Shooting Modes Explained

Port Willunga, Adelaide

When you first start out in photography, the top dial of your SLR is just a complicated bunch of letters; it feels much safer to stay on that AUTOMATIC green square.

This short post is to help demystify what each of the letters stand for.

The easiest to begin with is:

Program (P): Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for you depending on the light.  You can still adjust certain controls in Program mode, such as ISO, White Balance, 

BEST FOR: Shooting when you are short of time, just beginning or if you want to ensure you shoot a particular moment with reasonable accuracy.

Aperture Priority (AV) You choose the aperture and the camera chooses the correct shutter speed to get the right amount of light for accurate exposure.

BEST FOR: Where you want to control the depth of field (amount of the scene in focus) – e.g.  landscapes and portraits.  

Landscapes (choose a larger aperture number for more depth of field).   Portraits and close ups (choose a smaller aperture to get a blurred background).

Shutter Priority (TV or S) You choose the shutter speed and the camera chooses the correct size of aperture to allow the correct amount of light to hit the sensor.

BEST FOR: When you want to control motion in a scene.  If you have a fast moving subject like sports or cars and want to freeze the action, use a fast shutter speed.  If you want to blur motion for effect, eg waterfalls, use a slow shutter speed (tripod needed under 1/60^th of a second).

Manual (M) You choose both aperture and shutter speed.

BEST FOR: Maximum creativity when you have lots of time to experiment. 

Bulb (B) This permits the shutter to be open from when the shutter is pressed until it is released, usually with a cable release.  It is used for extended exposures.

ONLY FOR: extra long exposures, such as night shots, star trails.

Have fun experimenting!

Until next time,

Nicola