**If you are ready to learn how to shoot in manual mode check out How to Shoot in Manual Mode – The Basics for some photography tips**
Just a little over a year ago, I had no idea what it meant to “shoot in manual mode.” After seeing several pictures taken by one of my friends, I begged her to teach me some photography tips on how to achieve the same look. This is when my journey of shooting in manual mode began. I haven’t looked back since!
1. No Harsh flash.
When you shoot in “auto” your camera chooses all your settings for you. If there is low lighting the camera decides to pop up the flash and add more lighting. Unfortunately, this lighting is often extremely unflattering to your subjects and leaves you with a picture of washed out skin, closed eyes, or red eyes.
Auto Mode with flash
When shooting in manual you have control over everything. Since I am a control freak, this is a wonderful thing :O) I get to choose my shutter speed, aperture, and ISO (I promise I will explain these later) which affects how much light comes in. This allows me to get natural skin tones and expressions without that horrible flash. What is funny, is when I was taking these photos to show you as an example, Emma made the strangest face when the flash went off. It hit me, she hasn’t seen a flash since she was 5 months old.
Manual Mode
2. You choose your focal point.
I think this is one of my favorite features! When Kate was 5 months old, my mom gave me a book called Baby Photography Now! by David Nightingale. I loved this book! All the pictures were exactly what I wanted my pictures to be. Unfortunately, it was like reading a foreign language because I didn’t understand anything about photography. I held onto that book in hopes that maybe I could figure it out. One of my favorite pictures was a baby playing with a toy but the focus was on the toy not the baby. I loved it! Now, I realize that all you have to do is choose your focal point and have a low aperture and I, too, could achieve those photos!
3. Get wonderful bokeh and blurry backgrounds.
Bokeh? What’s that? A quick explanation would be the little circles of light in the blurry background of pictures. Photographers LOVE bokeh (pronounced bo-kuh – like mocha…at least that is how I say it :O) Besides bokeh, you can also get those professional looking blurry backgrounds. The amount of blurry background you get depends on your aperture. I love a photo that captures the child and everything in the background is blurred out, all your focus is on that adorable face :O)
Bokeh
Blurry Background
4. Control over the amount of light in your picture.
This is such a fun thing about manual. I just finished a workshop that taught me all about silhouettes and backlighting. Both of these seemed like the biggest challenges until I learned it was just a matter of getting your settings right and controlling the amount of light in your photo. If you want a photo with pretty backlighting you let in a lot more light. However, if you want dark silhouettes that pop against your backgrounds you are going to change your settings for your subjects to be underexposed.
Backlighting
Silhouettes
5. Play with your creativity.
The possibilities are ENDLESS! There is so much you can do with your camera when shooting in manual mode.
I hope you come along for this journey in photography! I am constantly learning new things each day and I hope you will too!!
I love this! All the reasons I want a DSLR! Especially the blurry background – my favorite.
I was encouraged to read that you didn’t know a lot of these things just over a year before writing this post! Your pictures look great.
I love photography, but don’t know all the ins-and-outs of using my camera. I have a bridge camera right now (Canon SX20), which can do a lot of great things. I figure if I can be disciplined enough to learn to use it, then maybe I can splurge on a real DSLR.
This is my first visit to your blog. I look forward to reading more.
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Thanks, Stacy, for stopping by!! Yes, just a year ago I started to shoot on manual! I love it and believe that anyone can learn to shoot on manual! I look forward to watching your journey :O) I hope you will submit your pictures on our Friday Picture Share so everyone can encourage you as well :O)
Your beautiful girls make the perfect models. The photos are beautiful. Thank you for sharing all your helpful tips.
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Thank you, Trish! I’m glad you joined in on the Picture Share! Your dogs are beautiful!!
Yay! I “stalked” you now and found your site easily!
LOVE it. You are inspiring me to figure out how to really use my camera! Wow, you are an awesome photographer too!
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Aww, thanks :O) Glad you found it!! You can totally figure it out…I promise it is super easy!!
Hi
I just started my own 365 blog and I am (rather late in life!) trying to take some good pictures. I love messing around with stuff and hope I can learn to use my camera and try out the manual mode. I will probably have to read the manual first though! I will read lots of your advice and hope that I too can produce wonderful photo’s. Love you site and have added you to my page.
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Welcome Shirley!! You can definitely produce some great pics…I mean if I can do it, you can do it!!! Hope you will join in our Picture Share on Fridays! Looking forward to watching your journey…365 projects are the best!
Courtney, my girlfriend introduced me to your website after I bought my first DSLR a couple of weeks ago and I am so excited to start shooting in manual mode!!
I even signed up for the PS course you suggested through Kim Klassen – diving right in!
Could you direct me to your 365 project? I wanted to look through it but I cant seem to find the project in its entirety.
All the best!
