Manual Mode: DSLR Shooting
Practice, practice, practice! This is my advice I give anyone when I am asked about photography. You can’t expect great photos without a little practice. This post will give you some tips for shooting in manual mode. I love manual mode shooting. I shoot with a Canon, but these tips can be used with almost any DSLR camera.
Why manual? Most (if not all) DSLR cameras come with pre-programmed settings like “portrait” or “landscape”. When you use one of these settings it means that your camera is trying to select the best lighting situation for you and what will produce the clearest picture. The problem is the camera can’t predict the look you are going for. Simply put, you have no control over your vision. That’s why you should learn to shoot in manual mode using your DSLR.
Manual mode DSLR shooting allows you to control everything about the shot. You get to manipulate the light to compose your perfect photo. You get that control of being able to adjust all your settings. This includes aperture, shutter speed and ISO. SCARED? Don’t be. Because I am going to break everything down by explaining these concepts.
Basic Concepts Of Manual Mode
Let’s help you understand what aperture, shutter speed and ISO mean. So far we know these 3 things make a better photo. Well all 3 of these things also effect the light in your photos.
- Aperture: controls how wide the shutter opens. You are controlling the f-stop (f/ ). A low f-stop would be f/1.2 or high f-stop of f/22. Let’s simplify this by saying the higher the # = less light. The wider the shutter opens the more light that can enter into the lens. This means you have a greater depth of field. For example: If you are focusing on a subject at a low f-stop (f/1.8) the background behind the subject will have a smooth blur.
- Shutter Speed: your shutter is what opens & closes when you take a photo…making that fun camera sound! The shutter speed is how fast it opens & closes. A lower speed (1/60) means the shutter closes slower and allows more light into the lens. The higher the speed (1/500) means it closes faster and less light is captured. The speed also affects the movement being captured. So a lower speed means if something is moving or you have a shaky hand then it will be blurry. I suggest using a tripod, and if possible a remote clicker, for lower speeds.
- ISO: this is all light. The lower the ISO the duller the photo. The higher the ISO the brighter the photo. Keep in mind that the higher the ISO the more noise in your photo. Meaning it might be really grainy. 100 or 200 is where you really want to keep it. 800 and up is grainy. But play around with it to find a setting you like.
Putting Them All Together
The best way to master using your DSLR to shoot in manual mode is to practice, practice, practice. Start by playing with each control seperately. Try the aperture. Remember lower means more light. Increase if it is too bright. Next test the shutter speed. Start with 1/250 and see how bright it comes out. If it is too bright increase the speed until the photo is clear & crisp. If you are capturing movement but a lower speed is too bright, increase the aperture. ISO Auto will balance the light really well. Shooting at night: let as much light in as possible = set your ISO higher, shutter speed low & aperture low. Daylight = low ISO, high shutter speed & high aperture so that you have a good balance of light.
3 Different Types of Manual Mode
- Manual “M” allows you ton control aperture, shutter speed, & ISO
- Aperture Priority “Av” allows you to control only your aperture. Shutter speed & ISO is determined by your camera.
- Shutter Priority “Tv” allows you to control your shutter speed. Camera will choose the aperture and ISO.
Using #2 or #3 allows you to focus on one setting at a time. It is a great stepping stone to learning how to complete manual mode. Practice and take notes. Play around to find a good fit.
Test It
To test your settings simply 1/2 depress the shutter. You should see a scale in the view finder. It should go from -3 to +3 or vice versa. Check the tick mark on the scale. If the mark is in the – your photo will be underexposed. This means you need to let more light in. Either lower the aperture, increase the ISO or lower the shutter speed. I prefer to move the ISO. With this said, a + is overexposed. So we need to let less light in. Higher aperture, lower ISO or increase shutter speed. Again, I prefer to move the ISO.
And that is how to use Manual Mode. The best way to master this is to practice. Try out different types of subjects in different lighting areas, try it with movement. The more you practice the quicker the settings and how to change them will come naturally. I hope this helps. Happy shooting!
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