Photography the skill that is easy to learn

By margaret engman

"Photography, the skill that is easy to learn" is a comprehensive guide to the art and science of photography. The book delves into the rich history of photography, tracing its evolution from the earliest days of the camera obscura to the modern digital age. Along the way, readers will learn about the key figures and milestones that have shaped the medium.
The book also covers the technical aspects of photography, including exposure, composition, and lighting. With clear explanations and photo examples, the book teaches readers how to master photography fundamentals and take stunning images. 
As well as covering the technical side of things, the book also explores the creative side of photography. It covers various styles and genres of photography, including landscape, portrait, and street photography, and gives readers the tools they need to develop their unique style and vision.
The book is aimed at both beginner and intermediate photographers looking to improve their skills and understanding of the medium. It is filled with more than 170 beautiful photographs and practical tips and tricks that readers can apply to their own work.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: margaret engman
• Release date: Jan 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215785027

Book preview

PHOTOGRAPHY

THE SKILL THAT IS EASY TO LEARN

––––––––

The comprehensive book from beginning to mastery

To my daughters Kornelia and Maya

who are both fantastic photographers

and my love, my life, and my light.

And to Daniel my best friend.

Copyright © 2023 Margaret Engman All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

GETTING  STARTED -EQUIPMENT

CAMERA SETTINGS AND EXPOSURE

LIGHT

SEEING AND MAKING BETTER PHOTOGRAPHS

HOW TO?

PHOTOGRAPHY AS BUSSINESS

Chapter 1

HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

––––––––

Even ancient people were interested in light. Aristotle and Giordano Bruno were both fascinated by light. Aristotle believed that light was emitted by the eye and necessary for vision. On the other hand, Bruno believed that the universe was filled with an infinite number of stars and that light traveled through the void between them. He also believed that the universe was infinite and that the earth was not the center of the universe, as was repeatedly believed at the time. Both Aristotle and Bruno made essential contributions to the understanding of light and its role in the natural world. The first discovery was camera obscura. The concept of the camera obscura (Latin for dark room) has been known since ancient times. The first camera obscura was likely used by ancient Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Euclid to observe and study the movements of the sun, moon, and stars. The use of the camera obscura as a tool for drawing and painting is generally credited to the artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, who described the principles of the camera obscura in his notebooks. However, the first written record of a camera obscura being used for artistic purposes dates back to the 5th century BC, when it was described by the Chinese philosopher Mozi. It is also true that the principles of the camera obscura were preserved and developed by Arab scholars during the Dark Ages in Europe. The camera obscura was known to ancient Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Euclid. The concept was further developed by Arab scholars such as Al-Haytham (also known as Alhazen), who wrote extensively on optics and camera obscura in the 11th century. Al-Haytham's work was later translated into Latin and had a significant influence on the development of optics and scientific thought in Europe during the Renaissance.

Figure 2 camera obscura

In addition to their contributions to the understanding of optics, Arab scholars also played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting the works of ancient Greek philosophers such as Aristotle during a time when many of these works were lost or forgotten in Europe. Through their translations and commentaries, Arab scholars helped keep the ancient Greeks' ideas alive and ensure they were not lost to future generations. The Italian polymath Giambattista Della Porta is credited with publishing the first detailed description of the camera obscura in his 1558 book Natural Magic. (Magiae Naturalis) In his book, Della Porta described the building using a camera obscura and discussed the device's various scientific and artistic applications. Giambattista Della Porta is credited with extending the practical applications of the camera obscura to include portraiture. In his book, Della Porta described how the camera obscura could be used to create accurate and detailed portraits. He noted that by using the camera obscura as a drawing aid, artists could capture the subtle nuances of a subject's facial features and expressions in a way that was impossible using traditional drawing techniques.

Della Porta's work on the camera obscura was influential and helped to popularize the use of the device as an artistic tool. In the centuries that followed, the camera obscura was widely used by artists to create accurate and lifelike portraits, and it remains an essential tool in the field of art and photography to this day. Della Porta's work was widely read and influential, and it helped to popularize the use of the camera obscura as a drawing aid and scientific instrument.

