Digital cameras can be put in different photo shooting modes. The most used mode is automatic - the only thing you need to do is point and shoot. However understanding and using the other options will allow you to get better photos in certain scenarios. Here is how.
We will go over the various camera modes. Some modes might not be available on your camera. You can set the mode either by using the camera menus on its LCD in which case you can read and choose the mode by its name or you can set it by rotating a dial in which case you choose the mode by its visual icon. Spend some time learning the icons your camera dial uses - some are simple to remember (like ‘A' for Aperture priority and ‘S' for Shutter priority) others can be confusing.
Automatic mode - This is the simplest mode and is also sometimes known as Program Shooting. In this mode the camera does everything for you - it sets the shutter speed, aperture, focus and fires the flash if needed. This mode is the easiest to use and is good if you have to capture an event and have no time to play with the settings. It is also a good starting point for amateurs and a good choice if you just want to capture a moment or an experience and do not care so much about the fine photographic qualities of the photo.
Aperture priority - in this mode you manually set the aperture value. The camera automatically takes care of everything else for you - for example setting the optimal shutter speed for the aperture you chose. There are physical limitations and not every aperture value that you choose can be accompanied by other settings that will result in a good photo. The camera will let you know by flashing a green LED or in another way if it found the optimal settings that work with your chosen aperture value. One of the most common usages of this mode is when you need a narrow depth of field. By decreasing the aperture f-number the depth of field gets narrower. A narrow depth of field results in a photo that is focused on a specific object at a specific distance while the background is blurred. This is commonly used for example when taking portrait photos.
Shutter priority - in this mode you manually set the shutter speed. The camera automatically takes care of everything else for you - for example setting the optimal aperture value for the shutter speed you chose. There are physical limitations and not every shutter speed that you choose can be accompanied by other settings that will result in a good photo. The camera will let you know by flashing a green LED or in another way if it found the optimal settings that work with your chosen shutter speed. Using this mode is useful if you need to capture fast moving object or want to freeze the scene by setting the shutter to high speed. In other scenarios if you want to capture the feeling of motion in the photo a slow shutter speed would do the trick. For example when taking photos of water setting the shutter to relatively slow speed blurs the water and captures its movement making the photo more alive.
Manual mode - In this mode you can set both the aperture and the shutter speed to whatever value you want. It gives you the most flexibility in shooting the photo but it is also harder to use. Although the camera does not set the values for you most cameras will still let you know if the values you chose are good or not for the photo you are shooting.
Portrait mode - This mode optimizes the camera settings for portrait photos. The camera sets the aperture to a low f-number and the shutter to high speed in order to shoot with a narrow depth of field resulting in a focused object and blurred background. Portrait mode should be used in a well lit environment such as outdoor daylight or a well lit studio. It is better not to use this mode with a flash.
Landscape mode - This mode optimizes the camera settings for landscape photos. White balance is set for natural sun light and the depth of field is deep allowing to capture objects at great distances.
Macro mode - This mode is used when taking extreme close-up photos. How close you can get to the object depends on the lenses you use.
Sport mode - In this mode you can take photos of high speed object such as runners or cars in a car race. The shutter is set to high speed to capture the object without blurring it and the auto focus is usually set to continuous to allow focusing on the moving object.
Night mode - The camera optimizes the settings for night photos. Usually when taking night photos in other modes the result is a black photo and some scattered dots of light. In night mode the photo will include more details of less lit objects. Since night mode uses very slow shutter speeds the camera needs to be stabilized either on a stable surface or using a tripod.
In conclusion take advantage of the fact that taking extra digital photos is free. There is no added cost in taking more photos. Experiment with different photo shooting modes and learn which one works best in which scenario. You will quickly find yourself naturally changing the camera modes to accommodate different conditions.
The Digital Photography Guide To Starting Your Own Photography Business From Scratch
By: Dan Feildman | 10/11/2009...You will soon get access to the Learn Digital Photography Now Blog, which is regularly posted with great photography tips and tricks with detailed digital camera reviews...
The Digital Photography Guide To Professionals Tricks
By: Dan Feildman | 10/11/2009Amazing Guide To Digital Photography complete with a FREE REPORT, PLUS A FREE CD will be sent to your own very home... The Complete Digital Photography Guide Offer will soon expire...
Digital Photography Guide To Wide Angle Digital Cameras Just Perfect For Nature Lovers
By: Dan Feildman | 10/11/2009Amazing Guide To Digital Photography complete with a FREE REPORT, PLUS A FREE CD will be sent to your own very home... Don't Miss Out On This Temporary Offer!!!
