When to shoot in manual mode
When to shoot in manual mode
Ever feel like your camera’s on autopilot, and you’re just along for the ride? Well, my friends, it’s time to grab the wheel and steer your photography into the exciting world of manual mode.
Why?
Because you want full control of your creative freedom.
Now, I am not saying you should never use auto, as there are a handful of scenarios where shooting in auto can actually be really beneficial, and sometimes safer overall. Technology has really advanced, and the ability to shoot in auto is quite helpful, at times.
What I am saying is even if you decide you prefer auto, you should still know how to shoot in manual also – because you never know when you will really need it.
“So how do we know when to shoot in auto vs manual?”
And
“If auto does the work for us, why what even is the point of trying shoot in manual?!”
Well, I’m here to break it down for you. And I am going to try and explain it in a way that even pre-photography Chel would understand, because let me tell you, I wasn’t just sitting on the struggle bus in my early photography career – I was being dragged by it. So, I’ve made it my mission to help those who may struggle in the same way.
So, let’s get to it.
Envision this.
There’s a talented artist who paints for a living. Here’s the thing: they get to choose only one color to design all their paintings. Chances are, even with just one color, their paintings will still be beautiful.
However, can you imagine just how much richer the paintings would be if the artist had access to all the colors? So, if all of a sudden – they are now allowed to use any color of the rainbow, would they?
Maybe they really want to paint a landscape of the ocean, and they really only require the color blue. Why use the rest of the colors if just blue will suffice? For that specific painting, blue alone may be perfect. But if the artist is painting a sunset above the water, and the option to use any color is there, why wouldn’t they take it?
Using only blue would still be beautiful, but would limit the richness of a true sunset.
This is what it’s like shooting in auto vs manual.
Your photos will still turn out great in auto, because you are behind them, capturing them. That alone makes them beautiful. And we can’t forget to credit technology, as well! It really has progressed, and shooting in auto can create phenomenal results. But think about how much more incredible they could be if you weren’t put inside a limited creative box.
Here’s the thing. Learning how to use your camera can be really overwhelming, and I get it. I have always been someone who takes longer than others to understand a concept, no matter how hard I try or work for it. When other students studied the night before a test for their A, I spent weeks studying for my B. That’s just how it’s always been. But instead of giving up, it just sets a fire under my tush to work harder to achieve the things I want and deserve.
Learning your camera does not have to be complicated. I promise you can do it, even if it feels daunting.
The point in shooting in manual
If you’re like me, you may think, well – what’s even the point of shooting in manual if auto can just get the results for me? Why would I go through the work of learning the exposure triangle, and trying to figure out this photography puzzle if my camera has the ability to just do it all for me? Sounds silly, Cheleana.
Simple.
To really understand the art of photography, and I mean really understand and appreciate the art and beauty of it, you need to know how your camera works. There’s no ifs, ands, and buts about it. You are missing out, if you don’t.
If you have a passion for photography, it means there is an artist in there somewhere, craving to understand what makes a photo turn out a specific way. The right side of your brain is crying out to learn how the pieces of the exposure triangle puzzle fit together just right to make a perfectly exposed image. You’re missing out on something so crucial and significant in the photography world, if you don’t ever take the time to learn how your camera works, and what you can adjust in the future to make different creative outcomes.
If you start rely too heavily on shooting in auto, and never dive into manual, because you’re scared – then you will absolutely miss out on the creative beauty, consistency, and technical understanding that photography has to offer.
Now, if you learn how to shoot in manual and you still prefer auto, then hey, that’s okay. You may prefer auto, but will still have the understanding of shooting in manual, if it’s needed. And if you are shooting often, it will be needed at some point or rather.
SUPER SIMPLE VERSION
SHOOTING IN MANUAL =
- Full control of your camera. Full control of how your images turn out, when shooting.
Example: I want the background to be more blurred out. Because I understand the exposure triangle, I know I will make my aperture (fstop) number smaller. An f/1.2 will make an extremely blurred out background.
