Auto vs. Manual!! Critique your own camera. A Noob to Noob challenge.

[Desi]

I've been reading a thread by a fellow who has been having a hard time with night photography and using manual mode. This inspired me to take this series of photographs as a challenge to myself and to others. Hopefully, it will help you understand something about the difference between the automatic modes on your camera and what a manual exposure can do. Also, if you step up to the challenge, it will teach you a lot about night-time/manual photography and how to use your camera.

First a disclaimer: I am a noob. I used my manual setting for the first time in August 2011. I am very early in the learning process.

The challenge:

1. Take a photo of a house at night or late dusk. Preferably your house so that you can fully control the appearance of the house on different days (what lights are on, etc). Use a tripod or put your camera on something solid.
The first photo must be in fully AUTOMATIC mode. Just put it on A and let the camera do it's thing.
The composition does NOT matter. This is just meant to be a learning exercise about exposure. It doesn't matter if it is a nice house or a pleasing composition.

2. Take another picture of the exact same scene, just change the setting to Program mode, without the flash. Just set it on P and let the camera do it's thing without flash.

3. Now the hard shot. Do the exact same picture but on Manual. Manually set your ISO. Manually set your white balance. Manually set the aperture and shutter speed. Take several shots until you think you've got it right.

4. Post your pictures: List the camera and lens and actual focal length used. Include the following information for each shot: Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance setting.

5. Critique the shots. Understand that for shots 1 and 2, your are not critiquing yourself, you are critiquing the camera (since it made all the decisions). The 3rd shot is the hard part. Keep retaking and reposting until you get the exposure right.

Expectations: These are not meant to be particularly pleasing pictures, just a crappy shot of a house. Don't expect praise. Just expect critique on your exposure. Try to learn to make better choices than your camera made for you.

Hopefully, we can learn from each other.

Oh....you MUST use a tripod (or firm support if no tripod available)

That said, here are my three shots. Please feel free to give C&C.

Taken with a Nikon D90 with a Tamron 10-24 at 13 mm.

1. Fully Automatic
White balance actually looks good to me. Flash is too strong on the hedge, too weak on house and grass. Can't see sky at all. Can't see inside lights. Flash reflection from car in driveway. Shadow at the bottom is actually from my lens (camera used pop-up flash).
Camera settings: 1/60 second, f3.8, ISO 800. WB auto

DSC_0119.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr

2. Program mode:
Way too dark. Can at least see some sky and window lights. No foreground visible. Grainy. White balance off.
Camera settings: Shutter speed 1/30 second, f 3.8. ISO 6,400. WB auto.
Basically, Better exposure of the things not lit by the flash on the prior shot.

DSC_0122.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr

3. Manual mode:
I'm happy with the exposure, except for overexposed front door. I did a custom white balance, but I think it's still off (exterior lighting is from a streetlamp, interior lighting from incandescents on the right, halogens on the far left and fluorescent lights in the doorway. Sky is a bit too blue because of compensating for the tungsten lighting.
Exposure: 30 seconds, f10, ISO 800. Could have used lower ISO but I wanted to keep it out of bulb mode.

DSC_0124.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr

Have fun.

 

[unpopular]

None of my lenses are compatible with auto mode

 

[cgipson1]

I've been reading a thread by a fellow who has been having a hard time with night photography and using manual mode. This inspired me to take this series of photographs as a challenge to myself and to others. Hopefully, it will help you understand something about the difference between the automatic modes on your camera and what a manual exposure can do. Also, if you step up to the challenge, it will teach you a lot about night-time/manual photography and how to use your camera.

First a disclaimer: I am a noob. I used my manual setting for the first time in August 2011. I am very early in the learning process.

The challenge:

1. Take a photo of a house at night or late dusk. Preferably your house so that you can fully control the appearance of the house on different days (what lights are on, etc). Use a tripod or put your camera on something solid.
The first photo must be in fully AUTOMATIC mode. Just put it on A and let the camera do it's thing.
The composition does NOT matter. This is just meant to be a learning exercise about exposure. It doesn't matter if it is a nice house or a pleasing composition.

2. Take another picture of the exact same scene, just change the setting to Program mode, without the flash. Just set it on P and let the camera do it's thing without flash.

3. Now the hard shot. Do the exact same picture but on Manual. Manually set your ISO. Manually set your white balance. Manually set the aperture and shutter speed. Take several shots until you think you've got it right.

4. Post your pictures: List the camera and lens and actual focal length used. Include the following information for each shot: Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance setting.

5. Critique the shots. Understand that for shots 1 and 2, your are not critiquing yourself, you are critiquing the camera (since it made all the decisions). The 3rd shot is the hard part. Keep retaking and reposting until you get the exposure right.

Expectations: These are not meant to be particularly pleasing pictures, just a crappy shot of a house. Don't expect praise. Just expect critique on your exposure. Try to learn to make better choices than your camera made for you.

Hopefully, we can learn from each other.

Oh....you MUST use a tripod (or firm support if no tripod available)
Have fun.

Looks pretty good, Desi! I wonder if "you know who" will see it, and maybe get some motivation? Nice try on your part!

 

[Natalie]

Very cool idea! I'll see if I can give it a try tomorrow.

 

[Vtec44]

Well, which metering mode are you using?

 

[Desi]

Well, which metering mode are you using?

I was using center-weighted metering. I forgot to mention that. I had meant to do the auto and program shots on matrix metering to make it truly more "auto". Either way, for my shots, the "auto" settings would not allow a shutter speed less than 1/30th of a second, so I don't think that matrix metering would have made a difference (but definitely my bad on the experimental design).

 

[ConradM]

Interesting idea, I'll give it a go tomorrow if I have time.

 

[TheKenTurner]

I definataly have to do this tomorrow

 

[ConradM]

Is it ok if I turn my flash off in auto?

 

[Annerotica]

This looks interesting, if the day goes well I may try this tonight!

 

[RebeccaAPhotography]

Ooooh! I'm down with this! I will give it a whirl tonite after work. Just got me a tripod too so it'll be fun! I'm gonna go with my barn! It's quite unique it's known as the "church barn" bc the windows on it are from a church 100 yrs old fun fun!!!

 

[Tee]

This is a good post to show how one can take control in the creative process. Did you manually focus or auto? Also, not to nitpick but I caught this:

The first photo must be in fully AUTOMATIC mode. Just put it on A and let the camera do it's thing.

I know what you're getting at but since this is geared towards beginners, setting the dial to 'A' generally means aperture priority on a DSLR. I think you meant to say the green box with the camera icon.

P.S. Lovely house.

 

[Boxhousev]

This was very helpful. Love it. Can't wait to get out and try this. Great way to teach. Thank you!

 

[RebeccaAPhotography]

Hmmmmmp! I gotta say it might be too cold for me to participate in this. Camera in house at 70 outside -10 right now. Let alone at night. I dont mind thecold I got the correct layers BUT is my camera ok for that weather?

 

[Annerotica]

Hmmmmmp! I gotta say it might be too cold for me to participate in this. Camera in house at 70 outside -10 right now. Let alone at night. I dont mind thecold I got the correct layers BUT is my camera ok for that weather?

I would like to know the answer to that question, will be 35 here at sunset.