Hello to all the beginners and amateur photographers.
I want to do better in photography and want to shift from automatic mode to a manual mode but finding it difficult to manage.
Is this the problem you are facing? if yes
This piece of writing is for you only.
Before I start, would like to tell you, it’s not about how to use manual mode is about let’s do it right now.
I being the photography mentor at a DPA. I teach these to my students at the entry level of basic photography courses in Delhi.
Every rookie photographers face this problem. When I started digital photography I was having the same problem as you have now.
Shooting with auto mode but want to improve and excel in photography so manual mode was necessary but wasn’t knowing what to do.
But hold on,
I will help you to not lose your precious time thinking how to start with manual mode.
In this article, I will just share my experience in a brief way to make it easy for you.
- Stop auto & start manually from now
- Learn photography
- Understand your camera
- Practice more
- Note down your mistake & correct it
- Stop auto & start manual from now:
This is what I did, just decide one day that from today onwards I will not use auto mode under any circumstances. Initially, my picture was worse than the automatic one and gradually after few days, I started seeing improvement in my pictures.
Believe me or not this was the best mantra to getting used of manual mode. As in any situation I made up my mind not to switch to auto mode.
And now it’s up to you.
You want to start it one day or it’s your day one.
In the starting days of your manual mode your picture will not be in good condition.
- Learn photography:
You must be wondering this should be the 1st step before you start using the manual mode. Yes, you are right but the best way to get used to with manual mode is to make a mind that you will never use auto mode.
Now, as in the 1st step, you have decided not to use the auto mode.
The next process you have to learn photography, understand your camera and its functions.
You can learn it being your own teacher but believe me it will take your time. The best option is to join any short-term course which will help you learn the concepts and functions of photography quickly.
As I am the mentor at one of the best photography courses in Delhi. I help students to learn and execute the methods while practicing.
- Understand your camera:
The camera plays the vital role in photography. You should know your camera in terms of its uses and functionality to achieve the best out of your device.
A camera is important but other than that the person holding and using that camera is also more important. In the learning phase, it doesn’t matter what camera model you are using. The things which matter is how well you understand your device and try to collect all the possible information of your camera and produce the best out of it.
Once you will know more about your camera it will help you click better pictures in your every next picture.
So, ultimately it helps to get used to the manual mode.
- Practice more:
Practice is the key, to the lock for which you are running. The more you practice the more you will learn. Know that you know how to use the manual mode and learned photography too. You are more than qualified to start your practice in full swing.
Pick your camera and jump into the field and click as much as pictures you can.
Initially, you will make lots of error don’t get disappointed in that it’s just the part of the process.
Practice more and do lots of mistakes .. can make this a routine.
But remember,
Every time you hold your camera try to improve and click better than what you have clicked earlier.
- Note down your mistake & correct it:
While doing your practice you will undergo lots of error, problems, and mistakes.
Make a note of all those problems and try to correct it in your next shoot.
The errors may be:
Not able to use the manual mode correctly.
You need something and achieving something else in the picture and many more such problems.
Your role is to identify the mistakes you are making to find the problem.
This will definitely help you improve your photography skills using manual mode.
The best mantra is :
Practice > make mistake > note the problems > improve it > practice .
Repeat this phenomenon and make it as a part of your daily routine.
I hope the above mention article will help you improve your photography skills and make use of manual mode.
Feel free to drop your question I am ready to answer all your comments.
Till then see you in the next article.
Thank you