FREE Photoshop 6 Video Tutorials Help Dominate Any Adobe Photoshop Version
By: David Peters | 09/11/2009Simple Adobe Photoshop 6 Tutorials that will help you conquer Photoshop in 2 hours. You can view free sample Adobe Photoshop 6 Video Tutorials for beginners
Adjust Tonal Range and Correct Color with Photoshop Elements
By: Photographytips | 09/11/2009The vast majority of problems from which digital photographs suffer fall into two categories: tonal range and color. Such interrelated problems include not having enough contrast, having too little detail in either the shadow areas or the highlight areas, dull colors, or colors that are simply not correct. Whether the problems result from bad lighting, incorrect camera settings, or poor exposure, you can often improve your images with Photoshop Elements.
Distant Terrestrial Future
By: Daniel Kreimer | 08/11/2009We often talk about letting nature back into the modern metropolis, but what happens if we look at this process over a far larger timescale-say,over the course of l00 million years?
Lifestyle Stock and Minutes You'll Never Get Back
By: John M. Lund | 08/11/2009Even at, say 49, life looked different to me. Increasingly, every minute is important. More and more I look at my stock photo career and ask myself how I can use it to not just make money, but to enjoy my life.
Digital Picutre Frame Info
By: Timothy Alvarado | 07/11/2009These days digital picture frames are becoming more and more popular for Christmas presents. This is far from the days where you would have to go to the store and print our your pictures, cut them out, then place them in a plan old frame. Picking out a perfect digital pic frame can be a hard task since there are so many different things to consider where choose a picutre digital frame. When choosing a digital frame for you place you should always consider the frames look. When plac...
The Advantages of Digital Photos and Digital Cameras
By: Ziv Haparnas | 13/09/2006 | Digital PhotographyThere is no debate that digital cameras are going to take over the photography market and with time we will see less and less film cameras sold and used. It is beneficial to take a moment and try to list the advantages of digital cameras and digital photos and put some order in why everybody likes them so much. In this article you will find that list.
Facts About Flash Units and Taking Photos Using a Flash
By: Ziv Haparnas | 12/09/2006 | Digital PhotographyFor most of us firing the flash is something that happens in the background and that does not require our attention.. Flash photography was not always so easy to use. Flash is useful in many situations for example when taking photos in dark scenes or when getting rid of shades in fill in mode. It is beneficial to know some facts about flash usage and how it works.
Selling Products Online With the Help of Digital Photos
By: Ziv Haparnas | 08/09/2006 | Digital PhotographyThe old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" was never more true. In the digital photography era photos can be used in more types of media than they could have before. Not limited to paper prints they can be used on web sites, in emails, in cellular phones, projected in presentations and more. When selling products online photos are a powerful tool that you must use. Here is how.
Digital Photo Printing Paper Sizes - 4xd 5xd and Others
By: Ziv Haparnas | 06/09/2006 | Digital PhotographyWhen you print digital photos on traditional paper sizes photos are either cropped or areas of the paper are left blank. The reason is that tradition paper sizes were designed for film and have different aspect ratio than digital photos. Digital paper sizes solve this problem and are offered by many - here is how.
Exposure Value (ev) and Exposure Compensation
By: Ziv Haparnas | 04/09/2006 | Digital PhotographyExposure is defined as how much light hits the camera's sensor. It depends on the camera settings mainly aperture and shutter speed. Exposure value (known as EV) is a number that represents the exposure setting of the camera. We will explain what the number means and how it is used for exposure compensation.
Photo Printing Made Easier With Dpof
By: Ziv Haparnas | 03/09/2006 | Digital PhotographyThere are many ways to print photos. For example you could download the photos to your computer choose the ones you like burn them on a CD and take them to a printing service. DPOF makes such photo printing easier - here is how.
Digital Camera Modes - Shutter Aperture Priority and More
By: Ziv Haparnas | 01/09/2006 | Digital PhotographyDigital cameras can be put in different photo shooting modes. The most used mode is automatic - the only thing you need to do is point and shoot. However understanding and using the other options will allow you to get better photos in certain scenarios. Here is how.
Tips for Saving Money On your Online Photo Prints
By: Ziv Haparnas | 20/08/2006 | Digital PhotographyTaking photos with your digital camera and viewing them on your computer screen is fun. Sometimes you'd like to make hardcopies of your photos. One of the easiest ways to print your photos is by using an online photo printing service. In this article we will give you some tips for saving money when using such services.