Most of today’s modern cameras have the basic settings of Auto, Action, Portraits, Low light, Macro, etc. These settings allow most people to be able to get a well exposed shot. Some cameras will also have the modes P, Tv, Av, and M. These settings are called the “Creative Zone.” These settings allow you to control part or all aspects of your exposure. The photographer is in charge in the Creative Zone.

Program Mode: (P) This is the “Program” mode. In this mode you have partial control over the camera. The camera adjusts the shutter speed and the aperture automatically to give you what it thinks is a proper exposure. This mode is a lot like Full Auto mode but you have control over things such as Aperture, Exposure Compensation, drive mode, auto focus, ISO settings, Built in flash, etc. You have some control over these settings but you are limited on how much control. In low light situations it will only allow you to increase your shutter speed and stop based on your exposure compensation or adjusting the aperture and iso. You have no direct control over the shutter speed itself.

Shutter Priority: (Tv, S) This is the “Shutter Priority” mode. This mode allows you to control how long you want the sensor to be exposed. This mode allows you to freeze the action. If you need to freeze a fast moving object, like humming bird. You could set your camera to 1/500 of a second (500), and the humming birds wings would be frozen in time. If you want to take a photo of a waterfall, and want the water to look soft like cotton candy, you could set your camera to 1 second (1”). Most cameras allow you to set it up to 30” seconds. If you want to go longer, you might need to buy a separate remote control that allows you to adjust the time further.
The longer the exposure is, the more light will be let onto the sensor.

Aperture Priority: (Av, A) This is “Aperture Priority” mode. This mode allows you to adjust the aperture. The aperture is the hole your camera sees through when it takes a photo. Depending on what f-stop you have your aperture set to, the depth of field will be either larger or smaller. The f-stop also adjusts how much light enters the camera.
In order to compensate for more or less light entering the camera, the shutter speed changes automatically depending on what f stop you have your camera set to. You can adjust how much light your camera automatically adjusts to by changing your exposure compensation.

Lenses usually range from f1.2 – f22 and higher. At f1.2, the most light enters the camera but the depth of field is very small. When shooting a portrait, a persons eyes can be sharp but their nose out of focus. At f4, less light enters the lens, and the depth of field is a bit larger. At f8, you are dealing with quite a bit more depth of field, but less light still enters the camera. There was a saying that photojournalists said to each other. They said “f8 and be there.” Meaning set your aperture at f8 and be where news is breaking. Chances are you got the shot.
At f22, the least amount of light enters the camera but you will also have the largest depth of field. When you have your aperture set to the outer fringes of the lenses aperture range, you may start to lose sharpness. Usually the sharpest f stop is around the center of its range. f5.6-f16.

Manual Mode: (M) This is “Manual” Mode. This mode allows you to have full independent control over every setting of the camera. When you adjust the aperture, and the shutter speed wont change. The picture will get brighter or darker accordingly. The same with adjusting the shutter speed while in Manual mode, the aperture will not adjust automatically. It may take a little longer to set up your shots, but don’t be afraid of trying out Manual mode. It is where the true creativity is.

I usually have my camera set to Aperture Priority. Sometimes I will switch it over to Shutter Priority mode if i need to freeze the action with a fast shutter speed. Or Manual mode if I am shooting with my strobes. The only time my camera goes into Program mode is when my switch accidentally gets turned when I’m shoving it into a camera bag.