Shooting modes

[jzq]

I've been doing a lot of reading about wedding photography and looking at

wedding photography sites, and I keep wondering: What mode are people shooting

in? I've been advised to stay in fully manual mode as much as possible while

I'm learning so that I can develop a good sense of how to get the right exposure

without the camera's "help." I'm wondering if pro wedding photographers shoot

an entire wedding in manual mode or if they sometimes just choose aperture

priority and go with that, shutter priority and go with that for a while, etc.

[danielserrano]

I basically do a lot of shooting in Manual Mode...

but from time to time shoot some in AV, TV, and P just some times.

 

so yes, most of my wedding shooting gets done in manual mode...

[bakarichavanu]

I'm not sure your experience level, but if you're asking this question, I'm assuming that you're just

getting started. Personally, if you have difficult time with exposure setting, I would start with Program

mode so you can focus on good composition and capturing good shots. With Program mode, you could

use exposure compensation to help with contrast and back lighting.

 

Personally, for me, though, I tend to keep my camera on Aperture priority because that's where I make

most of my exposure adjustments during the wedding.

 

But honestly, Judith, I would advise you to get a good book on understanding exposure settings so you

can begin to learn about the relationships of light, ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Most times, lighting conditions will change throughout the wedding event, so you want to be prepared to make adjustments

to your setting.

 

There's a famous wedding photographer who shoots really high end weddings who says he shoots

totally in Program mode, but I find that very difficult to do. Lighting can change so much and you need

to know to adjust your settings to get the best capture.

[cliff_henry]

Shoot indoors or when flash is main light in manual mode. Aperture setting determines main subject exposure via flash. Shutter setting determines background exposure. They are separate exposures. See:

 

http://planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

 

for more info.

 

Shoot Av when outdoors with fill flash. Meter background and set exposure compensation to -1.

 

As you gain experience you will learn to compensate for dark or light main subjects.

 

This site tells all:

 

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

[dawn_kelly]

It is really a matter of getting to know your camera and how it acts in different circumstances. With digital, this is where photographers are able to cheat from those shooting film. I shoot film in either AV or TV, which ever I feel is best for the moment.

[savagesax]

Manual all of the time for me. I want complete control over the camera and know that the vision I see will turn out the way I want. I was trained on manual cameras going back 20 plus years, so this is sort of the norm for me.

 

On the contrary, the new cameras are so well tuned, along with the advantage of Photoshop it is hard to actually make a serious mistake and not have a printable image. The electronics are so advanced in some cases it is probably best to use AV, TV, and auto everything, when shooting RAW. This of course is directly related to a basic camera setup.

 

My suggestion is know the limits of your camera, the vision you wish to create, and you will produce quality images.

 

There are also many factors involved with your question, such as your lighting system, are you using just the one on camera flash or are you using several other off camera strobes. As you can see there is not a right or wrong answer to your question, but it is my humble opinion when you are on manual mode settings, there is less chance of of a major error. Added to this is the need for a good quality hand held light meter, which I feel is as important as your camera, flash, and lens.

[markonestudios]

When I just got started, I used to shoot in Program mode. Now I shoot manual 99% of the time. I only switch to Program again if there's a sudden change in the lighting e.g outdoors on a day with unpredictable weather, and even then only to quickly check my histogram and use those settings in manual, then make small adjustments on the fly...

[jzq]

Thank you all for your input. I am, indeed, fairly new at this, and I have been reading through a pretty awesome book on exposure that has taught me a lot. I understand the basics of aperture and shutter speed pretty well; I'm just doing a lot of shooting and practicing to try to get things to a "second nature" point. Ultimately, I want to be able to see a situation and just know what needs to be done to get the exposure I want.

 

As for my lighting system, I've only got the 580EX flash. No other lights, and no manual light meter. (Displaying gross ignorance again...) How do those work? And what kind should I look at getting?

 

With regard to shooting modes, your responses are most helpful! I've been shooting primarily in manual mode, switching to Av when I want to create DOF effects (mostly for still life stuff), and to Tv when I'm looking to convey more motion. My only issue with Tv is getting too much background and orange tones. -- Any suggestions for that?

 

Thanks again, and Merry Christmas to all!

