How Do You Shoot?

[Speed]

Specifically, what mode do you use the most?

I do the majority of my shooting in Apeture Priority. Probably 95% of the time.
I occasionally shoot in Manual Mode, maybe 4% of the time.
It's rare, but I sometimes shoot in Shutter Priority for flash syncronization purposes, maybe 1% of the time.
I do not use Program mode anymore.

So, how do you shoot?

[Gerry Widen]

I shoot in manual with a manual camera. About half the time with a meter the rest without.

[Speed]

I shoot in manual with a manual camera. About half the time with a meter the rest without.

I bought my K1000 for astrophotography and night work. But, I do occasionally pick it and shoot with it, just for fun!

[Chunk]

Specifically, what mode do you use the most?

I do the majority of my shooting in Apeture Priority. Probably 95% of the time.
I occasionally shoot in Manual Mode, maybe 4% of the time.
It's rare, but I sometimes shoot in Shutter Priority for flash syncronization purposes, maybe 1% of the time.
I do not use Program mode anymore.

So, how do you shoot?

I shoot in program mode generally but switch to aperture priority when DOF is important to the shot and shutter priority if I want specific blurring or stop action. I use manual for low light conditions although sometimes I will just use exposure compensation if that will give reasonable settings in program mode. I also vary the exposure by selecting different things to meter on in the frame, sometimes checking the automatic settings and the setting them in manual to free up framing and focusing.

When shooting in Program mode I often look at the settings shown with the shutter half depressed and think about what that will do to the shot.

Where I want highlight detail as well as shadow detail I will set the camera to bracket plus and minus a stop so I will have images to use for digital blending in order to get more exposure latitude.

I use a tripod or monopod frequently because I can no longer hold a camera steady although I have been happy with the IS capability of my current camera and hand hold more often now.

I shoot a lot of different compositions and selective exposures of a subject and choose which shots to use later. (Pretty sloppy, huh? I am sure glad for digital)

One important thing that I do - when I'm done shooting the subject I originally stopped to take, I turn around in a circle and look at everything else around there with a photographer's eye. I also look at things at a different scale from the original subject - if the original was a landscape I look at things in more detail, or if the original subject was a closeup or detail shot I take in a wider view of the setting. A lot of the shots I really like are those second subjects.

[Speed]

I shoot in program mode generally but switch to aperture priority when DOF is important to the shot and shutter priority if I want specific blurring or stop action. I use manual for low light conditions although sometimes I will just use exposure compensation if that will give reasonable settings in program mode. I also vary the exposure by selecting different things to meter on in the frame, sometimes checking the automatic settings and the setting them in manual to free up framing and focusing.

When shooting in Program mode I often look at the settings shown with the shutter half depressed and think about what that will do to the shot.

Where I want highlight detail as well as shadow detail I will set the camera to bracket plus and minus a stop so I will have images to use for digital blending in order to get more exposure latitude.

I use a tripod or monopod frequently because I can no longer hold a camera steady although I have been happy with the IS capability of my current camera and hand hold more often now.

I shoot a lot of different compositions and selective exposures of a subject and choose which shots to use later. (Pretty sloppy, huh? I am sure glad for digital)

One important thing that I do - when I'm done shooting the subject I originally stopped to take, I turn around in a circle and look at everything else around there with a photographer's eye. I also look at things at a different scale from the original subject - if the original was a landscape I look at things in more detail, or if the original subject was a closeup or detail shot I take in a wider view of the setting. A lot of the shots I really like are those second subjects.

But you answered that one anyway!

Obviously, there is no right or wrong answer, I am just curious how folks shoot. I should have asked why, but I was planning on explaining why I shoot like I do after I got some responses.

I think it's great the way you look around you. Sort of like Seb's rainbow shot. Someone shooting a sunset could have easily missed that (someone like me!)

Thanks for the insight my friend. Hopefully, it will help others think about expanding their horizons when they are looking through the viewfinder.

[Lava Lamp]

Specifically, what mode do you use the most?

I do the majority of my shooting in Apeture Priority. Probably 95% of the time.
I occasionally shoot in Manual Mode, maybe 4% of the time.
It's rare, but I sometimes shoot in Shutter Priority for flash syncronization purposes, maybe 1% of the time.
I do not use Program mode anymore.

So, how do you shoot?

When I shoot, I try to slowly, steadily raise the weapon to target height, line up my front and rear sights, inhale, and gently squeeze the trigger as I exhale.

(Aperture priority.)

