1. Switching from Automatic to Manual Mode

• Objective: Take full control of your camera settings by switching from automatic to manual mode (M). This allows you to manually adjust exposure, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to achieve desired effects.
• Activity: On your camera’s mode dial, switch to Manual (M) mode. Now, you have control over the exposure triangle—shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

2. Fine-Tuning Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO for Creative Control

• Shutter Speed: Adjust to control motion:
  • Fast shutter speeds (e.g., 1/1000) for freezing action.
  • Slow shutter speeds (e.g., 1/30) for motion blur.
• Aperture: Fine-tune for depth of field:
  • Wide apertures (e.g., f/1.8) for shallow depth of field and blurred backgrounds.
  • Narrow apertures (e.g., f/16) for deep focus across the entire scene.
• ISO: Control light sensitivity:
  • Use low ISO (e.g., 100) in bright light to reduce noise.
  • Use high ISO (e.g., 1600+) in low-light conditions, while balancing noise levels.

Activity:

• In low-light conditions, increase ISO to capture more light but be mindful of the grain.
• For a portrait, use a wide aperture (f/2.8) to blur the background and isolate the subject.

3. Using Manual Focus for Sharpness in Difficult Lighting Conditions

• Objective: Master manual focus, especially in low-light or high-contrast scenes where autofocus may struggle.
• Activity:
  • Switch your lens to Manual Focus (MF).
  • Use the focus ring to manually adjust sharpness.
  • Use your camera’s focus peaking feature (if available) to highlight in-focus areas, or magnify the view on your camera’s screen to ensure critical sharpness.
• Scenarios: Use manual focus in low-light photography, macro shots, or situations where autofocus might focus on the wrong subject (e.g., shooting through glass or crowds).

4. Bracketing Exposure for Difficult Scenes with Varying Light Levels

• Objective: Use exposure bracketing to capture challenging scenes with varying light (e.g., landscapes with bright skies and dark shadows).
• Activity:
  • Enable exposure bracketing on your camera, where it will take multiple shots at different exposures (e.g., one underexposed, one properly exposed, and one overexposed).
  • Later, you can either select the best-exposed image or merge them in post-processing for an HDR (High Dynamic Range) effect.
• Scenarios: Bracket exposures when shooting high-contrast landscapes, cityscapes at sunset, or scenes with both bright and dark areas to ensure no detail is lost.

By mastering manual mode, you take complete creative control of your photography, allowing you to adapt to any lighting condition, compose unique shots, and ensure sharpness where it matters most.