I don't know how many times we have encouraged you to abandon the automatic mode of your camera and launch yourself into manual mode to have absolute control of the scene, now, is the automatic mode the real enemy? Is it the semi-automatic mode? What if your camera only has them?
The automatic and semi-automatic modes can be very useful on some occasions and with a few tricks you can get good results with them when speed is essential or when shooting with cameras that do not have a manual mode.
WHEN TO USE AUTOMATIC MODE?
The automatic mode (Auto) is the one that gives us the least control of the scene, but it is also the fastest, which makes it ideal for some occasions:
- When you start in photography and you are messed up with the settings, it is good to "warm up".
- When your camera does not have any other type of mode ? .
- When you find yourself in a very changing environment and you need to be very fast.
- For example in travel photography (open-air markets), street photography, etc.
- If you need to focus on composition.
Auto mode has improved a lot over the years so while it's hard to get results as tight as manual, with a few tricks that we'll cover later, you'll save most situations with flying colors.
WHEN TO USE ANY OF THE SEMI-AUTOMATIC MODES OF YOUR CAMERA?
The semi- automatic modes are the ones that I recommend the most, since they give you a high degree of speed while allowing you to control the final result of the scene much more.
With the semi-automatic modes you will be able to control the aperture or the shutter speed, while the other value will be decided by the camera. If your camera has them, and you already feel comfortable with it, I would recommend you always use them.
HOW TO USE THE SEMI-AUTOMATIC MODES OF YOUR CAMERA?
To learn how to use the semi-automatic modes, you must first understand how the variables of what we know as the exposure triangle work:
As you can see in the graph above, the three variables we play with to control exposure are ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.
ISO
It is the sensitivity of the sensor to light. The higher the value, the more sensitive it is (it can pick up more light). As a side effect, as you increase the sensitivity, you will also increase the "noise" in your photography. In short, by raising the ISO you have more light available, but you also lose image quality.
On the contrary, at low ISO values you preserve the image quality, but have less sensitivity to light (the sensor is less sensitive to light).
As a general rule, keep the ISO as low as possible. If you need more light because it's dark, then turn it up, keeping an eye on the noise level, because in some photos it won't bother you and you'd rather have a photo, even if it's with noise, than not have it, and in others you'll look for more clarity.
DIAPHRAGM APERTURE
The aperture controls the amount of light you let through your lens to the sensor. Inside the objective we find some blades, which form a more or less large hole depending on the diaphragm opening that we indicate.
On the other hand, the aperture of the diaphragm affects the amount of area in focus in the image or what in photography we know as depth of field . The more you open the diaphragm, the less area in focus you will have in the image (low f/value) . The more you close it, the more area in focus you will have in your photograph (high f/value).
You can see it in the following graph:
Or if you prefer, Mario explains it to you in a simple way:
SHUTTER SPEED
Shutter speed is the speed at which the camera shutter opens and closes. While the shutter is open, we let light through to the sensor, which means the longer we keep it open, the more light we get (slow speeds).
Instead, the faster we open and close the shutter, the less light we let into the sensor (high speeds).
Shutter speed not only affects light entry, but is also directly related to whether or not you can “freeze” movement in front of the lens. In the following graph you will see it more clearly:
In the following set of images you can see how shutter speed directly affects whether or not you can freeze motion.
The three variables of the exposure triangle are the basis of any photographic technique you want to do in the future, so I recommend that you spend some time understanding them to, above all, learn how to use the semi-automatic mode, but also to understand how it works the automatic mode of your camera.
With that said, let's take a look at how to shoot with your camera's semi-automatic mode.
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH IN SEMI-AUTOMATIC MODE?
The semi- automatic modes are the most used in photography, since, as I have mentioned, they combine good control of the final result of the image with speed.
APERTURE PRIORITY MODE
In this semi-automatic mode, it is you who controls the aperture and the camera automatically sets a speed to obtain a correct exposure.
As much as we think that professionals always work in manual mode, the truth is that the most widely used mode is the diaphragm aperture, since it allows you to control not only the amount of light but also the depth of field. Something absolutely decisive when we think about the final result of our image.
Remember that if you want a fully focused background, you need to close the aperture (high f/value) and if you want a blurred background, the more you open the aperture (low f/value), the more blurred it will be.
You can see the difference in the two images attached below:
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Closer opening -
more open opening
SHUTTER-PRIORITY MODE
If the shutter speed is decisive in your image, either because you want to freeze the movement or because you want to capture it in your image as in silky effect photographs , this is the semi-automatic mode that you should use.
In this case, you decide the shutter speed, and the camera will adjust the aperture automatically to obtain a correct exposure.
Remember that at slower speeds the shutter stays open longer and therefore movement is imprinted on the image. At faster speeds, by contrast, you're able to freeze motion, as the shutter stays open for less time.
You can see it in the following examples:
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Slow speed -
Fast speed
TIPS FOR TAKING PHOTOS IN AUTOMATIC MODE
Although in automatic mode we cannot decide the settings at the time of taking the photo, we can become aware of the limitations of this shooting mode, to try to make it easy for you.
- Configure the camera in RAW mode: It is the one that offers you the best image quality, since it is the one that stores the most information. If your camera has this type of file, don't think about it, it will allow you to finish adjusting the exposure in the edition with good results.
- Look for low-contrast scenes : Cameras, no matter how good they are, have limited dynamic range (the ability to get detail in highlights and shadows simultaneously).
- Use the exposure lock button: Stay with this point because it will mark a before and after in your photos. Exposure lock allows you to fix the exposure of the area of the image that you decide and maintain it until the photo is taken. This allows you to choose the exposure of the area that you want and not the one that your camera decides based on the composition. For a detailed explanation, check out our Exposure Lock article.
- Activate the lines to help you compose: If you have the action to activate the grid on the screen, it will be very useful to compose your photographs , to find a strong point of the rule of thirds or keep the horizon straight.
- Avoid using digital zoom : If your camera has digital zoom, avoid using it, the image quality suffers greatly. It's even better not to use it and crop the image afterwards to "get closer" to the subject.
- Use the scene modes : These are meant to adjust to different scenarios you may encounter, and can be useful when working in automatic mode. For example, landscape mode, for example, will give you a wide depth of field, portrait mode, a shallower depth of field, sport mode, a high shutter speed, etc.
- Disable the flash : It is preferable that you hold the camera well or use a tripod if necessary. The camera's built-in flash is a very harsh light with little range, which tends to greatly detract from the final result of the photograph.
Did you think that you were not going to be able to take advantage of your camera without mastering the manual mode ? I hope I have shown you that yes, it is possible. Whether you have a compact camera or similar without the possibility of working in another mode, or if you have a camera with also semi-automatic modes, both offer you a more than interesting reaction speed when taking pictures.
Because basically, the most important thing is to feel comfortable photographing, enjoy the moment, learn little by little and know how to identify that each type of photography may need a different mode. If you need speed and control, semi-automatic modes are your best allies. If you only have automatic mode, you can focus on the composition and the moment, and by applying the advice that I have given you above, achieve excellent results.
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