Welcome to this quick guide on mastering manual mode in photography. If you've been intimidated by that little 'M' on your camera, this guide is for you. By the end of this post, you'll feel confident to start shooting in manual mode. This video below, goes into more detail with examples.
Understanding Exposure
Photography is all about getting the right exposure. If you overexpose an image, it's too bright and you lose detail. If you underexpose it, it becomes too dull. That's why the exposure meter on your camera is so vital. The goal is to keep the little indicator in the middle of the range to achieve the best exposure.
There are three elements that control exposure:
Shutter Speed: This is how long the shutter remains open. You can have it open for a long time to let a lot of light in, or for a millisecond to let only a tiny bit of light in. The slower your shutter speed, the blurrier the movement becomes. The faster your shutter speed, the sharper the movement.
ISO: Your camera is designed to operate on the lowest ISO, which might be 50, 100, or 200. The lower your ISO, the less light that comes in but the sharper your images. The higher your ISO, the more light but also the more noise in your images.
Aperture: This is the space that's created when the lens blades are open. When they're most open, they let the most light in. Conversely, when you decrease the aperture or increase the f-stop, you reduce the hole in the middle, which means there's less light coming in. The aperture also determines how blurry the background is.
Balancing the Three Elements
Photography is all about trade-offs. Great photographers learn how to use these three elements of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to bring the best image that is least compromised by the challenge of measuring light correctly. It's a kind of dance that happens between these three elements.
Bonus Tips
It's not easy when you start, but it's worth starting. Stick with it and in no time at all, you'll become much better at it and more confident.
If you want to take a photo of something and have it really sharp and everything else blurry, use a very low f-stop.
If you want everything to be in focus, increase your aperture.
If you want to freeze a very fast movement, you need a high shutter speed.
If you want to make a waterfall look really blurry and silky, decrease your shutter speed.
If you're shooting in a dark room, increase your ISO.
Remember, the best way to learn is to have a go. Stick your camera on 'M' and start shooting. It's not always easy, and sometimes it can be quite frustrating, but the more you do it, the more confident you'll get. In no time at all, you'll be versed at using your camera manually, and you will see the quality of your shots improve exponentially as a result.
Happy shooting!