The Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i/500D Companion : Practical Photography Advice You Can Take Anywhere

Through easy-to-follow lessons, this handy book offers a complete class on digital photography, tailored specifically for people who use the Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i/500D. This is not your typical camera guide: rather than just show you what all the buttons do, it teaches you how to use the Digital Rebel's features to make great photographs -- including professional-looking images of people, landscapes, action shots, close-ups, night shots, HD video, and more. With Ben Long's creative tips and technical advice, you have the perfect, camera-bag-friendly reference that will help you capture stunning pictures anywhere, anytime. __The Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i/500D Companion__ will show you how to: * Take creative control and go beyond automatic settings * Learn the basic rules of composition * Capture decisive moments, including fast-moving objects * Discover ways to use a flash indoors and outdoors * Learn about different lenses, and the best time to use them * Understand the options for shooting RAW, and whether it's right for you * Use the Digital Rebel's ability to shoot high definition video Acknowledgments......Page 15 Preface......Page 16 Shooting snapshots using auto modes......Page 19 Resetting the Camera’s Defaults......Page 21 Snapshot Shooting in Full Auto Mode......Page 22 Autofocus, or “How to Press the Shutter Button”......Page 23 Take the Shot......Page 25 The Viewfinder Status Display......Page 26 The LCD Status Display......Page 27 Viewing Your Images......Page 29 Using Scene Modes......Page 30 Watch That Headroom: Fill the Frame......Page 34 Don’t Be Afraid to Get in Close......Page 35 Remember That Your Knees Can Bend......Page 36 Watch the Background......Page 37 Watch Out for Backlighting......Page 38 Understand Flash Range......Page 39 Cover Your Shot, or “One Shot Is Rarely Enough”......Page 40 learning to hold and control your camera......Page 41 What Is an SLR Anyway?......Page 42 Cleaning and Maintenance......Page 44 The T1i Battery......Page 45 The Media Card......Page 47 Camera Top......Page 48 Camera Front......Page 49 Camera Sides......Page 50 Camera Back......Page 51 The Rebel T1i Menu System......Page 52 The Grip......Page 55 Feet, Elbows, and Neck......Page 56 The Lens......Page 58 Understanding Focal Length......Page 59 Lens Controls......Page 61 Lens Care......Page 62 Sensor Cleaning......Page 63 Work with Fixed Focal Length......Page 65 Reviewing and analyzing images on your rebel T1i......Page 67 Image Review......Page 68 Image Playback......Page 69 Navigating Images with the Main Dial......Page 70 Playback Zoom......Page 71 Viewing Image Thumbnails......Page 73 Viewing Image Info......Page 75 Image Rotation......Page 77 Manual Image Rotation......Page 78 Slideshows in the Field......Page 79 Deleting an Image During Image Playback......Page 81 Deleting All of the Images on the Card......Page 82 Protecting Images......Page 83 Copying Images to your computer......Page 85 One Big Card? Or Lots of Small Ones?......Page 86 Card Management......Page 87 Transferring from Your Camera......Page 88 Installing the Canon Software......Page 89 Transferring Images to a Windows Computer......Page 90 Using Adobe Photoshop......Page 93 Configuring Your Mac for Image Transfer......Page 94 Transferring Images Using Canon ImageBrowser......Page 96 Using the Camera to Select Images for Transfer......Page 98 After You’ve Transferred Your Images......Page 100 The fundamental theory of exposure......Page 103 The Rebel T1i Sensor......Page 104 Over- and Underexposure......Page 106 Exposure Mechanisms......Page 107 Shutter Speed......Page 108 Aperture......Page 110 How Shutter Speed Choice Affects Your Image......Page 113 How Aperture Choice Affects Your Image......Page 115 Reciprocity......Page 117 Fractional Stops......Page 119 Thinking Again About Full Auto Mode......Page 121 Summing Up......Page 122 Taking control and ­understanding more about exposure......Page 123 Switching to Program Mode......Page 124 Understanding Focus Points......Page 125 AI Servo......Page 129 AI Focus......Page 130 What to Do When Autofocus Doesn’t......Page 131 Getting Creative with Program Shift......Page 134 Handheld Shooting and Shutter Speed......Page 136 Image Stabilization......Page 137 Changing the ISO......Page 139 Setting ISO......Page 140 A Real-World ISO Change......Page 141 White Balance......Page 142 Custom White Balance......Page 145 White Balance Shift......Page 148 White Balance Bracketing......Page 149 Drive Mode and the Self-Timer......Page 150 Using the Self-Timer......Page 153 Choosing an Image Size and Format......Page 155 Summing Up Program Mode......Page 158 Creative Auto Mode......Page 159 learning more about the T1i light meter and exposure