Too many of us shoot on automatic because we don't understand the relationship between aperture and shutter speed. Here is what you need to do…
If you want your photography to "POP" you need to understand the symbiotic relationship between photo aperture and shutter speed. Plus,
you have to stop giving up creative control to a machine!
Keep in mind that your camera is nothing more than a machine. It has no creativity. When your camera is on automatic, it is another way of saying that you have given up all your creative control and options - to a machine!
If you want great photography, you MUST take your camera off automatic and start shooting in manual mode.
That's where the relationship between aperture and shutter speed comes into play. But first, here is an interesting fact I learned a while back. I think it admirably explains the concept of a symbiotic relationship in an interesting way,
This story comes from the animal kingdom…
Did you know giraffes have exceptionally good eyesight? In fact, their eyeballs are the physically largest of any land mammal. And being so high above the ground, their vision can cover a lot of territory!
But giraffes don't hear too well.
Rhinos have really good hearing, but can't see worth a darn.
Wouldn't it be nice if they hung out together? That way the giraffes could keep a lookout for predators and any that they don't see coming, the rhinos will hear.
They would protect each other and both of them would benefit and be safer as a result. Like I said, wouldn't it be nice if they hung out together?
They DO! Herds of giraffe will almost always include a rhino or two! It's a symbiotic relationship that works well to give them both the results they want...safety!
In your photography, there is a symbiotic relationship too. It is the relationship between shutter speed and aperture.
Aperture and shutter speed work together to give you what you want, stunning photos. Both of them play a part and to get stunning photos...each of them has to be considered.
While they always work together, their coupling is not necessarily to best advantage. To explain how that can happen, we need to go back to the idea of giving up our creative control to the camera. Remember, it is a machine and has no creativity. It is just trying to get a properly exposed, sharp image.
On automatic settings, your camera is going to select a shutter speed that will eliminate camera shake. Blurry out of focus shots are a real killer.
Then once the shutter speed is selected, the aperture is defaulted to whatever works to get enough light to the sensor. No consideration is given as to whether those settings work to create a great shot.
True, it is still a symbiotic relationship, but neither shutter speed nor aperture is benefiting.
There are dozens of settings that will give you a proper exposure/shutter combination - frequently almost all of them will give you a better image.
Learn how photo aperture and shutter speed work together and you will quickly discover how YOU can take the camera off automatic and start to wow your friends with your photos.
