Grade 6 Arts Quarter 3 Module 3: Basic Photography

Grade 6 Arts Q3 Module 3 on basic photography: elements and principles, the rule of thirds, phone camera functions, and point-and-shoot camera tips.

This is the Grade 6 Arts Quarter 3 Module 3 self-learning module, Basic Photography. It was published by the Department of Education, Region VI – Western Visayas, as an Alternative Delivery Mode module (First Edition, 2020). It is for Grade 6 learners studying at home or in class. It shows how the elements and principles of art apply to photos taken with a phone camera or a point-and-shoot digital camera.

On this page 8 sections

What learners will learn

After going through this module, the learner is expected to:

  • Realize that art processes, elements, and principles still apply even with the use of technologies.
  • Understand the concepts and principles of photography.
  • Identify the parts and functions of the camera (point-and-shoot or phone camera).
  • Apply composition skills to produce a printed photograph for a simple photo essay.

Lessons in this module

  • Lesson 1: Phone Camera. Covers the elements and principles of photography, the rule of thirds, and the basic functions of a smartphone camera app. It ends with a photo story activity.
  • Lesson 2: Point and Shoot Digital Camera. Explains what a point-and-shoot (compact) camera is, what to do before your first shots, and tips for taking better photos. It ends with an activity on explaining photos you like.

Elements and principles of photography

The module teaches five elements and five principles of photography.

ElementsWhat they mean
LinesA mark made by a moving point, longer than it is wide. Lines direct the eye and can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curvy, or zig-zag.
Shape/FormShapes are flat and 2-dimensional, like a circle. Forms are 3-dimensional, with height, width, and depth, like a sphere.
SpaceThe area used or unused in a picture. Positive space is what the subject takes up. Negative space is the area around and between it.
TextureHow an object feels, or looks like it feels: rough, smooth, bumpy, and so on.
ColorThe artistic term is hue. We need light to see color.
PrinciplesWhat they mean
BalanceA feeling of equal weight, which can come from repeating the same shapes.
EmphasisHow dominant something is in the photo, like a red umbrella among gray stones.
ContrastLight areas against dark ones, or opposite colors on the color wheel, such as blue against orange.
Pattern or RepetitionAn element repeated throughout an image. The eye naturally looks for patterns.
Unity or HarmonyHow well everything in the picture goes together.

The rule of thirds

The module calls this the most basic photography rule. Imagine two horizontal and two vertical lines dividing your shot into nine equal parts. Place the most important subject on one of the lines or where the lines meet. For landscapes, put the horizon on an upper or lower line and tall subjects like trees on a vertical line.

Using a phone camera

Lesson 1 walks through the basic functions of a smartphone camera:

  1. Open the camera: find and tap the Camera app.
  2. Take a picture: press the capture button.
  3. Record a video: choose the video word or icon, press the record button (red circle), then press the stop button (square).
  4. Switch cameras: press the switch camera button to go between front and rear cameras.
  5. Zoom: spread two fingers apart to zoom in, and pinch them together to zoom out.
  6. Flash: tap the lightning icon to set it to on, off, or auto.

The lesson also explains that a rattling sound when you shake a smartphone is the camera lens shutter moving. This is normal.

Point-and-shoot camera tips

A point-and-shoot camera is a pocket-sized, mostly auto-focus camera made for simple photography. The camera adjusts exposure, focus, and flash for you.

Before your first shots:

  • Learn the shooting modes: Portrait, Night, Snow or Beach, and Miniature or Diorama.
  • Get a memory card for extra storage.
  • Check the image quality. Use larger, higher-resolution files if you plan to print.

Taking great photos:

  • Hold the camera steady with both hands, elbows against your chest.
  • Pre-focus by pressing the shutter button halfway.
  • Use the flash sparingly, because it can wash out details and cast dark shadows.
  • Step closer instead of using digital zoom, which lowers photo quality.
  • Adjust the white balance if indoor photos look yellow or blue.
  • Be creative: try different angles and distances, and don’t always center your subject.