controls......Page 161 Metering Modes......Page 162 Exposure Lock......Page 166 What Your Light Meter Actually Meters......Page 167 Exposing So That Black Looks Black......Page 168 Using Exposure Compensation to Over- or Underexpose......Page 169 Controlling Color Tone with Exposure Compensation......Page 172 Using the Histogram......Page 173 Recognizing Over- and Underexposure in the Histogram......Page 175 Recognizing Contrast in the Histogram......Page 176 The Three-Channel Histogram......Page 178 Aperture Priority......Page 179 Shutter Priority......Page 181 Exposure Bracketing......Page 184 Auto Bracketing......Page 185 Peripheral Illumination Correction......Page 187 Scene Modes Revisited......Page 191 Selecting a Picture Style......Page 193 Adjusting Predefined Picture Styles......Page 195 Creating a Better Exposure with Fill Flash......Page 197 A Word About Dynamic Range......Page 198 Which Mode Should You Choose?......Page 199 exploring the art of photography......Page 201 Learning to See Again......Page 202 Seeing Exercises......Page 204 How to Make a Photo......Page 207 Recognizing a Potential Photo......Page 208 Working Your Subject......Page 210 Choosing a Camera Position and Focal Length......Page 212 Composing Your Shot......Page 215 Art and Craft......Page 225 Practice......Page 226 Using special features for shooting in specific conditions......Page 227 Using Live View......Page 228 Activating Live View......Page 229 Focusing in Live View......Page 230 Other Live View Options......Page 234 Shooting Panoramas......Page 235 Choosing a Focal Length for Panoramas......Page 236 Panoramic Exposure......Page 237 Shooting Panoramic Frames......Page 240 Stitching a Panorama......Page 241 Low-Light Shooting......Page 242 Shooting in Low Light at High ISO......Page 243 Shooting Techniques for Low-Light Situations......Page 245 Shooting Sports or Stage Performances......Page 248 Shooting Video......Page 249 Video Shooting Tips......Page 251 Exposure Control for Video......Page 252 Movie Playback......Page 253 Using a flash and other tools for better control of the lighting in your scene......Page 255 Controlling Existing Light......Page 256 Flash Exposure......Page 259 Red-Eye Reduction......Page 262 Using an External Flash......Page 264 Bouncing a Flash......Page 265 Using raw format to gain more control and better image quality......Page 267 What Is Raw?......Page 268 Highlight Recovery......Page 269 More Editing Latitude......Page 270 A True Digital Negative......Page 272 Raw Hassles (the Disadvantages)......Page 273 Picture Styles, White Balance, and Raw......Page 275 Processing Your Raw Files......Page 276 Configuring custom settings and adding lenses and accessories......Page 277 Building My Menu......Page 278 Make My Menu the Default......Page 280 Beep and Power-Off......Page 281 Adding Copyright Information......Page 282 Custom Functions......Page 283 Choosing a Lens......Page 287 Some Lens Suggestions......Page 289 Evaluating a Lens......Page 291 Index......Page 293 Acknowledgments 15 Preface 16 Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Rebel T1i 19 Shooting snapshots using auto modes 19 Resetting the Camera’s Defaults 21 Snapshot Shooting in Full Auto Mode 22 Framing Your Shot 23 Autofocus, or “How to Press the Shutter Button” 23 Take the Shot 25 The Viewfinder Status Display 26 The LCD Status Display 27 Viewing Your Images 29 Using Scene Modes 30 Snapshot Tips 34 Watch That Headroom: Fill the Frame 34 Don’t Be Afraid to Get in Close 35 Remember That Your Knees Can Bend 36 Lead Your Subject 37 Watch the Background 37 Watch Out for Backlighting 38 Understand Flash Range 39 Cover Your Shot, or “One Shot Is Rarely Enough” 40 Chapter 2: Anatomy of the Rebel T1i 41 learning to hold and control your camera 41 What Is an SLR Anyway? 42 Cleaning and Maintenance 44 The T1i Battery 45 The Media Card 47 Body Parts 48 Camera Top 48 Camera Front 49 Camera Sides 50 Camera Back 51 Camera Bottom 52 The Rebel T1i Menu System 52 Holding the Camera 55 The Grip 55 Feet, Elbows, and Neck 56 The Lens 58 Understanding Focal Length 59 Types of Lenses 61 Lens Controls 61 Lens Care 62 Sensor Cleaning 63 More Full Auto Practice 65 Work with Fixed Focal Length 65 Chapter 3: Playing Back Images 67 Reviewing and analyzing images on your rebel T1i 67 Image Review 68 Image Playback 69 Navigating Images with the Main Dial 70 Playback Zoom 71 Exiting Playback 73 Viewing Image Thumbnails 73 Viewing Image Info 75 Image Rotation 77 Manual Image Rotation 78 Slideshows in the Field 79 Erasing Images 81 Deleting an Image During Image Review 81 Deleting an Image During Image Playback 81 Deleting All of the Images on the Card 82 Protecting Images 83 Chapter 4: Image Transfer 85 Copying Images to your computer 85 Media Cards 86 One Big Card? Or Lots of Small Ones? 86 Card Management 87 Transferring from Your Camera 88 Installing the Canon Software 89 