Digital Camera Automatic Shooting Modes
Taking pictures with a basic digital camera these days is so easy.
As long as the camera is on the primary automatic setting, all you have to do is point and shoot.
Most digital cameras have a variety of automatic settings that are useful for different situations.
So instead of always using the regular automatic setting, why not try the others? I will list a few and briefly state how they may be useful.
Portrait: The camera will set a large aperture so you will have a shallow depth of field.
(huh?) In plain English it means the background will be slightly out of focus so that more emphasis is put on the subjects face.
Macro Close Up: This mode is ideal for taking extreme close ups such as a flower or insect.
With ordinary settings you cannot get as close as an inch to six inches and still focus correctly.
However, you can do it in the Macro mode.
Just like in portrait mode, the subject will be sharp but the background won't be in good focus.
Landscape: When shooting in this mode the camera will choose a setting where everything from the foreground to the background will be in pretty sharp focus.
(great for shooting wide and/or distant scenes) Sports/Action: In this mode the camera will set a fast shutter speed so that fast moving subjects will not blur.
To get even better shots, try to moving the camera in the same direction as the subject as you press the shutter..
(that's called doing a pan).
Night Portrait: This is for taking outside pictures at night or dusk.
The camera will set a slow shutter speed to allow more light into the camera.
The flash will go off automatically.
Make sure the subject stays still or blurring may occur.
In many cases a tripod would work best.
Beach/Snow: Beach or snow scenes are so bright at times they can fool the camera meter when in the usual automatic mode.
The picture might come out dark or discolored.
The beach/snow mode will make a compensation for the brightness and colors.
Those are just a few of the automatic settings.
Your camera may have more.
Try using them sometimes and you will be pleased with the results.
As long as the camera is on the primary automatic setting, all you have to do is point and shoot.
Most digital cameras have a variety of automatic settings that are useful for different situations.
So instead of always using the regular automatic setting, why not try the others? I will list a few and briefly state how they may be useful.
Portrait: The camera will set a large aperture so you will have a shallow depth of field.
(huh?) In plain English it means the background will be slightly out of focus so that more emphasis is put on the subjects face.
Macro Close Up: This mode is ideal for taking extreme close ups such as a flower or insect.
With ordinary settings you cannot get as close as an inch to six inches and still focus correctly.
However, you can do it in the Macro mode.
Just like in portrait mode, the subject will be sharp but the background won't be in good focus.
Landscape: When shooting in this mode the camera will choose a setting where everything from the foreground to the background will be in pretty sharp focus.
(great for shooting wide and/or distant scenes) Sports/Action: In this mode the camera will set a fast shutter speed so that fast moving subjects will not blur.
To get even better shots, try to moving the camera in the same direction as the subject as you press the shutter..
(that's called doing a pan).
Night Portrait: This is for taking outside pictures at night or dusk.
The camera will set a slow shutter speed to allow more light into the camera.
The flash will go off automatically.
Make sure the subject stays still or blurring may occur.
In many cases a tripod would work best.
Beach/Snow: Beach or snow scenes are so bright at times they can fool the camera meter when in the usual automatic mode.
The picture might come out dark or discolored.
The beach/snow mode will make a compensation for the brightness and colors.
Those are just a few of the automatic settings.
Your camera may have more.
Try using them sometimes and you will be pleased with the results.
