MCD401 : Camera basics, principles and practices

Course Overview

Course Synopsis

Everyone can take a picture, but to be a professional photographer or a cameraman, one needs highly specialized skills and tools to bring life to an image. These skills create the ability to turn the ordinary images into extraordinary ones. This course is aimed to develop such professional skills among the students that are helpful in TV direction and Production. The course includes detail of camera history and guidelines to handle the camera. The course includes the art of photography, kinds of lenses used in camera and the lighting techniques for the professional training. Besides photography, the course also focuses on practices of cinematography with camera angles, movements and shots. The contents have been designed for production overview and post production processes.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students:

  • • Will have practical and in-depth knowledge of camera handling
  • • Be able to use camera for professional photography
  • • Be able to differentiate between different camera shots and lighting effects


Course Calendar

2 Topic Overview Part II
1 Topic overview Part 1
3 Principles of Photography
4 History of Photography
5 History of Photography; Pinhole Camera
6 History of Photography TLR & SLR
7 History of Photography BigGun
8 History of Photography; Digital Camera
9 Camera film loading
10 UV filters
11 Camera handling
12 Camera lens
13 lens aberrations
14 lenses
15 lens speed
16 Aperture
17 Shutter speed
18 Depth of field
19 Exposure
20 Speed
21 Exposure meter & Grey card
22 Types of Light Metering
23 Sunny Rule f/16
24 Filters
25 Filter Factor
26 Filters Color Photography
27 photography-an art or science
28 Things to remember -Photography
29 Pinhole Photography
30 Rule of Thirds
31 Factors of photography
32 Lighting for photography-Hard or Soft light
33 Lighting for Photography-Studio Lights
34 Lighting for Photography-Transmitted light & Reflected Light
35 Photography on Film
36 Dark room
37 Printing and Enlarging
38 Flash Photography
39 Comparative Imaging
40 Photographic Lab-Photoshop
41 Digital Imaging Device
42 Digital Imaging Files
43 Videography-Historical Background
44 Motion Pictures- Historical Background
45 Film Reel
46 Film Projection
47 STILL CAMERA MECHANISM
48 Film Camera Mechanism
49 Film Exposure
50 Shutter Camera and Claw
51 Early Cameras
52 Film Speed
53 The Film People-Producers & Directors
54 The Film People-Director of photography
55 Director of Photography-Job Description
56 Production Stages
57 Recce or Scouting
58 Preparing for Shoot
59 Film making 01
60 Filmmaking 02
61 Motion Picture Camera
62 Equipment Technology
63 Camera Lens Mechanism
64 Lens Factor
65 Types of Lenses
66 Characteristic of lenses
67 Camera Lens Resolution & Contrast
68 Film Laboratory
69 Film Stock
70 Film Camera Demonstration
71 Film Editing
72 Film Production Overview
73 35 mm Camera-Recorder and Projector
74 35 mm Film Grain
75 35mm Film printing
76 Film & Video Conversion
77 Exposure Meter
78 Types of light meters
79 18% Grey card
80 Lighting Ratio
81 Camera Filters
82 Camera Filter & Colour Teperature
83 Camera Filter Effect
84 Aspect Ratio
85 Depth of Field & Depth of Focus
86 Rule of Thirds II
87 The Video Camera
88 The Video Camera- the Comparison
89 Studio Camera
90 Practices of Photography
91 5 C's of Cinematography- Camera Angle
92 5 C's of Cinematography- Continuity
93 5 C's of Cinematography- Cutting
94 5 C's of Cinematography- Close ups
95 5 C's of Cinematography- Composition & Compliment
96 Camera Angles
97 Camera Movements
98 Camera Shots
99 White Balance
100 Concept & Principles of Steadicam
101 Mock Steadicam Practices
102 Storyboarding for Camera
103 Director's Camera
104 Zoom Lens & its impact
105 TV Production Overview
106 TV Production- Dailies & Previews
107 TV Production- Sequence of Editing
108 TV Production-180 Degree Rule