Master the art of manual!
Regular N-Photo contributor James is a pro photographer and award-winning journalist. To see more of his glorious portfolio, head over to his website at
www.jdwpaterson.myportfolio.com
Cameras are more intelligent than ever these days, but despite all the advancements of recent times one thing still holds true – to get the most out of them, you need to take full control. By eschewing auto metering and tech, we can become better photographers. We can get to the heart of concepts like exposure, depth of field, focusing, lighting and processing. Of course, auto modes have their place. The results can be just as good when you let the camera take charge, and at times the speed and flexibility you get with auto features is essential. But if you can break away from them, you can form a deeper understanding of photography and light. It forces you to think on your feet, take charge of the look of your images and sets you apart from the point-and-shooters.
But it’s not just about learning. There are some situations where manual control is essential, like studio photography, or for bulb exposures. Then there are times when auto can be a hindrance, like when you need a consistent exposure, or if the metering goes awry, or when shooting after dark. If you have the confidence to switch off auto, then you have a better chance of nailing the shot.
So we’re going to show you how to abstain from auto and take full control of your photography. We’ll begin with manual exposure, but this is not the only form of manual control. We’ll also look at other factors – from mastering manual flash, to the benefits of manual focusing.
MANUAL EXPOSURE
Mastering manual exposure is one of the biggest steps you can take as a photographer. In Manual mode you have complete control over the three factors that make up an exposure: the aperture, shutter speed and ISO. These three are often described as the exposure triangle, because altering one side means the others have to shift to compensate. The aperture control enables you to control depth of field, so you can either set
