Shortcourses-Canon PowerShot S100 Photography

A ShortCourse Book
Canon PowerShot S100 Photography

Canon PowerShot S100 Photography

This clearly written and easy-to understand short course on your Canon Powershot S100 explains step-by-step how, why and when you use your camera's controls for better pictures. This guide is available as a traditional 90 page large-format (8.5 by 11) spiral bound book printed in black and white.

Introduction

New, a Short Courses digital photography book for people who own the Canon PowerShot S100 digital camera and want to get better pictures. This beautifully written and illustrated guide, drawing on the much more comprehensive information on the ShortCourses Web site, pulls together answers to the questions you might have about using the Canon S100, including the following:

Taking a Picture in Auto Mode
Using Menus
Reviewing Images Frame by Frame
Managing Your Images
Selecting Image Size and Quality
Using a Fast or Slow Shutter Speed
Controlling Aperture in Auto Mode
Changing Exposure Modes
Using the Self-Timer
Increasing Gain
Increasing Sharpness of Moving Objects
Using Focus Lock
Increasing Depth of Field in Auto Mode
Selecting Landscape Mode
Using Focus Lock for Maximum Depth of Field
Using Focus Lock for Minimum Depth of Field
Decreasing Depth of Field in Auto Mode
Conveying Motion in Auto Mode
Using a Slow Shutter Speed for Blur
Adjusting Sharpness

Adjusting Contrast
Using Exposure Compensation
Using Exposure Lock
Using AE Lock
Adjusting White Balance
Selecting the Night Scene Mode
Zooming the Lens
Turning Digital Zoom On and Off
Using Auto Flash
Combating Red-eye
Using Fill Flash
Turning the Flash Off and On
Taking Macro Close-ups
Increasing Depth of Field in Close-ups
Shooting Panoramic Sequences
Shooting in Black & White
Using Continuous Mode
Using the Setup Menu
Managing Image Files
Giving a Slide Show
Print Settings

The book is designed to work with the on-line books on the www.shortcourses.com site. The book explains how to get better pictures but you'll find more on that subject on the site. In addition, there is lots of information on the site about what you can do with your pictures after you've taken them.

Contents

Chapter 1
Camera Controls and Creativity

Jump Start: Taking Photos in Auto Mode
Using Menus and Buttons
Managing Your Images
What is a Digital Photograph?
How a Digital Camera Works
Controlling Image Size and Quality
The Shutter Controls Light and Motion
The Aperture Controls Light and Depth of Field
Using Shutter Speed and Aperture Together
Choosing Exposure Modes

Chapter 2
Controlling Sharpness

Eliminating Camera Movement
Sharpness Isn't Everything
How to Photography Motion Sharply
Focus and Depth of Field
Controlling Depth of Field
How to Get Maximum Depth of Field
Selective Focus: When You Don't Want Everything Sharp
Conveying the Feeling of Motion
Controlling Sharpness and Contrast

Chapter 3
Controlling Exposure

How Your Meter Works
How Exposure Affects Your Images
When Automatic Exposure Works Well
When to Override Automatic Exposure
How to Override Automatic Exposure

Chapter 4
Capturing Light & Color

Where Does Color Come From?
Color Balance
Color Balance and Time of Day
Sunsets and Sunrises
The Moon
Weather
Photographing at Night
Light: Its Direction
Light: From Direct to Diffuse

Chapter 5
Understanding Lenses

How a Lens Works
Zoom Lenses
Normal Zoom
Wide-Angle Zoom
Telephoto Zoom
Portraits with a Zoom Lens
Perspective: How a Photograph Shows Depth

Chapter 6
Using Automatic Flash

How Automatic Flash Works
Portraits with Flash
Using Fill Flash
Using Available Light

Chapter 7
Exploring Close-up Photography

Macro Lenses
Focusing and Depth of Field
Exposures and Backgrounds
Arranging Lighting
Using Flash in Close-ups

Chapter 8
Special Features

Panoramas: Stitch Assist Mode
Photographing in Black and White
Continuous Photography

Appendix

Other Features and Commands
Managing Your Camera and Images

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 real-estate ads or self-expression, 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 one kind of camera, 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 S100 camera are integrated throughout the concepts, appearing in those places where they apply. This integrated approach let's you first understand the concepts of photography and then see step by step how to use the Canon PowerShot S100 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 afternoon. You can then spend the rest of your life marveling at how their infinite variety of combinations makes 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 experiment step by step.

This book assumes you've mastered the mechanics of your camera. It's about getting great pictures, not about installing batteries and connecting your camera to your computer. That information is well presented in the user guides that came with your camera, however it is summarized in the Appendix of this book.

Click to order a copy of the printed book for $24.95US.