Making the Jump from AUTO to Manual Mode: It's Easier Than You Think!

Taking control of your camera settings and gaining confidence behind the lens.

I just wrapped up three wonderful days in Grand Teton National Park with a client on a private photography tour, and I came home feeling especially inspired!

One of the things I love most about leading photography tours and workshops is getting to spend time with photographers of all experience levels. From seasoned photographers with years of experience to beginners who are just discovering the magic of photography, everyone brings something different to the experience.

But I have a little confession.

Some of my absolute favorite people to photograph with are those who are still in that wonderfully exciting, can't-put-the-camera-down stage of photography!

You know the stage I'm talking about. EVERYTHING is a photo opportunity. Every change in light, every interesting cloud, every animal, every beautiful landscape. You see photographs everywhere you look, and you can't wait to capture them.

You've learned your way around your camera. You understand quite a bit about photography. But for whatever reason, you haven't quite made that final leap from letting the camera make the decisions to taking complete creative control yourself.

Maybe you're intimidated by all those settings. Maybe you're afraid you'll miss a great shot. Or maybe you're just comfortable with what you know.

Well, after spending three days talking about ISO, shutter speed, aperture, light, shadows, composition, and everything in between, I felt compelled to share a few thoughts.

Because here's what I want you to know:

You don't have to be an expert to shoot in Manual Mode. You just have to be willing to experiment!

First, What Exactly Is Manual Mode?

When your camera is set to AUTO, you're essentially letting the camera make most of the technical decisions for you.

It evaluates the scene and chooses the settings it thinks will produce a properly exposed photograph.

And honestly? Modern cameras are pretty darn good at it!

But here's the catch.

Your camera doesn't know what you're trying to create.

It doesn't know that you want that beautiful soft background behind a bull elk. It doesn't know that you want to freeze the wings of a bird in flight or intentionally blur the water in a mountain stream.

And it certainly doesn't know that you're trying to preserve those gorgeous highlights in a sunrise over the Tetons.

That's where Manual Mode comes in.

Manual Mode allows YOU to make those decisions.

And once you understand the three basic settings that control exposure, it becomes much less intimidating.

The Exposure Triangle: Three Settings You Need to Understand

Photography is all about light, and three camera settings work together to determine how your image is exposed.

We call this the Exposure Triangle.

1. Aperture (f-stop): How Much Light Enters Your Lens

Aperture controls the size of the opening in your lens that allows light to reach your camera's sensor.

But just as importantly, it affects how much of your photograph appears in focus.

Low f-stop (f/2.8, f/4): A wider opening, more light, and a shallower depth of field. Great for isolating wildlife against a beautifully blurred background.
High f-stop (f/11, f/16): A smaller opening, less light, and a greater depth of field. Often useful for landscapes when you want more of the scene in focus.

My tip: Think about what you want in focus before choosing your aperture.

2. Shutter Speed: Freezing or Showing Motion

Shutter speed determines how long your camera's sensor is exposed to light.

This is especially important in wildlife photography!

1/2000 second: Great starting point for freezing fast-moving wildlife or birds in flight.
1/500 second: Often works well for slower-moving animals, depending on your focal length and the subject's movement.
1/30 second: Can create intentional motion blur or work for stationary subjects when your camera is well supported.

My tip: If your subject is moving, shutter speed is often the first setting I think about.

And remember, the longer your lens, the more important it becomes to use a shutter speed fast enough to avoid camera shake.

3. ISO: Adjusting Your Camera's Sensitivity Setting

ISO controls how much your camera amplifies the signal captured by its sensor, helping you achieve the exposure you need in different lighting conditions.

ISO 100–200: Great for bright, sunny conditions.
ISO 400–800: Often useful for overcast days or softer light.
ISO 1600 and higher: Helpful when photographing wildlife in early morning, late evening, or shaded conditions.

Higher ISO settings can introduce more noise into your photographs, but modern cameras handle higher ISO values remarkably well.

