Introduction What is photography? The history of photography What this site will do for you Light: The most important element Why light is important to a photograph The many types of light Controlling light in your pictures The camera The basic function Types of cameras Choosing the right camera Putting the image together: the Lens How the lens bends light: a tutorial A brief introduction to apertures The variety of lenses Choosing a lens Exposure: a film tutorial How film records an image Understanding film speed Print vs. Slide film Film recommendations Taking Pictures Depth-of-field Apertures and shutter speeds Composition and experimentation: the basics Metering: when you can't guess The many types of picture-taking Photography with a point-and-shoot Accessories Tripods: for when you can't stay still Lens filters Post-processing: after development Scanning photos The digital darkroom Photo and equipment storage
No matter how complex, a camera is just a light-tight box with film on one end and a shutter and a lens or pinhole on the other end. When the shutter, the mechanism that allows light to reach or not reach the film, opens, light is exposed to photographic film on the opposite side of the camera, thus then a picture is born.
The simplest of all cameras
The pinhole camera. Basically it is just a wooden box with a small hole carved in it, and sheet film on the opposite side. When the shutter is opened, the picture is taken. Very simple.
The most complex cameras
Sophisticated cameras usually have lenses on them, which can be interchanged. While they also have shutters (all cameras have shutters), it is usually a delicate focal plane shutter, which is made up of tiny metal blades that move when an electronically-controlled shutter-release button is pressed. They also have advanced meters in them for helping you determine what stop you should set your camera to. These cameras are generally reliable, so they won’t mess up your pictures.