Most cameras these days have more than enough buttons, the question becomes, are you able to adjust then all in the dark in order to get that perfect shot?
If you ask a professional photographer what the number one key to getting consistent results is they will tell you that knowing how the camera is going to react in different situations and being able to adjust settings quickly is number one on the list.
If you only pick up your camera occasionally chances are your results will be erratic. However, the more you pick it up and use it the better your results tend to be. Pack your camera with you as much as possible and shoot more pictures and the faster you will be able to react to various shooting situations.
The easiest way to get more comfortable with your camera is to develop a ‘default’ setting – a set-up which allows you to put the camera to your eye and quickly apply any adjustments in order to grab the shot. For example, many photographers prefer to leave their cameras in aperture priority, with evaluative/matrix metering and one shot autofocus.
Key Habit – Get into the habit of returning your camera to its ‘default’ setting when you put it down.
One of the key controls is exposure compensation.
Do you know, without looking at the LCD, which direction to turn the control dial in order to apply negative compensation and reduce the exposure?
JPEG Advice
To keep your workflow simple and preserve image quality, make sure there aren’t any image adjustments taking place in-camera, such as sharpening or saturation. If you’re simply printing out at home or putting your photos on the internet, select sRGB as your color space – however if you’re planning to sell your pictures to stock libraries go for Adobe RGB instead.
If not, make a mental note to learn what direction!
Key Habit – If you apply any exposure compensation, make sure you reset it to zero before you start shooting a different subject or move onto another location.
It’s ALL too easy to add exposure compensation on top of exposure compensation and end up with grossly over or underexposed images. Reset to the default!
Focus point selection should also become habit. You’ll find that using the center sensor, locking on the key feature and recomposing will often lead to better pictures, but there are times when you may want to choose an off-center point (such as shooting full length portraits).
Finally, learn how to switch between the three key exposure modes (Aperture priority, Shutter priority, and Manual) and the three metering modes (overall/scene, center-weighted and spot/partial). You should be able to do this without taking your eye away from the viewfinder.
The more familiar you become with changing frequently used controls, the more satisfying picture taking will become.
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