ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Well said Peter.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

You are not guilty of anything. You do what most sensible photogs do - which is attempt to achieve excellence regardless. And if that means taking pics with a bicycle pump on programmed then that is A ok. The people on this thread who would disagree are the first to go to PP to correct their errors.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Make NO mistake, but there are at least a few here that are far from confused and know exactly what works, how it works and when it works.
One thing for sure, if you stick to what you know, you will NEVER learn anything NEW!!
Maybe the Mother of invention was really CONFUSION!!?? :lol: :lol:
SS

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

There are those who go to the head of the class, and those like me who remain in the rear.♥♥

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

This is so true. If we never experiment with any new technique or style, how will we ever improve? We would just keep doing the same thing. Even if we like our results now, how do we know we won't find some other outcomes that please us even more?

Someone suggested in a similar discussion that experimentation was just for beginners and that capable photographers should be able to "get their shot" quickly with little ado. I find that the more I learn, the more experimenting I feel inclined to do. Not sure how much better that's making me, but I do think even this senior citizen is gaining some ground over time.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Maybe we need a change of philosophical approaches from 'Confucianism' to 'Confusionism' to help people transcend whatever their current limitations are. :thumbup: :)

Nightski

and may I add .. the more experienced you get the more experimenting outside the accepted "rules" of photography you should do. Obtain a solid foundation in the basics, then experiment like crazy with breaking them!

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Yep, what was that saying:

"Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men." - (or women of course!)

This is often attributed to Sir Douglas Bader (WWII RAF hero, Spitfire ACE pilot, POW, aka 'Tinlegs') but may have originated elsewhere....

Perhaps this is the 'First Principle' of 'Confusionism'!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Does shooting in Auto or semi auto make you lazy?

Not unless you pick one exposure mode other than manual and use it all the time.
Knowing if and when to use ...and if and when NOT to use your Camera's various bells and whistles is generally the mark of an experienced photographer...you know the type..the ones who long since gave up proclaiming that "shooting in manual is the only way to be a competent photographer" (As time goes by you'll run run into more and more of them)
Knowing when and why and how and if you should use this or that exposure mode -including manual -mode comes with practice photographing a wide range of subjects under a wide range of circumstances.
Just the perspective of one who shot manual from 1947 through the mid 80s..
Including much photomicrography and macrhotography (the bread-and-butter of medical/pathology photography.)

Dave in SD

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

If experimentation is just for beginners then I am doomed to either always be a beginner or give up photography. The learning and the experimenting is what keeps me interested. If I knew the settings off the top of my head for every shot and I just took shots that I knew I could get it would be incredibly boring.
I took up photography to give my brain a work out. It has lived up to my expectations. :)

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

The funniest thing I ever saw was a person pushing the button on an electronic key/doorlock combo with no luck- the battery was dead- it never dawned on them to use the key to open the car door. Yes, sometimes we get so dependent we loose sight of reality.

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

I think if you shoot in the fully, or semi-auto mode and you have a DSLR. You have lost the reason to buy a DSLR and be able take advantage of features and settings that you will not be able to in fully auto, or semi auto mode, and your creativity might be cramped. The more you shoot in in mode the more likely you are to be able to develop a flow versus shooting in any of the pre-programmed settings. I you find a setting you like to use other than auto or partial auto you will feel a sense of accomplishment. If you don't use the features of your DSLR you are taking your DSLR and operated it like a Point and Shoot camera with limited options

BobR Loc: Norwalk CT USA

If you only used it in full auto I agree but AP (or SP) require knowing what controls exposure, DOF and experience if your going to capture whats in your minds eye -whether its a crisp shot of a hawk 100 feet away or a flower with bokeh. Its not rocket science but requires a bit of forethought and a good amount of experience depending on what your shooting.
For instance a hawk lands in my tree(happens a lot actually) I grab my camera with my 150-500mm. Its a bright sunny day so I know I can get away with f11 the sharpest f stop for this lens. Im in AP and crank the aperture to f11 and use the rear control wheel to bump the iso to 400.(I dont use auto-iso- yet...) From experience I know my shutter speed is going to be fine. If Im not concerned with a bif I may choose to lower the iso depending on what my experience tells me I can get away with as far a ss is concerned. So in reality semi auto is hardy even semi auto if you're serious about your work! It took quite a while to get the experience I needed to capture a crisp shot of a hawk or a falcon. Saying using AP negates the reason to buy a DSLR is erroneous at best. Its only as semi auto as you allow it to be really.
Is VR lazy? Ive gotten hendheld shots at 160th ss in poor light using it... Maybe I should turn it off, right? Use the tools available -dont let them use you. "Semi-auto" modes are tools...just like VR is a tool.Bob

AP , f11 , 1/200ss Merlin Falcon

(Download)

Nightski

Great shot, Bob .. good job exposing against the sky .. that can sometimes be a tough one!

BobR Loc: Norwalk CT USA

Thanks! and there's a lot more involved I didn't mention ! lol! -like metering choices , af modes and exposure compensation depending on the subject involved and background involved. The shot isn't going to happen usually without the experience to make the proper choices of everything involved at your disposal. Bright background shooting a bird like this? Gonna need spot metering and exposure compensation. Bob