In addition to his work on the camera obscura, Della Porta was also known for his contributions to the fields of natural philosophy, alchemy, and medicine. He was a prolific writer and inventor, and his work had a lasting impact on the scientific and intellectual developments of the Renaissance; beyond the first significant improvements to camera obscure were done by Giordano Cardano in 1550. Giordano Cardano was an Italian mathematician and physician known for his contributions to the development of the camera obscura. Cardano is credited with improving

A picture containing text Description automatically generated

upon the design of the camera obscura by adding a bi-convex lens to the device, which helped to produce a more precise and more detailed, brighter image.

Egidio da Viterbo, also known as Egnazio Danti, was an Italian mathematician, astronomer, and geographer who made essential contributions to the development of the camera obscura. Danti is credited with improving upon the design of the camera obscura by adding a concave mirror to the device, which helped to correct the distortion that was often present in images produced by the camera obscura. The next inventor who improved Obscura was Johann Kepler in 1616. Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer who made important contributions to the development of the camera obscura. Kepler is credited with discovering the tent-shaped portable camera obscura, which allowed users to set up the device in any location with a clear view of the outside world.

Big innovation did Kaspar Schott. Kaspar Schott, a pupil of Athanasius Kircher, is credited with designing a small portable camera obscura that could be carried under the arm. Schott was a German scientist and engineer who contributed to developing the camera obscura and other scientific instruments. He is best known for his work on optics, including developing improved telescopes and the design of portable camera obscuras.

The next significant invention of Obscura was in 1685. Johann Zahn is credited with designing a reflex type of camera obscura that featured an opal glass focusing screen and a painted black interior to reduce reflections. Zahn was a German inventor and scientist who contributed to developing the camera obscura and other scientific instruments. He is best known for his work on optics, including developing improved telescopes and the design of portable camera obscuras.

Zahn's reflex camera obscura significantly improved over earlier designs; it was a reflex type only about 9 inches in height and width and about 2 feet long. It allowed users to view the projected image more clearly and accurately. The opal glass focusing screen helped to reduce distortion and improve the clarity of the image, while the painted interior helped to reduce reflections and improve contrast. Zahn's work had a lasting impact on the development of the camera obscura and other scientific instruments. He is considered an important figure in the history of science and technology. In size and design, Zahn's cameras were the prototype of nineteen-century photographic boxes and reflex cameras. By 18 centuries, the use of camera obscura was common knowledge among educated people. Cameras were constructed in numerous types, some even in the form of books, and others were concealed in the head of walking -sticks. Sometimes carriages were adopted by lining the interior with dark material and having well-fitting curtains and tables to draw on. 

A picture containing wooden, wood Description automatically generated

What actually is camera obscura? A camera obscura is a device that projects an image of the outside world onto a screen or surface inside a dark room or box. It allows light to pass through a small hole or aperture, then projects an inverted image of the scene outside onto the opposite wall or surface. The image is usually right side up when viewed from the side of the camera obscura opposite the aperture.

Camera Obscura has been used for a variety of purposes throughout history. Early camera obscura was often used as scientific instruments to study the movements of celestial bodies, and artists also used them as a drawing aid. In the 17th and 18th centuries, portable camera obscura was developed, which allowed artists to sketch outdoors quickly. Today, camera obscura is still used for scientific and artistic purposes, and they are also sometimes used as a novelty attraction at museums and other cultural institutions.

The basic principles of the camera obscura have been known for centuries, but the device has evolved and been refined over time. In its most basic form, a camera obscura is simply a dark room or box with a small hole or aperture in one wall. When light passes through the hole and into the room, an inverted image of the scene outside is projected onto the opposite wall. The image is usually right side up when viewed from the side of the camera obscura opposite the aperture.

One of the critical features of the camera obscura is that it allows the user to see an image of the outside world in real-time as the scene is projected onto the screen or surface inside the device. This makes it possible to study the movements of celestial bodies, sketch landscapes and other subjects, or observe the world around us in a new and exciting way.

