So you've spent some extra coin on a new high-end camera, and now to get the best bang for your buck your pictures need to move from blurry mess to exquisite art. Have the desire, but don't know ISO from F/stop? Fear not, new DSLR owner, we'll show you some basics of digital cameras, and get you on the road to capturing the perfect shot every time.

There are three ways DSLR photographers can control the amount of light in a picture, and each way changes how the end result of the photo looks. Shutter speed, light sensitivity setting, and iris control are each used in different situations to produce different results.

Shutter speed controls the length of time a shutter stays open. Most DSLRs have extremely variable shutter speeds that can take a photo in 1/1600th of a second, or stay open for 30 seconds or more. The longer the shutter speed, the more motion blur is in the photo. To make shots seem like they're frozen in time, use the fastest shutter speed possible. To get extremely rich and blur-filled photos, or to create interesting effects like the one above, keep the shutter open longer. We created the above photo by being in a completely dark room, setting the camera up on a tripod, and then taking a keychain flashlight and trying to write our name backwards. Fun stuff, eh?

Now that you have a basic understanding of shutter speed, lets talk light sensitivity. DSLRs represent light sensitivity in values called "ISO" values. Typically they're expressed in hundreds, and the higher the ISO value, the more sensitive the sensor. With a sensitive sensor, however, the amount of "noise" increases, often creating unwanted artifacts in the photo. Typically, the more expensive the camera, the less noise is created at higher ISO levels.

Lastly, we can talk iris control. Just like your eyes, a camera's iris controls how much light enters into the camera body in the first place. Iris amounts are expressed in f-stops, that typically read like f/2.4 or f/4.8. The larger the number, the smaller the iris, and the less the background gets blurred. The smaller the number, the more blurring occurs outside of the focal point, and the more artsy the shot. That background blurring is called "depth of field," and a shallower depth of field, meaning the less areas are in focus, creates a more artsy look than a larger depth of field, where more of the image is in focus.

So now you understand shutter speed, light sensitivity and iris size, but how do the three work together? To get a high depth of field shot, like the pool table above, you'll want to try to set your aperture to a low f/stop (the image above was taken at F/1.8.) If too much light is hitting your sensor, you could adjust the light sensitivity down to a lower ISO setting, which would keep the picture looking nice. If you're looking to freeze an action in mid air, you'll have to shoot with a fast shutter speed, and try to open your aperture as much as you can, and ramp up your ISO setting, which creates more noise.

The key is rather than read about what each setting does, actually get out your camera and play with the settings yourself. Getting more familiar with your digital camera doesn't cost anything, since there's no film to pay for, and getting your hands dirty in photography is actually fun. Playing with the three settings will give you wildly different results, and mastering the three different settings will advance you from camera novice to an aspiring professional.

Hopefully you've found some interesting tips here, but if you've got any questions, digital photography or otherwise, leave a comment on this article, hit our tips form, or IM us directly (imobsessable on AIM) and we'll try to get you on the road to photography perfection. Happy shooting!

[credit: MartinIko]