By Lauren Schiavone
Hometown Weekly Staff
Librarian and photographer Zoe Dickerson led a DSLR photography class inside the Medfield Public Library (MPL) on Saturday, January 21. The hour-long introductory class was well suited for beginners unsure of how to get started with the hobby. Dickerson focused on explaining basic settings that make a world of difference when applied properly. The class aimed to steer photographers away from auto-mode and guided them into sophisticated settings.
Terminology and various buttons may make a DSLR camera seem complicated, but Dickerson assured photographers that it’s entirely possible to shoot a breathtaking photo with small adjustments. She enforced, “It’s all about light. How much light is hitting the sensor determines the exposure.” Settings for shutter speed, ISO, and aperture were broken down into the “exposure triangle,” a helpful tool for photographers to consider elements of exposure, light, motion, and blur in photos.
Stunning photos of tranquil waterfalls and cars on a highway enforced the importance of shutter speed. ISO was a mood-changer, using light and dark exposure to change the tone of a woodsy photo from calm to eerie. Aperture settings blurred the background in Dickerson’s portraits, creating a focus on the individual.
Dickerson has taken classes with the New England School of Photography and at Colby College whilst getting her degree. Mostly self-taught, she has been snapping since middle school. In the spring and summer of 2021, Dickerson lived out of her Subaru and traveled cross-country. She documented the journey and shared examples from her Nikon D3200.
Photographers asked questions and showed great interest in both the new information they were synthesizing and the quality of Dickerson’s photos. They brought out their own cameras for specific setting help. Some discussed the best spots for sunsets, waterfalls, and mountains. Photographers took the skills from the DSLR class and Dickerson’s photos as inspiration to plan their next shoot.
Dickerson’s photos can be found at https://zoecdickerson.wordpress.com/