How to use this module

  • Learners: Start with the pre-test, which asks you to identify elements and principles in photos. Then answer the What I Know story quiz and work through both lessons in order. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper, not on the module.
  • Activities: In Lesson 1, choose a title such as “A Beautiful Garden” or “Helping Someone” and make a photo story. Apply at least two elements or principles, then share your photos using Word or PowerPoint. In Lesson 2, choose three photos from your own gallery and explain why you chose them, either typed or handwritten.
  • Checking: Finish with the yes-or-no Assessment. The answer key at the end covers the pre-test, What I Know, the What Is It quiz, and the Assessment. Use it honestly, after answering.
  • Parents and teachers: The Notes to the Teacher ask facilitators to help learners understand the basic functions of a phone camera. Learners need access to a phone camera or a digital camera for the activities.

Frequently asked questions

What grade and quarter is the Basic Photography module for?

It is the Grade 6 Arts module for Quarter 3, Module 3, published by DepEd Region VI – Western Visayas as an Alternative Delivery Mode module.

What lessons are in this module?

Lesson 1 covers the phone camera, including the elements and principles of photography and the rule of thirds. Lesson 2 covers the point-and-shoot digital camera and tips for taking good photos.

Does the module have an answer key?

Yes. The answer key at the end covers the pre-test, the What I Know quiz, the What Is It quiz, and the final Assessment.

What is the rule of thirds?

It means dividing your shot into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines. You then place the most important subject on a line or where the lines meet.

What are the elements and principles of photography in this module?

The elements are lines, shape/form, space, texture, and color. The principles are balance, emphasis, contrast, pattern or repetition, and unity or harmony.

Full text of the module

The text below is a transcription of the PDF above, as printed.

Arts Quarter 3 – Module 3: Basic Photography

Cover

Arts

Quarter 3 – Module 3: Basic Photography

[illustration: students reading and studying outdoors and indoors, with a globe and a lamp]

Copyright and Development Team

Arts – Grade 6 Alternative Delivery Mode Quarter 3 – Module 3: Basic Photography First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks, etc.) included in this module are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Published by the Department of Education Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Author: Karen Joy T. Urquiola

Editor: Rovie C. Abello

Reviewers: Melany S. Nazareta, Rebecca Y. Ibarreta, Mahnnie Q. Tolentino, Hajji S. Tropa

Illustrator: Gerry D. Almanon

Layout Artist: Gerry D. Almanon, Edsel D. Doctama

Management Team: Ma. Gemma M. Ledesma, Josilyn S. Solana, Miguel Mac D. Aposin, Jose Niro Nillasca, Elena P. Gonzaga, Donald T. Genine, Jerry A. Oquendo, Dobie P. Parohinog, Mahnnie Q. Tolentino, Rebecca Y. Ibarreta, Hajji S. Tropa, Rovie C. Abello

Printed in the Philippines by _______________________

Department of Education – Region VI – Western Visayas Office Address: Duran St., Iloilo City Telefax: (033) 336-2816, (033) 509 7653 E-mail Address: region6@deped.gov.ph

Arts Quarter 3 – Module 3: Basic Photography

6

Arts

Quarter 3 – Module 3: Basic Photography

Introductory Message

This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners, can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions, exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they can best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master art. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to correspond with the module you are now using.

After going through this module, the learner is expected to:

  1. Realizes that art processes, elements and principles still apply even with the use of technologies.
  2. Understands concepts and principles of photography.
  3. Identifies the parts and functions of the camera (point and shoot or phone camera).
  4. Applies composition skills to produce a printed photograph for a simple photo essay.
Pre-test

Identify the elements or principles in the picture. Choose your answers below.

