Society & Culture & Entertainment Photography

How to Use Manual Mode on your SLR Camera

You probably bought an SLR camera because you wanted to take better pictures. Digital SLRs are very powerful but if you just use it in automatic mode, then you are just taking pictures with a very expensive point and shoot camera. So dust off the instruction book, grab the camera, and start practicing! Get out of your comfort zone by using your camera in manual mode.

Using the camera in manual mode really isn't all the difficult. The first thing to do is turn the dial on the camera to the big M (or whatever the symbol is on your camera for manual). Next, you need to decide on the shutter speed or aperture you need. If your subject is moving, pick a shutter speed first. Choose something that is fast enough to stop the action. This will vary on the subject so you will have to experiment. If the subject is not moving, then set the aperture first (this value tells the camera how wide to open its shutter).

Whichever value you set first, you will then need to set the other value using the camera's meter. The meter tells you how the camera is reading the light. You can see the meter looking through the eyepiece. You should see some kind of scale with -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 or a variation of that. The key is to get the meter to balance out at zero. You will need to experiment of course by switching the settings around to see what effect you get. But always keep the meter on zero so that your picture is exposed properly. If you click the shutter speed two notches, then the aperture needs to be clicked down two notches.

Once you experiment and learn what your camera can do, you will never go back to automatic again! Using automatic lets the camera decide how the picture will look instead of you.
SHARE
RELATED POSTS on "Society & Culture & Entertainment"
Photo To Oil Painting
Photo To Oil Painting
Manual Camera Adjustments (White Balance, Shutter Speed)
Manual Camera Adjustments (White Balance, Shutter Speed)
The Art of Copying
The Art of Copying
What Experience Do I Need to Be a Director of Photography?
What Experience Do I Need to Be a Director of Photography?
How to Resize Your Photos Fast and Easy
How to Resize Your Photos Fast and Easy
Need Photography Tips? We've Got Them
Need Photography Tips? We've Got Them
Macro Photography Case Study: Photographing Flowers
Macro Photography Case Study: Photographing Flowers
Capture the moment with a photograph of your graduation
Capture the moment with a photograph of your graduation
Boudoir Photography - London Based Boudoir Photographer Explains Why it's a Growing Trend!
Boudoir Photography - London Based Boudoir Photographer Explains Why it's a Growing Trend!
Cheap digital cameras -- worth the money?
Cheap digital cameras -- worth the money?
How to Make Sure Your Senior Pictures Are Perfect
How to Make Sure Your Senior Pictures Are Perfect
How to Photograph Fabric
How to Photograph Fabric
How to Set the Right Dimensions and Resolution
How to Set the Right Dimensions and Resolution
Discover Great Things about Nature through Astronomy Pictures
Discover Great Things about Nature through Astronomy Pictures
Why Does an Artist Need To Showcase His Art
Why Does an Artist Need To Showcase His Art
3 Basic Tips in Digital Photography for the Typical Hobbyist
3 Basic Tips in Digital Photography for the Typical Hobbyist
How Much Wedding Photography Do You Need?
How Much Wedding Photography Do You Need?
Formal Elements of Film Pacing
Formal Elements of Film Pacing
Skylight Filter Effects
Skylight Filter Effects
Canvas printing makes you cherish your old and unforgettable memories
Canvas printing makes you cherish your old and unforgettable memories

Leave Your Reply

*