I've had Bryan Peterson's CD on "Understanding Exposure" for years, and think he's very good at helping people understand how aperture and shutter speed work together to create a particular exposure -- I appreciate his views that a correct exposure is not always the exposure we might wish to choose for creative reasons.

Here's a conversation with Bryan Peterson and another author, Jim Miotke, discussing digital photography and exposure. It can help if you're just starting to think about moving that scene-mode dial on your camera to aperture priority or shutter priority or even manual, and it's a nice reminder for many of us who do shoot manual or aperture/shutter priority. A number of cameras now offer the ability to shoot in Program mode but change either the shutter speed or aperture (with the camera making the proper adjustments for any change you make) -- so you can even shoot in Program mode and still choose a slower speed for blurring or change the aperture to change depth of field -- but first you need to learn how this all ties together.

I'm hoping we can get everyone to get their camera out of "auto" mode, at least. ;)

http://www.betterphoto.com/article.asp?ID=68


So --- how do you usually shoot to handle the "proper" exposure -- do you use your camera to decide exposure (because they've gotten better at it), use Program with a "shift exposure" function to make changes when there's a need, shoot aperture or shutter priority because you're always wanting to choose your depth-of-field or shutter speed, shoot manual?

CJ Swartz, Thanks for the link to a very good article. Mr. Peterson's simple caparison of aperture and time to a water faucet is dead on and easy to remember.

By the way, I have become a product of my surroundings. I spend so much time shooting landscapes that I shoot almost exclusively in aperture mode.

Alan

Usually I made the first shot in program mode, then switch to manual and one shot with the multimeter value, then play with the exposure to get the desire light.

Silvia.

Alan, after looking at some of your landscapes posted on this website, I can see why you have become "a product of your surroundings" -- you are surrounded by images waiting to be created. (Of course, that's true for all of us, but some places just call us louder ;) ). Aperture priority is wonderful for landscape photography, although you still have some decisions to make.



Usually I made the first shot in program mode, then switch to manual and one shot with the multimeter value, then play with the exposure to get the desire light.Silvia.

Silvia, I use Program mode a lot to see what the camera thinks is a workable exposure also, then experiment to see what else would look better. Of course, this is mostly when I'm out shooting landscape -- I need time to ponder, and shooting activities doesn't give me enough time to "think". Hopefully, if I keep seriously practicing, I will be able to think faster. I use shutter priority and then TRY to notice what aperture I can choose from when I shoot people activities.

Well as I'd learned photography with a camera with no exposure meter I have acquire the practice to know what kind of exposure I need, there's usually a table depending on the kind of light that surround the object. So practice without the exposure meter or program mode, of course do that on your spare time!!! you'll find that soon you're not going to need program mode.

Silvia.