  1. Which of the following principles is presented in the following example?
    [photo: concentric pattern of feathers]
    a. Emphasis
    b. Contrast
    c. Pattern
    d. Harmony


  2. Which of the following elements is presented in the following example?
    [photo: close-up of tree stump rings]
    a. Color
    b. Texture
    c. Shape
    d. Line


  3. Which of the following elements is presented in the following example?
    [photo: looking down a tunnel with curved rings]
    a. Color
    b. Texture
    c. Shape
    d. Line


  4. Which of the following principles is presented in the following example?
    [photo: green apples with one red apple]
    a. Emphasis
    b. Contrast
    c. Pattern
    d. Harmony


  5. Which of the following principles is presented in the following example?
    [photo: vertical stripes of colored fabric]
    a. Emphasis
    b. Contrast
    c. Pattern
    d. Harmony


What I Know

Read the story and answer each question. If the statement is true write TRUE but if the statement is wrong write FALSE.

MY MOBILE PHONE

Hello. I’m Kate. I want to write about my mobile phone. I got it from my parents for my birthday two years ago. I like it very much and I think it’s sometimes good to have it in my bag.

I always keep it in my bag or in my pocket so my parents and my friends can always call me. It’s got a calculator in it so I sometimes use it at school. I can use my mobile phone to connect to the Internet and look through the news or read emails. Isn’t it fantastic?

Last year I was on a cycling holiday with my friend. We went cycling but the weather wasn’t good. It was cold and windy. It started to rain and it got dark. Suddenly my friend fell off her bike and she broke her leg. At first I didn’t know what to do but I thought about my phone. It was in my backpack so I called for help. After fifteen minutes a doctor arrived.

Sometimes people are not used on exploring their mobile phones which is a big problem because mobile phones plays a very important role in our daily life especially we are now in a digital world. Mobile phones can help us do our work easier and it helps us connected all throughout the world. I’m not crazy about my mobile phone but I feel safe when I have it with me.

_____ 1. Kate can’t exist without her mobile phone.

_____ 2. She got her mobile phone in January.

_____ 3. She usually listens to music on her mobile phone.

_____ 4. There’s a calculator in her mobile phone.

_____ 5. Her parents bought her the mobile phone two years ago.

Lesson 1: Phone Camera

Have you ever wondered that a camera phone is a mobile phone which is able to capture photographs and often record video using one or more built-in digital cameras? It can also send the resulting image over the telephone function. Today almost every mobile phone contains a camera. In principle, mobile phone camera is a sensor/camera module designed for use across a range of mobile phone handsets and accessories. It embeds high quality still camera functions and also supports rich video.

In this lesson you will learn about the basic functions of a phone camera. How to use a phone camera.

After using this module, you should be able to understand the concepts and principles of photography.

Are you ready to start? You may go now to the next page and begin Lesson I.

What’s In

What are the elements of photography?

  1. Lines – is a mark made by a moving point and it has a greater length than width. Directs the eye – horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curvy, zig-zag, etc. It also can be actual obvious lines or the borders or edges of shapes.
    [photo: zebra in a field; grass; shoreline with sea]


  2. Shape/Form – a contained area. It can be GEOMETRIC (man-made) ex. Square, triangle, circle, etc. Shapes are 2-Dimensional and flat, example of this is circle. Forms are 3-Dimensional with height, width and depth. Example: sphere
    [photo: pyramid]
    [illustration: circle outline]
    [illustration: sphere, labeled “Sphere”]


  3. Space – the area used or unused in a composition. Positive space – the area the objects/subject takes up. Negative space – the area around, under, through and between.
    [photo: mountains; valley with trees; close-up of an eye]


  4. Texture – it is the surface quality. It shows how an object feels, or how it looks like it feels. Example: rough, smooth, bumpy, gooey, sharp, etc.
    [photo: rough textured surface; polished wood]


  5. Color – Artistic term is HUE. We need light to see color. Use color schemes to enhance appeal or make impact.


[chart: color swatch grid; no title printed]

