The #1 Photographer Tip! | How to shoot better photos with your DSLR!

[Dave442]

Karissa - I am sure you have good intentions with this post so I hope that it will get some photographers to give Manual mode a try if they have been reluctant because of fear. The way your post is written makes it sound more like the lines from a lecture - I think it would come across better in a video. I will says the posting on your blog looks better with the formatting and images over how it is presented above.

 

[YoungPhotoGirl]

Karissa - I am sure you have good intentions with this post so I hope that it will get some photographers to give Manual mode a try if they have been reluctant because of fear. The way your post is written makes it sound more like the lines from a lecture - I think it would come across better in a video. I will says the posting on your blog looks better with the formatting and images over how it is presented above.

Thank you. For some reason it made the formatting not very good on here.
Appreciate you checking out my blog too, I've only just started it so mind the lack of content

 

[tirediron]

As someone who's very possibly been at this game longer than you've been alive, a few thoughts: There's not a great deal of point in telling someone to do something a certain way if you're not going to tell them why they should do it. You also fail to mention that if all you're going to do in manual mode is 'zero the meter' there likely won't be an appreciable difference to images exposed used auto or semi-auto modes. I have found that people who have learned a little bit about photography (just enough to be dangerous... tend to tout manual mode as if it were a panacea. The fact is, all four exposure modes have value and there are times when each one is appropriate.

I think your intention was good, but I don't believe that your experience is sufficient to actually teach people. There's a lot more to educating than simply regurgitating random pieces of information. Explain WHY manual mode is beneficial, explain when it might be appropriate to use the 'semi-auto' modes, and when 'Auto' can be a life-saver.

 

[YoungPhotoGirl]

As someone who's very possibly been at this game longer than you've been alive, a few thoughts: There's not a great deal of point in telling someone to do something a certain way if you're not going to tell them why they should do it. You also fail to mention that if all you're going to do in manual mode is 'zero the meter' there likely won't be an appreciable difference to images exposed used auto or semi-auto modes. I have found that people who have learned a little bit about photography (just enough to be dangerous... tend to tout manual mode as if it were a panacea. The fact is, all four exposure modes have value and there are times when each one is appropriate.

I think your intention was good, but I don't believe that your experience is sufficient to actually teach people. There's a lot more to educating than simply regurgitating random pieces of information. Explain WHY manual mode is beneficial, explain when it might be appropriate to use the 'semi-auto' modes, and when 'Auto' can be a life-saver.

I have an excellent idea.... instead of bashing my post which took me a great deal of time to write where i very much did state and show why manual mode is better in my opinion.... why don't you, with your extensive know-how share your reasons and knowledge?
Or is this just a site for people with failed businesses to bash others. I took time out of my busy life and day to write this. I simply don't have time to bother defending myself or my knowledge. Years in the industry does not equal good work.... I'd love for you to post your most recent image
Plus.... no one has ever learnt it all. So i don't get why you so called pros are coming to the beginners section to read photography tips if you're so great

 

[YoungPhotoGirl]

As someone who's very possibly been at this game longer than you've been alive, a few thoughts: There's not a great deal of point in telling someone to do something a certain way if you're not going to tell them why they should do it. You also fail to mention that if all you're going to do in manual mode is 'zero the meter' there likely won't be an appreciable difference to images exposed used auto or semi-auto modes. I have found that people who have learned a little bit about photography (just enough to be dangerous... tend to tout manual mode as if it were a panacea. The fact is, all four exposure modes have value and there are times when each one is appropriate.

I think your intention was good, but I don't believe that your experience is sufficient to actually teach people. There's a lot more to educating than simply regurgitating random pieces of information. Explain WHY manual mode is beneficial, explain when it might be appropriate to use the 'semi-auto' modes, and when 'Auto' can be a life-saver.

Nevermind. I found a photo you took Photo "5212-Chennai_5x7_1Medium" in the album "tirediron's Gallery" by tirediron"
I have to say I'm not surprised it's underexposed at all. Decent professional photographers wouldn't take time out of their day to bash an informative BEGINNERS tip thread lol

 

[YoungPhotoGirl]

On another note....i do think i have enough knowledge to give beginners tips lol.
Im a successful photographer who's been in business for 8 years now... I'm being published in a fashion magazine next month and I'm booked out.

 

[YoungPhotoGirl]

For comparison. Here's my latest work

 

[tirediron]

I have an excellent idea.... instead of bashing my post which took me a great deal of time to write where i very much did state and show why manual mode is better in my opinion.... why don't you, with your extensive know-how share your reasons and knowledge?
Or is this just a site for people with failed businesses to bash others. I took time out of my busy life and day to write this. I simply don't have time to bother defending myself or my knowledge. Years in the industry does not equal good work.... I'd love for you to post your most recent image
Plus.... no one has ever learnt it all. So i don't get why you so called pros are coming to the beginners section to read photography tips if you're so great

To respond in no particular order: As a moderator part of my job here is to review posts and ensure that they comply with forum rules. As an interested forum member and photographer, I am always looking to learn more, and I don't think that the forum a post is placed in should prevent me from possibly learning something.