Beth
I found your blog through my friend Emily. I have owned my Cannon Rebel for 3 years and have always shot on auto. About 6 months ago I decided to teach myself how to use it on manual. It has been tough! I have been getting better but still have so much more to learn. I love the blog and I am so excited to get caught up on all your posts!
Loved this post Courtney!! What I love about your blog is that you don’t ramble on and on. You pick a topic, simplify it, and get on with it. Love, love, love it!!
I liked this post as it highlights many of the reasons I love my DSLR and also reiterates to me what I need to practice!!! Keep up the good work, it’s inspirational!!
ooh… I just read this whole page, what a world of help you are. I love how willing you are to share all your photography knowledge. So glad I found you. Looking forward to more of these wonderful crumbs from your photography table.
All the best, Bobi
Twitter: clickitupanotch
says:
Thanks!!
Hey Courtney, I love your pictures. I to have a problem with reading instructions on shooting in manual mode. Can you help in laymans term. I am lost with my camera settings. I have a canon 20d and still shoot in auto. Can you help me?
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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I’ll shoot you an email and see if I can help :O)
I am SO excited to find your site!! I think I found you from Selfie, but I’m not sure now because scrolling through the photos and reading the focus points and lighting I’m all YES I WANT to do this!! I want to learn, I can’t wait to start. I’ve tried Manual but I keep forgetting what some of the settings MEAN. I’ll stop rambling and get over to your “How to shoot in Manual Mode” page
Hi..accidently found this site. I was looking for something for lightroom. This website is easy and easy to understand. Thank you! I have been taking pictures forever. Now for the last year a stepped out and started shooting and learning, there is still so much I need to learn. I’m excited I found you. I think I will learn a lot from you!
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Welcome! I’m glad you found some useful info :O) Good luck with manual mode!
I would love to learn to shoot in manual but I am too scared to try I think,,as soon as I set it to manual and things dont work out for me I get discouraged and go back to auto,,sigh
You pictures are beautiful,,I hope someday mine look like those :O)
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Don’t give up!!! Feel free to send me a picture you have a question of with the settings and we can tackle this :O) Yours can definitely look like mine!
Nice site. I have a Nikon DSLR and top get rear flash sync (preferred) one must use manual. Another reason. I often use aperture priority though as if I know what the shoot parameters are roughly then I can leave set at the lens sweet spot (say f/11) and take pics quicker.
BTW pedantically you don’t need manual to get bokeh as once can use aperture priority with the lens wide open.
I’ve also heard Asians pronounce boken as burka
Oh and I’m a big fan of LR and the NIK plugins.
Keep ‘em coming
not that it really matters:
Bo as in Bow as in Bowtie
Keh as in Ke as in Ketchup.
I am so so happy I found this site. I’m loving it. I have just started learning photography, kind of teaching myself. I have a Nikon D90 with a twin lens kit & have bought myself a 50mm 1.8. REALLY want a 105mm Macro – next!
I am doing the 365 challenge & it has certainly been a challenge so far. Lots to learn, but I’m enjoying myself. This site is just what I was looking for.
Cheers
Megan
http://www.facebook.com/FindingMyPhojo
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Welcome!! I’m so glad you got a 50mm for your camera! I loved my 50mm with my D90. Oh, and a 105mm is heavenly!! I just got mine about a month ago and I’m in love!! I’m so happy to hear you are doing a 365! That was one of the best things I did for my photography!! It is definitely a challenge. Do you have others that you follow and you can encourage each other? I know I wouldn’t have made it through mine without a few fellow 365ers pushing me along :O)
Question: on my D90…would a 105mm make it too close being a crop sensorr?
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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That is a tough one! I didn’t have my 105mm when I shot with my D90. It would be closer but I’m not sure if it would be too close. Is there any way you could rent one or play with it before you purchase it?? I think one of my friends may have had it with her D90 before she upgrade to a D700. Let me check with her!
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Okay :O) She said she actually liked it on her D90 since with the crop sensor it was fantastic for macro since it would get you that much closer. However, if using it for portraits you would just need a little extra space to back up! Good luck deciding :O)
My age will be showing but I there weren’t any DSLR cameras or anything close to it when my kids were little. I now have a Canon DSLR and several lenses. I am trying to learn as much as I can so that I can take great pics of my grandchildren. I have a new little one on the way expected in June. Can’t wait to take some shots of him using what I’m learning from you. THANKS!
Carol recently posted..A Weekend of Family Fun
Twitter: clickitupanotch
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Congrats on your newest little grandbaby coming soon!! Can’t wait to see pictures of him!!
Hi Courtney,
I found your website through googling “how to shoot on manual” and I just love love love your site!!! Just reading this post inspired me to hurry home and start practicing on my Canon
Thanks!
Twitter: clickitupanotch
says:
Welcome!! That is fantastic to hear!! I hope you have been having fun shooting in manual! It’s amazing how much my images improved once I learned manual mode