CHAPTER 2
Understanding Your Camera Options

Image courtesy of Rick Collins (www.rickcollinsphotography.com).

In this chapter:

How your camera works

RAW versus JPEG

Manual and semi-automatic modes

Preset automatic modes

Exposure compensation

White-balance modes

Continuous shooting

Removable lenses

Seasoned photo and video professionals know that shooting weddings often involves unusually difficult conditions. Harsh sunlight, dim candlelight, crucially important yet hard-to-hear audio, and action in several places at once—any of these can be the undoing of even a steeled and savvy photographer or videographer. Clearly understanding all the options your camera provides will help you determine quickly what to use in any given scenario. Because wedding-day action never stops, that speed can mean the difference between catching a moment and missing it entirely. I’ll spend this chapter talking about features of your equipment to help you maximize its use when wedding conditions become difficult.