In the past, camera obscuras were often large and stationary, with the image being projected onto a screen or canvas inside the device. Today, however, camera obscuras can be portable and much smaller in size, allowing them to be used in various settings. Some modern camera obscura is even built into tents or other portable structures, allowing users to set up the device in any location with a clear view of the outside world.

Photochemistry 

From a chemical point of view, it was in 1725 that Johann Heinrich Schulze, professor of anatomy at the university of Altdorf, observed the darkening of silver salt. Johann Heinrich Schultz. He was a German scientist who significantly contributed to the study of light and color. In 1725, Schultz published a paper in which he argued that the darkening of silver salt was not caused by the sun or heat, as was previously believed, but by light. This was a significant discovery that helped to further our understanding of the nature of light and its interaction with matter. Schultz's work laid the foundation for the development of the field of photochemistry, which is the study of the chemical effects of light. Schultze's experiment becomes widely known not only in the scientific circle. Schulze observation extended Wilhelm Sheele. Carl Wilhelm Scheele was a Swedish chemist who made many significant contributions to the field of chemistry. He is known for his work on a wide range of substances, including oxygen, chlorine, and several acids. Scheele's most significant discovery was the element oxygen, which he isolated in 1772. He also contributed to understanding acids' nature and reactions to other substances. Scheele's work laid the foundation for many important developments in chemistry and significantly impacted the scientific understanding of the world. He also made discoveries and published in his Chemische Abbandlung von der Luft und dem Feuer in 1777 that silver chloride acted on by light to become insoluble in ammonia. Then Jean Senebier, who was a Swiss pastor, librarian, naturalist, and scientist, made significant contributions to the study of  

––––––––

light and color. One of his most significant contributions was his work on the relative speed with which different spectrum colors darken silver chloride. Senebier conducted a series of experiments in which he exposed silver chloride to different light colors and measured the rate at which the substance darkened. He found that the colors at the red end of the spectrum caused the silver chloride to darken more slowly than the colors at the violet end of the spectrum. This was an important discovery that helped to further our understanding of the nature of light and its interaction with matter. Senebier's work also laid the foundation for developing the field of photochemistry.

Invention of photography 

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce and his brother, Claude, were pioneers in the field of photography. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce is credited with creating the first permanent photograph in 1826, using a process called heliography. (The term heliography is derived from the Greek words helios, meaning sun, and graphein, meaning to write or draw. Sun drawing) He made this photograph by exposing a light-sensitive plate to light for several hours, then chemically treating the plate to fix the image. The light caused the bitumen to harden in proportion to the intensity of the light, creating an image on the plate. Niépce then washed away the unhardened bitumen with a solvent, leaving a permanent image on the plate. This photograph, which depicted a view from Niépce's window in Gras, France, was the first successful attempt to use chemical means to fix an image and marked the beginning of the history of photography. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce's work was later built upon by other photographers, including Louis Daguerre, who developed the daguerreotype process in the 1830s. Louis Daguerre was a French artist and scientist best known

for his contributions to the development of photography. In 1839, Daguerre announced the daguerreotype process, which was the first practical method for producing photographic images. The daguerreotype process involved exposing a light-sensitive silver-plated copper sheet to light, then developing the image using mercury vapor. The resulting image was a highly detailed, one-of-a-kind photograph that was captured directly on a metal plate. The daguerreotype process was widely popular in the early years of photography and was used to produce some of the first photographs of people, places, and events. Daguerre's work significantly impacted photography's development and helped establish it as a medium for artistic expression and documentary records. François Arago announced the daguerreotype process in 1839. François Arago was a French scientist and politician who is known for his role in promoting the work of Louis Daguerre, the inventor of the daguerreotype process. On 19 August 1839, Arago presented a report on Daguerre's work to a joint meeting of the Académie des Sciences and the Académie des Beaux-Arts at the Institute de France. In this report, Arago described the details of the daguerreotype process, which was the first practical method for producing photographic images.

––––––––

A picture containing electronics, camera, stack Description automatically generated

The daguerreotype process involved exposing a light-sensitive silver-plated copper sheet to light, then developing the image using mercury vapor.

