Something Very Annoying Happened Tonight

[leighthal]

There you go assuming again. Hee---hawww!!!

 

[mosu84]

Some of the most famous pictures I know

These could have been taken on a Nikon CoolPix and they would still be incredible photos. Both sides of this debate are ridiculous. Auto has its place (to capture a fleeting moment), but of course there will be situations when Auto won't capture the desired effect -- such as a landscape with a high dynamic range.

In my mind (as someone who rarely shoots in Auto), the makeup of the quality of an image would usually be something like this:

60% subject interestingness
25% lighting
10% composition
5% everything else

Rarely does the 5% matter as much as this thread makes it seem

 

[JerryPH]

Some of the most famous pictures I know

These could have been taken on a Nikon CoolPix and they would still be incredible photos.

But the fact is... during the times any of those pictures you post were taken (somwhere in the 40s-60s), a Coolpix or auto cameras did not exist. These were taken in full manual mode.

I wonder how they ever "captured the moment" before the creation of point and shoots? Seems to me they replaced the automation of today's cameras with a little extra thought, and did pretty darn well. Auto mode makes one lazy and the quality of the shots, since there is no thought process involved, mechanical, bland and less than what it could be, each and every time.

Does Auto work? Yes. Shall the quality of your photography rise if you put the camera in a manual mode AND know something about photography? Without a doubt. That is the point I am making. People who think that auto mode is as good as knowledge and skill... are deluding themselves.

BTW, just as a matter of correctness, TPF rules state that you should not show pictures that are not yours, a link is acceptable, though.

 

[Christie Photo]

...anyone that knows their equipment and understands something about photography KNOWS that the real magic happens when the person holding the lens has some level of understanding about photography...

I don't know about magic, but I do agree a photographer has to know what's going on when he/she trips the shutter. That's our job.

The technology has come a LONG way since the first auto cameras were introduced. They can perform well.

In the end, they're all tools (not the photographers... the cameras).

Use 'em. But do know what they're doing.

Auto is one more choice for a photographer. I seldom choose it (virtually never), but I seldom work in rapidly changing conditions. I suspect if I did, I'd be getting to know my auto settings a lot better. I doubt I can out think a computer's speed. But I would HAVE to have control over what the computer is computing so, when I trip the shutter, I KNOW what is happening.

-Pete

 

[mosu84]

But the fact is... during the times any of those pictures you post were taken (somwhere in the 40s-60s), a Coolpix or auto cameras did not exist. These were taken in full manual mode.

I wonder how they ever "captured the moment" before the creation of point and shoots? Seems to me they replaced the automation of today's cameras with a little extra thought, and did pretty darn well. Auto mode makes one lazy and the quality of the shots, since there is no thought process involved, mechanical, bland and less than what it could be, each and every time.

Does Auto work? Yes. Shall the quality of your photography rise if you put the camera in a manual mode AND know something about photography? Without a doubt. That is the point I am making. People who think that auto mode is as good as knowledge and skill... are deluding themselves.

BTW, just as a matter of correctness, TPF rules state that you should not show pictures that are not yours, a link is acceptable, though.

I agree with you, I was just pointing out that subject, composition and timing often seriously outweigh the method of taking the shot. I mean, do you think people are really going to complain about the blown out sky in those pictures?

 

[Honu]

I think what you did, Chris, was the best. Let the waters of her lack of knowledge roll off you like rain off a RainX'ed window... lol

It did not cause you to lose any money, it did not make you look bad, it had no adverse affect on you as a person or a photographer... you did good by not raising any stink.

I would love to have competition in my town as poor as she appears to be... my business would KILL hers on a daily basis.

Meh... come here, vent a little, we make fun of her stupidity a bit and move on. Thats the best way to handle these kinds of situations.

Something that I often tell my friends to know how important things are or not...

"As yourself... in 25 years, *HOW* important will that conversation be and how will it impact your life?... oh, not very much, huh?... then it is not very important now, so don't let it get under your skin."

