how do you shoot?

[jamesw]

i was just having a look through someone elses' photos and i wasnt a huge fan of the exposures. i started wondering... did this guy just shoot all auto or something?

how to you shoot? auto? aperature priority? shutter priority? manual?

i personally try to shoot all manual wherever possible, both exposure and focus. i tend to just meter a scene with my eye, taking into account how i want the photo to come out (ie, perhaps stopping down a bright scene and using flashes to create a more dynamic composition).

when shooting bmx/skateboard events where i have to run around chasing the subject i will chuck a flash on top and shoot shutter priority at 1/500 and autofocus it. for those unaware, 1/500 is basically the minimum shutter you can use to really freeze action... plus it doesnt matter so much if your hand holding technique gets sloppy cause your rushing around.

i dont really think that one mode is 'better' than the other, each have their own strengths and weaknesses, just wanna know what everyone else is doin.

[Cre8tivepixels]

Manual for me all the way, i make more mistakes but i would like to think i am learning more.........sometimes A mode

Dan

[BT*ist]

Typically Av with manual focus; and I quite frequently adjust ISOs. In low light, I'm more likely to experiment via Manual. My new camera seems to have an improved autofocus ability, so I'll probably trial that and see how it goes. Centre-weighted metering by default.

I would like to move to full-manual...

I do use Auto for parties or candids at time. Drinking and shooting don't mix

[greencardigan]

how do you shoot?

Very well thanks. And you?

I usually use aperture priority, but tend to use manual when using flash or doing macro stuff.

[dawesy]

When I first got into using an SLR (film then) I got a bee in my bonnet about shooting manual and did that a lot. After a while I realized that for the most part I was just selecting the aperture I wanted for desired DOF, setting the shutter speed the camera meter wanted, checking it was OK and shooting.

Now I tend to use Av mode almost exclusively. Means I set the A, check the shutter and shoot as before, but more quickly. Also means if the light is shifting my life is easier. If I want to over or under expose, I'll use compensation or sometimes manual.

Haven't done a lot of action stuff, but I find Av or Tv are best there as you don't have the time to alter exposure values a lot, unless the light is nice and consistent.

I am hoping to get into some off camera flash for portraits and still life as well as macro soon. For these I think Manual will become the order of the day for control and repeatability.

Cheers.

[fishafotos]

Manual or Aperture Priority and AF unless I am doing Macro. I am on Aperture Priority about 80% of the time as I do alot of spur-of-the-moment street stuff where i don't have time to meter anything. That said, even then i am wary of lights effecting the camera's metering and often choose a setting and use manual. I also use all manual when I'm at work.

Harry

[Kyle]

OP, name names!


I usually try to shoot manual as much as possible lately with motorsports. It helps guarantee accurate metering with the varying paint colours, which is painful...

[ATJ]

Underwater, I always us manual as I use flash for lighting.

Above water, I will use manual, aperture or shutter priority, depending on the subject and situation.

From time to time in candid situations, I get lazy and set it to Auto.

[jamesw]

OP, name names!

its probably not the right thing to do, naming names, especially as i dont have any positive CC to give. i just thought the exposures were real average...

you shoot some really good photos by the way, was having a look at your sites the other day

[jamesw]

From time to time in candid situations, I get lazy and set it to Auto.

i am guilty of this, particularly with drunken candids

put the fisheye on, sb600 on top, and you get some really interesting photos. because the 10.5mm is so wide and the sb600 only covers 24mm of the frame, you get some interesting results...

[Bugeyes]

It varies to conditions...


rough estimate...

50% AV
40% TV
10% M

50% Center Weighted
35% Evaluative
15% Partial

[methd]

70% manual (low light)
15% S (sports and moving objects)
15% A (when DOF is important)

[Oneputt]

I tend not to have preconceived ideas. I use whatever mode is appropriate to the situation. For a lot of what I do that turns out to be Aperture Priority. Shooting manual just for the sake of saying I shoot fully manual makes little sense.

[Reschsmooth]

85% manual
10% Shutter priority
10% Aperture priority

and the rest of the time on auto

[marcotrov]

I tend to use Aperture Priority but manual for landscape and stationary work Macro, light tent stuff etc
cheers
marco

[!~DeViNe~DaRkNeSs~!]

i only use manual...havent played with other modes yet.....
if i want sum average quick snaps of the dog or wateva ill use auto....thats only like once a blue moon tho!

[Yi-P]

80% Manual
15% Aperture
4.95% shutter

0.05% Auto everything... on drunk mode...

[michael_]

manual for motorsport
some tv for motorsport
rest av, i shoot mainly motorsport at present so manual.

just depends on what im doing

[wendellt]

i shoot full P mode to impress people
look ma im photographing with no hands

[gstark]

I tend not to have preconceived ideas. I use whatever mode is appropriate to the situation. For a lot of what I do that turns out to be Aperture Priority. Shooting manual just for the sake of saying I shoot fully manual makes little sense.

Exactly.

[Geoff]

85% Aperture priority, as this lets you experiment with DOF the most etc etc. The other 15% would be Manual and/or P.

[zeddy]

i mainly shoot in AV when at work.the rest of the time it,s manual for indoor flash and sometimes P mode

zsolt

[bwhinnen]

Hmm not naming names doesn't help the person really. Perhaps sending them a PM might let them know.

Personally I used to shoot S for all my motorsports and adjust EC depending on car colour, recently I've been shooting M for motorsports and getting more consistent results basically by the way I meter for the shot. I do know that PP makes them pop as they tend to look a little flat, and most of the images that hit the website in big numbers have no PP done with the exception of those in our front end gallery or portfolio...

Other than that I will use A, M or S depending on what I am shooting.

I tend not to use P mode these days but did fall back to that alot when I was still learning to do some things.

[jamesw]

I tend not to have preconceived ideas. I use whatever mode is appropriate to the situation. For a lot of what I do that turns out to be Aperture Priority. Shooting manual just for the sake of saying I shoot fully manual makes little sense.

yeah fair call,

when you are running 2 or 3 flashes off camera and they have their power set manually, well you dont have any option if you want to get your photo right...

[jdear]

I shoot with a camera.

[Nnnnsic]

I shoot with a camera.

Damn. You beat me to it.

Fine. I shoot with Dick Cheney.

[tasadam]

Mostly Aperture priority.
Sometimes manual, but not often.

[Raskill]

100% manual.

I think that motorsports is a bit of an exposure juggling act, due to bright colours on the cars, bright backgrounds, harsh shadows, harsh light etc etc. I think that the camera is easily tricked, more so with over exposing such images, so manual is the only way to go.

[Killakoala]

I shoot whatever i feel the image needs to be shot in. (Never Auto. I'm not sure my D2H even has an Auto mode. Must have a look.)