So you’ve got a fancy DSLR or mirrorless camera but it stays on full auto (aka the little green camera) or P on the mode dial (maybe because that lets you choose when to turn on the flash).

You stick with these modes because the camera makes most of the decisions for you and all you really have to think about is where to point the camera.

Neither of those modes are necessarily bad to use – especially if you are getting the photos you want. However, there are other things on the camera’s mode dial that allow you to be more creative.

And maybe you aren’t getting the shots you want but you don’t necessarily know how to turn the photo that is in your mind into reality. Maybe you just want to understand more about how your camera works.

Whatever the case, understanding the effect and usefulness of operating in the Aperture Priority mode is a worthwhile endeavor for any budding photographer. [Read more…]