Lesson 11 · 10 min read
Portraits, landscapes, street, action, food, and events
The fundamentals never change, but each subject has its own settings and etiquette. Learning the two or three rules of each genre lets you walk into any situation with a plan.
Use a longer lens (50-135mm), light from slightly off to the side, and focus on the near eye. Give direction, not just 'smile': ask people to walk, look away, then back. Shoot more frames than feels necessary — expressions land in fractions of a second.
Shoot at the edges of the day, use a small aperture (f/8-f/11) for front-to-back sharpness, and put the camera on a tripod. Keep vertical lines straight, and include something in the foreground so the picture has depth.
Prefocus, keep shutter speed above 1/250, and stay at a normal focal length so the scene reads honestly. Be respectful: no ambush shots of vulnerable people, and stop if someone objects. Laws vary by country — public places are usually fine, private property is not.
Fast shutter (1/1000+), continuous autofocus, burst mode, and pre-focus on where the action will be, not where it is. Leave space in the frame in the direction of travel.
For food and products, one big soft light plus a reflector beats a room full of lamps; shoot slightly from above or at plate level. At events, get a wide establishing shot, tight detail shots, and candid reactions — then deliver quickly while people still care.
Try it at home: Pick one genre and shoot only that for a week. Constraints build skill faster than variety.
Practice project
Shoot four different subjects in one afternoon, each with its own settings plan.
Open the printable card →Tap an answer — you'll see right away if it's correct.
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