Photo How To

The tutorial below is for all of you who’ve grown tire of hearing “purists” proclaim that, “Unless you turn your mode dial to M you’re not a real photographer.” As we’ve said before, that’s a lot of bunk, as numerous pros regularly shoot in Aperture or Shutter Priority depending upon the assignment.

Another misconception is that Manual Mode photography requires sophisticated skills and is only suitable for advanced shooters, and that’s a silly claim too. After watching this 12-minute video, you’ll be out shooting in Manual Mode in no time.

Hyun Ralph Jeong modestly says, I’m just a guy who loves taking pictures.” But as you’ll see in this episode he’s quite accomplished and a very adept instructor. Whether you just bought your first camera, want to take your photography to the next level, or are simply curious about what Manual Mode involves, this episode will demystify the technique.

As Jeong explains, “There’s a big difference between not shooting in manual because you don’t know how and why, and not using this mode because it won’t affect your style of photography.” So watch this demonstration and then decide what mode is best for you.

Shooting in Manual requires constantly adjusting aperture, shutter speed and ISO, as well as understanding how these three variables interact to achieve proper exposure. It’s also important knowing where to begin; i.e. do you start by first adjusting aperture, and let that choice dictate the appropriate ISO and shutter speed settings, or should another variable be preeminent?

The answer to the above question is simple: “It depends.” In other words, the approach you take depends upon the subject matter and the effect you desire. The hierarchy you use is reliant upon a number of factors, including whether your subject is static or in motion, do you want to blur the background of a scene or maximize depth of field, the light levels you confront, are you shooting handheld or with a tripod, and a few other considerations.

As you’ll see, Jeong provides a clear explanation to these questions so you can make the proper choice under various conditions. And after giving Manual mode a try, you can always go back to your familiar approach

There much more to learn on Jeong’s YouTube channel, and in the earlier tutorial we posted explaining why your photos are unsharp and what to do about it.