Hue05102030405060708090100
BlueBlue 0Blue 5Blue 10Blue 20Blue 30Blue 40Blue 50Blue 60Blue 70Blue 80Blue 90Blue 100
GrayGray 0Gray 5Gray 10Gray 20Gray 30Gray 40Gray 50Gray 60Gray 70Gray 80Gray 90Gray 100
RedRed 0Red 5Red 10Red 20Red 30Red 40Red 50Red 60Red 70Red 80Red 90Red 100
YellowYellow 0Yellow 5Yellow 10Yellow 20Yellow 30Yellow 40Yellow 50Yellow 60Yellow 70Yellow 80Yellow 90Yellow 100
GreenGreen 0Green 5Green 10Green 20Green 30Green 40Green 50Green 60Green 70Green 80Green 90Green 100

transcriber’s note: the hex color codes printed under each swatch name are too small to read reliably in the page image, so they are omitted.

What are the principles of photography?

  1. Balance – can be created by repeating the same shapes and by creating a feeling of equal weight.
    [photo: egg on colored background; glass dome interior; black-and-white bridge with a figure]


  2. Emphasis – is how dominant something is in the photograph.
    [photo: red umbrella among gray stones; white flower on dark ground; starfish among blue stones]


  3. Contrast – comes in two forms for photography. It can be shown with tone, where light areas contrast with dark ones. It can also be shown with colors, where colors opposite one another on the color wheel contrast with one another. For example, blue contrasts with orange.


[photo: hot air balloon against a blue sky] [photo: two yellow flowers against a blue background]

  1. Pattern or Repetition – an element repeated throughout an image, it creates a pattern. Patterns are important because the human eye and mind naturally look for them.

[illustration: black and white grid pattern seen at an angle] [photo: black and white curved stripes pattern]

  1. Unity or Harmony – the unity of a composition is how well everything goes together. That doesn’t mean that it needs to be bland and dull. It just means that everything belongs and that if an element is out of place, that was what the photographer intended.

[photo: spiral arrangement of pebbles] [photo: orange flower petals with water droplets] [photo: red berries with water droplets]

The Rule of Thirds

The most basic of all photography rules, the rule of thirds, is all about dividing your shot into nine equal sections by a set of vertical and horizontal lines. With the imaginary frame in place, you should place the most important element(s) in your shot on one of the lines or where the lines meet. It’s a technique that works well for landscapes as you can position the horizon on one of the horizontal lines that sit in the lower and upper part of the photograph while you’re vertical subjects (trees etc.) can be placed on one of the two vertical lines.

[chart: diagram; rule of thirds grid showing two horizontal and two vertical lines with four circled intersection points]

[photo: lighthouse on a rocky shore with rule of thirds grid overlay] [photo: silhouette of a person with a camera on rocks at sunset with rule of thirds grid overlay]

How do I use the basic functions of a phone camera?

The camera in your smartphone allows you take photos and videos with ease. You can also use different camera modes to customise your shot or video.

The conditions in which you take your photo can also affect the image.

How do I open the camera app?

Find and tap the camera app on your mobile phone.

[illustration: two phone home screens with the Camera app highlighted in a red box]

How do I take a picture?

With the camera app open, press the capture button to take a picture.

[illustration: phone camera screen in Photo mode with the capture button highlighted in a red box]

How do I record a video?

Open the camera app on your smartphone before following these steps:

  1. Find the word or icon referring to video and press the record button (red circle) to start recording

[photo: phone camera screen in Video mode showing a plant, with the record button highlighted in a red box]

  1. Press the stop button (square) to finish recording

[illustration: phone camera screen recording with a timer, with the stop button highlighted in a red box]

How do I switch between the front and rear cameras?

While using the camera app, press the switch camera button to switch between the front and rear cameras.

[illustration: two phone camera screens, the rear camera view with the switch camera button highlighted in a red box, and the front camera view with the switch camera button highlighted in a red box]

How do I zoom in and out?

To use the zoom function, touch the screen with two fingers:

  1. In swiping movement, spread your fingers apart to zoom in

[illustration: phone camera screen with red arrows pointing outward from the center]

  1. Pinch together to zoom out

[illustration: phone camera screen with red arrows pointing inward toward the center]

How do I turn on the flash?