[ben_rubinstein___mancheste1664880652]

With flash in manual whether indoors or using fill flash. Without flash in Av always.

[picturesque]

I would recommend you explore the archives. There is a LOT of great info that is just waiting to be found. Use the archived threads categories and start reading anywhere, or use the search tool.

 

As for starting out and using modes, manual camera mode is always the best, but if you are talking about actually shooting wedding without assisting, you will miss things if you are trying to figure out manual exposure. Use Program, and don't use aperture priority inside or in dimmer venues. It will set too slow a shutter speed and you will get motion blur and ghosting (if using a flash). Shutter priority is OK, but without knowing "kinda", what apertures you will get in the light and ISO you've chosen, you will not have control over DOF and will also be slowed down by tinkering with controls.

 

Flash is an area about which volumes can be written. Start reading about it ASAP. Start with photonotes.org/eosflash. Planetneil.com--the article about using on-camera flash, and search the archives. The orange tones are are a white balance issue--also lots written about that and using gels to control it.

[cjogo]

Since we shoot mainly film--there is no post work. SO, always manual --there is no "saving" the image later. Hand meter and manual camera --with flash on auto mode.

[ben_rubinstein___mancheste1664880652]

Interesting viewpoint on program Nadine, personally when shooting with available light I'm shooting wide open anyway, if you shoot in program you end up with the possibility of ending up wide open anyway as the camera tries to maintain handholdability so if you can't use the shallower DOF then program is as dangerous to what you may have in mind as any other mode.<p> I think the most important thing is that if you have <b>something specific in mind</b> whether it be DOF, freezing motion (or the opposite) or being able to handhold a certain speed, or in fact a combination of the three, make sure that you are in control as much as possible not the camera.<p> For example, if you want to shoot with a certain aperture but aren't sure if the shutter speed is fast enough then program isn't the answer, auto ISO if you have it or choosing a higher ISO with canon's (decide which by taking readings from the area shooting and work with the highest you will need so not as to be caught out) is a far better solution.

[picturesque]

Ben--I only recommend Program IF Judith starts shooting weddings solo from a beginner's position. Not if she is assisting or isn't a beginning wedding photographer while not a beginning photographer. If completely new to shooting weddings solo, as I said, one will miss too many things. I have trained people to shoot weddings, and one of the first things people who have some photographic experience like to do is to use aperture priority the whole day, with or without flash. At least Program will save you from yourself if you are in that gray area of knowing a little something but not enough... It may not be perfect for the lighting situation but you will probably get something usable.

[edrodgers]

I use program with evaluative metering for ambient lighting, shift the shutter/aperture for my liking and then compensate based on what I think the camera will do.

 

I use manual mode with spot metering for flash.

 

In the beginning, I used manual mode all the time so that exposure would be second nature to me. Once I learned that, then I went to program mode.

 

Of course, my composition did suffer a bit in the beginning, I suppose. I have used assistants that don't know what exposure is, and although their images require lots of work if they are usable at all, the composition is there, because that is all they care about.

 

That's the biggest reason I went to program mode.. I can worry more about what I'm looking at through the lens, and less about the exposure. I try to trust the camera to do it's job a bit more than what I used to.

 

Av and Tv I never use. It's more than my tiny mind can handle!

[dillian_franklin]

Outdoors - Almost entirely AV mode

 

Indoors where i can acheive 1/focal length shutter - AV

 

Indoors where i can't acheive 1/focal length shutter - M

 

Creative motion shots - T

 

Never use any other auto modes.

[jzq]

Interesting... I shot my first wedding (accidentally) almost primarily in P mode (adjusting exposure as I went along) and "Night Snapshot" mode (before I got my flash). The results were okay, but I've been shooting in manual mode a lot more and I think the results would've been better if I knew then the things I know now.

 

Thanks again for all of the suggestions. I'm finding a lot to take away from everyone's input.

[robbie_caswell]

Manual for ultimate control.

 

However, shutter priority works well using flash indoors.

 

Learn to custom white balance. IMHO it's just as important. It's easy enough and will save alot of time in post processing!

[jzq]

Robbie -- that's a major thing for me too. I always try to have my gray card on the ready. When I don't, I usually regret it.