Truly sage advice!

 

[anubis404]

I'm one of those "auto shooters". I'm learning photography and I think it's the best way to learn. I take offence at the hot debates that I am wasting my time (or somehow your time) having a DSLr and using it on auto. Why would I want the limitations of a PS if I am trying to learn a new hobby? You would never instruct someone to buy a soapbox cart if they are trying to learn how to drive. Soapbox cars may have the basics but they will never get you on the highway.

But what's the point if someone else is driving the car for you?

 

[jordan!]

I feel like the argument about capturing the moment by shooting auto is ridiculous. If you're worried about not having the right setting, just take a meter reading off your hand whenever the light changes or something. I usually spend a couple hours a day doing street photography, which is all about capturing a fleeting moment, and I've never felt like I was missing a shot because I couldn't get my settings in time.

 

[millix7]

Needless to say, it's almost impossible to change people in the way that you want them to be.. because we are all different. Of course you can say things to her but if you approach with "I'm right(better) and you're wrong(worth)" type of mind-set, she'd get defensive and probably she'd stay the way she is anyway... If I were you, I'd change the way i look at her by focusing on things she is good at or nice things about her rather than her negative trades. If you can do that, believe me, you won't be annoyed anymore.

 

[chrisburke]

wow, i started a big discussion... to those who gave advice on my OP, thanks for it, especially jerry, what you said made lots of sense (so did everyone elses to, jerry's just rang with me)

to those in the discussion about auto/manual.. im finding it very interesting!!! i personally am obviously against auto (hense my OP) but, its great to read what people say... its very clear who here shoots auto (because they are defending it) all I have to say is, take the time to learn this art you've taken up, and take better pictures.

 

[manaheim]

It's easy to get frustrated by this kind of thing, and understandable too. I got ticked off earlier this morning on this very forum about this.

The problem is that people wind up making big decisions and messing themselves up. My very own mother did it because for some annoying reason she chose to listen to the idiot working the counter at Ritz (they're not all idiots, but this guy was) instead of me.

The thing I always struggle with is this... why do I care? I actually care a lot less than I have in the past, but why does it burn me that someone makes a bad decision based on bad information. It has absolutely zero affect on me, personally... but there must be a reason since it's a common thing for people to get annoyed by givers of bad advice.

 

[manaheim]

Now I've read the rest of the thread and I see it's turned into one of those "Anyone who shoots any method other than the one I do is a moron" threads.

Awesome.

I started the day on a thread packed with ignorance on TPF, and evidently I'll end it in the same way.

I am, for all intents and purposes a paid professional photographer. I made more money last year as a part time photographer than a lot of people make in full time jobs.

I have taken many many thousands of images of all different types, including sports, portraits, commercial real estate, and about a billion pictures of my kids. (figure that one out... thousands to billions)

I'm not bragging here, I'm level-setting.

I use ALL of the modes of my camera. Odds are if I had an actual Auto setting I wouldn't use it, but only because I do not like it when the camera selects ISO, but I have even had occasions when I have used the auto-focus-point selector. It's rare, but I have used it.

A camera is not just a tool these days, but a whole tool BENCH... shrugging off an entire mode of the camera as "for the noobs" is about as intelligent as saying that "Hammers are for amateurs! I only use a MAUL!"

Simply stated, if you stick to any given mode and dismiss all the other modes all you are succeeding in doing is either making certain types of shots a lot harder, or nearly impossible.

Use the appropriate tool for the job. Use whatever tools are available.

 

[roadkill]

I love this stuff.

 

[adamwilliamking]

Some of the most famous pictures I know

Irrelevant. Those photos are famous for their subject matter and content, not their photographic values.

 

[Jamesy]

Just get over yourself and get on with it. There are always going to be people like this and just because you think you're a better photographer than them doesn't mean they shouldn't talk about their interests. By all means, politely correct them, but just dont be a d*ck about it. It's hardly the end of the world.