So you're telling me I have to become a human light meter?

I'm starting out obviously and from what I hear the green box is idiot mode. One problem with that- I'm not an idiot. I see people all over the place posting the f-stop and shutter speed with every pic they post. To me, they mean nothing. I mean, I understand shutter speed and that the smaller the number the larger the holes and more light gets in for f-stop.

Real life:
So say I'm walking around downtown and see an elderly couple walking towards me and I want to snap them. I have to pick a f-stop, then shutter speed and iso and hope it turns out right?

I reeeeeally want to take some great and inspiring photos but can you guess how many I'm going to miss in this learning process?


- Signed-- frustrated.

I think you should take a good look at the manual as that is a good start. Also go to your local library and borrow some books on basic photography.

Starting with the green mode (Auto mode), will act like any P&S. I think you should start out learning to shoot in the Program (P) mode. This mode will allow you to have basic control over certain things like when the flash with go off, exposure value, etc. In P mode, exposure or light metering is all automatic, so just point and shoot. As you progress, you may want to control the f-stop to create a certain depth of field, so you will use the Aperture-priority mode. Again exposure is automatic as the camera adjusts the shutter speed for you. This is the reverse in shutter-priority mode, where you select the shutter speed, and the camera selects the f/stop for you.

The above is just scratching the surface in what you can do. So, read the manual, take lots of pictures and just learn from them.

Agent,

No worries!
Your camera has a light meter (several, actually) built into it.
In Av or Tv mode, you set either shutter speed or aperture, and the camera will set the other. In M mode, there is a meter in the viewfinder which helps you adjust the settings for the lighting conditions.

Now even if you use the green box, you can look at the picture on the LCD and hit the info button to see the aperture and shutter speed the camera selected.

People mention camera settings when they post pictures because photographers understand that aperture and shutter speed affect more than just exposure. A trip to the library and a few basic photography books will help you learn about depth-of-field, motion blur, and how changing settings can create pictures that are identically exposed, yet very different. Once you begin to grasp those concepts, you can turn the dial off "green box" and start experimenting.

AGENT 99 wrote in post #2006618
I reeeeeally want to take some great and inspiring photos but can you guess how many I'm going to miss in this learning process?

About 90% of the photos I take are rubbish or similar to that. I have with time, improved the quality of my trash, though.

I know exactly where you are. I've only come out of there a few years back, so please believe me: this is easier than brain surgery, only takes practice and time to adapt.

You don't have to be a human light meter, however, you will become one in the process. For a start, there's a few ground rules I use, that might be useful to you.

Everyday situations:

People
Out on the street at noon - avoid taking any photo.
Out on the street at 5 p.m. -
ISO - 200- 400 (if in shade)
if you want to isolate the subject from the surroundings use a small f number (f/2.8 or f/4) (in AV mode).

Landscapes
Are the shadows already longer than the object? Good then you can get your tripod and set your ISO to 100 and you aperture to f/16 (in AV mode).
You wish to have everything in focus.
Oh yeah, don't shoot directly into the sun.

Animals
Are they moving fast? you might want to set the camera to TV and ISO 400. Your lens is a 200mm(won't cut it for birds) and you want to be sure the pics are not shaky. Set the Shutter speed to 200x1.6(crop factor).

Most good photos are done by breaking this kind of concepts, but first one has to start somewhere.

Basically, you adjust ISO, aperture and shutter speed. In M mode, it's easy.

ISO: when you change places (outside - inside, well-lit, dimly lit).

Aperture: depends on the type of pictures you want to take. People pics: anywhere between f/1.2 and f/8. Mostly around f/4.

Shutter speed: basically, adjust until exposure is correct. If this means breaking the "1 divided by focal length" rule of thumb, adjust aperture and ISO to match.

The advantage of M is that you learn quicly and also adjust camera settings when just walking around, to be able to take a photo almost as quickly as in green box mode.

P.

The subject isn't as difficult as it sounds initially, believe me.

Basically, every photo is taken with a particular shutter speed, a particular aperture, and a particular ISO setting. (And a particular White Balance too! You forgot about White Balance.) The key issue is how many of those things you decide yourself, and how many you let the camera decide.

You can take pictures in green box mode, and nobody will shoot you for it, and you will get some good ones. And of course it's safe for that 'quick' shot if you don't have any time to think. But sometimes you will find that the decisions that the camera made weren't necessarily the ones you'd have made. Maybe the shutter speed wasn't fast enough to "freeze" a moving subject. Maybe you'd have preferred the background to be more blurred. Maybe the colour cast is wrong. (Did I mention White Balance?) If that happens enough, and you care about it enough, then you will benefit from learning how the other modes work.

The think is, you don't have to do it all yourself. You can set the shutter speed to freeze the action, and the camera will do the rest. Or you can set the aperture to get the background out of focus, and the camera will do the rest. You decide what you care about, and what you don't.

So... learn about exposure - the best book, that everybody here recommends, is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson - and you'll be able to take control over the camera and get those "great and inspiring photos" that you want. But you can always leave the camera in green box mode for when you want to take a quick snap.

And you can always ask people here for help and advice.

StewartR wrote in post #2006959
And a particular White Balance too! You forgot about White Balance

That's where RAW really starts to kick in.

As a starting point -- and I mean a starting point...

Do you want to control depth of field? Or, freeze the action? Or maybe blur the action?

If you want to control depth of field, start off in Aperture priority mode. Select your aperture and let your camera set the shutter speed.

If you want to freeze or blur the action, switch to shutter priority mode. Choose a shutter speed and let the camera select an aperture.

You'll get 'correct' exposures in either case, provided - the scene isn't too contrasty, and most of the stuff in the frame is mid-tone.

Unfortunately, in real life, high contrast scenes are not uncommon. And a perfectly mid-tone scene isn't the norm.

Which is why you need to understand tonality, and the zone system in order to render a tone as you wish to render it.

So yes, an understanding of exposure isn't just called for, its mandatory!

nevilleb

Lots of good info here, I've already learned alot just by reading your responses. I might pick up that book about exposure.

By all means, post more if you can think of something to tell me.

great advice above. and I know exactly how you feel.. It seemed like there was no way I was going to learn how to use the camera in M mode.. out of boredom, desperation or because I really, really wanted to know I began reading my manual, spent countless hours on POTN and doing random searches, (mostly for threads similar to this one).. and generally resigned myself to the mistakes I'd make along the way...
There is a huge learning curve.. But, just take it one day at a time. my manual is still tucked in the outside pocket of my camera bag, I did have a cheat sheet of settings for situations and I spent a lot of time frustrated to no end that I wasn't getting it right.. But, the perserverence will pay off.. and when it does click into place you'll be suprised at how easy and natural it becomes... your results will be worth the time put into it..

sari

http://digital-photography-school.com …e-in-digital-photography/

The website address above really helped me get what I wasn't quite getting! I'm still clueless, but I now feel clueless with *some* potential.

Rellik,
That was almost word for word what a buddy of mine told me last Sunday when we went out shooting!

Right now I mostly use Av mode, but yeah my dilemma is that I don't know anything about proper exposures. I'll move to manual in time though.