shooting modes

Last week it rained, and then we left town.  I was going to be gone this week, too.  So instead of sharing fun pictures this week, I figured it was time to go back to talking about the scary numbers and controls on your camera.  Last time I did this, I tried to explain about the ISO/shutter speed/aperture information on your camera, and I promised that I would return and talk a little bit about all the shooting modes your camera has available and what they do.  The good news is that this is really not all that scary.  Go ahead, grab your camera, and let’s look at it together.

So, here is the dial from a Canon Digital Rebel (not my camera, and I don’t know which model it is, but it shows you what I’m talking about and thank you, jen, for the image).  This information is pretty universal, so even if your camera’s dial looks different, you have most of the same modes (even on your point-n-shoot if that’s what you’re using).

Canon separates the shooting modes into two classes:  the Basic modes and the Creative modes.  In the interest of not killing you in one blow, I’ll just hit the Basic modes today.  The Creative modes are the letters on the dial; the Basic modes are the pretty pictures.  In these modes, the camera does all of the heavy lifting for you–deciding what ISO/shutter speed/aperture combination you want, based on what you tell it that it’s looking at (there are some other decisions being made, too, but I’m just talking about the big three for now, OK?).  Probably eventually, you won’t have to tell the camera what you’re looking at; it will just know exactly what it is and all you’ll have to do is push the shutter button.  Actually, someone asked me to take a picture for them with their point and shoot camera the other day and it put little boxes around the faces in the picture–some kind of facial recognition thing.  It was kind of cool.  So, some cameras are already there.

Actually, to be honest, if your camera is permanently set on the little green box in there, your camera might as well already be there, because you are not making any decisions about your pictures, except what the subject is.  So let’s get away from the green box.

• the green box (aka “full auto”):  OK.  If you use this setting, your camera is making every single decision for you.  You point the camera and press the button.  That’s it.  If the camera thinks it’s dark, it will pull out the flash for you.  If people are running around, tough.  If you are wanting to get up close, good luck.  If you’re shooting scenery, keep your fingers crossed.  I’ll be honest, I don’t see much good in this setting.  Trust me, you are smarter than your camera.  I mean that.
• the black box/no flash:  I know, this is at the other end of the dial.  I didn’t promise to go in order, did I?  This is the black box with the line through the squiggly flash symbol.  It’s basically the same mode as the green box, but the flash will never ever fire.  It’s an improvement because I am really biased against using the flash in general.  So now the camera will do whatever it needs to in order to get an image without using the flash.  You may have blur, your images may be underexposed (too dark, hey, it happens!), but the good news is you won’t get that blown out, red eyed, possessed action going on either.
• running man (aka sports mode):  This was one of my favorite modes, especially with kids, because they are always always always moving.  Here, the camera sets a higher ISO, say 400, picks a faster shutter speed, and lets the aperture fall where it may.  The flash will not fire.  Also, on many cameras, if you hold the shutter button down, it will keep taking pictures quickly until you let go or until its internal memory fills up.  This is great if you’re trying to capture one moment, like a child catching a ball, or diving into the pool–moments you can’t really predict super accurately.  You can toss the moments leading up to and after if you like (or you can make a fun collage or storyboard showing the sequence!).
• portrait (aka portrait):  I liked this mode a lot, too.  The camera picks a lower ISO for better color and less noise, sets a lower apeture (a bigger opening inside the lens so you can get that fun blurry background!), and mostly lets the shutter speed fall where it may (although it won’t go very slow).  If it doesn’t think there’s enough like, it will break out the flash.  If you hold the shutter button down, it will keep shooting (because you know, people blink).
• mountains (aka landscape):  Here, the camera will pick a high aperture number so that more of the picture will be in focus.  No flash (you can’t really light up a mountain very well).  No burst mode (you want a second picture, you hit the button again).
• flowers (aka macro):  This is for taking close up pictures (how close you can get depends on your camera/lens) of things like flowers.  The camera picks kind of a middle of the road aperture (you will still get a blurry background because when you are shooting close up it doesn’t take a low aperture to blur a picture).  No flash, only one picture at a time, please.
• starry dude (aka night mode):  This is not one I’ve used a lot, but it’s the kind of setting you use if you want a night time picture in front of the Eiffel Tower or something like that.  The camera understands that it’s dark.  So it picks a slow shutter speed to get a decent exposure of the Eiffel Tower, and then hits the flash to get a decent exposure of you (or whoever is standing in front of said tower).  If it didn’t do the slow shutter speed, you wouldn’t see the Eiffel Tower (or the stars), but if you did the right amount of shutter for the tower/stars, then you wouldn’t see you.  Or you would be really blurred.  Because most of us can’t hold that still.

So there is a quick rundown of what exactly the options on your camera are.  I recommend picking the mode based on what you’re shooting, which will put you one step closer to better pictures.  If you’re at your son’s soccer game, use the sports mode.  Hey, I’d even try that for a birthday party–no flash, start shooting when they start blowing out the candles, and you will get a very fun sequence of puffed out cheeks, leaning flames, and the smile at a successful puff!  Want a cute headshot of someone who is willing to hold relatively still?  Take them outside (always better light than your fluorescent bulbs!) and set yourself in portrait mode.  Don’t be afraid to get in close.

Next time, we’ll talk about the letters on the other side fo the green box.  For now, get away from the green box and play.  Go ahead, touch that dial!