[Speed]

When I shoot, I try to slowly, steadily raise the weapon to target height, line up my front and rear sights, inhale, and gently squeeze the trigger as I exhale.

(Aperture priority.)

I prefer to exhale then gently squeeze the trigger. ;-)

And a good trigger helps tighten up the groups! :-O

Good to see another Aperture Priority guy in the mix.

[Ultra Magnus]

I shoot just about the same as you do. I'll shoot in manual mode when in conditions where I don't trust the exposure controls in my camera, or when lighting conditions aren't changing.

[another view]

Depends what I'm shooting. Mostly aperture priority or manual, and occasionally shutter priority for fill flash. I had mostly been using aperture priority but have been using manual more lately. But like I said, it depends on what I'm shooting, light conditions, etc.

[Steph_B]

I shoot essentially in the manual mode (I'm a control freak I guess). For landscape/macro, I use spot metering while for portraits and street scenes, I use center weight or matrix depending on the scene. I use matrix whenever I use the flash unit! I almost always use the AF since I have poor eyesight. The notable exeption is macro photography, and where DOF is crucial to the pic.

Cheers,

Steph.

[Speed]

I shoot essentially in the manual mode (I'm a control freak I guess). For landscape/macro, I use spot metering while for portraits and street scenes, I use center weight or matrix depending on the scene. I use matrix whenever I use the flash unit! I almost always use the AF since I have poor eyesight. The notable exeption is macro photography, and where DOF is crucial to the pic.

Cheers,

Steph.

Control freak? When you've got obsessive/compulsive under your name? ;-)

Hehehe.

To each his own. I own a K1000, and while I bought it for astrophotography and night work, I have been known to pick it up and shoot with it just for fun. :-O

And manual is the ultimate control. You decide how you want the photo to look, and you make it look that way. Thanks for sharing with us.

[opus]

I shoot fully manual mode when I'm in the mind set of learning, trying to judge the light right and pick the right settings, then see how I did via the histogram. It's like testing myself. I also shoot manual in order to get RAW files ... in which case I usually check the settings in some other mode then switch to manual and plug them in.

Other times I use auto landscape mode ... landscape is probably the auto setting I use most ... and I do that when I'm tired of thinking, and just want to focus on the scene, the right composition, just capturing the scene. I'll use sports mode if it's a moving subject. I like having the option of turning off the techie side of my head and just letting the creative side do its magic.

When I have the time, I'll use both ... capture the jpeg on auto mode, then go into manual mode and experiment. Then later I'll compare the images side-by-side.

[Axle]

Since my camera is an all manual camera, that's all I can shoot in manual mode. But I always use the light meter to get the settings correct.

[Speed]

Since my camera is an all manual camera, that's all I can shoot in manual mode. But I always use the light meter to get the settings correct.

With his manual weapon! Nothing wrong with manual. I was amazed at how many people still use fully manual camera's. Not that they were anti-auto or anti-digital, they just prefer manual when it matters.

Do you use the camera's meter or do you use a handheld meter? I've found the meter in my K1000 is right on. I also took my handheld meter and checked it against that recently. Reinforced that the camera's meter is indeed accurate.

[Arctirus]

95% AP with the exception of studio work. In the studio it's 100% manual and external metering.

[Speed]

95% AP with the exception of studio work. In the studio it's 100% manual and external metering.

Cool!!!!

"In the studio it's 100% manual and external metering."

Do you not like or trust the auto settings, or do you like having total control over the photographic process?

Thanks for playing along.

[Axle]

Do you use the camera's meter or do you use a handheld meter?

I use the camera's meter, don't have a handheld, would like one, but they're expensive, and money is one thing I don't have a lot of right now.

And I love my manual.

[Sebastian]

Manual, 95% of the time, in concert with a handheld meter.

[Speed]

Manual, 95% of the time, in concert with a handheld meter.

Interesting. Very interesting. You've got a modern, digital camera, and shoot primararly manual. I would not have thought that.

Do you shoot that way for the total control, or do you not trust the camera to get it right? Just curious.

[Sebastian]

Interesting. Very interesting. You've got a modern, digital camera, and shoot primararly manual. I would not have thought that.

Do you shoot that way for the total control, or do you not trust the camera to get it right? Just curious.

