Using Manual Settings: A Must Know.

Something that I am a big advocate of is knowing how your camera works.  Don't always put it on an automatic setting and start shooting.  Actually know how to get a proper exposure and know what you are shooting as far as composition and how to use your camera to get the affect you are looking for.
Heres how to use the "M" setting on your camera.

Now I know that when it comes to selecting the shooting mode, most of us like to have it in Program Auto, or "P".  I stopped using that years ago and when I do shoot in an automatic setting, its always Aperture Priority (Av for us Canon users).  This is because I like to control depth of field more often than I want to control my shutter speed.

However, I often find that the manual settings gives you a lot of freedom and control over your camera.

So what do all these numbers mean?  For the most part, once you get your ISO set right (as low as you possibly can to get the shot), then all you have to worry about is your f-stop and shutter speed.

F-Stop is simply another term for the aperture size of your lens.  The lower the number, like 1.8 or 2.8, the shallower the depth of field will be in your shot.  Also your aperture is more open and it lets more light in so you are able to have a higher shutter speed.  When you aperture is closed down you get more in focus but since you are letting less light in you need a slower shutter speed.

Makes sense right?

Well if not, here is a good diagram to show you how exposures work.

Exposures work in measurements of stops.  Say you need to have a shutter speed of 1/500th and an aperture of 1/16th.  If you decided you wanted to change your shutter speed to 1/250 of a second (that is one step brighter since your shutter is open longer letting in more light) and you still wanted to get a proper exposure, then you would need to close down your aperture to get that proper exposure.

This is a diagram to explain better.  These are three different settings and the grey box in the middle is what your initial proper exposure would be.  Moving to the left or right would also be properly exposed.



Its a pain in the neck to learn this but it comes in handy.  But this doesn't tell you why you would want to use your manual settings since your camera does this for you already.  Well, there are a few reasons why.

First off, you have more control.  Those who really know their photography will often find themselves shooting in manual because they want to control the picture, not the camera.

When I am shooting a concert I always have my camera in manual.  Usually the camera doesn't know what I want the picture to look like so I tell it what to do.  Otherwise the shot would be blurry or overexposed on the faces.

What can you do with depth of field?  When shooting a portrait you can throw the background out of focus and give it that nice clean professional look.  This is why having a good prime lens comes in handy, like a 2.8 or lower f-stop.  If you are shooting landscapes then you want more to be in focus, so you shoot at f/16 or more.







Shutter speed has its usefulness as well.  You can freeze action like a skateboarder in the air or a surfer catching a wave by shooting at a shutter speed of around 1/1000 or more. Or you can blur your subject by having a really long shutter speed.