As a beginner ....

Hi

As a beginner I need some encouragement to shoot more with S or P modes..

Nikon d3200

You are not going to break anything if you take a poor photograph using S or P mode - what is stopping you?

 

What type of photographs do you like taking?

 

WW

I assume you're talking about scene and program? Well, I actually don't like either. :) You don't buy a fully controllable camera so that you can shoot in P mode - you're giving up control of two critical settings at the same time.

 

...Scene modes I sort of get, as they might add a certain texture to the image (e.g. high contrast b&w). But IMO it's best to ignore the fluff and focus on criteria that matter: aperture, shutter, perspective, focal length, focus, metering. That's it.

<I>"...it's best to ignore the fluff and focus on criteria that matter: aperture, shutter, perspective, focal length, focus, metering."</I><BR><BR>

 

and composition. Composition is probably the key factor in creating a good photo.

OK, I'll give you one for P vs. 'auto'

If you are shooting a group of people at a table.

• With AUTO, the camera will focus on the closest subject, the table in front of the people. The people will be out of focus.
   
  
• With P, you put the camera in single point focus and put the focus point on the people on the other side of the table.
  

I did this ONCE, and never again shot in "auto" mode.

You are not going to break anything if you take a poor photograph using S or P mode - what is stopping you?

 

What type of photographs do you like taking?

 

WW

Thanks lot

Of

I assume you're talking about scene and program? Well, I actually don't like either. :) You don't buy a fully controllable camera so that you can shoot in P mode - you're giving up control of two critical settings at the same time.

 

...Scene modes I sort of get, as they might add a certain texture to the image (e.g. high contrast b&w). But IMO it's best to ignore the fluff and focus on criteria that matter: aperture, shutter, perspective, focal length, focus, metering. That's it.

Of the criteria you mentioned at the end I only know about the first two...Not the other three...

<I>"...it's best to ignore the fluff and focus on criteria that matter: aperture, shutter, perspective, focal length, focus, metering."</I><BR><BR>

 

and composition. Composition is probably the key factor in creating a good photo.

What's really important in composition?

What's really important in composition?

 

One element of primary importance is capturing the Viewer's Eye - that means capturing the Viewer's interest enough for them to have a prolonged look at the Photograph.

 

There are many elements to capturing the Viewer's Eye; not just limited to Composition - for example the Lighting is very important . . .

 

BUT the Composition should be 'interesting'; 'add to the story'; 'entice the Viewer to have another look'; 'focus attention of the main subject' etc.

 

Here is the same Image File, but composed (by cropping) two different ways - which is more interesting to your Viewer's Eye - and why?

 

 

 

WW

When looking at a photo the viewer's eye goes from top left to bottom right, the same as reading. That is the way the elements in a photo should flow. Look at William's first photo, That is the way the elements flow, from the top of the man's head diagonally down through the cell phone. Look at this photo in a mirror to see how much different it looks if the flow is the wrong way. It wouldn't matter how sharp and clear the photo is if it doesn't look right.

 

As a long time photographer, this composition is something that William would set up (man on the left) without even thinking about it.

Look at this photo in a mirror to see how much different it looks if the flow is the wrong way.

 

Clever. Thanks James, never thought of suggesting that to a Student, but I shall now use that excellent exercise you suggested - Thanks again!

Photographs are taken between your ears, not in the camera. The very first step is to "see" the photograph in your mind. Starting with tripping the shutter and seeing what comes out might be a learning process, but work towards seeing the image first and then trying to "capture" it in the camera -- kind of like Pokemon.

One of the first things I'd recommend is that if you have not already, you obtain the correct and complete owner's manual for the camera. The printed one that came with it is woefully abridged. The complete manual is in PDF form on the accompanying CD, and available also on Nikon's web site. You can view the file on a computer, or on a smart phone (there's an app for that), and have it with you as you find your way around.

 

Remember this is a digital camera, and you should be unafraid to shoot many many bad pictures which you can erase. Try things out to see how they work. Aim at book shelves, trees, cars, junk, and try things to see how they work. Don't know whether you like Active D-lighting? Try it both ways. Not sure what picture control to use? Try them all. Wondering how the different AF settings work? Go out and try to bag little brown birds, or cars on the highway.

 

Many here have good advice on the art of photography itself, and on ideal settings and modes, and there are many more on line. But one of the first things you might do well to do is to learn what the various mechanical functions of the camera are - what they mean and how to utilize them. When you're out looking at something, it's a great advantage to know what button to push to get a change in aperture, or a change in ISO, or to select the exact focus point you need.

To me, it all comes down to this:

Program is good for a default setting on your camera as you walk about.

Sometimes, you don't need any more.

 

However, if you want to "take control" AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, then aperture or shutter priority or just plain manual gives you much more control. I agree that the so-called 'artistic modes' are pretty much useless most of the time.

 

You don't buy a fully controllable camera so that you can shoot in P mode - you're giving up control of two critical settings at the same time

 

but the reason you have that expensive camera with automatic features is because it works pretty well most of the time. Otherwise, just buy a fancy model Praktica and you can take complete control of everything - in fact, you'll HAVE to take control of everything. ;)\

• 

  
  

• no troublesome automatic modes Praktica VLC

  
  

I would encourage you to use Manual. When you are not in a hurry to take a picture you can spend the time and use Manual. You will find that Manual although slow but it's the easiest to understand and use. In fact the green Auto is the most difficult one to comprehend.

Just to add a bit to what's already been stated about composition. There are certain guidelines to captivating composition that are worth learning, studying, and employing in your own work. Once you've internalized them and feel you understand them, you will be at liberty to purposefully and thoughtfully undermine them in your own work, which can sometimes give your work a sense of individuality. We often say many of the greats broke the rules. But that's a bit incomplete. Many of the greats first learned the rules and often practiced them for quite some time before developing thoughtful or even sometimes radical ways to break them. Always keep in mind that compositional and lighting and other guidelines are tools, and they can be very flexible depending on the context in which they're being used. These guidelines can be very effective in making a compelling photo. Flouting these guidelines, with vision and/or reason, can also be a great choice when it's made with intention or because one has absorbed the guideline so well that he becomes freed from them in a positive way. One thing I'd caution against is letting adherence to guidelines breed complacency or lead to the feeling that you're doing it "right." You want the "rightness," if there's going to be such a feeling (which there won't always be) eventually or ultimately to come from within. There may not always be a feeling of rightness. Sometimes, your work will give you more questions than answers, and it may even take time for you to catch up with things you've done. I've gone back to some of my own photos I originally considered questionable or not that good and, with a more evolved eye, realized there was much more to them than I was originally able to see. Sometimes, the greatest feeling can be to not immediately like your own work while recognizing things about it that pushed you in that direction and realize that you were onto something even before you were ready to accept if fully.

I assume you're talking about scene and program? Well, I actually don't like either. :) You don't buy a fully controllable camera so that you can shoot in P mode - you're giving up control of two critical settings at the same time.

 

...Scene modes I sort of get, as they might add a certain texture to the image (e.g. high contrast b&w). But IMO it's Top Special Event Photography the fluff and focus on criteria that matter: aperture, shutter, perspective, focal length, focus, metering. That's it.

 

Hello,

Thanks a lot for all this brief information. I well share this with my colleagues..

If you want to use other than Auto, the encouragement must come from inside you. You can just keep making excuses to keep using Auto, and never try any of the other exposure modes that your camera has. If you don't MAKE yourself try the other modes, you will never learn what it can do for you. Read the camera manual and play with it.

 

Exposure mode and composition are 2 different subjects. Be careful of mixing subjects in a thread.