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Step-by-Step: How To Transition From Auto Mode To Manual Mode

This document provides a 3-step process for transitioning from auto mode to manual mode on a camera. Step 1 involves using shutter priority mode for several weeks to experiment with different shutter speeds and their effects on motion blur and exposure. Step 2 is to use aperture priority mode for several weeks, adjusting the aperture to learn how it impacts background blur and focus. Step 3 is to use full manual mode, setting the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture together while understanding how they interact and affect the exposure. The goal is to gain experience and understanding of how to control these settings to tell stories and achieve desired artistic effects through photographs.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
62 views3 pages

Step-by-Step: How To Transition From Auto Mode To Manual Mode

This document provides a 3-step process for transitioning from auto mode to manual mode on a camera. Step 1 involves using shutter priority mode for several weeks to experiment with different shutter speeds and their effects on motion blur and exposure. Step 2 is to use aperture priority mode for several weeks, adjusting the aperture to learn how it impacts background blur and focus. Step 3 is to use full manual mode, setting the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture together while understanding how they interact and affect the exposure. The goal is to gain experience and understanding of how to control these settings to tell stories and achieve desired artistic effects through photographs.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Step-by-Step

How To
Transition
from
Auto Mode
to
Manual Mode
By Ted Nemeth
AUTO to MANUaL mode

There’s 3 adjustments in manual mode:


-ISO
-shutter speed
-aputure

There’s only 3 manual settings on your camera dial to consider:


-M = full manual
-A or Av = aputure priority
-S or Tv = shutter speed priority

Step 1: Shutter Priority - S or Tv dial


—Put your camera in shutter priority mode for several weeks: this mode lets you play with the shutter speed settings
while the camera chooses the best ISO & aputure setting for the scene.
—changing shutter speeds affects two things: exposure & motion blur
—try different shutter speed settings while there is motion in your scene, noticing how it captures the shot in different ways
—take very careful notes attached to each picture recording the shutter speed used so you learn with every picture
—in the class project attached to this class you will notice it assigns you to take pictures using different shutter speeds
during these situations: running water, walking people, night sky/stars,
—after several weeks of only shutter speed experimenting, move on to the next step

Step 2: Aputure Priority - A or Av dial


—Put your camera in aputure priority mode for several weeks: this mode lets you play with the aputure setting while
the camera chooses the best ISO & shutter speed for your scene.
—changing the aputure affects two things: the exposure & the background blur
—the lower the aputure setting (such as F2) will blur the background more
—the higher the aputure setting (such as F11) will keep everything in the picture in focus
—try different aputure settings for several weeks to see how it affects your final image and start to use it in an artistic
way to help tell the story of your photograph.
—generally speaking: when the background is blurry and only your subject is in focus, it puts more attention to only your
subject; the setting of the subject is less part of the story of the photograph
—the opposite of that is using a high aputure setting so everything is in sharp focus, this puts more emphasis on the setting
of the subject and the overall story.
Step 3: Full Manual Mode - M dial
—now you should be familiar with how aputure and shutter speed affect your final photograph and how to use them
as a tool to help tell the story in your photograph, or simply create the artistic image you desire.
—in full manual mode YOU are responsible for setting all 3 settings of the exposure triangle: ISO, Shutter, Aputure.
—this can be tricky because all three settings affect exposure (brightness) so you have to choose which one you want
to be your primary then secondary then final priority of effects in the photograph.
—all three settings are interacting with each other. It can be a lot to remember at first, so only start experimenting
with full manual mode during casual shoots where its ok to screw up! (AKA not your friends wedding, etc)
—a great practice with manual mode is to adjust the three settings to where you want them, then take the picture.
Then put the camera in full Auto mode and take the same picture: notice which settings the camera chose as
the best settings. Just remember the camera is making those 3 decisions based purely on the best exposure so the
final image is the most clear and has a balance between the brightest areas of the scene and the darkest areas
of the scene.

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