Photography A La Mode Dial

Just a few notes today about that mode dial and why you should venture past the "auto-everything" mode.

As usual I'll be using a Canon example but what I have to offer is about photography regardless of the camera you choose. The basic idea is that you're not just flying without guidance when you choose that M setting.

 Simply described the AUTO setting, represented by the green box on this Canon 5D mode dial, means the camera will set the shutter speed, aperture and auto-focus type. You just point, press the shutter button half way and shoot. That's an easy way to get a picture with good exposure but why buy a DSLR if you're going to point and shoot with it?

Canon offers CA and P modes which are sort of the same thing only different. In CA mode you'll get the average exposure settings when you press the shutter button half way and then you can change your settings to achieve certain effects like changing the depth of field of the brightness. In P mode you press the shutter button half way and then you can change one exposure setting, i.e. aperture, to achieve an effect or adjust to the type of scene you're shooting. If you're going to have fun with the settings why not just dive in to the M mode and have some real fun.

The Manual mode lets you take a reading with the TTL meter, that's the Through The Lens meter, and then adjust your shutter, aperture, ISO, whatever to get the exposure you seek. You'll learn much more about how one exposure setting affects your photographs this way and develop some skills and have some fun.

The best part, of course, is that you're shooting digital files. You can't waste film. You can just reformat the card and all your silly mistakes are gone forever. 

The Av and Tv modes on the Canon cameras indicate Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes. These are not without value. 

In these modes as you change one setting the other changes to maintain the acceptable exposure setting. I might use the Av mode to change my depth of field, DOF, with the aperture and watch the camera reset the shutter speed to maintain the exposure. 

Another value of the more automated mode settings is the ability to use the camera's TTL meter just as you would a hand held light meter. Take a peak at the settings chosen by the camera using the P mode and you'll get an idea of where you can start your settings before switching to the M mode and getting crazy. 

Example: if you're attempting to shoot a bird in flight you can take a reading with the TTL meter and immediately start ramping up the shutter speed from that point and opening up the aperture. You see in this shot that I didn't quite get the shutter fast enough to freeze the wings.

This is also where you can use a priority mode, in this case Shutter Priority, and let the aperture set itself in response.

True confession: many are the days on which I run out to try something, run back in to the computer, load the pictures in to the computer, gag in disgust at my results and wipe out the whole bunch. Actually I'll probably take note of my settings to try to learn something so my time has not been wasted. 

Digital means never having to admit you screwed up.