Transferring Images to a Windows Computer 90 Using Adobe Photoshop Elements for Windows 93 Using Adobe Photoshop 93 Transferring Images to a Macintosh Computer 94 Configuring Your Mac for Image Transfer 94 Transferring Images Using Canon ImageBrowser 96 Transferring Images Manually Using Windows or the Mac 98 Using the Camera to Select Images for Transfer 98 Organizing Your Images 100 After You’ve Transferred Your Images 100 Chapter 5: Photography 101 103 The fundamental theory of exposure 103 The Rebel T1i Sensor 104 Over- and Underexposure 106 Exposure Mechanisms 107 ISO: The Third Exposure Parameter 108 Shutter Speed 108 Aperture 110 Why There Are Two Ways to Control Light 113 How Shutter Speed Choice Affects Your Image 113 How Aperture Choice Affects Your Image 115 Reciprocity 117 Bringing ISO into Your Exposure Calculations 119 Fractional Stops 119 Thinking Again About Full Auto Mode 121 Summing Up 122 Chapter 6: Program Mode 123 Taking control and ­understanding more about exposure 123 Switching to Program Mode 124 Focusing Revisited 125 Understanding Focus Points 125 Focus Modes 129 AI Servo 129 AI Focus 130 What to Do When Autofocus Doesn’t 131 Manual Focus 134 Getting Creative with Program Shift 134 Handheld Shooting and Shutter Speed 136 Image Stabilization 137 Changing the ISO 139 Setting ISO 140 A Real-World ISO Change 141 White Balance 142 Custom White Balance 145 White Balance Shift 148 White Balance Bracketing 149 Drive Mode and the Self-Timer 150 Using the Self-Timer 153 Choosing an Image Size and Format 155 Summing Up Program Mode 158 Creative Auto Mode 159 Chapter 7: Advanced Exposure 161 learning more about the T1i light meter and exposure controls 161 The Light Meter Revisited 162 Metering Modes 162 Exposure Lock 166 What Your Light Meter Actually Meters 167 Exposing So That Black Looks Black 168 Using Exposure Compensation to Over- or Underexpose 169 Exposure Compensation and Program Shift 172 Controlling Color Tone with Exposure Compensation 172 Using the Histogram 173 Recognizing Over- and Underexposure in the Histogram 175 Recognizing Contrast in the Histogram 176 The Three-Channel Histogram 178 Using Priority Modes to Control Exposure 179 Aperture Priority 179 Shutter Priority 181 Exposure Bracketing 184 Auto Bracketing 185 Peripheral Illumination Correction 187 Scene Modes Revisited 191 Picture Styles 193 Selecting a Picture Style 193 Adjusting Predefined Picture Styles 195 Creating a Better Exposure with Fill Flash 197 A Word About Dynamic Range 198 Which Mode Should You Choose? 199 Chapter 8: Finding and ­Composing a Photo 201 exploring the art of photography 201 Learning to See Again 202 Seeing Exercises 204 How to Make a Photo 207 Recognizing a Potential Photo 208 Working Your Subject 210 Choosing a Camera Position and Focal Length 212 Composing Your Shot 215 Art and Craft 225 Practice 226 Chapter 9: Specialty Shooting 227 Using special features for shooting in specific conditions 227 Using Live View 228 Activating Live View 229 Focusing in Live View 230 Other Live View Options 234 What You Don’t See in Live View 235 Shooting Panoramas 235 Choosing a Focal Length for Panoramas 236 Panoramic Exposure 237 Shooting Panoramic Frames 240 Stitching a Panorama 241 Low-Light Shooting 242 When to Use Flash in Low Light 243 Shooting in Low Light at High ISO 243 ISO Expansion 245 Shooting Techniques for Low-Light Situations 245 Shooting Sports or Stage Performances 248 Low-Light White Balance 249 Shooting Video 249 Video Shooting Tips 251 Exposure Control for Video 252 Movie Playback 253 Chapter 10: Flash Shooting 255 Using a flash and other tools for better control of the lighting in your scene 255 Controlling Existing Light 256 Using the T1i’s On-Camera Flash 259 Flash Exposure 259 Red-Eye Reduction 262 Using an External Flash 264 Bouncing a Flash 265 Chapter 11: Raw Shooting 267 Using raw format to gain more control and better image quality 267 What Is Raw? 268 Why Use Raw? 269 Changing White Balance 269 Highlight Recovery 269 More Editing Latitude 270 A True Digital Negative 272 Easy Batch Processing 273 Raw Hassles (the Disadvantages) 273 Shooting Raw with the Rebel T1i 275 Picture Styles, White Balance, and Raw 275 Processing Your Raw Files 276 Chapter 12: Customizing the T1i 277 Configuring custom settings and adding lenses and accessories 277 My Menu 278 Building My Menu 278 Organizing My Menu 280 Make My Menu the Default 280 Changing Screen Color 281 Beep and Power-Off 281 Adding Copyright Information 282 Custom Functions 283 Choosing a Lens 287 Some Lens Suggestions 289 Evaluating a Lens 291 Index 293 Teaches you how to use the Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i/500D. This book shows you how to: take creative control and go beyond automatic settings; learn the basic rules of composition; capture decisive moments; discover ways to use a flash indoors and outdoors; and, learn about different lenses.