I'm not aware of anyone here with a failed business; we have several retired professionals, a few working photographers and many hobbyists of varying skill levels.

Things that I think should have been included in your post are: The relationships and effects of aperture and shutter speed on an image (depth of field, freezing movement, etc), when and why you might want to over or under-expose from '0' on the meter (backlit subject, snow scene, deep shadow...) where it might be appropriate to use semi-auto modes (sporting events, low light...) and the effect that metering modes can have on metering...

Not my most recent, but the newest I had conveniently to hand:

 

[YoungPhotoGirl]

I have an excellent idea.... instead of bashing my post which took me a great deal of time to write where i very much did state and show why manual mode is better in my opinion.... why don't you, with your extensive know-how share your reasons and knowledge?
Or is this just a site for people with failed businesses to bash others. I took time out of my busy life and day to write this. I simply don't have time to bother defending myself or my knowledge. Years in the industry does not equal good work.... I'd love for you to post your most recent image
Plus.... no one has ever learnt it all. So i don't get why you so called pros are coming to the beginners section to read photography tips if you're so great

To respond in no particular order: As a moderator part of my job here is to review posts and ensure that they comply with forum rules. As an interested forum member and photographer, I am always looking to learn more, and I don't think that the forum a post is placed in should prevent me from possibly learning something.

I'm not aware of anyone here with a failed business; we have several retired professionals, a few working photographers and many hobbyists of varying skill levels.

Things that I think should have been included in your post are: The relationships and effects of aperture and shutter speed on an image (depth of field, freezing movement, etc), when and why you might want to over or under-expose from '0' on the meter (backlit subject, snow scene, deep shadow...) where it might be appropriate to use semi-auto modes (sporting events, low light...) and the effect that metering modes can have on metering...

Not my most recent, but the newest I had conveniently to hand:

I didn't want to overwhelm people starting out in photography.
Again, it's unpleasant to talk about oneselfs skills as if you are much better than all. I don't claim to be the best photographer in the world. But I'm certainly at the stage of being able to give beginners tips... that was horrendously insulting. Its clear you're not the absolute best in the world either. Take the tips, or if they don't suit you... then don't.
It was a place for beginners to start testing manual mode out without being scared.
I dont see how my tips ended up warranting you to insult my level of knowledge. That's just plain rude.
Just because it's the internet does not mean manners should disappear.

 

[zulu42]

Oh my god. That tattoo. It's...I don't know what to say. That tattoo is exceedingly amazing to me.

 

[Ferrarimx5]

Manual, semi automatic, fully automatic.
Sniper, officer, battlefield.

Respect, passion, devotion, inspiration, instruction, kindness, thoughtfulness.

Listening, learning, tolerance, sharing.
There are merits and demerits.
Some are cumulative.

Reflect, regroup, grow and inspire.
Proactive, reactive and community effort.
Uplifting.. Beneficial, tone and openness.

Composure..

Breathe
Review, reboot, reshoot, recompose, improve.
Sharpen the image, blur the background.
Sit back and enjoy your work.
Not everyone will, but some will.

Pushing, pushing back, pulling up, pulling back.
Not putting down, but putting up.
Not with fists, but with gentle hands.
Inspire and grow..

Or, just words on a page...

 

[ac12]

There is no one mode that fits all needs. The old saying "a jack of all trades, is a master of none."
Auto,P,S,A and M modes all have their place.
The skill is in learning when to use which modes, and that is the WHY.

I will choose a specific mode for a specific reason.
The gig/event/game/location/etc. all have a factor in which mode one will choose.
Heck even scene modes would be appropriate for some people.
M mode would flat out not work in some situations.

BTW, like some of the others, I grew up on M, before there was the M mode. Back then, there were no automatic anything SLR. None of the cameras needed a battery to be used. So I understand and appreciate the value that automation brings to the table. And personally, I would NOT want to go back to a Manual camera as my primary camera.

Here are some of my WHYs:

• I do NOT use Auto, because I want control over what the camera will focus on. So I use P instead of Auto.
  
• I will not select M when there is constantly changing lighting on the subject. That would drive me nuts, to be constantly adjusting the exposure for the changing light. P,S or A work much better. And I/you cannot physically change exposure as fast as the lighting on the subject may be changing, and still concentrate on the subject and the framing.
  
  • Specific example. Soccer/football/lacrosse player running down the field, which is in broken shadow from trees. The player is going from sun, to shade, to sun, to shade, to sun. All my concentration is on tracking the fast moving/running subject and keeping an eye on the ball. I do not want to be distracted by also having to adjust the exposure. Maybe a 16 year old kid can multi-task like that, but not me.
• I use M when I want to eliminate the metering effect of extraneous light (scoreboard or sign), or a really dark background, with subject moving around in constant lighting. The light sources or dark background confuses the meter to incorrectly exposing the subject. So I determine the correct exposure, then lock it down with M mode.
  
