How To Select Your Exposure Modes

One of the major advantages of a digital SLR over a compact camera is the sheer number of creative controls it offers. Some creative compact cameras may come close but they still don’t offer the same range of shutter speed and aperture options as even the cheapest of digital SLRs. It follows then, that taking control of these features unlocks the full creative potential of your digital SLR. You’ll find the main mode dial on the top-plate of most D-SLRs, allowing you to select the appropriate setting for your subject. Taking control of these features unlocks the full creative potential of your digital SLR.

Full Auto Mode

This completely automatic mode doesn’t allow you to override the settings on the camera. It’s great for point-and-shoot simplicity, but you’re missing out on the benefits of using a D-SLR if this is the only mode you ever use, as you’ve got no control over the shutter speed, aperture or exposure. It’s often indicated on the mode dial by being
picked out in green.

Program Mode

This mode is still fully automatic, setting both the shutter speed and aperture for you, but gives a little more control than full auto. The main advantage is the ability to set exposure compensation to over or underexpose according to the
subject and lighting.

Alongside the fully automatic setting, these modes are still completely automatic, taking away some of the skills of using the camera, but they’re a good starting point if you’re new to shooting with digital SLRs and want to explore how
the shutter speed and aperture effects your images. Each program mode gears the settings towards a particular subject.
Here are the basic settings used by most manufacturers.

● Portrait – Selects a wide aperture to throw the background out of focus in order to isolate the figure.
● Landscape – Selects a small aperture where possible, increases colour saturation and turns off the built-in flash.
● Close-up – Selects a small aperture to give maximum depth-of-field for close-up images. Unlike the close-up mode on a compact camera this setting has no effect on how close the lens will focus.
● Sport – Selects the highest shutter speed possible to freeze movement, and uses continuous shooting and focusing
modes to keep up with moving subjects.
● Night – Optimises the camera for shooting at long shutter speeds and turns off the built-in flash.
● Night portrait – Allows the camera to shoot with flash and long exposures in order to record both foreground and
background detail.