Beginner: What mode do you commonly shoot in??

[bazpaul]

Hi guys!!

I have been on this site quite a lot recently and find the info to be invaluable. Plus its a very large forum, shich is always good for quick and informative responses. Basically i bought a new Canon 500D awhile back with the kit 18-55mm lens and have been messing around shooting since. i'd like to think myself as technically minded so understand the concepts of aperture, shutter speed and Iso. What i would like to know is:

When your not setting up a special shot, what mode do you commonly shoot in? For everyday house/street/landscape photos??

Now i know you have to tweek aperture and shutter and stuff, but would you walk the streets of a city with your Canon on Aperture priority since your not shooting fast moving objects? Do you simply stroll around changing apertures depending on each shot? or do you go on fully manual mode and setup every shot you see on the street! I dont want to use the pre-programmed 'scene' modes as they are a bit of a cop out, however they do tend to control all the settings you tend to forget (white balance, exposure comp). i jsut think aperture priority would be the mode of choice for everyday city/landsacape/portrait shots (not sports or fast moving shots)

Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts!!!

 

[thenikonguy]

if i'm just walking around, shooting things like people, aperture priority is a good call.. if i'm walking around, taking photos of THINGS, I use manual..

 

[AndrewK]

I tend to use shutter priority, as i am currently learning on that.

Nothing worse than a blurry picture when you wanted a clear one in my opinion

 

[boogschd]

A & P ... but lately. mostly in program mode

* what "thenikonguy" said - manual when shooting things

*** i wonder if people here ever use those pre-programmed modes :/

 

[rufus5150]

I use Aperture priority or P-mode if I'm just walking around taking snaps but I'll have shutter priority set to something usable so I'm a click away from that. Manual if I have time to set up the shot and the other modes aren't cutting it. In the studio/on location portrait work is all manual.

I shot an entire series the other day in nothing but the pure auto modes, just to see how it all went. It was an amusing experiment but not something I use regularly.

 

[chammer]

mostly aperture mode since most all of my shots are outside in the bright sun and shutter speed is high enough to stop action, or indoors where shutter speed isnt of any concern. i only use shutter priority if i need to force higher speeds. have dabbled with manual, but because 95% of my shots are action i'm usually to slow to re-set stuff or forget to. mostly just use +/- ev to compensate.

 

[bazpaul]

Good replies guys, so it seems Aperture mode is common for just walking around the city taking quick shots!

So if you want to take something interesting that will only stay in frame for a few seconds wouldnt Manual be an absolute pain...as you will lose the shot by the time you set up your camera....OR do you 'manual' users set a general street setting....e.g. A= f/8 s= 1/10 iso= 200......then tweak the settings from this???

I think i should play around between aperture and priority mode first before venturing to manual. In your oppinion also, would Program mode be easier to operate than Aperture or Shutter priority modes!

cheers!

 

[usayit]

When strolling around, I am either in Aperture priority or manual. If I am trying to teach a friend who is starting out, I'll generally have them in program mode to help get things going.

 

[BKMOOD]

I shoot in manual 50% of the time. 25% aperture / 25% shutter. I try to stay manual as much as possible. It forces me to think about what I'm doing. I particularly like shooting with my old film cameras. They are completely manual.

 

[CSR Studio]

I always shoot manual. I am surprised by the answers. Why wouldn't you want to control your photograph? Why wouldn't everything be manual? The only time my camera is on anything but manual is when I am asking someone else to take a picture, then I put it on program.

 

[bazpaul]

I always shoot manual. I am surprised by the answers. Why wouldn't you want to control your photograph? Why wouldn't everything be manual? The only time my camera is on anything but manual is when I am asking someone else to take a picture, then I put it on program.

What if she see something priceless that you must capture now, like a childs antics or a street performer magic! you dont want to be jumping into your manual settings, changing the settings thus missing the shot!!! I dunno?? im just thought manual was for when you have some time to prep yourt shot!

 

[CSR Studio]

I always shoot manual. I am surprised by the answers. Why wouldn't you want to control your photograph? Why wouldn't everything be manual? The only time my camera is on anything but manual is when I am asking someone else to take a picture, then I put it on program.

What if she see something priceless that you must capture now, like a childs antics or a street performer magic! you dont want to be jumping into your manual settings, changing the settings thus missing the shot!!! I dunno?? im just thought manual was for when you have some time to prep yourt shot!

It takes that much time to shoot manual? Sounds like more practice is in store.

 

[UUilliam]

Personally I shot Aperture Priority about 80% of the time, I dont think i have ever used shutter priority,
The only time ill ever use shutter priority is when i need a quick speed but i dont really rely on speed tbh...

I used to shoot manual, then i realised Ap was allot more sensible and easier however manual is vital for confusing shoots or shots you want to use creativity in..

 

[PhotoXopher]

Now I'm almost always in aperture priority mode, but when I first got it I forced myself to shoot in the following way to help me learn:

1 day in Programmed Auto mode
2 days in Aperture Priority mode
2 days in Shutter Priority mode
2 days in Manual mode

I'm glad I did this because I quickly learned how everything works with each other by paying attention to how one setting changed another.

After this, I brought ISO into the mix - and started all over again

Good luck, have fun, and enjoy.

 

[Overread20]

mostly aperture mode since most all of my shots are outside in the bright sun and shutter speed is high enough to stop action, or indoors where shutter speed isnt of any concern. i only use shutter priority if i need to force higher speeds

I shoot very similar to this when walking around and also when shooting wildlife. That way the camera reacts to changes in lighting far faster than I can and it also allows me to use the exposure comensation controls should my meter be giving me undesirable results in my shots.
The times I change are when I am shooting with flash being the dominant light source in the shot - such as in much of my macro work - and then I shift to full manual mode so that I can take full advantage of the extra light given out by the flash in the scene (something that the cameras meter won't take into account and thus something that the more auto modes won't do for me)

I always shoot manual. I am surprised by the answers. Why wouldn't you want to control your photograph? Why wouldn't everything be manual? The only time my camera is on anything but manual is when I am asking someone else to take a picture, then I put it on program.

I'm guessing by your name that your a studio photographer?
In a studio - or any environment where your not against the clock with shooting speed and/or where the lighting is under full control or constant then full manual will work very well. But if your reacting to the scene infront of you and just following the cameras built in meter for a "proper exposure" (taking into account any compensation that you might need should the lighting be tricking the meter) then I don't see why one should use manual mode when the modes like aperture and shutter priority will do the very same thing - but a heck of a lot faster.