Nearly all of us started taking photos in automatic mode. Whether it is a Polaroid camera, a compact small digital camera, or the disposable 35mm film camera of my early photography years as a teen in the late 90s. A lot of these beginner-type non-DSLR digital cameras may only come with one mode for shooting because they are made to be quick, easy, and on the go.
As I developed a passion for photography, I started hearing about manual mode and all these other priority modes, and the great benefits to them vs automatic mode, but I never truly understood them. There is an abundance of information on the internet now compared to those dial-up days. Sometimes it’s quite overwhelming! Nearly all professional photographers would rave about shooting in manual mode, however, not all instructors advocate for manual priority, which can confuse you even more. Few instructors I’ve encountered mostly seem to have preferred aperture priority. So what is Manual mode and why do I among many prefer and only recommend Manual mode to those wanting to learn photography? Read on to find out!
Manual Mode Benefits
The greatest benefit of manual mode is the ability to control every aspect of your camera settings to gain the exact exposure you desire. Yes, you heard that correctly! Manual mode allows you to set every single setting available.
Control Your Camera Settings
With manual model you will be able to control your settings to remain constant in the same lighting situation. While moving around, your settings would not change. This allows for consistent exposure in all your photos. In comparison to the other modes available with most cameras, you are limited to the ability to control 1 or 2 settings depending on the mode selected. With manual mode, you can control ISO, shutter, and aperture every time for every situation. Having the ability to keep your exposure the same while in the same location makes post-processing a lot easier. You can edit in batches and be done quickly!
In both examples below, both images were taken with the same exact camera settings. The overall location lighting was similar, although not the same so there were still minor differences required for post processing, but overall I was able to easily batch edit.
The downfall to manual mode is that when your lighting changes, you will need to adjust all of your settings to each location or lighting situation. This can be challenging or a nuisance in fast environments such as chasing toddlers or pets.
A great example of the benefits of using manual mode is when you want a slow shutter to capture the long exposure of a waterfall, yet also a nice bokeh to help the subject stand out. Manual exposure will allow you to set both shutter speed and aperture to the desired setting.
Automatic Mode
In automatic mode, all of the camera settings are automatically chosen for you by the camera based on what the camera is sensing. In automatic mode, you will have zero control.
Automatic mode is great for on-the-go, quick and easy photographs. It requires less fumbling with camera settings which is great when you do not have time. Great examples of when I like to use automatic mode are my own family amusement park trips, and my family events where I have to multi-task. It helps to balance just capturing some stories, and enjoying the moment.
Another great example of when to use automatic mode is when handing off your camera to someone not familiar with photography or your camera. The automatic mode will select all your settings as well as your focal points!
In the below photo, a kind stranger at Disneyland took our big family photo (several actually of this pose as you can see the kids were not cooperating lol). The camera was on automatic which allowed us to stay in focus. The background was a bit blown, and could have been fixed in post processing since it was still recoverable, but automatic mode made this image possible!
Other Modes
Aperture Priority Mode
Aperture mode also known as Aperture Priority is in my opinion a great place to start for beginners learning photography beyond automatic mode. Aperture mode allows you to set your desired Aperture or F stop, and then the camera will decide the rest of the settings for you. The camera will choose and set the ISO, and shutter speed according to the light it senses. This mode will allow you to ensure you capture that bokeh you are aiming for even when you change environments. Aperture priority will also save you time in guessing your ISO and shutter speed so you can focus on the subject and your goal for the photo.
Shutter Priority Mode
Shutter priority is the ability to manually control your shutter speed, while letting the camera automatically select your F stop and ISO. If your focus is to get a long exposure of a waterfall, but you do not want to fumble with the ISO or aperture setting, then Shutter mode is for you.
Other Creative Modes: Portrait Mode
Aside from the two mode mentioned above, there are several other creative modes available on most DSLR or mirrorless cameras. One mode in particular is the Portrait. Portrait mode is a 100% automatic mode. In Portrait mode, the camera sensor will search for the subject in the foreground, and apply the Aperture it thinks the photo should have to create a blurry background. For DSLR with an on camera flash, the camera would even deploy a fill flash if it feels the image is too dark.
Conclusion
In Conclusion, manual mode gives you 100% control over your settings. Manual allows for the freedom to be creative. While it does require more time to get the setting desirable as your light changes when you move around, being able to control all aspects of your settings will be more beneficial to producing the desired image.
For example (photo below), if you are shooting in a backlit situation where the sky behind your subject is completely blown out if you want your foreground subject well let, manual mode will allow you to expose for your background while keeping your foreground sharply in focus. You can then expose your foreground in post-processing.
Keep clicking and learning! Hope you found this helpful.
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