{"id":71854,"date":"2021-07-20T10:00:04","date_gmt":"2021-07-20T14:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=71854"},"modified":"2022-02-17T15:00:11","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T20:00:11","slug":"things-to-learn-after-manual-mode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/things-to-learn-after-manual-mode\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Things to Learn After Manual Mode"},"content":{"rendered":"

You cross the line between being an amateur and a committed photographer when using the camera in manual mode becomes a habit. You know everything there is to know about aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and mix them to get the correct exposure. By now, you\u2019ve probably studied the rules of compositions, and you\u2019re able to use them to your advantage. You\u2019ve created a solid technical base, and you think you\u2019re ready to photograph any subject matter. Yet, there is still a lot to learn on the road to mastery.<\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve gathered the ordinary photography skills, you should spend some time learning to deal with particular situations. For example, you may want to take photos in any lighting conditions or create special creative effects.<\/p>\n

While everyone can take a simple photo with good exposure and an interesting subject matter, not many photographers are familiar with all their cameras\u2019 features. Therefore, after you master manual mode, you may want to try mastering the following things to bring your photography skills to a professional level.<\/p>\n

Work with Exposure Compensation<\/h2>\n

Most camera provide exposure compensation as a functionality. It\u2019s available in these semi-automatic modes: Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, and Program. (In manual mode, it only shifts the exposure meter in the viewfinder that shows you when the exposure is correct).<\/p>\n

In the semi-automatic modes, you set one parameter and let the camera decide the other parameters. Then, using its built-in metering system, the camera evaluates the scene\u2019s brightness and sets the remaining parameters for correct exposure.<\/p>\n

The camera\u2019s metering system tries to expose the image, so the average tonal value is 18% gray. However, certain situations trick the camera into using the wrong exposure settings, where the white areas end up looking a little gray instead of white. When you capture night photos, you often have the reverse situation, where very dark areas end up being dark gray instead.<\/p>\n

Exposure compensation allows you to alter the exposure after the camera sets the parameters and take brighter or darker photos than the camera suggests. Take a look at the example with the oystercatcher on the bright beach below. In this situation, the exposure compensation helped get a better-exposed photo regarding tonality, subject, background details.<\/p>\n

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In the above scenario, you get the correct exposure by adding +1 or +1.5 stops of exposure compensation. Credit: Graphics courtesy of Photography-RAW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The large areas of white or black confuse the camera\u2019s metering system and produce overexposed or underexposed photos. Another situation where exposure compensation is useful is when you have a high luminosity contrast between subject and background (e.g., photographing the moon<\/a>). If you let the camera expose the subject, the background will be overexposed or underexposed. Exposure compensation allows you to interfere and choose the proper exposure for your scene. However, you can also play with metering modes to help the camera better evaluate the scene.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Peter Dam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Explore Focus Modes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A strong focal point is an essential ingredient of a great photo. But it isn\u2019t just about choosing a fantastic subject and making it stand out in the frame. When it comes to moving subjects, knowing which focus mode to use increases your keeper rate considerably.<\/p>\n

First, you can choose between manual focus mode (adjust the focus ring until your subject is in focus) and autofocus mode (allow the camera to decide the area in focus). Most times, you will likely shoot in autofocus mode. But there is a great deal extra to autofocus than meets the eye.<\/p>\n

Most cameras provide several autofocus modes, including:<\/p>\n