Have you ever wondered how do cameras work? We have carefully explained the science behind the art of photography to help you become a better photographer here.
Have you ever wondered how else we could have preserved the most delicate and enduring moments in our lives without cameras? One of the major inventions in history that became an integral part of our day-to-day lives is cameras, without which life is undoubtedly incomplete.
But do you know what’s more interesting?
Even though cameras have evolved and gone through many changes over the past few decades, the basic mechanism behind clicking exceptional photographs remains the same, despite the fact that most people are unaware of what happens after you press the button.
If you know the science behind the art of clicking photos, we can assure you that you will become a better, more confident, and enthusiastic photographer for two major reasons.
First, you will be more confident while taking the shot, and second, you’ll realize that clicking photos with a DSLR, smartphone, or a point-and-shoot is more or less the same. And it’s no rocket science.
How does a camera capture an image?
Now that you are ready to learn how a camera operates, let me start with the basic mechanism. When we see an object and wish to photograph it, all we do is point the camera lens towards the object and press the button, and the job is done. But is it that simple?
No, there are six things without which you can never record an image in the camera, no matter how many times you press the button. These are light, subject, optics, aperture, time, and medium.
1. Light
Light is the most important part of photography. Without the presence of light, it’s impossible to capture photographs. In places where we do not get adequate natural light, we use artificial light such as candlelight, studio light, or even, in some cases, your vehicle’s headlight.
The overall quality of the photograph is immensely dependent on the nature of the light emitted from these objects and the shadows created by these lights. When you use strong light, you get strong and dark shadows similarly. Soft light creates soft shadows. To take a good photograph, you must ensure the light is ideal.
2. Subject
The second most important aspect of a good photograph is the subject. The subject is the focal point of the photograph. If you have not yet identified your subject, you can treat the entire scene as a subject instead of a particular thing. But it would help if you remain assured that you have identified the subject before taking the shot. It can be anything: an individual, an animal, or just a landscape.
3. Lens
Once you have identified the subject and adjusted the lighting, the third most important thing is the camera’s lens. The lens is also known as optics. The main purpose of the lens is to direct the light towards the recording medium. It not only sends light to the medium but also defines the focal length, magnification, and angle of view.
Lenses are generally available in focal lengths ranging from super-telephoto to wide angles. Furthermore, the lens describes the photograph based on its independent characteristics. To put it simply, the lens helps us record an image from a distance that is otherwise hard to see. Similarly, we can zoom out an image with the help of the lens to add that X factor to the photograph.
4. Aperture
The aperture is specially designed to control the amount of light in the camera when we capture an image. Also, it effectively controls the depth of the image’s field. It is the opening through which light passes before it hits the censors. The size of the aperture decides the amount of light passing through it, which defines the image quality. If you wish to measure the size of the aperture, you need to remember that it’s measured in “f-stops” and is denoted on the camera as “f .” So, the next time you see the symbol “f” on your camera, you know it’s the sign for aperture. Just keep in mind that if the number of the aperture is less, the size of the aperture is more, allowing more light to pass through.
On the contrary, if the number of apertures is more, the size of the aperture is less, allowing less light. For example, f22 allows less light compared to f2.8.
Related: What is Aperture in photography?
5. Shutter Speed
Timing is essential in photography. Time is controlled by the shutter speed of the camera. If you ask us what a shutter speed is, we’ll say it’s the estimated time the shutter remains open. It’s generally measured in the 10th or 100th of a second. The slower the shutter speed, the more time it takes to close and the more light it captures. To capture movements, you need to have a high shutter speed; however, a slow shutter speed also has its utility. They allow for the motion to get blurred.
Related: All You Need to Know About Shutter Speed and Its Role in Photography
6. Medium
The medium is where the image gets recorded. In traditional cameras, films were used to record images, but with technology, films have been replaced by censors. These are either CCD or CMOS and are available in various sizes. The most common size of widely used sensors is a crop, commonly called APS-C, medium, and full frame sensors.
Final Takeaway: So, did you know how digital cameras work?
Therefore, even though the overall technology of clicking photographs seems simple, it has a lot of technology behind it. When we focus the camera on a particular subject, the light is captured based on the shutter speed and redirected towards the censors through the aperture, which controls the amount of light before it hits the censors. Once the light hits the censors, the image is recorded in the medium.
So, these six elements, namely, the light, subject, lens, aperture, shutter speed, and medium, form a photograph. The overall quality of the photograph depends on these six elements. This is precisely how the camera records a photograph, and it’s the same for all cameras.
We hope we have explained the mechanism to you clearly through this article. If you have any queries, feel free to reach out to us.