Why are photographers who use Auto modes so mocked by others?

Why are photographers who use Auto modes so mocked by others? You see it on every photography forum.

It's used as an insult "I bet you've never had your camera off Program" etc etc

Yet Auto Focus is such a big deal to just about everyone? Everyone worries so much about a bodies AF capabilities and they have no qualms about letting the "computer" in the body handle AF for them.

Why are people so contempuous towards P shooters, yet use AF to their advantage?

If people are so purist, why not use manual focus all the time?

AV & TV mode the body is doing 1/2 the thought process for you and the vast majority of people seem to use AV & TV a lot of the time.

I use Av and Tv mode for everything except for studio work and in places where i know the lighting on my subject falls consistently. For example outside, one could say the lighting is consistent, but when i'm shooting birds they can be back lit or front lit within a few seconds and fiddling with the ss/iso/aperture doesn't give me better results than letting the camera meter for me.

fotoworx wrote in post #14301706
Why are photographers who use Auto modes so mocked by others? You see it on every photography forum.

The same behavior exists on every forum, regardless of subject. The only difference is that if you go to an off-road forum they'll be mocking people who buy SUVs but never leave paved roads. Or if you go to a motorcycle forum they'll be mocking people who only use their bike to look cool as they pull up in front of the local bar. Or whatever is appropriate to that specific forum.

And none of that bothers me because if people are going to brag then I'd rather see them bragging about using the gear they have than to see them bragging about owning expensive gear that they don't know how to use.

...opens bag of popcorn...

Using M gives you a bit more creative latitude. Period. It doesn't make you a better photographer, but it does let you have better input into your final image.

If you strap a fast L lens on your camera and use it in green box mode, you will never unleash the full potential of the lens. The camera is going to try to shoot with a shutter speed of at least 1/focal length, a medium aperture between f/5.6 and f/11 and the necessary ISO to accomplish that. By always shooting stopped down, you don't get the advantage of the thin depth of field or creamy background blur from the 85mm f/1.2L that you would get if you dialed in f/1.2 as your aperture in one of the manual or semi-manual settings.

If you step up to P mode, you do get the option of varying the settings a bit and can begin to take advantage of the lens.

By using Tv, Av or M....you put yourself in control of most of the variables. It doesn't make you a better photographer, but it does give you the control to take the image the way you envision it as opposed to just letting the camera make the choices.

I honestly don't know why people insist on talking down to others that don't shoot all manual, all the time. I don't know whether they feel it gives them some measure of superiority or what. Funny part of it is, I've seen some very nice shots from people using the basic modes and I have seen some really, really pathetic shots from people using full M.

Photography is a progressive journey. Typically, as you gain experience, you decide you want to experiment. Eventually, most serious shooters find themselves shooting M and RAW. It doesn't always mean that they are better photographers, it just means they have moved on from the basics.

People should shoot in whatever mode they are most comfortable with. Stepping out of the comfort zone from time to time can be both fun and rewarding....but it doesn't necessarily make you a superior photographer. A perfectly crafted photo of nothing is still just that.....nothing. We urge new shooters in our local photo group to experiment, but nobody is ever criticized for using the mode they are most comfortable with.

How is shooting in manual mode and using the built in meter any different than shooting in one of the semi-auto modes and using exposure compensation?

Foodguy wrote in post #14301909
How is shooting in manual mode and using the built in meter any different than shooting in one of the semi-auto modes and using exposure compensation?

Semi-auto with exposure compensation will still result in the exposure changing constantly, or you having to constantly compensate for it, as the scene changes. This may not be desirable as long as the actual lighting conditions are constant. Manual lets you set your exposure once and keep it that way regardless of subject tonality.

fotoworx wrote in post #14301706
Why are photographers who use Auto modes so mocked by others? You see it on every photography forum.

It's used as an insult "I bet you've never had your camera off Program" etc etc

Yet Auto Focus is such a big deal to just about everyone? Everyone worries so much about a bodies AF capabilities and they have no qualms about letting the "computer" in the body handle AF for them.

Why are people so contempuous towards P shooters, yet use AF to their advantage?

If people are so purist, why not use manual focus all the time?

AV & TV mode the body is doing 1/2 the thought process for you and the vast majority of people seem to use AV & TV a lot of the time.

There is a common belief amongst some photographers even on POTN that professionals use only manual, which makes me laugh......hard

Albeit, I haven't use Auto once using the 50D or 5D MKII, I have used it while taking photos of the Tour De France 2007 while it was in London....to my utter amazement.

The only reason why most people won't use Auto in their photography, is because you don't have control, period. Doesn't mean just because photographers use the "creative" modes doesn't necessarily mean they are pros.

In nearly 40 years of taking photos, I don't recall anyone ever asking what mode I was shooting in. It seems to only be a fetish for forum trolls.

It ain't rocket surgery...

If I want to control motion: Tv
If I want to control DOF: Av
If nothing is changing or if I have complete control: Manual

Why do some feel the need to equate photography with some mysterious sociological pattern?

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #14302190
Why do some feel the need to equate photography with some great sociological mystery?

Shortcomings in their shorts?

Woolburr wrote in post #14302192
Shortcomings in their shorts?

Or between their ears...

Using a different mode isn't the same as autofocus - manual or autofocus still gives you creative control (assuming that you're actually telling the camera where to autofocus).

Using the camera in an automatic mode removes that creative control from you. Period. End of story. Av/Tv are only automatic in that the camera is doing the adjustment automatically. There's no reason a good photographer can't use any given mode on the camera. The problem is that many people stick to auto mode because they lack the knowledge to use anything else.

Woolburr wrote in post #14302186
In nearly 40 years of taking photos, I don't recall anyone ever asking what mode I was shooting in. It seems to only be a fetish for forum trolls.

+1 On that

I could actually point to some program mode shooting motorsports photographers and all they get are parked cars, since the camera doesn't understand in sports priority mode what the object of the exercise is. And that would be to show motion.

Fact is every mode has its useage, and knowing when to use which mode is key.