Lookin' for advice

LIphotokid · Nov 9, 2015

Hello,
I'm a amateur photographer based in Long Island shooting with a Nikon D7100. I've joined this forum in hopes to get advice and input from an outside source. My biggest thing right now is learning manual. I'm more of a hands on person and YouTube videos just confuse me more. I know how they all work it's getting them to work together which is my problem. If anyone could give me advice on learning I'm all ears.

Best of luck to all
-LIphotokid

The_Traveler · Nov 9, 2015

stop learning manual; it's useful very occasionally but a terrible steep and unnecessary hill to climb.
Learn the exposure triangle then use aperture or shutter preferred, depending on your subject.

goooner · Nov 9, 2015

Welcome,
I agree with the Traveler, I only use manual for off camera flash. With the subjects I shoot (birds, and wildlife) fiddling with manual is just not an option.

Designer · Nov 9, 2015

LIphotokid said:
My biggest thing right now is learning manual.

Welcome!

What is the reason you are learning manual? Do you have a particular application for which you need to be at ease with full manual? How are you doing with other aspects of photography?

As for advice; get used to doing simple math in your head. You need to be able to adjust one up and another down to keep the exposure the same. Or if you think the shot needs more or less exposure, knowing which variable to adjust by how much will be the path to understanding.

Dave442 · Nov 9, 2015

A photography course should cover the exposure triangle and should give you that hands-on experience.

LIphotokid said:
I know how they all work it's getting them to work together which is my problem.

Are you talking about the Exposure Triangle? When you say you "know how they all work", are you saying you know how to change the exposure settings or that you know why you what to make a specific setting within the exposure triangle?

AceCo55 · Nov 10, 2015

The_Traveler said:
stop learning manual; it's useful very occasionally but a terrible steep and unnecessary hill to climb.
Learn the exposure triangle then use aperture or shutter preferred, depending on your subject.

+1 for this. Most of my shots are done using shutter priority or aperture priority.
As stated often, learn the exposure triangle and the effect of changing aperture and the effect of changing shutter speed.
Some places to get you started:

Learning about Exposure - The Exposure Triangle - Digital Photography School
Introduction to Aperture - Digital Photography School
Introduction to Shutter Speed - Digital Photography School
ISO Settings in Digital Photography
Photography Tips and Tutorials for Beginners
7 Incredible Tips for Beginner Photographers
Basics of Photography

Dillard · Nov 10, 2015

Trying setting your camera to auto ISO and see how that helps. That way you still can control your aperture and shutter speed, but the camera is in control of one of the variables. It provides the freedom of manual mode, with a little less required thought.

LIphotokid · Nov 13, 2015

Thanks everybody for the support. The reasoning for learning manual is because (I know this sounds stupid but) everyone I know in photography is shooting manual and I hate being the one not knowing it. Their is also many tricks I would like to learn that you can do with manual. I just think it won't hurt to learn it.

Best of luck to all
-LIphotokid

jaomul · Nov 13, 2015

If you shoot manual, and use the cameras inbuilt light meter, you are only selecting manually what the camera would select if you used a semi auto mode.

There are times when you need to bypass the cameras settings, and use manual then, but for the most part understand aperture priority, shutter priority, iso and exposure compensation and you'll have little difficulty in most types of photos

SCraig · Nov 13, 2015

Advice for Manual Mode | Photography Forum

Alexr25 · Nov 13, 2015

LIphotokid said:
Thanks everybody for the support. The reasoning for learning manual is because (I know this sounds stupid but) everyone I know in photography is shooting manual and I hate being the one not knowing it.

Yes it is stupid. Rather than following the crowd why don't you lead it and learn about the exposure triangle, all the exposure modes and when you need to to override the metered exposure. Also learn when each exposure modes is the most appropriate for the job.
Simply transferring the metered exposure to the aperture and shutter settings in manual mode does not make you a good photographer.

Derrel · Nov 14, 2015

Dillard said:
Trying setting your camera to auto ISO and see how that helps. That way you still can control your aperture and shutter speed, but the camera is in control of one of the variables. It provides the freedom of manual mode, with a little less required thought.

Nikon has an outstanding Auto ISO system, with more and better control of the control parameters than other camera makers offer. Nikon has a superb Auto ISO in manual option, and allows you to set minimum shutter speed, and maximum ISO that you are willing to use. Using Auto ISO in Manual on a modern Nikon body like the D7100 would allow you to get the needed shutter speed and the desired f/stop, while automatically adjusting the needed ISO level instantly. Using Auto ISO in situations that can change rapidly is a really smart way to use a modern Nikon d-slr.