Chapter 5. Technically Speaking

The work will teach you how to do it.

—Estonian proverb

If you choose to select an auto mode on your DSLR camera, you relinquish your creative control over how you will photograph your subjects. By selecting an auto mode, you grant all technical decisions of how to use aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to your camera. Many photographers are fine with making that decision, but if you want to step up your game and better control the overall look, feel, and impact of your imagery, you need to understand how to operate your camera in manual mode.

Let’s start with how cameras work, because there are numerous settings, custom functions, options, and modes. Yes, your camera comes with a lot of power, but do you own it? Do you know what everything does and why—all the features and limitations? Can you make your camera do what the shoot requires and capture a frame just as you see it in your head? There is no camera or lens on the market that can match the dynamic range of your eye—at least not yet. In fact, it’s estimated that the human eye can see about 14 or 15 stops of light, whereas most sensors today have a range of around 7–9 stops. The trick to closing that gap as best as you can is to understand how your camera works to really appreciate all the power you have at your fingertip....