Casual Shooting Preferences

[woogiekids]

Let's say you're going to an amusement park for the day with the family. What settings do you prefer? Full manual seems like a pain since it makes quick snaps almost impossible. I can't seem to put my camera on the green box any more, it feels like cheating. AV/TV?

What are your preferences?

[znemas]

Manual.

[DazJW]

Generally manual, if you think manual affects how quickly you can shoot you're using it wrongly.
Don't follow the meter all the time or you might aswell not use it.

If the light is extremely changeable I might go Av or Tv depending on what's more important for the place I'm at but it's usually easier to just set manual settings and not worry about how much compensation any given scene needs.

[gonzogolf]

I'm a big fan of shooting manual, but then again when I started that was the only option. But there is nothing wrong with AV or TV is certain circumstances like walking around the park. I think in an amusement park you might want to be flexible as your differing shots require controlling different elements. Av is no good if you need to stop action on a fast ride, tv no good for controlling DOF with a cluttered background.

[egraphdesign]

There is always the P to consider also

[woogiekids]

Hmmm...I'll try a hybrid approach perhaps. Thanks for the input!

[bjyoder]

I'll almost always use full manual just because I think I'm smarter than the camera. ;)

However, I've gotten to the point that if I'm going to an amusement park, much of the amusement is lost if I have to lug around/worry about my DSLR, so I'll just grab for my P&S.

[elevenbangbang]

I'll almost always use full manual just because I think I'm smarter than the camera. ;)

However, I've gotten to the point that if I'm going to an amusement park, much of the amusement is lost if I have to lug around/worry about my DSLR, so I'll just grab for my P&S.

I'd rather carry a P&S than lug around a DSLR for casual shots.

[JeffreyG]

Full manual seems like a pain since it makes quick snaps almost impossible. I can't seem to put my camera on the green box any more, it feels like cheating. AV/TV?

What are your preferences?

I use manual, but to me it isn't more work. One thing that a lot of inexperienced photographers struggle to comprehend is that in most of the situations we encounter, the light level will tend to be consistent during the entire time you are shooting.

Take the kids to the park and get some pictures of them on the playground equipment. You should be able to meter once at the beginning, lock in your exposure and then shoot the rest of the session without really needing to think about exposure again. Until the sun goes down or a cloud comes along the exposure will not change.

[DC Fan]

Let's say you're going to an amusement park for the day with the family. What settings do you prefer?

At this fair, the camera was placed in Program AE and left there.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20100820a0277.jpg

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20100820a0308.jpg

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20100820a0686.jpg

Not every situation needs to be treated like a demanding, exacting technical exercise. Sometimes you just want to take pictures and not be obsessed with turning dials and reading meters.