I use manual because it's the only way to get reliable, consistent metering. One thing that people don't seem to realize is that Full Program is no different from shutter or aperture priority, it's still the computer doing the thinking, it's just that you're locking down one of the variables. If I set the aperture in aperture priority, the exposure might still be just as wrong as it would be in program, and the shot might be just as useless. A handheld meter gives me a great reading, and when I move and the lighting changes I just adjust the exposure from experience. If suddenly clouds roll in, I just take another reading and adjust accordingly. This way I can frame however I want, no matter if I'm really close to a bright object or if there's a lot of dark in the background, my exposure stays the same for the subject I choose. So is it control? I don't think so, I think it's my need for consistency. Yes, control has something to do with it, but it's much more about getting great results and being able to depend on that.

Unless the scene is neutral grey, the in-camera meter, no matter how good, will never expose the way I can or choose to using a handheld. Unless of course I use the built-in "spot" and manually meter. Granted, the 10% version that Canon calls a spot is less useful than a true spot, but it's still very effective.

The shot below was not metered. The light was coming in from her right, slightly behind. I metered for the light further away, looking to her left, for some other protesters. The sun was behind me. I shot those protesters and I moved further down the street, and I saw her holding up the sign. I knew that the light is no longer behind me, so I dropped the shutter by a stop and the exposure is perfect. Almost no highlight is blown, with the exception of some specular highlights on her knuckles and glasses. Neither is any shadow blocked up. I didn't have to do any levels adjustment on this image, it was as-is right out of the camera, just cropped to be a composition that I like better.

A modern, digital camera is just as stupid as anything else. Nothing out there is smarter than experience and knowing what you want to achieve, no matter how much it cost or how many "zones" it meters.

[opus]

Sebastian, I just LOVE this shot!!!!!! What a story!

[Speed]

I use manual because it's the only way to get reliable, consistent metering. One thing that people don't seem to realize is that Full Program is no different from shutter or aperture priority, it's still the computer doing the thinking, it's just that you're locking down one of the variables. If I set the aperture in aperture priority, the exposure might still be just as wrong as it would be in program, and the shot might be just as useless. A handheld meter gives me a great reading, and when I move and the lighting changes I just adjust the exposure from experience. If suddenly clouds roll in, I just take another reading and adjust accordingly. This way I can frame however I want, no matter if I'm really close to a bright object or if there's a lot of dark in the background, my exposure stays the same for the subject I choose. So is it control? I don't think so, I think it's my need for consistency. Yes, control has something to do with it, but it's much more about getting great results and being able to depend on that.

Unless the scene is neutral grey, the in-camera meter, no matter how good, will never expose the way I can or choose to using a handheld. Unless of course I use the built-in "spot" and manually meter. Granted, the 10% version that Canon calls a spot is less useful than a true spot, but it's still very effective.

The shot below was not metered. The light was coming in from her right, slightly behind. I metered for the light further away, looking to her left, for some other protesters. The sun was behind me. I shot those protesters and I moved further down the street, and I saw her holding up the sign. I knew that the light is no longer behind me, so I dropped the shutter by a stop and the exposure is perfect. Almost no highlight is blown, with the exception of some specular highlights on her knuckles and glasses. Neither is any shadow blocked up. I didn't have to do any levels adjustment on this image, it was as-is right out of the camera, just cropped to be a composition that I like better.

A modern, digital camera is just as stupid as anything else. Nothing out there is smarter than experience and knowing what you want to achieve, no matter how much it cost or how many "zones" it meters.

Awesome answer my friend!

"A modern, digital camera is just as stupid as anything else."

Right on again. A camera doesn't take a picture - the photographer does. The camera is merely the lightbox holding the recording medium.

OK, Sebastian is hereby, and forever after, known as Yoda. He's short, wise, and shares what he knows for the forces of good! ;-)

[Ultra Magnus]

Now here's a product I've never seen on the market, a 100% manual DSLR. How much money could you knock out of a 20D if you dumped ALL the automatic features and metering hardware/software programing time. Or, if you kept the price the same but put all the resources into increasing both build construction and image quality.

It's like buying a car, all the options come in packages. You want the CD player, you need the power windows, doors, cruise control, etc....

[MJS]

In the studio, all manual. Shooting sports, Shutter Priority. Everything else, whatever comes to my head but mostly all manual.

[Speed]

In the studio, all manual. Shooting sports, Shutter Priority. Everything else, whatever comes to my head but mostly all manual.

I see a trend here....

;-)

"Everything else, whatever comes to my head..."

Hehehe.

To each his own. Something to be said for being spontaneous. Helps to get the creative juices flowing.

Thanks for participating in the discussion.