RBSA

Social media training 2022

Basics of taking good pictures
“ If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to
get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.”
Don McCullin
 Training summary
For this training the focus will be on how to best use DSLR cameras and smartphone photography.
At the end of the session you should:

For DSLR cameras

• Understand, at a basic level, how DSLR cameras work
• Get tips on how to use DSLR cameras to take pictures that tell stories

For smartphone photography

• Understand, at a basic level, how phone cameras work
• Get tips on how to take the best pictures using your phone

• Share resources to how to videos and articles that can enhance your photography experience
 About photography
Photography is the art of capturing light with a camera, usually via a digital
sensor or film, to create an image.

For the purposes UNHCR work, the focus and aim of taking photos is to
promote the welfare and social stories of refugees, asylum seekers, and
IDPs through good quality story telling photographs.
DSLR
DSLR cameras are the standard, most
popular camera choice by far.

They are versatile and offer

professional photographs with high
image quality.

They can also work with different

interchangeable lenses.
USING DSLR
USING DSLR
SLRs can be used with a wide variety of interchangeable lenses such as telephoto lenses and macro lenses.
They offer excellent image quality, lots of features and accessories.

Their advantages include:

Low light: DSLR cameras are very effective for shooting in dim lighting, as the larger sensor can capture
more light.
 
Autofocus: DSLRs have better autofocus features compared to point-and-shoot cameras, allowing you to
focus and shoot faster to capture more high-quality images.
 
Battery life: DSLRs don’t require the digital screen to be on all the time, so they use very little power,
extending battery life.
USING DSLR
SLRs can be used with a wide variety of interchangeable lenses such as telephoto lenses and macro lenses.
They offer excellent image quality, lots of features and accessories.

Their advantages include:

Low light: DSLR cameras are very effective for shooting in dim lighting, as the larger sensor can capture
more light.
 
Autofocus: DSLRs have better autofocus features compared to point-and-shoot cameras, allowing you to
focus and shoot faster to capture more high-quality images.
 
Battery life: DSLRs don’t require the digital screen to be on all the time, so they use very little power,
extending battery life.
USING DSLR: Controls
1. ISO Speed - determines the digital sensors sensitivity to light and the amount of
"grain" in your pictures.

• When there is lots of light e.g. sunny day, set your camera ISO speed to 100-200.
• If you want to shoot inside without using a flash, then set your camera to ISO 400,
800,1600 or higher.
• Always try use the lowest ISO speed that allows you to shoot with a shutter speed of
1\30 or faster if you are not using a tripod.
 USING DSLR: Controls
1. ISO Speed - determines the digital sensors
sensitivity to light and the amount of "grain" in
your pictures.

• When there is lots of light e.g. sunny day, set

your camera ISO speed to 100-200.
• If you want to shoot inside without using a
flash, then set your camera to ISO 400,
800,1600 or higher.

• Always try use the lowest ISO speed that

allows you to shoot with a shutter speed of
1\30 or faster if you are not using a tripod.
USING DSLR: Controls
2. Camera Shooting Modes:
The basic modes are: Programmed Automatic,
Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority, and Manual.

They are usually abbreviated P, A, S, and M. If

you use a Canon try P, Av, Tv, and M on for size.

These modes are generally selected on one dial,

or cycled through using a “mode” button and a
separate dial.

In general, these modes control how the camera

automatically sets the aperture or shutter speed,
or allows the user to manually select aperture
and shutter speed.
USING DSLR: Controls
3. Exposure Compensation- Exposure Compensation allows the
photographer to override exposure settings picked by the camera’s light
meter, in order to darken or brighten images before they are captured

• In order to use exposure compensation, you must be in one of the 

camera modes that utilizes the camera meter, such as aperture priority,
shutter priority, program mode, or any other “scene” mode that performs
automatic exposure adjustments. Unless one has Auto ISO turned on,
exposure compensation will do absolutely nothing in Manual mode.

• Once the proper camera mode is selected, it will be possible to adjust

the brightness of the image by using the exposure compensation feature
of the camera.

