The Basics

The best thing you can ever do for your photography is to get to know your equipment. Know your camera inside and out, find out how it works, find out what each setting does and what that means for your image. Then switch it all to manual. It may seem daunting and take some time to get used to, but it’s truly the best way to get to know your camera and take control of your photographs

Light is the most essential element for your photos, even the word ‘photography’ has its roots in the Greek language and roughly translates to the phrase ‘drawing with light’. Once you understand how your camera works, and how you can control how the light gets to your sensor you’ll have a much greater control over your camera and the photos you create.

The two main elements of your camera that you most need to be aware of are the aperture and the shutter speed. The aperture controls the amount of light that enters the camera, through its size, and shutter speed determines how long that aperture is open for. Both are essential to the outcome of your image.

In basic terms, the smaller the f-stop the wider the aperture, the more light that gets in to your camera. A wide aperture creates a very shallow depth of field in your photo, making it ideal for shots of the drivers in the paddock where you don’t want any distraction from the background. (See shot of Jenson Button below, taken at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix) However this isn’t just reserved for portraits, it can be used to great effect on the cars on track too. (See shot below of a Ferrari at the 2015 British Grand Prix)