• In constant daylight lighting, I might use M so the meter won't adjust just because the reflectivity of the background is changing. Sunny 16 rule.
• I use M with my shoe flash, because I have the flash auto adjusting its light output based on the scene. I've used fully manual flashes before, and trying to manually adjust the aperture as the distance to the subjects is constantly changing is not easy nor fun to do.
• I would use M in a studio type environment, where I have control over the subject and lighting.
• I use A, to force the camera to use the largest aperture, in changing lighting. This forces the camera to use the fastest shutter speed for that lighting and ISO setting.
• Others use A to force the camera to a specific aperture, to control the depth of field, regardless of changing light.
  
• I use S, if I want to lock in a certain shutter speed, so the camera can't adjust itself too slow for the situation. Sometimes I want a specific shutter speed, and I don't really care about the aperture.

BTW your manual transmission analogy is also flawed.
I can drive a manual transmission car, but I choose not to. An automatic transmission is much more convenient and practical, for where I live, and how I drive.

Being in heavy traffic for 1-1/2 hours with a stick will result in a very sore left leg.
I have talked to more than one stick driver that HATES driving a stick in heavy commute traffic.​

 

[Ysarex]

"...The semi-auto and Program modes let me work faster and more accurately.

Fair enough... but you also lose a lot of control over the result.

Not at all. I lose zero control over the result. You are wrong and it's easy to prove that. But since you're the one clicking the disagree button so much you go ahead prove your claim that I lose control. The fact that you don't understand this means you don't know how a camera works yet and that's the problem here.

Kind of like driving an automatic car vs a manual. Sure....its easier, faster... but if you understand the equipment fully then manual will always be better.

I do understand the equipment fully; I probably understood the equipment fully before you were born. Manual is fine and has it's place but you're assertion that manual will always be better is flat out wrong and because we want beginners to get appropriate help here it's important to say that you're flat out wrong.

So instead of just clicking disagree you could take the time and trouble to find out why you're wrong and learn something or prove otherwise. Explain your claim that I lose control using Program mode.

Joe

 

[Vtec44]

tl;dr

IMHO, it doesn't matter which mode you use as long as you get the photos you need. Some of the automatic modes can be very useful in certain situation especially moving in and out of different lighting. People get fixated on manual mode. It's not the answer to become a better photographer.

Also, metering without specify which metering mode and where to meter is leaving out major critical parts of getting the correct exposure. Matrix metering mode of a high contrast scene will give you a totally different reading vs spot metering of highlights vs center weighted of mid tone. A general understanding of the exposure triangle is an important part of becoming a better photographer, and it will help you to effectively control your images in manual mode.

When you blog from a position of knowledge, you need to make sure you cover all your bases because it is an invitation to be scrutinized by other professionals especially on an open forum. The negative tone against other professionals in the blog doesn't help either.

My humble opinion...

Wait did someone say post some work??

I'm decent with off camera flash too...

 

[Ysarex]

I have an excellent idea.... instead of bashing my post which took me a great deal of time to write where i very much did state and show why manual mode is better in my opinion.... why don't you, with your extensive know-how share your reasons and knowledge?
Or is this just a site for people with failed businesses to bash others. I took time out of my busy life and day to write this. I simply don't have time to bother defending myself or my knowledge. Years in the industry does not equal good work.... I'd love for you to post your most recent image
Plus.... no one has ever learnt it all. So i don't get why you so called pros are coming to the beginners section to read photography tips if you're so great

To respond in no particular order: As a moderator part of my job here is to review posts and ensure that they comply with forum rules. As an interested forum member and photographer, I am always looking to learn more, and I don't think that the forum a post is placed in should prevent me from possibly learning something.

I'm not aware of anyone here with a failed business; we have several retired professionals, a few working photographers and many hobbyists of varying skill levels.

Things that I think should have been included in your post are: The relationships and effects of aperture and shutter speed on an image (depth of field, freezing movement, etc), when and why you might want to over or under-expose from '0' on the meter (backlit subject, snow scene, deep shadow...) where it might be appropriate to use semi-auto modes (sporting events, low light...) and the effect that metering modes can have on metering...

Not my most recent, but the newest I had conveniently to hand:

I didn't want to overwhelm people starting out in photography.
Again, it's unpleasant to talk about oneselfs skills as if you are much better than all. I don't claim to be the best photographer in the world. But I'm certainly at the stage of being able to give beginners tips...

I disagree. You are not at the stage to be able to give beginners tips. Your tips are incorrect and misleading. I understand your feelings are hurt and I apologize for my earlier sarcasm, but moving on, you need to learn more and understand more before trying to help beginners. Maybe it's too late now with your hurt feelings to patch up and take a positive turn but the people on this site, Tirediron and myself included, can help.

Joe

that was horrendously insulting. Its clear you're not the absolute best in the world either. Take the tips, or if they don't suit you... then don't.
It was a place for beginners to start testing manual mode out without being scared.
I dont see how my tips ended up warranting you to insult my level of knowledge. That's just plain rude.
Just because it's the internet does not mean manners should disappear.