gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Looking back on my own learning experience, I would advise newbies to start methodically with manual mode. Either use self-taught trial and error or use a more studied, formal approach. Digital film is cheap, take lots of pictures and be self-critical. I skipped most of this advise and, after 50+ years, am still pretty much an advanced snapshooter. And study the light whether indoors or out. Planning ahead will result in more successful shots and eventually become automatic in your process. Those are my thoughts.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

I suggest steps first. Work with Aperture Priority and/or Shutter Priority settings first. See the relation in the exposure triangle and how altering one variable will alter the other two as your camera adjusts to make a usable image. As you learn the relationship between the three, and start to look at light, you will see/experience/learn how to manipulate them individually and then in combination. Then using Manual mode with auto ISO lets you alter 2 of the three, and then, if you wish full Manual is an easy last step.

IMHO, when you leave Auto Mode, you stop taking pictures and start capturing IMAGES!!!! Best to all!!

Quinn 4

gvarner: That the same thing I tell people to do.

will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

Do you have any good sources to learn manual mode? Here is something I was told and it always mystified me: A person told me to use AV to meter what I want to shoot and then enter those values into the cameras manual mode features. I always wondered why I would do that. If AV says shoot it this way why would I then enter those values into a manual mode?? I have been told what you said, learn manual mode!! What is it going to do for me?

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

[quote=will47]Do you have any good sources to learn manual mode? Here is something I was told and it always mystified me: A person told me to use AV to meter what I want to shoot and then enter those values into the cameras manual mode features.

I have heard this mentioned before, and I think it is a technique that some who may not understand the relation of the exposure triangle to "find" a close setting and then start from there. It is my opinion that the exposure triangle, once learned so that it is second nature, allows you to, with practice, naturally set your settings in Manual Mode. Once that becomes natural, then variables such as exposure compensation, DOF, Shadows, etc. become factors. There is always more to learn IF you want to get better. I realize that some here just want pictures fast and easy. There is nothing wrong with that. Others (myself included) are very interested in becoming more involved and knowledgeable in how they can influence the images they capture. That is the beauty of this hobby. Room and Fun for all

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I'm am old timer old school film to digital photographer. I'd say for the serious student learn by the KISS method - Manual and preferable using some film as well. Yet, I've shot in Av (Aperture Priority) Mode for years once I had it available on my film Pentax K2 DMD and a ME Super. I'll use full Manual when needed. My DSLRs have modes that don't even make sense to me like ATv and Sv. Likely don't need them.

BebuLamar

My suggestions are. If you don't think you will ever use the manual mode then you don't need to know about the manual mode. If you set the camera in P you can get it to set any aperture and shutter speed you want without having to go to manual mode. You do that by using the AE lock and or EC and the program shift function.
If you think you are going to use the manual some day then it's easier and faster if you start with manual mode and learn to use the other modes later. It's easy on your brain. Manual mode is easier to understand when you want to understand. You will have to understand how the camera does it settings in the other modes to use them successfully and to understand how the camera does it in the beginning is more difficult. If you just use the auto mode and don't care how the camera does it you would get lost when you want to switch to manual mode. As I said in the beginning of the post, if you don't ever want to use the manual mode you don't have to. You can take great pictures and make the camera assume any settings you wish without switching to manual mode.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

I find that the BIGGEST benefit in getting out of AUTO (I use a Nikon d3400) is that I am able to chose my meter mode and my focus modes. When we let the camera choose everything, often it meters on the brightest spots, and will focus on the closest thing in the viewfinder. That is not always what we try to capture in our images. The P mode allows this as do S, A, M.

There are many Youtube videos that you can watch, just do a youtube search and you will find a ton of information.

Books are available also. Many to choose from, but I find that I learn better with the camera in my hand, a video in front of me, and practice and experiment. PIXELS ARE FREE

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

When most people say this sort of thing, and you quiz them on their real meaning, the conversation gets to a point that they REALLY mean you should learn the physics of photography:

How does the meter work? How do you use it? What do the various metering patterns do?
What is exposure?
What is ISO? How does it relate to exposure?
What is the purpose of Aperture control? How does it relate to exposure? How does it affect depth of field and diffraction?
What is the purpose of Shutter Speed control? How does it relate to exposure? How does it relate to camera shake, motion blur, and action stopping ability?
What is depth of field?
What is focal length? How does it affect depth perspective?
What is format size? How does it relate to focal length, and by extension, depth of field and angle of view? How does it affect low light performance?
What is focus? How does YOUR particular camera adjust focus (Manually, single point, multi-point, face or eye tracking, regular tracking...)
What is diffraction limiting of sharpness? How do I avoid it?
What is the Inverse/Square Law? (1/D^2, or "All radiation (light, in photography, and sound, in video) dissipates with the inverse of the square of the distance from the source") Why should I care?

I could go on and on, but the point is that an understanding of the variables you can manipulate and how you can manipulate them is what enables you to get FULL potential from the various automatic modes on your camera or flash. It is not enough to, "Set 'er on 'A' and pray!" Murphy's Law says that will let you down when you least want to fail. Knowing how to manipulate the right variables to your advantage in any situation requires a deeper look at HOW it all works. That can occur through a LOT of reading, practice, classroom discussion, and other means. Practice in manual mode is but one of them.

It's not about the medium of film or digital. It's about applied physics.

The ART of photography is an entirely different matter. Needless to say, an artists' ability to control the tools greatly affects the finished work.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

What is it going to do for you? Good question. As a method to seriously learn, it forces you into starting with the basic step of evaluating the light and using a methodical approach. In order to let the scene and subject determine the camera settings, you have to know how those settings will affect your photo.

BebuLamar

Some people did well without knowing any of the stuff that you mentioned but I agree with you that it helps a lot.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I was in high school when I got bit by the photo bug. My parents gave me a set of the Time Life Library of Photography via subscription, in the early 1970s. I DEVOURED those books. (Mom immediately regretted it. She wanted me to be a doctor, or a lawyer like my sister!)

I was the photographer for my school's newspaper and yearbook, and sold a lot of photos to my friends, too. So I got that structured background by reading photo magazines, the T-L series books, and then by doing.

When I joined a school portrait and yearbook company in 1979, it was to produce big multi-image slide shows. I thanked my parents for those books every time I saw them for a few years. I took the entire set to the office, where they stayed for 33 years. I bought the second edition of the same series for my home use. I still have them.

I always have found that understanding the principles behind the technology is the MOST enabling thing I can learn. If you know how and why something works, you know just what you can, and cannot, do with it.

BebuLamar

I am with you Burk as I know the principles behind the technology well but I do know many people who did very well in photography (much better than I) that know very little about those.

Quinn 4

burkphoto: So true.

wetreed

I agree the best way to learn about LIGHT is the manual mode. There are many benefits and lessons that can be learned from getting to know the manual mode. Just remember using the Auto mode does not make you a bad person.