Taking the leap to manual mode
So, you have a fancy new camera and no idea how to use it. You looked at the manual and it may as well have been written in Greek. You have spent the last few months in auto mode, but you are itching to use this camera to its full potential. I hope this post offers some insight and encourages you to take that leap!
I used to think I needed an expensive camera, a fancy lens and top of the line editing software in order to create a great photo. Turns out, what I actually needed, was a solid understanding of the basics of composition. Understanding how to use my camera in manual mode, has offered me the tools to know how to manipulate my surroundings to create art, not just snap a photo.
This toy train is where it all started for me. Determined, I spent a day with this train pushing buttons and trying to figure it all out. By the end of the day, I had about 492 pictures of a wooden train and also a basic understanding of the exposure triangle.
Exposure Triangle
The first component of the exposure triangle is exposure, or shutter speed.
Shutter speed is the amount of time that the shutter is open. The number will be a fraction and stand for the fraction of a second the shutter is open for. 1/60 is a very slow shutter. It allows for a lot of light to enter the camera. 1/1000 is a fast speed. It takes in less light. Shutter speed is what prevents a blurry photo. What type of photography you are doing dictates what shutter speed you may choose. I mainly shoot families and busy kids. My personal rule of thumb is to never let my shutter speed go below 1/250. If you were photographing a still subject, like landscape, you may choose 1/80 and use a tri-pod to avoid camera shake. Its my preference to choose my shutter speed based on my subject and then set the other two components.
This photo was taken at 1/60, 2.5, 2000
If you look closely, you can see that even though she was holding still, her eyes are blurry.
In contrast, this photo is 1/320, 2.5, 2000.
Changing the shutter speed darkened the photo because less light was allowed in. But, if you look below, I pulled this photo into lightroom and bumped up the exposure. You can see the blur is gone from her eyes. I had pretty much lost her attention at this point (that didn't take long!) and she was squirming a bit too.
So, higher shutter speed, less light, less motion blur.
ISO
ISO refers to the "film speed". It determines how sensitive the sensor is to light. The higher the ISO, the more "noise" or grain you may see in your photo. Different camera's handle ISO differently. My previous camera would give a noisy photo over ISO 400. My current camera doesn't get noisy until 3200 or above. So, in some cases, the camera you are using does play a part here. But, there are compensations that can be made like adjusting other settings, or using flash or a reflector that can help minimize grain. Sometimes, grain is a really neat artistic effect! The photos above were taken with an ISO if 2000. If you look closely, you can appreciate a slight amount of noise in them. I can correct this in post processing my adjusting my luminance slider. I could also consider lowering my shutter speed or aperture to decrease grain, or adding additional light source.
Aperture
Aperture is commonly referred to as "f-stop". You need a few more terms to keep track of already, right? The aperture is the hole or opening in which the light travels.
(photo source unknown)
So, the bigger the f-stop, the darker the photo and the larger the field of view. F-stop is the key to those creamy backgrounds, or bokeh.
SS 1/250, f-stop 2.0, ISO 1600
Notice, her eyes are clear and in focus. But, that is the only aspect of the image that is sharp. As you move away from the eyes, the focus becomes more soft. The background is starting to get a little creamy.
SS 1/250, ISO 12800, f-stop 5.0
My shutter speed did not change. I bumped up the ISO, because I increased the f-stop, which allowed in less light. So in order to keep the photo properly exposed, I needed to increase the ISO. You can see, with the f-stop changed to 5.0 instead of 2.0, that more of her face and the chair are sharp. The background has less bokeh. So by using an f-stop of 5, instead of 2, I have added depth to my field of view.
Are you totally overwhelmed and confused yet?? Its absolutely ok if you are. Clarity will come with practice. When I want to take a photo, I go through a mental checklist that guides the settings I choose. A good portion of my choices are based in preference. There is no right or wrong answer. This is your art. The first question I ask is, is my subject moving? If so, I choose a shutter speed that is high enough to allow for movement. Them I ask, how I want my background to look and how many people I have in the photo. If I'm looking at one subject and I would like a considerable amount of bokeh, I like to keep my f-stop low. Every lens has a sweet spot. Mine does great at 2.8. That's my favorite aperture with this lens. If I wanted to photograph all 4 of my children, I may choose an f-stop of 4 or higher, to make sure all of their faces are sharp. Once I have considered my shutter speed and f-stop, then I set my ISO to compensate for how much light I need in my photo. You can make minor adjustments from there.
So here is my challenge to you! Find an object in your home that doesn't move. It can be anything. It should be large enough that you can focus on it well. I chose the train, because it was long enough that I would notice changes in depth of field. Choose an object. Find a place in your home with good light. Put your camera in manual mode and start pushing buttons. I promise, as you apply changes, you will start to see, how these three components work together. I cant wait to see your work!
