Light and Depth of Field...45
Using Shutter Speed and Aperture Together...47
  • Exposure—Faucets & Buckets Analogy ...48
  • Exposure—Seesaw Analogy ...49
Retaining Highlight and Shadow Details ...50
Choosing Shooting Modes...51
Using Special Scene (SCN) Modes...52
Using Creative Filters...54
Using Program AE (P) Mode and Program Shift...56
Using Shutter-Priority (Tv) Mode...57
Using Aperture-Priority (Av) Mode...58
Using Manual (M) Mode...59
How Your Exposure System Works...60
Choosing a Metering Method...62
When Automatic Exposure Works Well...63
When to Override Automatic Exposure...64
  • Scenes Lighter than Middle Gray...64
  • Scenes Darker than Middle Gray...65
  • Subject Against Very Light Background...65
  • Subject Against Very Dark Background...66
  • Scenes with High Contrast...66
  • Hard to Meter Scenes...67
How Overriding Autoexposure Works...68
How to Override Automatic Exposure...69
  • Exposure Compensation ...69
  • AE Lock ...70
  • Autoexposure Bracketing (AEB) ...71
  • Using Safety Shift ...72
  • Using the Neutral Density Filter...72
Using Histograms...73
  • Displaying Histograms...73
  • Evaluating Histograms ...73
  • Clipped Pixels...75
  • Sample Histograms...76
Adjusting Tones In Your Images...77
  • High Dynamic Range (HDR)...77
  • i-Contrast in Shooting Mode...77
  • i-Contrast in Playback Mode...78

Chapter 3
Controlling Sharpness ...79

Getting Sharper Pictures...80
  • Using the Self-timer...80
  • Changing IS Settings...81
  • Changing the ISO...82
  • Changing ISO Auto Settings...83
  • Noise Reduction...83
Sharpness Isn’t Everything...85
How to Photograph Motion Sharply...86
  • Speed of Subject...86
  • Direction of Movement...86
  • Distance to Subject and Focal Length of the Lens...87
Focus and Depth of Field...88
  • Focus...88
  • Depth of Field...88
Focusing Techniques...90
  • Focusing...90
  • Focus Status...90
Continuous AF...91
Changing the AF Frame Mode...92
Using FlexiZone Mode...93
Using Focus Lock and AF Lock (AFL)...94
Using Servo AF...95
Using Tracking AF...96
Face AiAF...97
Manual Focus...98
Bracketing Focus...99
Checking Focus...100
  • Checking Focus in Shooting Mode...100
  • Checking Focus in Review and Playback Modes...100
  • Changing Review Information...101
Controlling Depth of Field...102
Using Maximum Depth of Field...103
Using Shallow Depth of Field...104
Conveying the Feeling of Motion...105

Chapter 4
Capturing Light & Color ...106

Where Does Color Come From?...107
White Balance...108

  • Selecting a White Balance Mode—109
  • Adjusting colors—109
Color Balance and Time of Day...111
Sunsets and Sunrises...112
Photographing at Night...114
  • Fireworks—114
  • The Moon—114
Weather...116
The Direction of Light...118
The Quality of Light...120

Chapter 5
Understanding Lenses ...121

The Zoom Lens...122
Normal Zoom...123
Wide-Angle Zoom...124
Telephoto and Digital Zoom...126
Portraits with a Zoom Lens...128
Perspective in a Photograph...129
Using Macro Mode...130
Focusing and Depth of Field Close Up...131

Chapter 6
Using Flash and Studio Lighting ...132

How Automatic Flash Works...133
  • Flash Falloff...133
  • Flash and Shutter Speeds...133
  • Flash Modes...134
  • Flash FAQs...134
  • Using a Small External Flash...135
  • Using a Hot Shoe Mounted Speedlite...135
Using Flash Settings...136
Portraits with Flash...137
Reducing and Removing Red-eye...138
  • Reducing or Correcting Red-eye in Shooting Modes...138
  • Removing Red-eye in Playback Mode...139
Using Flash On—Fill Flash...140
Using Available Light...141
Using Slow Synchro Flash...142
Controlling Flash Exposures...144
  • Flash Modes...144
  • Flash Exposure Lock...144
  • Flash Exposure Compensation...145
  • Adjusting Flash Output Manually...145
  • Safety FE...145
Studio Lighting...146
  • Candidates for Studio Lighting—146
  • Lighting...146
  • Backgrounds...148
  • Risers...148
  • Special Bulbs...148
Portrait and Product Photography—Introduction...149
The Main Light...150
The Fill Light...151
The Background Light...152
The Rim Light...153

Chapter 7
Special Features ...154

Panoramas—Stitch Assist Mode...155
  • Basic Techniques...155
  • Stitch Assist Mode...156
Using Color Accent and Color Swap...157
Using My Colors...158
  • Using My Colors in Shooting Mode...158
  • Using My Colors in Playback Mode...159
Continuous Photography...160
High-speed Burst HQ...161
Capturing Movies...162
  • Movie Modes and Qualities...162
  • Movie Recording...162
  • Adjusting exposure...163
Playing Movies...164
Editing Movies...165
Using C1 and C2 Modes...166
Using The Shortcut Button...167
Changing Functions of Front and Control Dials...168
Using My Menu...169 Using the Set Up Menu...170


Preface

A great photograph begins when you recognize a great scene or subject. But recognizing a great opportunity isn't enough to capture it; you also have to be prepared. A large part of being prepared involves understanding your camera well enough to capture what you see. Getting you prepared to see and capture great photographs is what this book is all about. It doesn't matter if you are taking pictures for business or pleasure, there's a lot here to help you get better results and more satisfaction from your photography.

To get better, and possibly even great photographs, you need to understand both concepts and procedures; the "whys" and "hows" of photography.

  • Concepts of photography are the underlying principles that apply regardless of the camera you are using. They include such things as how sharpness and exposure affect your images and the way they are perceived by viewers. Understanding concepts answers the "why" kinds of questions you might have about photography.
  • Procedures are those things specific to your own camera model, and explain step-by-step how you set your camera's controls to capture an image just the way you want to. Understanding procedures gives you the answers to the "how" kinds of questions you might have.
This book is organized around the concepts of digital photography because that's how photographers think. You think about scenes and subjects, highlights and shadows, softness and sharpness, color and tone. The procedures you use with the Canon PowerShot G1X camera are integrated throughout the concepts, appearing in those places where they apply. This integrated approach lets you first understand the concepts of photography and then see step by step how to use the G1X in all kinds of photographic situations.

To get more effective, interesting, and creative photographs, you only need to understand how and when to use a few simple features on your camera such as focus, exposure controls, and flash. If you've previously avoided understanding these features and the profound impact they can have on your images, you'll be pleased to know that you can learn them on a weekend. You can then spend the rest of your life marveling at how the infinite variety of combinations make it possible to convey your own personal view of the world. You'll be ready to keep everything in a scene sharp for maximum detail or to blur it all for an impressionistic portrayal. You'll be able to get dramatic close-ups, freeze fast action, create wonderful panoramas, and capture the beauty and wonder of rainbows, sunsets, fireworks, and nighttime scenes.

As you explore your camera, be sure to have fun. There are no "rules" or "best" way to make a picture. Great photographs come from using what you know to experiment and try new approaches. Digital cameras make this especially easy because there are no film costs or delays. Every experiment is free and you see the results immediately so you can learn step by step.

This book assumes you've mastered the mechanics of your camera. It's about getting great pictures, not about connecting your camera to computers and using your software. That information is well presented in the user guide that came with your camera. Be sure to visit our Web site at www.shortcourses.com for even more digital photography information.

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