Getting away from auto modes

Taff

Taff

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Darren
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Well i am trying to get away from using the auto modes on my camera.

I have been using the Shutter priority mode and i kind of understand that the lighter the area im shooting in the quicker the shutter speed etc, but im not sure if this is the way to be going or if i should be learning to use the Apature priority mode first and letting the camera set the shutter speed.

Any advise would be greatfully received to help with improving my photography.
 
there is no right one to learn first..its either aperture priority or shutter priority.. whats more important to what your photogrpahing? .. the shutter speed is important if photographing moving objects so shutter priority would be right.. if shutter not important as much then play wiht the aperture..

without know what your photogrpahing or what wiht then its hard to advise
 
Proud2btaff said:
I'm looking at more nature shots and landscapes at the moment but aircraft when i'm close to an airport and rugby seeing as i'm unsure if i'm going to play this season so a bit of a mixed bag really.
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then i would play with aperture when shooting landscape as you dont have to worry so much about the shutter speed... but anyhting like rugby or moving then you want to know your shutter is fast enough so use shutter priority

swap and change..

theres only three variables in photogrpahy for your exposure settings.. ISO, Shutter and Aperture ..when learning i would just leave iso as is..and play wiht the two modes until you understand whats happening..

quick fire way is to have someone stood next to you explaining... took me an awfully long time to learn.. months and months..mostly just using auto and trying out other things and learn as i go... then when i knew what i was doing... taught my brother from total know nothing to the same as me in a couple of days..
 
I spent a while shooting totally manual, just to get it all sorted in my head.
Depending on what I was shooting, I'd set shutter speed or aperture then play around taking several shots with different settings to see what the results were with some good outcomes of motion blur etc
Now I mostly shoot ap priority unless I want a specific shutter speed, but I think it was worthwhile doing it. There were a lot of terrible shots along the way, but everyone a learning experience
 
I tend to use A as I like to shoot outdoor portraits at f2.8 to f4. I just keep an eye on the shutter speed and if its falling too low I just boost the ISO to get it back to an acceptable level. As others have said it depends what you are shooting but regardless it just takes practice and after a while it becomes intuitive.
 
I used manual mode for some time and it wasn't till I full understood the exposure lock that really all I needed was to know my subject, then select either av or tv then meter and lock my exposure in. All I needed to worry about then as the ISO. It also made me think more on where light was and the scene or subject.
 
The problem is that with landscapes I don't think either of the auto modes can create what "I" want the photo too look like, for some of the shots when the sun going down for arguments sake I want the ISO set at 160 and then I might want some under exposure etc so the user might need manual and ISO adjustments to make the photo look like it does in their head.

On shutter priority etc its sometimes harder than just manual it.

Although for planes cars and up close stuff or even normal landscape shots AV and TV are fantastic!!

I don't see any reason to get away from them on certain things, I do at least 80% of my motor sport shots on TV and only probably 20% on manual.
 
It doesn't really matter which you start with. This important thing is to understand the "exposure triangle" which consists of shutter speed, aperture and ISO. For example, if you want a shallow depth of field (area in focus) you will need a large aperture (low "f" number), however because the large opening lets in more light you would require a faster shutter speed.. Than a smaller aperture (high "f" numer)

Check out this link for more info http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4QVDpI4CNCw&desktop_uri=/watch?v=4QVDpI4CNCw

I use the different modes dependant on what I want to control. To control DOF ie landscape or portrait I use Aperture Priority, for sports, action, or birds I use Shutter Priority. On occasion if the light is constant I will use Manual
 
The exposure modes are a bit of a distraction from the actual important stuff.

There's no point understanding the exposure triangle if you believe that centring the meter will give 'correct' exposure.

The important issue is to understand what your meter is reading and how that reading is interpreted and how it can be used to create the image you want to record.
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
It doesn't really matter which you start with. This important thing is to understand the "exposure triangle" which consists of shutter speed, aperture and ISO. For example, if you want a shallow depth of field (area in focus) you will need a large aperture (low "f" number), however because the large opening lets in more light you would require a faster shutter speed.. Than a smaller aperture (high "f" numer)

Check out this link for more info http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4QVDpI4CNCw&desktop_uri=/watch?v=4QVDpI4CNCw

I use the different modes dependant on what I want to control. To control DOF ie landscape or portrait I use Aperture Priority, for sports, action, or birds I use Shutter Priority. On occasion if the light is constant I will use Manual
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^^^This.

If you want to take control of the camera, instead of the other way around, understanding the Exposure Trangle is fundamental. It's not hard - try this tutorial by Pookeyhead, and then the different camera modes and settings will fall into place http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=440126
 
Phil V said:
The exposure modes are a bit of a distraction from the actual important stuff.

There's no point understanding the exposure triangle if you believe that centring the meter will give 'correct' exposure.

The important issue is to understand what your meter is reading and how that reading is interpreted and how it can be used to create the image you want to record.
Click to expand...

Exactly my point too Phil, like my sunset I posted in the 60D owners thread, if I correctly exposed the image to what the camera thought was correct it was not how I saw the image.

My manual setting of iso 200, 1/2000 and an aperture of f/4.5 underexposed me and created the image I wanted
 
Proud2btaff said:
Thanks again for the advise. Gonna check out pookeyheads thread and see if that gives me a better understanding.
Click to expand...

Be interested to hear how you get on :)
 
HoppyUK said:
^^^This.

If you want to take control of the camera, instead of the other way around, understanding the Exposure Trangle is fundamental. It's not hard - try this tutorial by Pookeyhead, and then the different camera modes and settings will fall into place http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=440126
Click to expand...

Thanks again for guiding me to this. A little confusing at first read but I will read it again and again until it sinks in.
 
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