Hi and welcome to Episode 88 of the Photography Explained podcast.
I’m your host Rick, and in each episode I will try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 10 minutes (ish) without the irrelevant details. What I tell you is based on my lifetime of photographic experience. And not Google.
Before I go on if you have a question you would like me to answer just go to photographyexplainedpodcast.com/start
Here is the answery bit
In manual mode in photography, you set the aperture, shutter speed and ISO manually. In manual mode when you take a photo the exposure is determined by what you tell the camera to do – the camera has no influence over the exposure achieved. Manual mode is used by photographers who want complete and creative control of the exposure of an image.
OK – that is manual mode in a nutshell – let’s dive into this.
You can listen to the episode here
Or keep on reading. Or do both. Entirely up to you!
Why are there so many modes on cameras?
There are so many modes on cameras to cater for the different levels of photographers, and the massive range of scenes that people photograph. There are automatic, semi-automatic and manual modes.
Why do photographers use manual mode?
Photographers use manual mode when they want to control the exposure using their own combination of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Photographers use manual mode in challenging lighting scenes, and when their creative requirements mean that the exposure set by the camera will not get the image that they want.
Does manual mode only involve aperture, shutter speed, and ISO
Basically yes, manual mode only affects the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO – nothing else changes.
A word on ISO
ISO is set by the user in many modes, not only manual. There are some automatic modes when the camera will change the ISO though.
What is the exposure triangle?
It is the relationship between the
- Shutter speed – how long the shutter is open and the sensor exposed to light
- Aperture – the size of the opening in the camera lens that lets light into the sensor
- ISO – the sensitivity of the sensor to light (relative to its base ISO)
I will list some related podcast episodes later where I explain this in more detail. Well, just enough detail of course….
How do you do manual photography?
First, you set the ISO. You press the shutter release button halfway which takes a meter reading of the light.
You choose the aperture and shutter speed that gives you the exposure that you want.
Do professional photographers use manual mode?
Some do, some do not. I would imagine that most do some of the time when conditions dictate. But there will be many who never do.
And some who only ever use manual.
As always in photography, it depends.
Does manual mode affect white balance?
No. White balance is set separately.
What do I do?
I use AV Mode. I select the ISO and the aperture, and the camera selects the shutter speed that gives the correct exposure according to the camera meter and what is being photographed.
Why do I not use manual mode?
Because for my work aperture is the most important thing that I want control of. And the ISO I use is always the lowest ISO on my Canon 6D to get the highest quality and no noise in my images. I take 99% of my commercial photos on a tripod, so I am not concerned about the shutter speed.
I use AV Mode which gives me all the control I need and means that I do not need to worry about the exposure, meaning I can concentrate on the composition and keeping my clients happy.
What mode should you shoot in?
Whatever mode you feel comfortable with. If you want to shoot in Programme Mode then that is up to you.
But this is the point of manual mode
Sure you don’t have to use manual mode, but you should learn how to use it. It will help you understand the exposure triangle, the relationship between aperture and shutter and ISO, and get you thinking differently.
The talky bit
It has been said many times that to be a “proper photographer”, yes I am using air quotes here. To be a proper photographer you have to take photos in manual mode.
You have to take photos in manual mode.
Nonsense. Utter nonsense.
I don’t. I use AV Mode. I select the ISO and the aperture, and the camera selects the shutter speed. I am using an exposure determined by the camera.
If I need to use manual mode I will, but I very, very rarely have to.
If you use manual mode and follow what the camera tells you to do that is not a whole heap different from using, say, AV Mode is it?
So no, you do not have to use manual mode.
If you do then that is great – if you prefer to use manual mode that is up to you.
But I use the mode that works for me, with the perfect balance of control by me and correct exposure determined by the camera.
If you are happy in Programme Mode, or whatever automatic mode or modes you use then that is just fine. Do not listen to anyone who tells you it is not.
But I will say this again. If you want to learn photography and develop your skills then you should learn how to use manual mode. Learning manual mode is giving yourself practical training in the exposure triangle, one of the fundamentals of photography.
One line summary
You do not have to use manual mode on every photo, but you should learn how manual mode works and in turn the exposure triangle. This will give you a better understanding of exposure that will help you develop as a photographer.
Related episodes
Here are some related episodes that will help you build on what I have told you in this episode.
Episode 4- What Is The Exposure Triangle?
Episode 21 – What Does Exposure Mean In Photography?
Episode 27 – What Is The Exposure Triangle? (Revisited)
Yes, episode 27 was a rerun of episode 4, which I was not happy with.
Episode 31 – What Are The Different Camera Modes?
Next episode
Photography Explained Podcast Episode 89 – Camera Shake – What Is It And How Do I Stop It Happening?
Camera shake ruins photos, so it is important that you know what it is and how to avoid it! So I will tell you in this episode.
Shout out
This space needs filling so get in touch and get your shout-out on my ever-growing podcast.
I’m done
Thanks for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast. To find out more about my podcast and do stuff to help me check out Photographyexplainedpodcast.com/start.
Brought to you by
This episode was brought to by water
I’ve been Rick McEvoy, thanks again very much for listening to me and for giving me 11 ¼ (ish) minutes of your valuable time, and I will see you on the next episode.
Cheers from me Rick
OK – that was the podcast episode.
Want to know more?
Head over to the Start page on the Photography Explained Podcast website to find out more.
And here is the list of episodes published to date – you can listen to any episode straight from this page which is nice.
Let me know if there is a photography thing that you want me to explain and I will add it to my list. Just head over to the This is my list of things to explain page of this website to see what is on there already.
Let me send you stuff
I send out a weekly email to my subscribers. It is my take on one photography thing, plus what I have been writing and talking about. Just fill in the box and you can get my weekly photographic musings straight to your inbox. Which is nice.
And finally a little bit about me
Finally, yes this paragraph is all about me – check out my Rick McEvoy Photography website to find out more about me and my architectural, construction, real estate and travel photography work. I also write about general photography stuff, all in plain English without the irrelevant detail.
Thank you
Thanks for listening to my podcast (if you did) and reading this blog post (which I assume you have done as you are reading this).
Cheers from me Rick