2. Ability to handle difficult lighting situations, etc, stress free
Example: I am shooting midday and it’s very sunny. I don’t want my photos being blown out. Because I understand the exposure triangle, I know I will can my ISO a smaller number, because I want the image to be less bright. I can also make my aperture number bigger, to make the image less bright (since it’s already so sunny). I can also make my shutter speed (bottom number of the fraction) bigger to make the image less bright. Let’s expand on this example. If it’s really sunny, but you still want the background to be blurry, auto may take a good photo for you, but
3. Consistent photos
Example: Say, you take 10 photos on auto settings. While one may be brighter, with a set of specific settings. Another photo that looks almost identical to that other photo may be darker and have a completely different of settings, even though both photos are basically the same. This makes editing in bulk difficult. So, if you create a specific edit for one photo, and try to paste it to the rest, chances are – it will need a lot of reworking to look just right. It’s not to say this can’t happen with shooting in manual, but having the ability to control exactly how your images turn out does decrease the risk of having inconsistent photos.
WHEN TO SHOOT IN AUTO:
So, if shooting in manual is so great, why would I ever want to shoot in auto?
- If you are just starting out, and are taking photos that are important to you or someone else, and you have not had the chance to learn manual yet – you absolutely should be shooting auto. Now, I don’t recommend taking on a wedding if you’re shooting on auto, but if you’re trying to practice and have a friend or family member, you could practice. And honestly study the settings that auto takes for you. With people, I recommend shooting on aperture priority mode.
- If you’re capturing fast moving objects, animals, etc-it can be really helpful to shoot on auto, because there’s not always time to adjust our settings that quickly. I have gotten pretty quick with adjusting my settings at super speed (mirrorless models help with this, as well-as all the adjustments are seen on screen) so I haven’t auto in years. But if you’re newer-switching to auto shutter priority mode can be very helpful when capturing fast subjects.
- You’re facing a very consistent lighting situation. For example, you’re capturing bridal party photos at a wedding, and every 10-25 seconds-the sun is going behind the clouds. So one moment, you have full sun…the next you have full shade. This may be a time where you would prioritize auto mode.
Check out my tiktok video on the full break down of the exposure triangle here
So, what are you waiting for?
Grab your camera, flip that dial to ‘M,’ and embark on an epic adventure of photographic discovery. You got this!
Check out how to provide a luxury client session experience here
Written by Cheleanamarie Photos, an intimate & micro wedding photographer, based in Michigan.
©Cheleana Rowan, with Cheleanamarie Photography, 2015-2025. Unauthorized use and or duplication of this material without express and written consent from Cheleana Rowan is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Cheleana Rowan with Cheleanamarie Photography with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Ever feel like your camera’s on autopilot, and you’re just along for the ride? Well, my friends, it’s time to grab the wheel and steer your photography into the exciting world of manual mode.
Why?
Because you want full control of your creative freedom.
Now, I am not saying you should never use auto, as there are a handful of scenarios where shooting in auto can actually be really beneficial, and sometimes safer overall. Technology has really advanced, and the ability to shoot in auto is quite helpful, at times.
What I am saying is even if you decide you prefer auto, you should still know how to shoot in manual also – because you never know when you will really need it.
“So how do we know when to shoot in auto vs manual?”
And
“If auto does the work for us, why what even is the point of trying shoot in manual?!”
Well, I’m here to break it down for you. And I am going to try and explain it in a way that even pre-photography Chel would understand, because let me tell you, I wasn’t just sitting on the struggle bus in my early photography career – I was being dragged by it. So, I’ve made it my mission to help those who may struggle in the same way.
So, let’s get to it.
Envision this.
There’s a talented artist who paints for a living. Here’s the thing: they get to choose only one color to design all their paintings. Chances are, even with just one color, their paintings will still be beautiful.
However, can you imagine just how much richer the paintings would be if the artist had access to all the colors? So, if all of a sudden – they are now allowed to use any color of the rainbow, would they?
Maybe they really want to paint a landscape of the ocean, and they really only require the color blue. Why use the rest of the colors if just blue will suffice? For that specific painting, blue alone may be perfect. But if the artist is painting a sunset above the water, and the option to use any color is there, why wouldn’t they take it?
Using only blue would still be beautiful, but would limit the richness of a true sunset.
This is what it’s like shooting in auto vs manual.
Your photos will still turn out great in auto, because you are behind them, capturing them. That alone makes them beautiful. And we can’t forget to credit technology, as well! It really has progressed, and shooting in auto can create phenomenal results. But think about how much more incredible they could be if you weren’t put inside a limited creative box.
Here’s the thing. Learning how to use your camera can be really overwhelming, and I get it. I have always been someone who takes longer than others to understand a concept, no matter how hard I try or work for it. When other students studied the night before a test for their A, I spent weeks studying for my B. That’s just how it’s always been. But instead of giving up, it just sets a fire under my tush to work harder to achieve the things I want and deserve.