In the camera app, the flash can be switched to on, off or auto using the icon that looks like a lightning.

[illustration: phone camera screen with the flash icon highlighted in a red box]

Depending on your smartphone, you will either have to keep pressing the flash icon until it’s turned yellow, or you’ll have to select the yellow flash icon to turn the flash on.

[illustration: two phone camera screens with the flash icon highlighted in a red box; the second shows the flash options with the yellow flash icon highlighted and the caption “Flash: On”]

Why is there a rattling sound when I shake my smartphone?

This sound is the camera lens shutter moving inside the barrel. It’s a normal sound and it can happen when the smartphone is being shaken or vibrated. When you turn the camera on, the sound will stop as the shutter will be actively focused.

Notes to the Teacher

[illustration: notepad icon with a pencil]

Assist the learners to understand the basic functions of phone camera.

What is It

Direction: Answer the following questions below. Write in the space provided the letter of the correct answer.

______ 1. Which of the following elements shows the area used or unused in a composition?

  • a. Space
  • b. Texture
  • c. Lines
  • d. Color

______ 2. The following are considered as the principles of photography except?

  • a. Harmony
  • b. Texture
  • c. Balance
  • d. Pattern

______ 3. Which of the following is the step on how to zoom in the camera?

  • a. Press the red button
  • b. Pressing the flash icon
  • c. Pinching your fingers together
  • d. Spread your fingers apart

______ 4. The following are considered as the elements of photography except?

  • a. Color
  • b. Pattern
  • c. Shape
  • d. Line

______ 5. Which of the following refers to dividing your shot into nine equal sections by a set of vertical and horizontal lines?

  • a. Elements of photography
  • b. Principles of photography
  • c. Rule of thirds
  • d. None of the above

______ 6. Which of the following refers to the sound when you are shaking your phone?

  • a. Ringtone
  • b. Camera lens shutter
  • c. Notification LED
  • d. None of the above

______7. Which of the following refers to a repeated element throughout an image?

  • a. Color
  • b. Pattern
  • c. Shape
  • d. Line

______ 8. Which of the following is the step on how to zoom out the camera?

  • a. Press the red button
  • b. Pressing the flash icon
  • c. Pinching your fingers together
  • d. Spread your fingers apart

______ 9. What do you call the principle which shows that something is dominant on the photograph?

  • a. Emphasis
  • b. Texture
  • c. Harmony
  • d. Color

______ 10. What do you call the element which is a mark made by a moving point and it has a greater length than width.

  • a. Space
  • b. Texture
  • c. Lines
  • d. Color

What I Have Learned

What are the elements of photography?

  1. Lines
  2. Shape/Form
  3. Space
  4. Texture
  5. Color

What are the principles of photography?

  1. Balance
  2. Emphasis
  3. Contrast
  4. Pattern
  5. Harmony

Basic functions of phone camera

  1. How do I open a camera app?
    a. From the home screen, swipe up to open your apps
    b. Select the Camera app
  2. How do I take a picture?
    a. With the camera app open, press the capture button to take a picture.
  3. How do I take a video?
    a. Find the word or icon referring to video and press the record button (circle) to start recording
    b. Press the stop button (square) to finish recording
  4. How do I switch between the front and rear cameras?
    a. While using the camera app, press the switch camera button to switch between the front and rear cameras.
  5. How do I zoom in and out?
    a. To use the zoom function, have the camera app open and touch the screen in two places:
    b. Spread apart to zoom in
    c. Pinch together to zoom out
  6. How do I turn on the flash?
    a. In the camera app, the flash can be switched to on, off or auto using the icon that looks like a lightning.

What I Can Do

Tell a photo story

Direction: Choose a title for a photo story. You can use the following suggestions from the box.

A Beautiful GardenA Lucky Day!A Bad Day
A Good DayA bit of adviceThe Accident
Helping SomeoneA good personA lovely pet!

