Shooting modes to help you create better photos with your digital camera - Part 1.

Shooting modes to help you create better photos with your digital camera - Part 1.

Yes, there are other shooting modes on your camera besides Auto. Here in a two part series we will go over a few of them, when to use them and what they do. Choosing the right mode for the right shooting situation will greatly improve your chances of getting the photo you want and cut down on the disappointment of a bad or missed photo. 

With the "Basic" shooting modes that most digital cameras have today all you do is point and shoot and the camera sets everything automatically. Here are just a few of the basic modes that most of today's digital cameras have and what they do.

Automatic Mode

Most new camera owners use this setting all the time.  Auto mode tells your camera to use its judgement to select ISO, aperture, shutter speed, focus, flash and white balance to take the best photo that it can. This mode will give you nice results in many shooting conditions, however you need to keep in mind that you’re not telling your camera exactly what type of photo you’re taking so it will be guessing as to what you want. As a result, some of the following modes might be more appropriate to select as they give your camera better direction on what you're photographing, without you needing to do anything further.

Landscape Mode

Landscape mode sets the camera up with a small aperture (large number f 22) to make sure as much of the scene you’re photographing will be in focus. (It provides you with a large depth of field.) It is ideal for capturing shots of wide scenes, particularly those with points of interest at different distances from the camera.  At times, your camera might also select a slower shutter speed in this mode (to compensate for the small aperture) so you might want to consider using a tripod or other method to ensure your camera is still to prevent camera "shake" and wind up with a blurry photo.

Portrait Mode

When you switch to portrait mode your camera will automatically select a large aperture (small number f 2.8) which helps to keep your background out of focus. (It sets a narrow depth of field ensuring your subject is the only thing in focus and is therefore the center of attention in the photo.) Portrait mode works best when you’re photographing a single subject so get in close enough to your subject, either by zooming in or walking in closer, to fill your view finder with just the person's head and shoulders. Also, if you’re shooting into the sun you might want to use your flash to add a little light onto the subject's face to fill in the shadows.

Macro Mode

Macro mode lets you move in closer to your subject so you can take close up photos. It’s great for shooting flowers, insects or other small objects (a simple background makes the flower, etc. stand out better). Different digital cameras will have macro modes with varying capabilities including focusing distances (usually between 1-3 inches for point and shoot cameras). When you use the macro mode, you’ll notice that focusing is more difficult, because at shorter distances the depth of field is very narrow. Keep your camera and the object you’re photographing parallel if possible or you’ll find much of it will be out of focus. You will probably find that it is best not to use your camera’s built in flash when photographing close up objects as they will be washed out.  Also, a tripod is invaluable in macro photography as the depth of field is so small that even moving slightly towards or away from your subject can make your subject out of focus. 

Next time - Part 2….. Aperture and Shutter Priority plus Manual Mode.