Learning your camera does not have to be complicated. I promise you can do it, even if it feels daunting.
The point in shooting in manual
If you’re like me, you may think, well – what’s even the point of shooting in manual if auto can just get the results for me? Why would I go through the work of learning the exposure triangle, and trying to figure out this photography puzzle if my camera has the ability to just do it all for me? Sounds silly, Cheleana.
Simple.
To really understand the art of photography, and I mean really understand and appreciate the art and beauty of it, you need to know how your camera works. There’s no ifs, ands, and buts about it. You are missing out, if you don’t.
If you have a passion for photography, it means there is an artist in there somewhere, craving to understand what makes a photo turn out a specific way. The right side of your brain is crying out to learn how the pieces of the exposure triangle puzzle fit together just right to make a perfectly exposed image. You’re missing out on something so crucial and significant in the photography world, if you don’t ever take the time to learn how your camera works, and what you can adjust in the future to make different creative outcomes.
If you start rely too heavily on shooting in auto, and never dive into manual, because you’re scared – then you will absolutely miss out on the creative beauty, consistency, and technical understanding that photography has to offer.
Now, if you learn how to shoot in manual and you still prefer auto, then hey, that’s okay. You may prefer auto, but will still have the understanding of shooting in manual, if it’s needed. And if you are shooting often, it will be needed at some point or rather.
SUPER SIMPLE VERSION
SHOOTING IN MANUAL =
- Full control of your camera. Full control of how your images turn out, when shooting.
Example: I want the background to be more blurred out. Because I understand the exposure triangle, I know I will make my aperture (fstop) number smaller. An f/1.2 will make an extremely blurred out background.
2. Ability to handle difficult lighting situations, etc, stress free
Example: I am shooting midday and it’s very sunny. I don’t want my photos being blown out. Because I understand the exposure triangle, I know I will can my ISO a smaller number, because I want the image to be less bright. I can also make my aperture number bigger, to make the image less bright (since it’s already so sunny). I can also make my shutter speed (bottom number of the fraction) bigger to make the image less bright. Let’s expand on this example. If it’s really sunny, but you still want the background to be blurry, auto may take a good photo for you, but
3. Consistent photos
Example: Say, you take 10 photos on auto settings. While one may be brighter, with a set of specific settings. Another photo that looks almost identical to that other photo may be darker and have a completely different of settings, even though both photos are basically the same. This makes editing in bulk difficult. So, if you create a specific edit for one photo, and try to paste it to the rest, chances are – it will need a lot of reworking to look just right. It’s not to say this can’t happen with shooting in manual, but having the ability to control exactly how your images turn out does decrease the risk of having inconsistent photos.
WHEN TO SHOOT IN AUTO:
So, if shooting in manual is so great, why would I ever want to shoot in auto?
- If you are just starting out, and are taking photos that are important to you or someone else, and you have not had the chance to learn manual yet – you absolutely should be shooting auto. Now, I don’t recommend taking on a wedding if you’re shooting on auto, but if you’re trying to practice and have a friend or family member, you could practice. And honestly study the settings that auto takes for you. With people, I recommend shooting on aperture priority mode.
- If you’re capturing fast moving objects, animals, etc-it can be really helpful to shoot on auto, because there’s not always time to adjust our settings that quickly. I have gotten pretty quick with adjusting my settings at super speed (mirrorless models help with this, as well-as all the adjustments are seen on screen) so I haven’t auto in years. But if you’re newer-switching to auto shutter priority mode can be very helpful when capturing fast subjects.
- You’re facing a very consistent lighting situation. For example, you’re capturing bridal party photos at a wedding, and every 10-25 seconds-the sun is going behind the clouds. So one moment, you have full sun…the next you have full shade. This may be a time where you would prioritize auto mode.
Check out my tiktok video on the full break down of the exposure triangle here
So, what are you waiting for?
Grab your camera, flip that dial to ‘M,’ and embark on an epic adventure of photographic discovery. You got this!
Check out how to provide a luxury client session experience here
Written by Cheleanamarie Photos, an intimate & micro wedding photographer, based in Michigan.
©Cheleana Rowan, with Cheleanamarie Photography, 2015-2025. Unauthorized use and or duplication of this material without express and written consent from Cheleana Rowan is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full clear credit is given to Cheleana Rowan with Cheleanamarie Photography with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