You are going to make a photo story for one of the titles. You have to discuss to discuss the title and work out a story that you can tell.

After you have taken your picture, you have to share your photos with the rest of the class. You may use the Microsoft Office Word or PowerPoint presentation.

Note: See to it that you apply at least two elements/principles on the photograph.

Lesson 2 Point and Shoot Digital Camera

Do you know what is a point and shoot digital camera is? A point-and-shoot camera, also known as a compact camera and sometimes abbreviated to P&S, is a still camera designed primarily for simple operation. Most use focus free lenses or autofocus for focusing, automatic systems for setting the exposure options, and have flash units built in.

Point-and-shoots are by far the best-selling type of camera, as distinct from camera phones. They are popular for basic photography by people who do not consider themselves photographers but want easy-to-use cameras for snapshots of vacations, parties, reunions and other events.

What’s In

Directions: Match the names of each part of the camera into the picture.

[illustration: front and back views of a point-and-shoot camera, with lines pointing to unnamed parts]

Labels printed beside the picture:

  • Cursor Pad
  • Flash
  • Holder
  • Lens Zoom
  • LCD panel
  • Power
  • Shutter Release

[transcriber’s note: the labels are not matched to the picture in the source; no answers are filled in]

What’s New

What Is a Point and Shoot Camera?

A point and shoot camera is a pocket-sized, mostly auto-focus camera that is designed for simple photography. Point and shoot cameras may be called P&S cameras or compact cameras, due to their small size.

Features That Make Point and Shoot Cameras Attractive

One of the most attractive features of the point and shoot camera is the ability to point the camera at a subject and snap a picture. The camera does all the work from adjusting the exposure level to focusing the camera and deciding if a flash is necessary. That makes this type of camera a great choice for people who just wants want to take a quick picture without having to think through the settings.

Before Taking Your First Shots
1. Learn Your Modes

Before going out for your first photo shoot with your point-and-shoot camera, take several minutes to read the manual and to examine the settings that your camera comes with. Most point and shoot cameras have a variety of shooting modes for different situations. Knowing which are available to you beforehand can save you a lot of time, as well as ensuring that you get the perfect picture when the opportunity arises. Here are a few examples:

  • Portrait Mode: This is best used whenever you’re taking a picture of someone’s face, or several people in a close group. This setting creates a soft lighting effect and can add a soft blur to the background. Use this setting on subjects to make them pop from their surroundings.
  • Night Mode: While this is not available on all cameras, this mode allows you to take night shots without needing a tripod. The camera takes a series of photos using a fast shutter and then assembles them into one shot, resulting in a crisp image with enough light that would otherwise be available only with a longer shutter speed and a tripod.
  • Snow or Beach Mode: This mode compensates for white backgrounds, like snow-filled streets or bright sunlight on the sand, without other details being too dark.
  • Miniature or Diorama Mode: Also known as tilt-shift, this mode makes the subject appear to be a miniature model. It’s done by keeping the subject in focus while adding a soft blur to parts of the background.
2. Get a Memory Card or Two

Check your camera for a small slot that will accept a memory card, or check your owner’s manual. Most cameras today use micro SD cards for extra storage. This is an inexpensive way to ensure that you always have room for a few extra thousand photos. You may not notice the speed when taking photos, but you should see a difference when uploading photos to your computer. If your camera has a larger SD slot, remember that most micro SD cards come with an adapter so you can use them too.

3. Check the Image Quality

[photo: camera menu screen with tabs 1 to 7 and highlighted option “Image Size”; printed values: Image Size L: 18M; Aspect Ratio 4:3; Quality Fine; Panorama: Size –; Panorama: Direction –]

At their default settings, many point-and-shoot cameras take low-quality photos with small file sizes. This is a good setting if you haven’t added an SD card yet, or if you are just posting photos to Facebook, which reduces large photos anyway. However, if you want to print copies of your pictures, you will want to use larger image files with higher resolution. Besides the standard JPG file format, many good point-and-shoot cameras can shoot in RAW mode. While RAW files take up a lot of storage space, they give you the highest quality images. In fact, RAW files aren’t even photo files at all, but contain the raw image data that JPGs and GIFs use to assemble an image. Note that you will need a RAW image editor to process these files.

