1 HOUR In this Crash Course we’re going to show you how to move out of the comfort zone of your camera’s fully auto shooting mode and experiment with the semi-automatic Aperture Priority mode. This mode is great for shooting static subjects, like our rock formations, but if there are none to hand then look for anything stationary, such as trees, some urban architecture, or perhaps a statue. We chose to shoot rock formations because they give you the opportunity to capture some wonderfully abstract shapes and colours, so they’re a great place to start your photographic journey while you learn more about your camera.
Aperture Priority mode allows you to take control, and get creative, while still having a safety net. In this mode you get to decide what aperture value (the size of the opening in your lens) and ISO sensitivity you want, and the camera automatically selects an appropriate shutter speed to give a well-balanced exposure.
Typically this will work as follows: widening your aperture to f/2.8 or f/3.5 will let more light into the camera, so the camera will increase the shutter speed to counteract this flood of light. Conversely, narrowing your aperture to f/8 or f/16 will let less light pass through into the camera, so the camera will set a longer shutter speed to ensure a good exposure. There’s more to it than that, though, as the aperture value also affects the depth of field, or which parts of the scene are in sharp focus and which are blurred, further expanding your creative options.
1 SPIN THE DIAL
This story is from the November 11, 2021 edition of Photography week.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 11, 2021 edition of Photography week.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
VILTROX AF 27MM F1.2 PRO
A 'pro' lens with a consumer price tag
HOW TO...MASTER SHADOWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
This powerful tool has more to it than meets the eye, and it's ideal for landscapes
PATCHWORK PORTRAITS
Mike Harris uses the Brenizer method to shoot and edit a bokeh panorama with a super-shallow depth of field
PHOTO CONTEST CELEBRATES BRITAIN'S NATURAL WONDERS
British Wildlife Photography Awards feature amazing images of fauna and flora
COMPLETE GUIDE TO LANDSCAPE POST-PROCESSING
Take your best scenic images further using natural editing techniques
INSTAX MINI 99 LETS YOU TAKE CONTROL AND GET CREATIVE
Fujifilm's most advanced Instax yet gets colour effects and new focus modes
LUMIX S 100MM F/2.8 MACRO
It ticks many boxes, but it's not a total success
HOW TO...GET THE LONG-EXPOSURE LOOK
James Paterson shows you how to use the Stack feature in Affinity Photo to combine a set of photos and blur choppy waters
FLASH FUNGI
Master macro with off-camera flash to capture mushroom photos with James Paterson
PORTRAITS AND PREDATORS: WPA ANNOUNCES OPEN WINNERS
Prestigious contest reveals its latest round of amazing winning images