Beginner Getting Into Manual Photography

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Professor1991

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Hello All,

I'm getting into photography and but I've noticed most if not everybody shoots manually. I personally found this quite daunting to begin with and I often thought how could I think of all these settings and not miss the shot (I know it can be done as most people routinely do it)

In an effort to help kick start this I began shooting my Nokia Lumia 1020. It has a large sensor (For a smartphone) and I installed this app which allowed me to fully use the manual control. Granted this probably isnt the best way to get into manual but this is what I had initially. Whilst I couldn't control the Aperture (Smartphones sadly dont have variable Aperture), I could mess around with ISO & Shutter Speed and I quite enjoyed it. I began taking an auto shot and then messing around with the settings and it allowed me to get some good low light shots.

My question essentially is, with me saving up for a DSLR (Nikon D5500) how do I compute the correct exposure before taking the shot without missing the shot ? Is their particular order you should follow ? If so, my experience has led me to think its ISO - Aperture then Shutter Speed.

Thank You
 
Hello anonymous!
There are various ways of shooting manual dependent upon what it is you are shooting or your artistic intention.
If you were shooting a moving object/person etc you could choose shutter speed first in order to freeze the action. Obviously the faster moving the subject, the higher the shutter speed to freeze it. On the other hand, you could use a slower SS and pan the camera so as you would achieve a pleasing background whilst having the subject sufficiently sharp.
Alternatively, you could choose your aperture first should you wish to either have a large depth of field (dof) higher f number or shallow dof with a lower f number.

So, in answer to your question, there is no definitive right or wrong. Once you've chosen either your aperture or SS, you could adjust the iso to achieve a correct exposure.
 
Iain nailed your answer
Just to add - almost everyone doesn't shoot manual. Its worth learning the basics so you can shoot manual, but thousands of pro photographers are out working today in the semi automatic modes.

There's a lot of noisy people who would lead you to believe that manual is the only way - they're wrong.
 
On more modern dslr cameras you can set limits (high and low) on ss, iso and aperture. So i guess the semi auto modes are more like semi semi auto.
 
Forty or fifty years ago, the only choice was manual.

Then came along semi automatic cameras, and I recall the Holy Grail appearing in the form of the Canon A1. Whoo! -- It could automatically control aperture and shutter speed related to the built in light meter. Anyway we would never need anything else, why didn't all other camera manufacturers do micro-processor controlled cameras?

Of course the traditionalists came up with the arguments about having to rely on a battery and that wasn't good, what if your battery failed? Get a fully manual camera they cried. (and a light meter built into the camera ..... "naaargh it is not accurate, it will never catch on, only use a Weston light meter").

In much the same way as those who didn't (and some still don't), believe in exploring the full colour gamut available to colour photography and would only shoot in monochrome (black and white).

and of course using 'these new fangled 35mm cameras' with tiny film was never going to be as good as a 5" x 4" camera that used glass plates to record the image.

There are still people who shoot in B&W, use light meters, use manual exposure, even those who use plate cameras, but these are choices not 'dictats', and certainly not the only way to go.

Each generation has new developments to cope with and I would suggest that it is all a huge smorgasbord of options, none of which are entirely wrong and none of which are entirely and exclusively right. Having an understanding of the various options, is what is important, so that you can make informed decisions dependent upon the circumstances. So by all means learn about manual, it will help you in other areas of understanding your picture creation, but is by no means the only or right way to go. Just an option, which should be chosen not because any one tells you that you must, but because you decide that it suits the situation and circumstances.

(When did you last see a 5 x 4 plate camera requiring a minute or two exposure being used by the press at the Olympics or a football match? But you might find the odd photographer haul such stuff up a Scottish mountain because they believe it will produce the best landscape image that they are looking for).

Glad to see you have an open mind and are experimenting for yourself.....enjoy........ photography is a very wide and broad church.
 
