luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

When I was ready for my first car my dad wanted to purchase a manual transmission Duster but I told him that I didn't want a manual, I wanted an automatic. Along came a boyfriend (later husband and now ex-husband) with a manual transmission 67 Chevelle SS. I loved that car and he taught me how to drive it. Today, I own a Dodge truck with a manual transmission. Manual was the #1 priority when I went looking for a truck.

My PERSONAL OPINION is that the exposure triangle, though essential, is hard for some people to grasp. I would suggest showing them how to shoot in the auto mode first then teaching manual mode so that when they have time to work with manual they can but can change to auto if they need to get the shot and aren't sure they know what to do in manual to get it.

My first camera was a manual only Chinon. I missed shots because I didn't know what I needed to at the time but I learned. The cameras I have now have the auto option and I never use it.

Dodie

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

When the Auto photographer asks for the first time, "how could I <fill in blank>?", that is the time to suggest changing from Auto to Professional.

Why?

Because Professional is exactly the same as Auto, but with the ability for the photographer (human) to now adjust the camera-selected exposure settings. No need to fuss with the exposure triangle. Just adjust the shutter speed or the aperture and let the camera figure out the new exposure. If any more knowledge is ever going to grow, from the furtile ground of (P)rofessional is where it will most likely grow.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

There are far better ways of expressing relationships of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO than using a triangle.
--Bob

User ID

Like the balance of hot sauce and molasses in the banana bread.

There is no such triangle anywaze. Its a seesaw with shutter and aperture riding it and ISO at the fulcrum.

BebuLamar

Because those who can't understand didn't start out with it. If you started out with it, it's easy even in the beginning. A whole hell of a lot easier than driving a manual transmission car.

BebuLamar

The triangle causes a lot of the confusion. It makes people think they know while they really don't. A great way to sell book, not so great to learn exposure.

BebuLamar

Yes turn to P when you're a professional and earning money.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Additionally, they try to tie a lot more to the triangle than exposure, adding to the confusion.
--Bob

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Full "Auto" on many cameras dictates far more than just exposure. Depending upon the camera model, it may also limit the autofocus settings, the type of file that will be saved or even cause the flash to pop up and fire in lower light conditions, whether you want it or not. In most cases it also prevents you from using Exposure Compensation, which is an important tool to learn.

More practical "easy" exposure method on most cameras is "P" or "Program" Auto Exposure (AE). The photographer sets the ISO and the camera picks both the aperture and the shutter speed. Most are designed to take into account the lens focal length and base shutter speed upon that, too. Exposure Compensation can be used to override what the camera sets, if needed. Autofocus settings are up to the photographer. They also can choose to save RAW files, if they wish. And whether the flash is used is also left to the photographer.

I don't know about other manufacturers, but Canon also has "CA" or "Creative Auto". This allows the photographer to change settings, but gives them guidance with "wizards" on the rear LCD. For example, if you are setting the aperture it will tell you that larger aperture makes for shallower depth of field, while smaller aperture will render deeper DoF.

Ideally people would learn to use all the different exposure modes, as well as how to override them, how to recognize when some tweaks are needed.

Aperture Priority AE and Shutter Priority AE each have their uses... Choose the aperture when DoF is a concern, or select the shutter speed if wanting to freezing movement or choosing to have motion blur occur.

Today we also have M + Auto ISO AE to work with. Yes, this is another form of AE, in spite of the "M" in the title. Here the photographer can choose both the aperture and shutter, but leave it to the camera to select an ISO that it thinks is correct for the situation.

M without Auto ISO and "B" or "Bulb" for really long exposures are the only truly manual exposure methods, when the photographer exercises the most complete control over all aspects of exposure. (Note: If using modern dedicated flash, auto exposure still might be occurring... even with the camera set to "M"!)

On most cameras full "Auto" is a "point n shoot" mode. A beginner DSLR or mirrorless user coming from phone camera or a compact point n shoot camera might find Auto comfortable initially, but should explore the other possibilities as soon as possible. Otherwise, why would they want the more complex but more capable camera? Well, maybe they just wanted the ability to interchange lenses, which their point n shoot lacked. It can be pretty intimidating at first, learning the other exposure modes. But, hey, we all were clueless at one time and had to gradually learn to use our cameras more fully.

So, no, I don't think learning "M" first is necessarily the way to go with modern cameras. Forcing someone to learn to use a camera that way might seem so overwhelming they just give up and walk away. I don't think the comparison of driving with stick shift versus automatic transmission is valid when it comes to cameras.

P.S. I know some people use Auto ISO all the time... not only with M, but also with Program, Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority AE. Personally I think that's a bad idea. I prefer an auto exposure mode where there is just one variable... that's more predictable and controllable. For the same reason I rarely use P (two variables left to the camera), I only use Auto ISO with M. But, hey, that's just me. You do whatever works for you.

BebuLamar

It's not forcing but a mathematician would use computer to solve his problem but start out a math student with mathematica????
I do agree that P is for professional and M is for beginner.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The math of a beautiful image is easy: it has twice the megapixels of your current sensor and didn't involve a mirror. The exposure mode is not a variable in this equation. These facts are the most important ideas for a newbie to learn.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I wanted to elicit a wide variety of responses, hopefully more serious than condescending. Glad I got some serious ones. It’s educational to see other perspectives on an issue. I do take issue though with cameras in phones not being "dedicated" cameras. They’re cameras, nothing more, nothing less. You can’t make a phone call with the camera. You have to use the phone feature for that.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

tgreenhaw

I recommend you begin photography using automatic exposure, ideally with a mode that allows setting shutter speed & aperture and having the ISO (sensitivity) set automatically by the camera.

IMHO it is more important to learn composition and visual communication first and if they spend all their time planning and fiddling they will get frustrated by losing shots due to bad exposures.

Learning to balance shutter speed needed for sharpness with aperture which controls depth of field is vital to showcasing the subject matter can follow on quickly.

Learning when to use full manual controls for more difficult shots, e.g. the moon, can follow as they learn the art and science of photography.

My two cents.