The resulting image was a highly detailed, one-of-a-kind photograph that was captured directly on a metal plate. Arago's report sparked widespread interest in photography and helped to establish it as a medium for artistic expression and documentary records. This date, 19th 1839, is counted as the official birthday of photography. We take photography technology for granted, as it has become such a ubiquitous part of our lives. However, photography was a revolutionary discovery when it was first introduced, and it has had a massive impact on how we document and remember the world around us. The daguerreotype process, which Louis Daguerre developed in the 19th century, was met with skepticism and even criticism when it was first introduced. Some people, particularly religious individuals, felt that the ability to capture images with such detail

and accuracy was somehow unnatural or even sacrilegious. However, the daguerreotype and other early photographic processes eventually gained widespread acceptance, and photography has become an essential part of our cultural and scientific endeavors. The daguerreotype Hippolyte Fizeau improved upon the daguerreotype process in the 1840s. Fizeau discovered that toning daguerreotypes with chloride of gold helped to improve their stability and resistance to tarnishing. This process, known as Fizeau toning, became a common way to treat daguerreotypes and helped to extend their lifespan. Newer photographic technologies eventually replaced the daguerreotype process, but it remains an integral part of the history of photography and is still appreciated by collectors and historians today. Frédéric Gerber was a Swiss surgeon and professor at Berne university and inventor who is known for his contributions to the field of photography.

Gerber is credited with creating some of the earliest known photographs on paper, which predate the daguerreotype process developed by Louis Daguerre. Gerber's success has been mainly in photographic images of objects laid on prepared papers, and his work has yet to be recovered. However, his contributions to the field have been recognized by historians and are considered important milestones in the development of photography. On hearing of Daguerre's discovery grate, English astronomer Sir John Herschel set himself the task of solving the problem of photography. Sir John Herschel was a British scientist and inventor who made many significant contributions to the field of photography. He is best known for developing the cyanotype process, a simple and inexpensive method for producing blueprints. Herschel is also credited with introducing the terms photography, negative, and positive to describe the processes and products of photography and, 20 years later, the term snapshot In addition to his work in photography, Herschel made essential contributions to a wide range of scientific fields, including mathematics, astronomy, and chemistry. He was a highly influential figure in the 19th century, and his work had a lasting impact on the scientific community. It is important to write that there were other men, Hippolyte Bayard, a French photographer who is known for his contributions to the development of photography. Bayard is credited with creating some of the earliest known photographs on paper, which predate the daguerreotype process developed by Louis Daguerre. Arago persuaded him by a grant of Fr 600 for better equipment not to publish his method at present. He is also known for his work in developing the process of printing photographs on albumen paper, which became a popular method for producing prints in the 19th century. Bayard was a pioneer in the field of photography, and historians have recognized his work as an important milestone in the development of the medium.

Two German scientists, Franz von Kobell and Carl August von Steinheil, both at Munich university, were also experimenting with photography. However, the only process that finally established itself was Calotype. The calotype process, also known as the talbotype process, was a photographic process developed by William Henry Fox Talbot in the early 19th century. William Henry Fox Talbot was a British scientist, inventor, and photographer who contributed significantly to various scientific fields, including mathematics, astronomy, and linguistics. The process patented on 8 February 1841 that he invented was one of the first negative-positive processes in photography, meaning that a negative image was produced from which multiple positive prints could be made. The calotype process involved creating a negative image by exposing the light-sensitive paper to a scene for a prolonged period and then using this negative to produce a positive print by contact printing onto another sheet of light-sensitive paper. The calotype process was an important step in the development of modern photography.

It allowed to produce multiple copies of an image and laid the foundation for many printing techniques still in use today.

We must remember about printing on glass in 19 centuries. Photographs on glass, also known as glass plate negatives, were a common form of photographic media in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The earliest photographs printed on glass were considered by Talbot the step of the giant. They were made by coating a sheet of glass with a light-sensitive emulsion and exposing it to light to create a negative image. The glass plate negative could then be used to produce a