Use Aperture Priority Mode when shooting inconsistent light.

The only other exposure mode you need to use is Aperture Priority mode. Let’s figure that out.

What is the camera doing in Aperture Priority Mode?

In Manual Exposure mode, you need to set all three of the Big 3. You need to set the ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. Now that we have moved the top dial to Av (Canon/Pentax) A (Nikon/Sony/Olympus) things change a bit.

In Aperture Mode, you still set the ISO, you still set the Aperture, however now the camera will select the Shutter Speed.

The camera reads the light coming in through the lens and makes a determination about what the correct shutter speed should be.

What do your fingers need to do?

When you switch the camera to Aperture mode, there is a bit of a change in what we need to do to set our Big 3 of ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed.

On all cameras, setting the ISO remains the same process.

How we set the aperture varies depending on the camera and may be different than the process when you were in Manual Mode.

• Nikon 3000 and 5000 cameras and Canon Rebel Cameras, you no longer need to press the +/- button to adjust the aperture. Simply turn the adjustment dial and the aperture will change.
• For Nikon Pro Series cameras, setting the aperture is still the same process. Use the front dial to adjust the aperture.
• Fro Canon Pro Series cameras, setting the aperture moves to the front dial. While you were in Manual Mode, setting the aperture was on the back dial.

If your camera is not mentioned above, check your manual to determine the procedure for setting the aperture while in Aperture Mode.

EXERCISE: Set the ISO to 1600, Set the Aperture to f5.6. Now look through the viewfinder and gently feather the shutter release as you move the camera, looking around your room. While looking through the viewfinder, look for the shutter speed across the bottom of the screen. You will notice that the shutter speed changes as you move around the room. 

Adjusting the exposure compensation.

The benefit of shooting in Aperture Mode is that the camera will get you close to the correct exposure, from the first shot every time. Aperture Mode, however is not auto mode.

In Aperture mode, you have all the control over exposure that you did when you were in Manual Mode. If you take a shot in Aperture Mode, it should be close to the correct exposure, and you have the ability to adjust the exposure brighter or darker.

Using exposure compensation you can make the photo brighter or darker. 

• Nikon 3000 and 5000 series cameras, the +/- button is now the exposure compensation button. Push and hold the button and turn the dial with your thumb. You will see that the exposure compensation will adjust either + or -.
• Canon Rebel cameras, the Av +/- button is now the exposure compensation button. Push and hold the button and turn the dial with your finger. You will see that the exposure compensation will adjust along a slider either + or -.
• Nikon Pro Series Cameras, push and hold the +/- button and turn the back dial to adjust the compensation either + or -. You will see the exposure compensation will adjust as a numeric value.
• Canon Pro Series Cameras, simply turn the back dial of the camera and adjust the compensation along the +/- slider. You will see this displayed on the top LCD display.

If your camera is not listed here, check the manual and determine how your camera adjusts the exposure compensation.

EXERCISE: Take shots of different subjects using Aperture Priority. Take a minimum of three shots of each subject. Take one shot with zero exposure compensation, a second shot at -1 and a third shot at +1.  You will end up with three shots of each subject, one slightly darker, one slightly brighter and one at what the camera believes is the correct exposure. 

Note: The key here is to understand that you have control over the exposure just as you had in Manual Mode, but the benefit of Aperture Mode is that you get to the sweet spot a bit quicker.

Use Aperture mode in Inconsistent light and Manual mode in consistent light.

There is a time for Aperture Mode and a time for Manual Mode. When the light is consistent such as night shots, the hockey rink, a school gymnasium or really any time that the light isn’t changing you use Manual Exposure Mode.

However, when the light is inconsistent such as kids playing in a park, a room with different lighting conditions or whenever the light is changing from shot to shot you should be shooting in Aperture mode.