Reciprocity is a lesson in camera control

Take note of  the blurry background in this image of a moving vehicle. This effect is achieved by using a slow shutter speed and panning my camera with movement of the vehicle.  (PHO245/Jen Hannum)

The shallow background was achieved by opening my aperture to f/2.8,

which makes the flower the focal point. (PHO245/Jen Hannum)

    I learned a lot about cameras and how they work while studying camera operations in my photojournalism class this week

   Did you know that a fixed lens isn’t defined by whether the lens zooms in or out? It is actually a lens that stays at its minimum aperture (preferably 2.8 or wider) no matter the focal length.

Dividing an image in thirds horizontally and vertically and putting center

of interest at an intersecting point is Rule of Thirds. (PHO245/Jen Hannum)

   We also touched on basic compositional elements, as well as a reminder of how to control our shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to achieve creative control of our images.  Those three controls used together to manipulate light is called reciprocity,which is the process of setting all of the controls on my camera to capture an image with my desired creative outcome, which should be determined in my head before I even put that camera to my face.

   Camera operation is really all about knowing my camera and how to achieve the look I desire in my images not letting the camera decide for me.