Personally I almost always use AV on my cameras simply because it allows me to concentrate on the picture rather than messing about with trying to get the correct exposure etc, which I let the camera take care of.

A quick glance at the histogram and "blinkies" on the LCD screen just to confirm that all is well and on to the next shot.

These days most sensors will easily accommodate, as did film, small errors in exposure etc.

In fact when the day is very sunny I usually underexpose by 2/3 to 1 stop to prevent the highlights burning out then recover the shadows in PP.
.
 
Don't know who you have been talking to Anon but as noted above the opposite is almost certainly true - most people use aperture or shutter priority most of the time. Manual definitely has a place but it is just another way of getting the exposure you want and is not the holy grail of photography that somehow will produce better photos.

You have obviously made a start but have a look at online info on the exposure triangle. It wil help you to understand aperture, shutter speed and ISO, how they relate to each other and the effect each has on an image.This will allow you to get the best out of your camera when you buy it. Fortunately digital photos are more or less free so take lots and if they don't come out as you wanted try to work out why, or post them up here and some one will help.

Dave
 
Just to add another slant, my "default" setting is Manual with Auto ISO, I guess it depends to some extent on the camera and I do keep an eye on what the ISO is doing but within reason I don't care a great deal about the ISO, shutter speed and/or DoF make much more of a difference to the shot..
 
Professor1991 said:
I'm getting into photography and but I've noticed most if not everybody shoots manually.
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Sorry but.. No they do not.. there are situations when Manual is the wrong approach. I like shooting manual and will whenever I can.. But for example when I am outside and the light changes quickly on say a part cloudy but windy day and i only have a split second to get a shot.. manual would be rubbish .. thats just one example..

I have two camera both costing over 5 thousand pounds each and considered pro bodies.. both have full auto and semi auto setting on them.. Why do you think that is?

My point being. Manual is good yes. But only a fool would say manual for every shot or always shoot manual. Equally...only a fool would say not to shoot Manual :)
 
"P" fer perfeshnial all the way!

Joking aside, I DO use P mode most of the time, sometimes accepting the camera's original suggested settings but very often using a wheel to zip to what I consider a better SS or aperture for the subject in front of me. Fairly often dial in some EC as well. I've even been known to use Manual mode, although if I use the camera's meter, I might as well be using any of the semi automatic modes anyway!

ALL modes have their place. (Although some of the scene modes have me slightly baffled!)
 
Nod said:
"P" fer perfeshnial all the way!

Joking aside, I DO use P mode most of the time, sometimes accepting the camera's original suggested settings but very often using a wheel to zip to what I consider a better SS or aperture for the subject in front of me. Fairly often dial in some EC as well. I've even been known to use Manual mode, although if I use the camera's meter, I might as well be using any of the semi automatic modes anyway!

ALL modes have their place. (Although some of the scene modes have me slightly baffled!)
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I havent had a camera with scene modes for years haha.. and yeagh I use P mode when using flash.. because i rarely use flash..it's my weak pint.. so P mode and TTL works for me:)
 
I have a compact camera and I pretty much shoot automatic in it. I find it so much easier. The ability to literally point and shoot and get a photo 9/10 that is perfectly usable I can't complain. I shoot buses and automatic has served me well. Having said that, my interest in the field is strong enough to want to learn more. Adding to some of the posts here, I've found the Priority Modes quite useful. I'm getting decent bokeh shots by opening up the aperture and shutter priority has its uses as well.
 
Manual should be renamed Set & Lock mode, because that's what it does. It has nothing to do with correct exposure as such, it just locks whatever settings you've chosen.

If on manual, you simply adjust the controls so that the meter needle sits in the middle, then you might as well let the camera do it - that's not what manual is for. Also, if you're on an auto mode but also apply exposure compensation, then that's using more 'manual control' than just switching to M.

Rule of thumb - if the light is changing but the subject is not, use auto; if the subject is changing but the light is not, use manual.
 
