If you haven't done it before, sometimes the very thought of shooting manual can give even the most experienced photographer the willies! And i say experienced, because the fact is that with all the bells and whistles on them, dslrs (the big cameras with lenses you can change around), micro 4/3's (the smaller mirrorless cameras that are VERY popular at the mo), and even point and shoot cameras give a person the experience of taking great shots without even really knowing what they're doing.
And over a long time, if they're good at composition, they might begin to feel pretty experienced because when the camera is doing the thinking their shots tend to come out looking pretty dang great! Cameras are pretty smart and if you have them on auto or P (The comedy setting commonly mistaken for professional but which really means program!) they will do all the hard work for you, measuring what's happening around in terms of light metering and movement and will work out a setting that will take a shot it think will look right and in the law of averages it does! And if you're happy with this, you can stop reading now no harm, no foul!.. (or perhaps if you think one of your friends might be interested in extending their photography knowledge please share this with them!)
... But, if you're like me and one day you feel you've let the camera do the thinking long enough and you're ready to take over the creative reins and develop the skills to use your camera exactly the way YOU want to then stick with me and i'll show you how. Why? Because shooting auto you have one option of how your composition will look, but shooting manual ... how many options do you have? UNLIMITED Getting excited?? Good! Well, let's go!
Shooting manual tip #1: THINK LIKE A CAMERA
"Once you take control, your creative options are limitless"
I know it's kinda obvious but if you're shooting manual you're going to be making all the decisions for each shot and making adjustments to shutterspeed, aperture, iso etc in place of your camera doing it for you. Now don't freak out. I know you thinking 'I don't even know what all those things even do exactly so how can i change them to make the images I want!!??' and, don't fear, we'll come to that. But for now I just want you to get into your mind that this is the direction we're heading. Do you want to do that? Hell yeah! Well great, we will, you are going to become your camera's brain and with that you're going to get the chance to take the kinds of pictures you've always wanted to!"
Tomorrow: Shooting manual tip #2: Aperture Share if you care about helping people unlock their camera creativity!)
Questions, comments?? Please add them below and I'll answer everything i can.
Happy shooting! Cat
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