What mode do you shoot in?

When you shoot portraits, what is your preferred mode for shooting?
Do you stick to automatic settings, do you love the DOF you get when playing in AV, or do you go strictly manual and try to take full creative control?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Licini Photography (Lee-Ann on October 20, 2009 at 3:44am

When I first got my 40D, I used the automatic settings for the first few months. Then someone told me to play with Av and Tv modes. I did that for over a year and now I shoot only in manual and find that I have better exposed shots more often! Yippeee!

Permalink Reply by Samantha M on December 12, 2009 at 10:34am

It really depends on what I'm doing. For shooting kids in candid situations, I almost exclusively shoot in Av. I have a little girl that's 2.5, and it's too hard to keep my camera in full manual mode and still get shots that are well-composed, in-focus and properly exposed! If I'm shooting sports, I generally use Tv, since lighting can change as quickly as the action, and the moment is the most important - you can't get the shot again! For portraits and most other photos I take (landscapes, macro, night shots, etc) I shoot full manual, because I have the time to think it all over without losing the moment.

I did a workshop with a very well-known local wildlife photographer and he recommended leaving my camera in Av mode - it's a lot easier to pick up and get that fleeting once-in-a-lifetime shot. He was recommending it for wildlife photography of course, but I think it can also be applied to children! ;)

Permalink Reply by Sandra Oquendo on December 22, 2009 at 6:20pm

well i most of the time do it manual but at the high speed bc kids dont stya put and i dont like posing pictures only if the parents want to but i prefer the natural self of the child heheh :)

as for portraits aperture priority mode all the way :D

Permalink Reply by Malcolm lloyd on March 14, 2010 at 5:07am