HoppyUK said:
If on manual, you simply adjust the controls so that the meter needle sits in the middle, then you might as well let the camera do it -
.
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Well one of the first things I learnt using manual was to ignore the meter needle while shooting.. Good advice IMHO :)
 
Is their such a thing as correct exposure anyway ? Sounds stupid but if you deem a photo great but to another its "overexposed" is it not the privilege of the photographer to say this was the aim of the shot and its been fulfilled. Im sure you could take a number of photos at all kinds of different settings of the same thing and im thinking peoples preferences would be as vast the photos taken ?
 
Professor1991 said:
Is their such a thing as correct exposure anyway ? Sounds stupid but if you deem a photo great but to another its "overexposed" is it not the privilege of the photographer to say this was the aim of the shot and its been fulfilled. Im sure you could take a number of photos at all kinds of different settings of the same thing and im thinking peoples preferences would be as vast the photos taken ?
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We'll sort of...

But no.

'Correct' exposure is the one the photographer had in his mind when the image was visualised. A bunch of different exposures to choose from would rarely look 'right', whilst some 'wrong' exposures might look ok.
 
Professor1991 said:
Is their such a thing as correct exposure anyway ? Sounds stupid but if you deem a photo great but to another its "overexposed" is it not the privilege of the photographer to say this was the aim of the shot and its been fulfilled. Im sure you could take a number of photos at all kinds of different settings of the same thing and im thinking peoples preferences would be as vast the photos taken ?
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There is such a thing as 'technically correct' exposure, and that is when tones in the subject are reproduced as the same tones in the final print, when output as a standard JPEG without any post processing, ie if you have an 18% grey card in the scene, it should be reproduced as 18% grey in a print. However, that may not be optimum exposure, when using ETTR technique for example (Expose To The Right).

Technically correct exposure is best when shooting slide film. An incident light meter reading is good for this.
 
KIPAX said:
Well one of the first things I learnt using manual was to ignore the meter needle while shooting.. Good advice IMHO :)
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eh? ya wot? ... and for people who do this and end up with either totally black or totally white exposures or something not quite that bad but still useless rubbish... it is ok to look at the meter.
 
woof woof said:
eh? ya wot? ... and for people who do this and end up with either totally black or totally white exposures or something not quite that bad but still useless rubbish... it is ok to look at the meter.
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You missed the point..or didn't read my post properly
 
KIPAX said:
You missed the point..or didn't read my post properly
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Well it wasn't exactly War and Peace was it?

What you posted was...

KIPAX said:
Well one of the first things I learnt using manual was to ignore the meter needle while shooting.. Good advice IMHO :)
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and unless there's a micro dot in there I need to copy, paste and view at 100000% I think I read it all. Understanding is another issue as it seems to be complete gibberish to me for the reason I stated but I'll live with the confusion and get on with my life.
 
woof woof said:
and unless there's a micro dot in there I need to copy, paste and view at 100000% I think I read it all. Understanding is another issue as it seems to be complete gibberish to me for the reason I stated but I'll live with the confusion and get on with my life.
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But I posted that as a reply to someone else ..i was agreeing wiht them.. you seem to have skipped over that bit..

OK here goes.. If you use auto or semi auto to set the exposure which shows as the needle sits in the middle..it can be wrong.. so on those occasions you use manual.. but if you use manual to set the exposure needle in the middle then your doing exactly what auto did..

If your using somehting to set the exposure such as grass for distant objects.. a grey card or your hand for closer then yes set the the needle to middle. BUT as I said.. you should then ignore the needle "while shooting".. and i feel it's the "while shooting" bit you missed... you would just be mimicking auto mode...
 
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For me, I use manual when taking different exposures for HDR, or if I'm using a tripod for regular shots. Other than that I use AV mode and TV for wildlife/fast moving objects. I hardly ever use flash.
 
