Your camera is a sophisticated tool with hundreds of settings, giving you complete control over your photography.
But, in reality, most of us don't care about endless camera setting combinations—we just want to take a picture without feeling overwhelmed!
The great news is that mastering just 2 or 3 key settings can help you take great photos for a lifetime.
This article will tell you exactly how to work your camera without getting bogged down in concepts you don’t need to know.
Beautiful photos from past students.
The Best Way to Learn Camera Settings
The most effective way to learn camera settings is by taking small steps. Focus on mastering one concept before moving on to the next.
In this article, I will teach you camera settings one step at a time, ensuring you build your understanding gradually.
We'll start where most of us got stuck - Auto Mode.
You'll discover why Auto Mode isn't a great option and learn a setting that is as easy as Auto Mode but delivers better results.
Don't let the discouragement of being stuck on Auto stall your journey with photography.
Photo By Nicole Gosse - 9Door Photography
Understanding Auto Mode
To set your camera to Auto mode, locate the dial on the top of your camera. You'll see the word "Auto" or a green box/icon.
What does Auto mode do?
Every time you take a picture, a lot of things are going on inside your camera.
In Auto Mode, your camera will take care of all that stuff so you can focus on taking pictures.
When you put your camera in Auto Mode, you’re saying, “I don’t know how to work this thing, you do it for me!”
From a technical perspective, Auto Mode automatically adjusts settings like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.
Those are concepts you’ll understand later on - one step at a time.
The Main Problem With Auto Mode
You already know that Auto Mode doesn’t deliver consistently good results.
But why? Shouldn’t your camera be smart enough to take great pictures on its own?
There are two reasons Auto Mode doesn't work so well:
Your camera doesn’t know what you’re taking a picture of.
It doesn’t know what you want the picture to look like.
You may see an inspiring scene in front of you - a beautiful landscape, your child’s first steps, or a monarch butterfly perched on a flower.
But the camera doesn’t see any of this and wouldn’t care if it did.
All your camera is programmed to do on Auto Mode is take a picture that’s not too bright and not too dark - and it doesn’t even do that very well!
If only there was a way to tell your camera what you’re photographing so that it could focus on capturing that inspiring scene and get the exposure right.
If we could talk to our cameras, it sure would increase the odds of taking a better photo.
The good news is, that there is a way to tell your camera what you’re taking a picture of and how you wish it would look.
Photo by student, Sharon Walsh.
How to Tell Your Camera What You’re Taking a Picture Of
Use Scene Mode to tell your camera what you’re taking a picture of.
Scene mode covers the most common photography scenarios such as landscapes and nature, portraits, close-ups, and sports.
When you select the appropriate scene, you’re telling your camera what you’re photographing. Your camera will choose a combination of settings that are best suited to that situation.
Here are several key scene modes you may encounter in your DSLR or Mirrorless camera:
Portrait Mode: Best for capturing people.
Landscape Mode: For wide scenic shots.
Macro Mode: Perfect for close-up shots of small subjects like flowers and insects.
Sports Mode: Designed for action scenes, this mode freezes motion, minimizing blur when photographing moving subjects.
By using these scene modes, your camera will choose roughly the same settings that an experienced photographer would use.
Scene Mode is like a really smart version of Auto Mode. It's as if your camera has actually taken some photography lessons and has a clue about what it's doing!
If you start using Scene Mode your photos will improve because your camera will be working behind the curtain to select settings that are appropriate for what you're photographing.
You Are Ready to Start.
Remember - This is the first step toward understanding more advanced settings and how your camera works.
There is no information overload - all you have to do is Put your camera in Scene Mode and select the scene that most represents what you're photographing.
Then you go into the world and take lots of pictures.
This is what photography is about - doing it.
Find a friend to make portraits of.
Go for a hike and photograph the natural world.
Walk the downtown streets and find things to take pictures of.
You've got a camera and now you know the first step toward better pictures. But the real secret is doing it.
Take lots of photos.
After your adventure, sort through your photos and select your favourites. But also make a list of the problems you run into.
It’s easier to learn photography and grow when you’ve got specific problems that you can ask questions about.
Even in scene mode, your camera won’t always do a perfect job.
That's why the next article will show you how to take a little more control of your camera.
If you want to make sure that you’re doing it right or want me to show you exactly how your specific camera works, my one-on-one photography lessons are a great way to show you exactly what to do - no second-guessing.
Mat Coker has taught the art of photography for 10 years.
He has helped his students capture their retirement travels, document their family life and even start portrait businesses!
Explore more articles or sign up for your personal photography lesson.
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