Hey people! I'm finally getting a moment to sit here and blab again for a while. :) I want to talk about shooting modes. I know the word "manual" is scary. "Auto" just sounds so much simpler, doesn't it? Well, for all you shooters out there, don't be afraid to come out of your "auto comfort zone." I was there a long time ago. I know what it feels like. I'm not sure what I was afraid of in particular. It's not like you can screw anything up just by trying, and playing around with your modes.
I'm not against Auto. In fact, I feel quite the opposite. I believe Auto is a dear friend to us all, and we should use the benefits that it provides. What on earth am I talking about? Well, the auto shooting mode to me, is an excellent tool to help ease you into feeling more comfortable shooting in manual.
Set your camera on auto. Take a photograph of anything you want. Now, go back and look at the settings that auto shot in. That gives you a "starting point", an idea. I was never able to just go straight into manual shooting without being completely terrified. I won't lie. I'm not a big fan of change, and anyone who knows me, is pretty much aware of that. This is why I am saying to use auto mode to your advantage in learning how to step outside the box. Auto mode chooses what the camera "thinks" are the best settings for what you are trying to shoot. Not that auto doesn't normally do a pretty darn good job, but YOU can make it better, with just a few slight adjustments. Take those settings that auto used for your test shot, and play around with adjustments. Lower or raise your ISO. Adjust your aperture a stop or two higher or lower. Now shoot the same image again. By doing these simple maneuvers, you will be surprised at how much some slight changes can make your photo better than what Auto did.
Once you practice this several times, you will slowly become more comfortable with trusting your own judgment better than the camera's. Find your perfect ISO and f/stops and have at it. Now, I'm not going to say to never use Auto. There are times when it's sufficient. For example, if you don't particularly care exactly 'what' the photo looks like, but rather just that you 'see' what the photo is. A random group shot of people is a good example of this.
In the end, do what you feel comfortable with. But don't be chicken like I was for so long. Don't be afraid to try different methods. You might just find you are like I was and be amazed at how simple manual mode really can be.
Happy Shooting!
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