6.1 Manual Mode and Exposure Triangle

Manual mode puts you in control of your camera's exposure settings. You'll learn to balance aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to capture the perfect shot. These settings not only affect exposure but also create artistic effects like depth of field and motion blur.

Mastering manual mode is crucial for news photographers. It allows you to adapt quickly to changing light conditions and capture compelling images in challenging environments. Understanding exposure evaluation tools like metering modes and histograms will help you nail the exposure every time.

Exposure Settings

Aperture and Shutter Speed Control

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• Aperture regulates amount of light entering camera through lens opening
• F-stops measure aperture size (f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16)
• Smaller f-number indicates larger aperture opening
• Shutter speed determines duration light hits camera sensor
• Measured in fractions of a second (1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30)
• Faster shutter speeds freeze motion, slower speeds create blur
• Reciprocal relationship between aperture and shutter speed maintains consistent exposure

ISO and Exposure Compensation

• ISO measures camera sensor's sensitivity to light
• Common ISO values range from 100 to 6400
• Higher ISO increases light sensitivity, useful in low-light conditions
• Increasing ISO can introduce digital noise or grain
• Exposure compensation adjusts overall exposure without changing individual settings
• Measured in stops of light (+1, +2/3, +1/3, 0, -1/3, -2/3, -1)
• Useful for fine-tuning exposure in challenging lighting situations

Creative Effects

Depth of Field Control

• Depth of field refers to area of acceptable sharpness in an image
• Controlled primarily by aperture setting
• Wider apertures (smaller f-numbers) create shallow depth of field
• Shallow depth of field isolates subject from background (f/1.8)
• Narrower apertures (larger f-numbers) increase depth of field
• Greater depth of field keeps more of scene in focus (f/11)
• Focal length and distance to subject also affect depth of field
• Longer focal lengths and closer subject distances decrease depth of field

Motion Blur Techniques

• Motion blur captures movement in still images
• Achieved by using slower shutter speeds
• Panning follows moving subject while blurring background (1/30s)
• Long exposures create light trails (car headlights at night, 10 seconds)
• Intentional camera movement produces abstract effects (1/4s)
• Combining flash with slow shutter speed freezes subject while blurring background
• Neutral density filters allow for longer exposures in bright conditions

Exposure Evaluation

Metering Modes and Applications

• Metering modes determine how camera measures light in scene
• Evaluative metering assesses entire frame, ideal for general use
• Center-weighted metering prioritizes central area of frame
• Spot metering measures small area, useful for high-contrast scenes
• Partial metering covers larger area than spot, smaller than center-weighted
• Multi-spot metering allows multiple spot readings to be averaged
• Highlight-weighted metering prevents overexposure of bright areas

Histogram Analysis

• Histogram graphically represents tonal distribution in an image
• X-axis shows brightness levels from black (left) to white (right)
• Y-axis indicates number of pixels at each brightness level
• Peaks indicate predominant tones in image
• Left-skewed histogram suggests underexposure
• Right-skewed histogram indicates potential overexposure
• Clipping occurs when histogram touches left or right edge
• RGBG histograms display color channel information separately
• Using histogram during shooting helps achieve optimal exposure