Easing Off Auto Mode, with Jennifer Davidson

Switching off the auto mode on your dSLR for the first time can be a daunting task. Don’t fret! There are options to give you control of your exposure without going into full manual mode.

A good place to start is Aperture Priority. Depending on your camera model, it is the A or Av mode. Aperture Priority lets you control the aperture; your camera then automatically sets the shutter speed to give you the correct exposure. By controlling the aperture you determine the depth of field in your image—the area of sharpness in front of and behind your subject. The easiest way to remember aperture is that the smaller the aperture number (say f/3.5), the shallower the depth of field. Larger aperture numbers (such as f/22) produce images with longer depths of field.

A good exercise is to begin with your aperture “wide open,” meaning at the smallest aperture number. Choose a subject that is relatively close to you, with other elements in the background. Focus on the subject and take that picture. Then, keeping your subject and composition constant, change the aperture and take another picture. Continue this process through the entire range of your aperture settings. Once you have the images downloaded, you’ll be able to see the effect depth of field has on images.

There are some areas to be careful with in Aperture Priority, but it is a great first step in gaining more control of your camera and the images that you produce.

Learn more from Jennifer in her workshop
Beginning Photography Using Digital Cameras
January 3 - January 6, 2011