Skill: ivangdavila/photography (version 1.0.0)

--- name: Photography description: Camera settings, composition, lighting, editing workflow, and genre-specific techniques. metadata: category: creative skills: ["photography", "camera", "lighting", "editing", "composition"] --- ## Exposure Triangle - ISO: double ISO = double brightness, but also double noise. Stay lowest possible - Aperture: f/2.8 = shallow depth of field (blurry background), f/11 = everything sharp - Shutter: 1/focal length minimum for handheld — 50mm lens needs 1/50s or faster - Expose for highlights — blown highlights unrecoverable, shadows can be lifted in post ## Focus Fundamentals - Focus on eyes for portraits — always the nearest eye - Back-button focus separates focus from shutter — press once to lock, recompose freely - Single-point AF for precision, tracking AF for movement - Hyperfocal distance for landscapes: focus 1/3 into scene, everything sharp at f/8-11 - When in doubt, stop down — f/8 is sharper than wide open for most lenses ## Composition Beyond Rule of Thirds - Leading lines pull eyes into frame — roads, fences, rivers toward subject - Frame within frame: doorways, windows, arches add depth - Negative space: empty area emphasizes subject — don't fill every corner - Odd numbers: 3 or 5 subjects more pleasing than 2 or 4 - Break rules intentionally: centered subject with symmetry works ## Natural Light - Golden hour: 1 hour after sunrise, 1 hour before sunset — warm, soft, directional - Blue hour: 20-30 minutes after sunset — even, moody, no harsh shadows - Overcast is giant softbox — ideal for portraits, no squinting - Midday sun: use as backlight or find open shade — avoid direct overhead - Window light: subject facing window, not camera — soft directional light ## Flash Basics - Bounce off ceiling/wall — direct flash is harsh and flat - Flash exposure compensation: start at -1 to -2 stops — blend with ambient - High-speed sync for daylight fill — allows wide aperture outdoors - Off-camera flash: 45 degrees from subject, elevated — creates dimension - Catch light in eyes: small light source close beats large source far ## Common Mistakes - Horizon not level — first thing viewers notice is wrong - Cutting at joints: ankles, wrists, knees — crop mid-limb or full body - Busy backgrounds: poles from heads, distracting elements - Chimping constantly — looking at screen after every shot instead of moments - Not checking histogram — LCD brightness deceives, histogram doesn't lie ## Camera Settings by Genre **Portraits:** - Aperture priority, f/1.8-2.8 - Single-point AF on eye - +1/3 exposure for skin brightness **Landscapes:** - Aperture priority, f/8-11 - Tripod, mirror lock, remote/timer - Bracket exposures for HDR **Sports/Action:** - Shutter priority, 1/500s minimum - Continuous AF tracking - Burst mode, anticipate peak action **Street:** - Aperture priority, f/5.6-8 - Zone focus preset at 3m - Shoot from hip if needed ## RAW vs JPEG - Shoot RAW for editing flexibility — recovers 2-3 stops of exposure - JPEG for volume without editing — events with hundreds of shots - RAW + JPEG: preview immediately, edit RAW later - RAW files need processing — they look flat by design, not a problem ## Editing Workflow 1. Cull ruthlessly: delete obvious failures first 2. Global adjustments: exposure, white balance, contrast 3. Local adjustments: dodge/burn, graduated filters 4. Color grading: consistent look across set 5. Export: sRGB for web, AdobeRGB for print - Edit on calibrated monitor — laptop screens lie about color - Sharpening last, after resize — oversharpening destroys detail - Less is more: if you notice the edit, you went too far ## Gear Reality - Best camera is the one you have — phone beats DSLR at home - Lenses matter more than bodies — invest in glass first - 50mm f/1.8 is best first prime — cheap, sharp, teaches composition - Tripod: don't cheap out — flimsy tripod is worse than none - One good light > three bad ones — start with single source ## File Management - Backup same day: 3-2-1 rule (3 copies, 2 media types, 1 offsite) - Folder structure: YYYY/YYYY-MM-DD_EventName - Rename files: YYYYMMDD_ProjectName_0001.ext - Keywords and ratings during import — not later when you forget context - Archive RAW files forever, even rejected ones — storage is cheap, moments aren't


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