Getting to Know Your Camera’s Modes

If you have not yet mastered shooting your camera in manual mode and you are somewhat frustrated with the photos you have taken using your camera’s automatic mode function, then this week’s blog post will be of interest to you.  Learning how to shoot in manual mode for me was a bit overwhelming in the beginning, so I began to learn my camera’s semi-automatic modes first.  This allowed me to take partial control of some of my camera’s settings while I learned more about the three components of the exposure triangle and how they related to taking great photos.  The three modes that I will be writing about are Program Mode, Aperture Priority Mode and Shutter Priority Mode. I have also included several YouTube videos from butterscotch.com to help you understand each mode below.

Program Mode (P)

The program mode allows you to control the ISO setting, white balance and flash while the camera will adjust the shutter speed and aperture settings for you in order to get the correct exposure.  This mode is a step up from the automatic mode.  Some people would want to use this mode rather than automatic if they want to have control over their flash.  Another reason you would choose this mode is to select your own ISO setting.  Sometimes in automatic mode, the camera may choose a higher ISO rather than a wider aperture or slower shutter speed.  A higher ISO introduces more noise (grain) to your photo so being able to adjust your ISO will help eliminate the grain.

 

To understand ISO, a good assignment would be to practice taking photos in the Program Mode and adjust the ISO setting with each photo taken to see the difference in lighting and noise. 

Aperture Priority Mode (AV)

This mode allows you to control your aperture setting while the camera will adjust your ISO and shutter speed settings for you in order to get the correct exposure.  This mode comes in handy when you want to have control over your depth of field which will allow you to determine what objects/people should be sharp or blurry and out of focus.  It also allows you to control the amount of light entering the camera if you are taking photos in a low lighted area.  If I am not shooting sporting events, I typically shoot in this mode especially if I am shooting portraits.

Below is a photo I took at a photography class where I shot in Aperture Priority Mode in order to set my aperture f-stop to 2.8 to create a blurred background. 

 

To understand Aperture Priority, a good assignment would be to practice taking a picture of a non-moving subject while in Aperture Priority Mode.  Begin shooting your subject wide open (largest opening / smallest f-stop number) and go down one f-stop for each shot to see the difference in the photos.  You will notice that when you are shooting wide open your photos will have some blur in the background.

 

Shutter Priority Mode (S or TV)

This mode allows you to choose your shutter speed while the camera adjusts the ISO and Aperture to get the correct exposure.  This mode comes in handy if you are taking photos at a sporting event and you would like to freeze motion or create blur.  It is also a good mode to use when you are taking night time photos.  A fast shutter speed would be needed to freeze motion and a slow shutter speed will create blur.  One thing to keep in mind is that a shutter speed below 1/60 would most likely need a tripod in order to eliminate camera shake.  Below is a photo I took at a photography class I took using the shutter priority mode in order to freeze the motion of the water. 



To understand shutter speed, a good assignment would be to take photos of a moving subject in the Shutter Priority Mode.  Adjust your shutter speed for each photo and begin with a slow shutter speed such as 1/30 and continue until you reach a point that you are able to freeze the action.

 

So what mode do you like to use while shooting?  I would love to hear your comments.