Digital Photography Advice
When to Use Automatic Settings

This digital photography advice will help you determine when to use the automatic settings on your camera. Usually when giving digital photography lessons I tell you to use manual settings to give you more control over your pictures, but there are instants when using automatic settings will be advantageous. Let's look at them.

When You're Learning Your New Camera

When you're not familiar with your camera using automatic settings can really save you. When I first got my DSLR I didn't know how to work it at all and found myself struggling. At the time I just used the automatic settings because I needed to get more comfortable with the camera.

When you're first getting used to a new camera automatic mode can really save the day. It allows you to take good pictures while you're still reading the manual and learning the ins and outs of your camera's settings. There are plenty of automatic settings on most cameras for you to experiment with. There are usually settings for sports/action, landscape, portrait, evening, and close-ups.

• Portrait - Use this setting when photographing people for perfect skin tones
• Action - Use this setting to stop action without blurriness
• Landscape - Use this setting pictures of scenery
• Close-up - Use setting to make small objects fill the frame

Once you know your camera pretty well you'll be ready to start using manual settings but there may be times when you want to set your camera to automatic even then.

When You Don't Know What Setting to Use

Have you ever tried and tried to take a picture in manual but no matter what you set your camera to it just didn't seem to work out? I've had that happen too. That's when I set my camera to automatic.

I use automatic when I'm not quite sure which settings are best for the photographic situation I'm in. I'll take a couple of pictures in automatic and then check the pictures to see what the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed the camera took the picture in in automatic. I'm not usually happy with the picture that the camera took when it was in automatic mode, but the settings it choses gives me a clue as to how to proceed.

When You Don't Care to Use Manual Settings

Don't let anyone, including me, make you think that in order to take any decent pictures you have to use manual settings. That's just not always the case. I'm fully aware that for some people the idea of learning all the settings and jargon the go along with photography just isn't very appealing. If it's too much of a pain and you like the results you get using the automatic setting on your camera then use it. Don't feel bad about it. Don't make excuses. Just use it. They are your pictures. You're taking them to please your aesthetic. Don't follow any digital photography advice that takes the fun out of photography for you.

If you're interested in more digital photography advice check out these digital photography tutorials.