Taking Great Photos

1. Stabilize your camera

Even under normal lighting situations, the slightest shake of your hand can make your photos blurry. When you take a photo, hold your camera firmly with both hands and keep as still as possible before taking a picture. Keeping your elbows against your chest does a lot to reduce camera shake. If the camera has a viewfinder, rest the top of the camera against your brow to make the camera even more stable. If there is a steady object close by, like a wall or a pillar, lean your arm against it when taking a shot.

[photo: night view of a row of lit apartment buildings reflected in water]

Use a tripod for long-exposure shots.

Taking photos without a flash in low-light situation would force a camera to use slower shutter speeds, so keeping your camera stable is essential. Brace yourself as well as possible and breathe steadily. Begin inhaling just before pressing the shutter button and exhale until the shot is complete. With some practice you can actually get shots just as sharp as someone using a tripod. The screw hole on the bottom of many point-and-shoots will probably fit on most tripods. There are also miniature tripods designed just for point-and-shoot cameras that are portable and extremely flexible.

2. Pre-focus before you take a shot

Focusing a camera can steal precious seconds from taking the perfect shot. The camera can take even longer to focus if it has been turned off or gone into sleep mode. You can eliminate most of the waiting time by pre-focusing your camera before

taking the shot. To do this, point the camera at your subject and press the shutter button half-way down. The camera will make some noise as it focuses and when it stops, release the button.

For action shots, like when you’re waiting for someone to cross the finish line, pre-focus on any object close to where the person will be – including a spot on the ground — before they arrive. Even if the person isn’t exactly where you expected them to be, the camera will take much less time to adjust the focus a short distance than it would a longer distance.

3. Use the flash sparingly

Few good pictures ever come from a built-in camera flash. Not only does the flash tend to wash out details and cast dark shadows behind your subject, it can wear down your battery and cause frustrating delays as the camera waits for the flash to charge before engaging the shutter.

In times when you can’t avoid using a flash, try diffusing its light by taping a small piece of tissue paper over it. In some cases this may make the photo slightly less bright than what you intended, however it’s much easier to brighten a photo than it is to darken an overexposed shot, either with an image editing program or by using the camera’s own image editing options.

4. Avoid using digital zoom

When you need to get close and personal to your subject, step in as close as you can first and use the optical zoom second. Using the digital zoom on a point-and-shoot camera will always give you an inferior photo. This is because the digital zoom basically crops and expands your photo as you take the image, which most cameras allow you to do after you take the shot anyway. So using a 2x digital zoom uses half the pixels as a normal shot, while a 4x digital zoom reduces the pixels by four times.

5. Adjust the white balance

[photo: close-up of a tan dog looking up on a tiled floor, with a warm yellowish cast]

White balance is often distorted when shooting indoors.

If you have ever taken a shot indoors and found everything looks yellow or blue, you’ve experienced an issue with white balance. Most good point-and-shoot cameras give you an option to adjust the white balance for your shot. For a custom white balance, just adjust the setting under the same light that will illuminate your shot until the image on the screen looks good to your eyes. There should also be several settings that change the white balance for you. Settings like day light, cloudy and fluorescent change the white balance for the situations they name. Tungsten is one you may not be familiar with — use it when you are indoors with a lot of incandescent lights to remove the yellow hues.

6. Be Creative and Have Fun

The more photos you take with your point-and-shoot camera, the better you will understand what works and what doesn’t in different situations. When you get a new camera, it’s a good idea to take it out for an afternoon and use different settings for the same photo so you can see how they affect each shot. Explore different compositions by taking photos from different angles and distances. Rather than having your subject centered in every shot, for example, place them near the side of the shot to give them context within their surroundings.

