Week 1: Understanding Photography Fundamentals
- Dominic Di Leonardo
- Apr 14
- 2 min read
Before I dived into the world of "Photorealistic Rendering," My professor assigned us a project that pushed me to grasp the fundamentals of photography. The goal was to become familiar with terminology and learn to capture various images with a DSLR camera. Throughout this process, I focused on key elements such as camera angles, composition, exposure, white balance, and depth of field. Here’s a glimpse of a few photos I took for this project.
Understanding Exposure
One of my first tasks involved experimenting with exposure settings. I set up shots inside my dorm's coffee shop, Forage, and set up my camera by a window during the day. In one image, I set the exposure for the outside view; in another, I focused on the interior lighting. This exercise highlighted how vital it is to balance light for captivating images.
To further understand this concept, I captured a High Dynamic Range (HDR) of the same room. The HDR image amazed me by capturing more details in dark areas and shadows, even with a wide range of brightness levels.
Capturing Fine Details
Another photo required me to go outside and shoot a close-up of a blossoming plant. I decided on a bunch of flowers, just outside my dorm building. I made sure to focus on the flower's texture and color to make a beautiful composition. The vibrant reds and yellows of the blossoms stood out against the green leaves, making for a striking visual.
Concluding My Journey
These are some of the photos I captured. Overall, this project was an enjoyable, hands-on experience that helped me get to know my classmates and gain a better understanding of terminology, camera settings, and compositional techniques. Below is my favorite photo from the project, featuring a night courtyard shot with a distinct composition. Thank you for reading, and see you in a few weeks!
