The Stay Focused Podcast #9: The System For Becoming Confident in Manual Mode Hey everyone it’s Emily Supiot! Welcome back to another episode of the Stay Focused Podcast! Today we are talking all things manual mode. So if you’re still shooting on automatic or tinkering around with aperture or shutter priority and haven’t...
How to Get ISO to Work for You! Setting your ISO is the third component in working with manual settings for your camera. Think of your ISO as your helper, after you have selected your shutter speed and set your f/stop. Your ISO setting measures the sensitivity of your camera’s image sensor. What the Numbers...
Why You Need to Know Shutter Speed When Shooting in Manual Shutter speed is one of the three main aspects to understand when learning to shoot in manual mode. Knowing how and why to set your shutter speed can take a great picture and make it crisp and clear or unfortunately make it a blurry...
Understanding Aperture Aperture is one of the three important aspects you will need to learn and understand when switching over the shoot in manual mode. You may have heard this word tossed around in photography groups or in articles, along with the word f-stop. But what does it really mean and how can it help...
The 4 Step Guide to Shooting in Manual Mode Are you still shooting on automatic? ( It’s totally OK if you are !) Do you ever wonder though how to shoot in manual mode? If you said yes, I’ve got you covered right here with your 4 step guide to shooting in manual! Manual mode...
I just want to say thank you sooo sooo much for this blog. I have been searching and searching for something to help me with understanding how to shoot in manual.. I feel that after reading this I’m a little more confident and more excited about taking pictures. This has been more help then anything else I have read. It is simple. Of course still got a lot more learning to do and more practice but that’s the fun in photography you keep learning new things and different points of views. ReplyCancel
Hi Emily,
I have a question. In my home I struggle with taking pictures because the lighting is not the greatest… especially in the evening/nighttime. My question is, how do you go about incorporating on-board flash using manual mode? Lets say I have all of the settings I want (shutterspeed of 100 for my 50mm lens, and then lets say 5.6 aperture to get all my kiddos & whatever I am shooting in focus) and it is way to dark… doesn’t even register on the light meter. Would I just use my flash with the settings I want or would I have to adjust my settings differently to use the on-board flash? I hope that makes sense! I can manage pictures outdoors just fine on manual… but indoors it is such a struggle!
Heather ReplyCancel
Wow! I cannot say thank you enough for posting this. I am a young, fairly new photographer, and I have been struggling with getting the perfect lighting on my pictures. I really loved the information about the metering- if you are focused on your subject and it is to the left, crank your ISO up and if it’s to the right, increase your shutter speed. I think that’s where I’ve been going wrong! I get aggravated at that point and do not know what to do. Again, thank you. I needed to see this!ReplyCancel
Thanks and Greetings Emily. I read your tutorial article. it is nice and direct. I have canon-EOS-Rebel T1i with 18-55mm Lens. If I do not want to buy any other advanced camera,
what do you advice me to buy for taking nice portraits, landscapes, and macros? Again, thanks for your nice article.ReplyCancel
Hey Laurie!
Don’t give up keep practicing at it- you will have so much more creative control!
Your ISO will be set low automatically. Increasing it will add MORE light in, so if you photo was OVERexposed, you wouldn’t want to add in more light. What i generally do if it is overexposed is increase the shutter speed:) -EmilyReplyCancel
this was so eye opening for me! Ive been so frustrated with the blah blah blah technical aspects of manual but you put it into an easy doable post! I don’t have a fancy camera but im practicing every day to find photos that im happy with.Im mostly shooting flowers in my garden so my question is what is a good setting for this with a 50mm 1.8 lens I have been watching that meter in the middle as well but I cant seem to get it perfect yet.maybe shutter speed is my problem?ReplyCancel
Hi Deidre! I’m so glad this helped you! With a 50mm and shooting something that is not moving(flowers), I would start by setting my shutter at around 1/100- 1/250. I like shooting with a wider aperture, so I might pick f/2.5. Then adjust my ISO. If those setting are too bright-increase the shutter. Give it a try! Hope that help a little 🙂 -EmilyReplyCancel
Super helpful post, I’m pretty happy at the moment with my ability to use my camera on manual mode but I always like reading guides like this because I inevitably end up coming away with some bits of info that I either didn’t know or have forgotten over time!
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Julia // <a href=”http://www.thesundaymode.com”>The Sunday Mode</a>ReplyCancel
I have been taking photos for more years than I can tell you. I have spoken with people in camera stores and others who KNOW how to get the focus correct??
I started out with manual focus many years ago and had some if my best work then. With digital we tend to shoot many shots and get lucky at times with the very best shot.
The part that crystalized for me in your tips on focus was the part that said adjusting the iso as step 3. I was never told that and always saw that as step one.
the first thing I want is a good clear picture. You have helped me get a grip on that and I am very grateful
Thanks for the tips!! Check out my photography website http://hollyjosphotography.com/ReplyCancel