Tricks in Photography for Beginners Part 2

What exactly is ISO?

ISO, also known as ISO speed, refers to the camera’s sensitivity to light. In the past, using camera film used to be referred to in the past as “film speed.” The greater you go with the ISO setting you select, the brighter the image. If you select the less ISO setting, the image will appear darker. For incredible tricks in photography, it is necessary to be able to master this setting.

ISO is merely an aid setting

Although technically, this setting is crucial, however, the brightness of your images is dependent on the shutter speed of your camera. Go through my previous post, Photo Tricks and Effects For Beginners, to know more about this. As an example, let’s say you set your ISO of 6400 or greater. If you’re taking photos at a speed that is high, like 1/1600, your photo is almost certain to appear dark or even pitch black.

This is why, before you can set your camera’s ISO, first you need to establish the shutter speed of your camera instead of in reverse. ISO can only be used as a minor adjustment to the overall luminosity of your photo. If you’re committed to learning the best techniques in photography, make sure you don’t misunderstand the importance.

General ISO settings

In most situations, ISO 100 – 400 is generally recommended. If you’re trying to do photo-based tricks in particular situations, this is a different matter.

ISO setting for lighting

If you’re performing specific photos or effects such as lighting painting, you should perform the work at night when there is very little or no light even. It’s not possible to perform it in a space that has bright lights. As you prepare for your light painting, we recommend at least setting the ISO 100 or lower.

If you can, set the camera’s ISO “1”. For point-and-shoot cameras, if you have one. Shoot cameras that don’t come with this feature; check further below for more details on how to make that change without cost.

The reason to choose the low ISO feasible is due to the fact that light painting requires the capture of the bright light trails. When your ISO exceeds the limit, light trails begin “splattering,” and you’ll also begin seeing “ghostly shadows” caused by unintentional objects around you.

ISO Setting for Sports Photography

If you are looking to create amazing sports photos and tricks, then perform it in the morning period with plenty of sunshine or in a bright setting. Photography for sports involves taking a “frozen” moment with your subject in the middle of the action, so the aim is not to create too much motion blur. The only way to minimize blurring when the athlete is moving is to raise your camera’s shutter speed by at minimum one-fiftieth of a second. This creates photos that are dark.

Even if you exceed the camera’s ISO speed, it’s still dark. This is the reason why shooting sports pictures in a dark setting isn’t possible. There aren’t any tricks to photography that will assist you.

If the above conditions are met, adjust your ISO speed to the general setting of 100-400. Since you likely want clear, crisp photos, any more ISO is not advised. I would suggest that you utilize ISO bracketing within this limit to avoid missing images. Learn more about my article, Tricks in Photography using Bracketing, to find out more about this.

ISO Speed Setting for Portraits

If you’re taking regular photographs of family members or portraits and family photos, your ISO speed is somewhat more adaptable. Remember that a high ISO speed causes noise, which can cause your photos to come out looking grainy. This could increase the drama and emphasize romanticism.

ISO settings can be very different depending on the setting the photographer is in. If you are on an overcast day, then choose the lowest ISO feasible, coupled with 1/50-1/80 shutter speed. If you’re shooting indoors, choose a slightly larger ISO setting, ranging from 250 to 400.

I hope that this article has given you the confidence to create amazing photo effects and photo tricks—best of luck.