Alright so this is gonna be an educational 3 Part Blog.
For anyone who just picked up a new DSLR or mirrorless camera and doesn't know much about how to mess with your settings, I think this blog may help you out. This is a topic that I discussed in a previous blog, but I think that I've grown a lot as a photographer since then so I'm doing this as a refresher for myself and for anyone who read the previous post on the subject. Take a look at the photo below and let me help you understand what the settings mean.
This is the back of a Nikon D7200 DSLR DX camera. These settings apply to every camera you'll buy. The only thing that will be different is the user interface, but for the most part you will have these main settings to mess around with. Most modern camera phones will have a pro setting that has these features as well.
For this blog I'll be talking about the top half of the screen. I'll start by explaining what the "M" means on the top left side of the screen. The "M" stands for manual which is the setting I have my camera on. Most cameras will have a manual, aperture, shutter speed and program setting. For new users who are serious about getting into photography I personally suggest you stay on manual before you go into aperture or shutter speed. Manual means you have complete control of all your settings, and the reason I suggest you use this when you're starting is because it's the best way to begin to understand every part of your camera.
Lets move on to the fraction number you see to the right of the "M". This is called the shutter speed. Shutter speed is how long your shutter will remain open while taking the photo. The longer it stays open the more light hits the sensor, but it will also capture the movements made by your subject or the camera shake. So, you really need to think about what kind of photography you're doing when trying to choose your shutter speed. For example, if you're capturing sports you'd be better off with a faster shutter speed in order to eliminate motion blur from your subject. If you're capturing a still subject you'd do good with a slower shutter speed, and if you're capturing a landscape you can go even slower which will require a tripod and a shutter release remote in order to eliminate camera shake. Most cameras will have a shutter speed that ranges from 1/4000 of a second which will freeze the wings of a hummingbird to 30 seconds which will capture light trails from cars on the highway. Below you can see examples of both. (Photos not captured by A K Photography)
The photo on the left was taken with a shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second. The picture on the right was taken with a shutter speed of 30 seconds which means the camera had to sit still for 30 seconds while it took the picture.
Most modern cameras will also have a bulb and a time feature which can be used to create some pretty unique photos. When you set your camera to bulb you will be able to hold the shutter button down, and while its held down your sensor will remain exposed. This basically means you create your own shutter speed. I tend to stay away from this feature because you will naturally create camera shake while you're holding down the shutter button, and if you're using a remote shutter release you probably wont want to stand there too long holding down the button to begin with. If I ever want to take a long exposure shot I use my "time" setting. Time does the same thing bulb does, but instead of holding down the shutter button you push it once to expose the sensor, and you push it again to close the shutter. If you've ever seen pictures of star trails you'll know why it's so much fun to mess around with these more advanced shutter speed settings. (Keep in mind that the longer your sensor is exposed the more light will hit the sensor. These settings are better utilized in very low light situations.)After your shutter has been open for some time your sensor will begin to capture the earths rotation and create star trails. I went ahead and posted a picture so you can get a better idea of what I mean. (Again, this was not taken by A K Photography.)