• While most cameras will have a button for this on either at the top or the
back of the camera, some cameras might have this feature only through
a dial. So, look for a button that has plus and minus signs.
Resources: DSLR

• Camera tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM67OEA8zWA

• Photos that tell a story

More Tips for Telling Stories with Your Camera feat. Daniel Milnor, Docu
mentary Photographer – YouTube

4 Tips for Telling Stories with Your Camera feat. Daniel Milnor, Docume
ntary Photographer
– YouTube
https://youtu.be/D-zthes3yMI
 Q&A
Session
Smartphone photography
Smartphone photography
Smartphone photography is taking pictures with
your phone. It could be an iPhone or Android, old or
new.

It is a great way to capture anything that catches

your photographer’s eye. This applies to planned
images or spontaneous images.

One of the advantages of this type of photography

is that it is less imposing and can work very well in
cases where you don’t want to avoid bringing
attention to yourself.
How to take pictures with your phone
• Take a portrait
Take a portrait of your subject looking at
the camera.
Always shoot horizontal for social
media.
Fill the frame with the person’s head
and shoulders so that they are the most
prominent part of the composition.
How to take pictures with your phone
• Use natural light.
Take advantage of the sources of natural light you can find. This gives you a
chance to play with shadows, or create a silhouette with other sources of light, like
traffic and surrounding buildings.
Once you've taken the photo, play with the "Exposure" tool in your edit settings to
see if you can make the image slightly brighter, without ruining the picture.

• Consider a tripod or mount for your smartphone.

We all know how much a shaky hand can turn a potentially good photo for social
media into a blurry disaster. While it is possible to steady the camera using a
makeshift mount, your best bet for a steady photo is by purchasing a tripod or
professional mount for your phone.
How to take pictures on your phone
• Using the flash.
only use the during the day. Sometimes, using your camera's flash can improve a
photo — but rarely does it do so at night. Because dark shots reveal a much sharper
contrast against your phone's flash, it can make any flash look invasive and uneven.

• Zooming in.
When you take a photo from a distance, it's tempting to zoom in on something specific
you're trying to capture. But it is better not to zoom in — doing so can make the photo
appear blurry, or pixelated.
How to take pictures with your phone
• Set your camera's focus.
To adjust where you want your camera lens to focus, open your camera app and tap
the screen where you want to sharpen the view.

 Tap the screen to correct your phone camera's focus just before snapping the picture
to ensure the moving subject has as much focus as possible.
A square or circular icon should then appear on your camera screen, shifting the
focus of your shot to all of the content inside that icon.

Always advisable to focus on one subject at a time, or in a picture.

How to take pictures
with your phone
• Take pictures that tell a
story.

• Capture moments
Resources: pictures with your phone
• Mobile photography tips mobile photography tips and tricks - simple ways to capture better photos –
youtube

7 Camera Tips to Level Up Smartphone Photography – YouTube

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/good-pictures-phone-tips

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography/discover/smartphone-photography.html

• Photos that tell a story

More Tips for Telling Stories with Your Camera feat. Daniel Milnor, Documentary Photographer – YouTube

4 Tips for Telling Stories with Your Camera feat. Daniel Milnor, Documentary Photographer – YouTube
https://youtu.be/D-zthes3yMI
General photo tips

● Pick a simple background and

make sure nothing is inadvertently
growing out of your subject’s head
– like a tree or another person.
● Have the person face the sun but
avoid shooting in high mid day
sunlight. Soft morning and
afternoon light are best.
● Fill the frame with your subject and
study the Rule of Thirds.
Images Best Practice
Social media photos
Focusing on these elements will mean you’re capturing good social media photos:

•Faces with eye-contact – this is the key to a big hit – close up ideal

•If not faces, then people

•If not people, then compelling visual eg: markets, tents, lifejackets can work

•Landscape orientation – ideal because of how platforms display content

•Clear and in-focus

•Bright, high-contrast, colourful

 Q&A
Session