Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

I shoot in aperture priority 95% of the time and shutter priority the rest. I use live view and manual focus when using a tripod and always check the exposure on the cameras meter, using the exposure compensation when needed.

amehta Loc: Boston

I think we need to start talking about a new set of 8 modes, where either the photographer or the camera determines each setting (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO):
* P (all three set by the camera)
* A (shutter speed & ISO set by the camera)
* S
* I
* AI (shutter speed set by camera)
* SI
* AS
* ASI = M

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Thanks for your response. Yes, I have tons of books and I take the thick books to Staples and have them ring bind them so I can easily lay them flat to study. I purchased videos from Michael the Maven. I joined Lynda.com. I watch and search Youtube (B&H), UHH and on and on. I study about 6-8 hours a day and have since July 2013. I'm a very dull reclusive sort of person who had to be out front leading the charge for so many years I just got burned out. I love this challenge of dslr photography and post processing. I especially like UHH because there are many very smart people here who are willing to help any bum that comes down the road with a Brownie slung over his/her shoulder.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

When I started photography it was all manual. And a lot of work. Love today's cameras and the d7100 is my newest. First I know there a times you need to go manual. for what I shoot it happens a couple of times a year. I do think that I have just as much control as shooting manual if the cameras exposure meter is used. I shoo Aperture priority. I like to control depth of field. I do set my camera to take care of the other two sides of the triangle. Then I set ISO at the lowest setting. This way I will get the best image quality. I don't care about shutter speed except I don't want it so low that I get blued pictures so I set the override on ISO so that it will go up if the shutter speed would go below what I set. The override setting depends on the lens and what I am shooting. This way if the optimum will not work the camera will make the adjustments. These are the same adjustments I would make if I were in Manual. Works for me. - Dave

Elliern Loc: Myrtle Beach, SC

Thanks, SS. Yes, it was fast paced for sure. For each assignment we had to turn in 5 shots. Then of course we were critiqued and questioned. But, he was very good at critiquing. Praised what was right and explained how to correct what was wrong. And was always encouraging. I felt lost for the first month, but by the end of the term felt more confident. Still nowhere near where I want to be, but slowly improving. I hope to take a more advanced class in the future.

chrisewers Loc: born UK. live in USA.

Have not had my camera long. I started out in auto always. To get a feel for what the camera does. I notice it never gets what I really want because it doesn't know what I like. So I shoot manual in either Aperture priority or shutter priority. To chose which depends if I want a fast shot for sports, birds, freeze shot (shutter) or depth of field for landscape or portrait. You can then use a light meter (I still use the camera meter but a hand held is better-there are posts elsewhere which discuss this) You have to be aware that for a steady clear shot a shutter speed should not be faster than 1/focal length of your lens unless you use a tripod. Once you have a correct exposure, you can also fiddle with the settings if you then set to full manual. The fstops are kindve linked so if you say "dont want the shutter that fast" you can change shutter speed but then for the same exposure one of the other (ISO or aperure) has to change (or both) by the same number of "stops". Thats where the exposure triangle comes in, it shows how these settings are related. For really good landscapes and sometimes portraits I use HDR (post elsewhere describes this) also you can use bracketing which can provide 3 shots 1 at your set exposure, 1 more exposed and 1 less exposed. Then you can see one of them is better than your choice.
Not very scientific but it works for me and I am still learning. Also read the posts regularly, if you ignore the cheap shots, some of these guys (and gals) are VERY helpful and bloody brilliant.
:thumbup:
As for picture content that's the artist in you and I don't measure up to help there. :-(

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Manual.

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

All of them, except auto. Usually I start out in P, move to A or S, and when I get a handle on things move to M. I do a lot of playing around watching the settings on the camera without much shooting, then fix them in M.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Anand my camera has 9 modes. It also has an A$$ mode. I can't get anything right in THAT mode, except a good mule shot!! :lol: :lol:
SS

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

n3eg, no offense, but once you have it right in one of the aforementioned modes, How do you fix it better in M ?? ;-)
SS

greg vescuso Loc: Ozark,Mo.

I use whatever is most usful to me at the time. Inside with strobes I"ll use manual. Walking around town for street photography I"ll use av until I need more control then switch to manual but try to set the ISO for the lighting.Night photography I"ll use tv and not change to manual. Indoors in low light av with ISO as high as my processor can handle I try to set aperture One stop above max. Opening until I need more dof. And then add flash when I reach the limit of my ISO at this time I will switch to manual and control the flash on or off camera in manual also. I will us tv for BIF shots and set the ISO also. When I know I need to us manual to start I will put camera in P and see what settings the camera chose and use this as a starting point. And for just taking snap shots P choose the auto focus point and us the flash on ttl . I don"t use Auto because you can"t choose your focus point.

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

I shoot a lot in ap for dof sake. when I use a looong lens I use whatever combop that will give me f 11 and a shutter speed 2-21/2 times the focal length. when using old lenses that only work in manual, I set the apature and adjust the iso so that when I center the ec scale I get the ss I want.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

David, the problem with things like Scene Modes, if you are shooting RAW, they don't much matter, if they can be used at all. And if you PP, with anything other than the makers corporate PP program, they don't transfer along with the Raw data, and are wiped clean. At least that's the way it is with Canon, can't be sure of other brands.
Now if you're shooting in Jpeg, that's a whole different matter, and the camera will process the shot, using the scene modes, but they can't be undone, once the shot is taken.
The advantage to RAW, is that you can PP with the same effect as Scene Modes, or anything in between. ;-)
SS

christofras Loc: Gold Coast Australia

I agree with sharp shooter!....One needs to get the shot!

OviedoPhotos

Aperture mode mostly with auto focus 80%

Shutter mode with auto focus 10%

Aperture mode mostly with manual focus 10%

Although I do try P mode when I get a new body or lens for a few shots, my belief is that friends don't let friends use P mode.