Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 53: Shooting in Manual Mode

This week Mark explains how to shoot in manual mode.

Episode 16: Exposure Triangle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQw28-3LEU4
Episode 24: Understanding Stops: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv0vXD16_lA
Episode 25: Metering: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axt9zLxdE8s
Episode 26: Exposure Compensation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrsF0Xba2KY
Episode 47: Camera Settings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb2qQhuk_Rk

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Mark Wallace
• snapfactory
• manual
• Nikon
• Canon

[torched80]

Hey, i have a question. How do you get started in photography. Im interested in it but im only 14 and in grade 9. I should be choosing my high school courses soon and im wondering what i would need to get involved in photography.

[snapfactory]

@torched80 Pay attention to your math classes - you'll need it for the tech and business part of photography. Make sure you take as many art classes as possible. Also master writing so you can market yourself. Get some computer skills (typing, Word, Excel). Talk to your high school guidance counselor. Get excellent grades - you'll want to get a scholarship to a good school if possible. Work hard and you'll make it!

[monkeystu52]

very helpful videos. - but you got your left and right mixed up (3.34)

[snapfactory]

@monkeystu52 Yeah, I get confused easily. ha ha. Mistakes make life more fun.

[mikestakeon]

Any chance you could put the link to each of the previous videos mentioned (from around 1:00 to 1:25) in the description box or something? Would be useful to be able to just load them all up in separate tabs.

[snapfactory]

@mikestakeon Great suggestion. I've added the links to the description box.

[chopinQ8]

your the best Mark 2 Month ago I know nothing about photography now I shoot like a pro

[terenas1986]

That's very nice stuff Mark. Thank you. :)

Could you possibly give some tips for film photography as well? With those older machines where you don't exactly have a quite reliable/modern light-meter built-in? Thank you.

[mariannela]

This is by far the most comprehensible explanation I've found on the web. However, is there a difference in your final photography if your priority is let's say the aperture value over the ISO and the shutter speed? In other words, giving more priority to one of these three elements makes your photography better or is it the same as long as your meter is at zero?

[LAtrailers]

Best teacher EVER.

[Amcacs5654]

So how do you decide what to focus on, shutter speed or aperture? Say I just want to take a picture of a landscape. What would I do? It almost seems to simple lol.

[knaayi]

it was uploaded on Feb 19, and yes that was my b-day. lol.

btw, nice video Sir and im also into photography but still in the learning process. :D

[Soleil6089]

Hi Mark, couldn't a speedlite allow you to avoid raising your iso?

[thargor2k]

@valleyboy314 normally this would exactly be the case why I would not use M...having to keep up with slight changes...I would have counted your example under "difficult" (a series of shots where I need constant exposure), OTOH it also depends how you are using AP/SP (e.g. metering on their faces). btw. your example made me think of another case where it might be useful to the more casual photographer (which are afaik the main audience, they don't shoot weddings that often...): panorama images

[valleyboy314]

@thargor2k There is a small, but critical, point you are not understanding.

Even under constant lighting conditions, AP/SP DOES NOT give you constant exposure ! (unless neither the camera nor the subject moves). AP/SP re-meters with each shot, so each shot is slightly wrong BY A VARYING AMOUNT. In manual mode, each shot is wrong by a CONSTANT amount.

Consider wedding shoot: First. shoot bride with white dress, then groom with black tuxedo. Should be same exposure, but AP/SP will be different !

[thargor2k]

@valleyboy314 As I said, 2 reason: working with flash, overriding camera in difficult light situations

In the case you described you can either have constant lighting conditions where your cameras meter in other AP/SP will also give you constant exposures, or you have varying lighting conditions where working in manual without changing anything will give you overexposed/underexposed images. So not a real advantage, easier lightroom work is not really worth it if the images are exposed wrong...