My tip: Don't be so afraid of raising your ISO that you end up with a blurry photograph! A sharp image with a little noise is usually much better than a perfectly clean image that's out of focus because your shutter speed was too slow.

So How Do You Actually Make the Switch?

Here's the good news. You don't need to memorize dozens of settings or understand every feature on your camera.

Start simple!

Step 1: Turn your camera dial to M (Manual Mode).

Yep. Just do it!

Step 2: Choose your aperture.

Think about your subject. Do you want a soft background or more of the scene in focus?

Step 3: Choose your shutter speed.

Is your subject moving? How fast? Are you handholding a long lens?

Step 4: Adjust your ISO.

Use your camera's exposure meter, histogram, or live preview to help determine whether your image is properly exposed. Adjust your ISO as needed.

Step 5: Take a picture and LOOK at it!

Is it too bright? Too dark? Is your subject sharp? Does the background look the way you imagined?

Make an adjustment and try again.

That's it!

You're officially shooting in Manual Mode!

And here's something else worth mentioning: Many cameras offer Auto ISO while you're in Manual Mode. This is a wonderful stepping stone! You choose your aperture and shutter speed, and your camera adjusts ISO to help achieve the exposure.

It's a great way to build confidence without having to manage all three settings at once.

The Pros and Cons of Shooting in Manual Mode

Let's be realistic. Manual Mode isn't always the best choice for every situation.

The Pros

You have complete control over your exposure settings.
You can make intentional creative decisions.
You can maintain consistent exposure when lighting conditions remain the same.
You develop a much better understanding of how light affects your images.
You become more confident and less dependent on your camera's automatic decisions.

The Cons

It takes practice, especially in changing light.
You may miss a shot while adjusting settings.
It can feel overwhelming at first.
You have to pay closer attention to your exposure.

And here's something I think is really important.

Shooting in Manual Mode doesn't automatically make you a better photographer.

There are incredibly talented professional photographers who regularly use Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual Mode with Auto ISO.

The goal isn't to prove that you can shoot in Manual.

The goal is to understand your camera well enough that YOU get to decide which settings will best capture the photograph you envision.

My Favorite Advice? Practice When Nothing Important Is Happening!

Please don't wait until you're standing in front of a grizzly bear, watching a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter, to experiment with Manual Mode for the first time!

Practice in your backyard.

Photograph your dog. A bird on the fence. The flowers in your garden. The changing light coming through your windows.

Take the same photograph using different apertures, shutter speeds, and ISO settings.

Look at the results and ask yourself what changed and why.

That's how you learn.

And don't be afraid to make mistakes. Believe me, we ALL make them!

The Best Part of Photography Is That There's Always Something New to Learn

Those three days in the Tetons reminded me of something I absolutely love about photography.

The excitement of learning.

The moment when something that once seemed complicated suddenly makes sense. When a photographer begins to understand not just WHICH settings to use, but WHY they're using them.

And then they start seeing the world a little differently.

They notice the direction of the light. The shadows. The backgrounds. The little details that can turn an ordinary photograph into something extraordinary.

That excitement is contagious, and I love being a part of it!

Whether you've been photographing for three months or thirty years, there's always something new to discover.

So if you've been hesitating to turn that dial to M, consider this your encouragement to give it a try.

Take your time. Experiment. Make mistakes. Learn from them.

And most importantly, have fun!

Because at the end of the day, photography should bring you joy.

Ready for the next step? Understanding the difference between RAW and JPEG is another great way to take more creative control of your photography. I'll be covering that in a separate article, so stay tuned!

Come Photograph With Me!

If you're ready to take your photography to the next level, I'd love to help!

I offer private photography tours and small-group photography adventures where we can work on everything from camera settings and composition to understanding light and photographing wildlife in some of the most beautiful places on earth.

Whether you're just getting comfortable with your camera or you're an experienced photographer looking for new opportunities, there's always something to learn and discover together.

Visit my website to explore upcoming photography tours and workshops, or reach out to me directly with questions.

I hope to see you out there!

LeAnn

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How to Shoot in Manual Mode: A Beginner's Photography Guide