Exercise 1.1
Take three or four exposures of the same scene. Don’t change anything on the camera and keep the framing the same.
Preview the shots on the LCD screen. At first glance they look the same, but are they? Perhaps a leaf moved with the wind, the light changed subtly, or the framing changed almost imperceptibly to include one seemingly insignificant object and exclude another. Time flows, the moment of each frame is different, and, as the saying has it, ‘you can’t step into the same river twice’.
Now bring up the histogram on the preview screen. The histogram is a graphical representation of exposure – the camera’s sensitivity to light. As you page through the images you can see small variations in the histograms. Even though the pictures look the same, the histogram data shows that in a matter of seconds the world changes, and these subtle differences are recorded by the camera. If you refine the test conditions – shooting on a tripod to fix the framing, moving indoors and closing the curtains to exclude daylight – still the histogram changes. Probably some of the changes are within the camera mechanism itself; still, the camera is a sensitive enough instrument to record them.
Add the sequence to your learning log with the time info from your camera’s shooting data as your first images for Part One.
Armed with my trusty Canon 5D Mark III, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and use the camera’s Program (P) mode instead of my usual Aperture Priority (Av). The change felt unusual at first—stepping away from the precise control of aperture settings was a departure from my typical approach. Yet, this shift was intentional; I aimed to challenge myself and explore different shooting techniques.
Today’s conditions were serene, with a gentle breeze flowing along the promenade near my home. As I strolled, I spotted a privet bush swaying softly in the wind. Although it might not have seemed like the most thrilling subject, it presented a valuable opportunity for practice. Capturing the movement of the privet against the backdrop of a breezy day allowed me to focus on technique and composition, even if the subject itself was relatively simple.
The slight breeze provided a dynamic element to the scene, adding an element of motion to my photographs. This exercise wasn’t just about capturing an image but about experimenting with how different shooting modes and environmental conditions can influence the final result. By stepping outside my usual settings and focusing on a seemingly mundane subject, I aimed to gain new insights into my craft and refine my ability to adapt to various shooting scenarios.
In photography, it’s often the subtler moments that offer the most significant learning experiences. Today’s exercise might not have produced the most dramatic or exciting shots, but it served a crucial purpose: it pushed me to experiment and grow.
While the images look identical there are slight variations in the movement of the leaves and if you look carefully at the histogram below you will be the most subtle of changes.