Whether you’re using a cellphone, a point-and-shoot camera, using different angles almost always creates more interesting pictures. If you simply stand in front of the subject and take the photo at eye-level, the shot is usually uninteresting because that’s the same perspective everyone has of everything they see. Squatting down to a low angle, or finding a safe way to get above your subject will create a photo that is more interesting because it comes from a perspective only toddlers and giraffes normally see.

Whatever your style is for taking photos, your point and shoot camera is a great, light-weight accessory you can bring anywhere. The quality and the range of features will almost always give you better, more memorable photos than what you could ever get with the camera on a smartphone.

What I Can Do

Tell me about your photos

Choose three photographs that you like from your own gallery and spend a few minutes on choosing and thinking about what you are going to explain why you have chosen those photographs. You may choose to use the Microsoft Office Word or handwritten.

What I Have Learned

What Is a Point and Shoot Camera?

A point and shoot camera is a pocket-sized, mostly auto-focus camera that is designed for simplicity. Point and shoot cameras may be called P&S cameras or compact cameras, due to their small size.

Features That Make Point and Shoot Cameras Attractive

One of the most attractive features of the point and shoot camera is the ability to point the camera at a subject and snap a picture. The camera does all the work from adjusting the exposure level to focusing the camera and deciding if a flash is necessary. That makes them a great choice for someone that just wants to grab a quick picture without having to think through the settings that will ensure the picture is perfect.

Before Taking Your First Shots
  1. Learn Your Modes
    a. Portrait Mode
    b. Hand-Held Night Mode
    c. Snow or Beach Mode
    d. Miniature or Diorama Mode
  2. Get a Memory Card
  3. Check the Image Quality
Taking Great Photos
  1. Stabilize Your Camera
  2. Pre-focus Before You Focus
  3. Use the Flash Sparingly
  4. Avoid the Digital Zoom
  5. Adjust the White Balance
  6. Be Creative and Have Fun

Assessment

Write YES on the blank if the statement about photography is true and NO if it is not.

_____ 1. Portrait mode is best used whenever you’re taking a picture of someone’s face, or several people in a close group.

_____ 2. Can you use a digital camera without a memory card?

_____ 3. Point and shoot can refer to either cameras that use film or to digital cameras.

_____ 4. Do professional photographers use point and shoot cameras?

_____ 5. Most point and shoot cameras are not limited in how fast they can capture an image.

Answer Key

[transcriber’s note: the answer key is printed upside down in three boxes; the boxes are transcribed below in upright reading order]

What I Know
  1. False
  2. False
  3. False
  4. True
  5. True
What Is It?
  1. a
  2. b
  3. d
  4. b
  5. c
  6. b
  7. b
  8. c
  9. a
  10. c
Assessment
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Yes
  4. Yes
  5. No
Pre-test
  1. c
  2. b
  3. d
  4. a
  5. d

References

ePHOTOzine. 9 Top Photography Composition Rules You Need To Know. April 30, 2014. Accessed March 14, 2021. https://www.ephotozine.com/article/9-top-photography-composition-rules-you-need-to-know-17158

ballardgraphicdesign. Elements and Principles of Design in Photography. September 21, 2012. Accessed March 14, 2021. https://www.slideshare.net/ballardgraphicdesign/elements-and-principles-of-design-in-photography

https://www.samsung.com/ie/support/mobile-devices/how-do-i-use-the-basic-functions-of-my-smartphone-camera/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_phone
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point-and-shoot_camera
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13068/point-and-shoot

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR)

Ground Floor, Bonifacio Bldg., DepEd Complex Meralco Avenue, Pasig City, Philippines 1600

Telefax: (632) 8634-1072; 8634-1054; 8631-4985

Email Address: blr.lrqad@deped.gov.ph * blr.lrpd@deped.gov.ph

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

For students and teachers

Looking for a school?

Look up the enrollment, teachers, classrooms and facilities of more than 60,000 schools across the Philippines, from DepEd’s public data. Free to use.

Philippine Schools Directory by TeacherPH · every region, province, division and district