I only really use manual mode for long exposures.
Other than that, for landscapes where the aperture is normally the priority setting for DOF purposes, I use AP mode which automatically adjusts shutter speed in response to the lighting conditions without impacting the overall exposure.
 
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Dael_Pix said:
For me, I use manual when taking different exposures for HDR, or if I'm using a tripod for regular shots. Other than that I use AV mode and TV for wildlife/fast moving objects. I hardly ever use flash.
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Slightly of topic but surely the best way to do an HDR set is Av and automatic bracketing. It would be impossible to do a handheld 3 shot bracket using manual but easy using Av and exposure bracketing.
 
DerekL said:
Slightly of topic but surely the best way to do an HDR set is Av and automatic bracketing. It would be impossible to do a handheld 3 shot bracket using manual but easy using Av and exposure bracketing.
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Graham W said:
:agree:
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When doing HDRs I always use a tripod and I take roughly 8 exposures per shot. Also when using manual you're images are sorted better from over-exposed to under-exposed.. When using AV and exposure bracketing, the images are mixed.
 
I am not so sure I agree. I have a 70D which can be set up to do a 7 shot bracket at what ever stops you want. Stick it on a tripod use AV and the 2 sec timer. Then let the camera take the set.
They will be taken from under exposed through to over. This has got to be better than touching the camera between shots.
 
Dael_Pix said:
When doing HDRs I always use a tripod and I take roughly 8 exposures per shot. Also when using manual you're images are sorted better from over-exposed to under-exposed.. When using AV and exposure bracketing, the images are mixed.
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By using manual, you don't have the aperture changing all the time in different exposures.


Anyway, each to their own I guess.
 
Dael_Pix said:
When doing HDRs I always use a tripod and I take roughly 8 exposures per shot. Also when using manual you're images are sorted better from over-exposed to under-exposed.. When using AV and exposure bracketing, the images are mixed.
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How many frames do you need? Half that number at two-stops increments should be enough.

Dael_Pix said:
By using manual, you don't have the aperture changing all the time in different exposures.

Anyway, each to their own I guess.
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If you're shooting a large number of exposures and making manual adjustments in-between, there's a danger of the light changing on a breezy/cloudy day. Using auto-bracketing, the camera will rattle off a full set of bracketed exposures in one second or possibly less. In aperture-priority the aperture won't change.
 
Whatever anyone says, I'm not changing the way I take shots for HDR. I don't need any advice on this photography.

Canon 10-18mm, 5 exposures
Castle Inn, Skipton by Daelpix Photography, on Flickr
 
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Dael_Pix said:
Whatever anyone says, I'm not changing the way I take shots for HDR. I don't need any advice on this photography.

Canon 10-18mm, 5 exposures
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I'm sorry, but that's 5 exposures and a bunch of processing time wasted.:)

I'm close to being lost for words:tumbleweed:
 
Dael_Pix said:
I still don't give a sh!t
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Looking online, I have come to the conclusion that you're probably right. Given the sort of images I've taken this week, I don't need to take so many shots of 7 or 8. I'll take 3 shots either in Av or M mode. But if my surroundings are dark/in the shade, I'll use more exposures, same goes with sunrises/sunsets (not that I'll ever do them).


Professor, I apologise on behalf of everyone who went off topic (at least I didn't in my first comment I made on your thread):exit:
 
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Update: I've finally managed to get my DSLR ! A Nikon D5500 :D

I'm having to get used to the controls and I like to think I have a good theoretical understanding of ISO, Shutter Speed & Aperture although I'll be made humble when I practically apply this knowledge. I intend to visit some botanical gardens within my City (Birmingham, UK) to put myself through my paces (Not the camera as I'm the 1 who needs to do the learning).

PS, my camera didn't come with a manual sadly but does anyone know how I can find out how many shots I have left till my battery depletes ? I'm not worried shots left in relation to storage as I have a quite a large memory card in their, it's the battery life I'm more worried about. Online doesn't seem to be bringing any results.
 
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