Nature Photography How To

There’s no better way to up your game than by following the advice of accomplished professionals. In this interesting tutorial you’ll learn how to make better images by shooting in Manual with Auto ISO.

Canadian nature photographer Simon d’Entremont isn’t a Manual Mode purist, saying, “I’m not trying to convert anyone, and you should use the mode that’s most comfortable.” In today’s episode he explains an eye-opening twist that makes Manual mode easier than ever and delivers great results—especially for those who consider Manual mode too daunting.

This technique is particularly helpful when shooting birds and other forms of wildlife, but works equally well for all sorts of outdoor photography. In just nine minutes d’Entremont demonstrates how this works, provides a variety of compelling examples, and explains how to couple this method with exposure compensation for optimum results.

d’Entremont prefers shooting in manual so he can has precise control of exposure settings, and he provides example of how he employs different f/stops and shutter speeds for stopping action, controlling depth of field, optimizing sharpness, and other key variables that affect the look of an image.

He explains that, “For my style of photography I want to control how much blur there is in an image, and I also need to control the shutter speed to freeze fast action.” And as you’ll see, these requirements change depend upon the specific subject at hand.

The magic occurs when you add Auto ISO to the mix. By using the approach he recommends, you’ll pick the shutter speed and aperture, and let the camera choose the ISO setting depending upon the light levels in your scene.

It’s a technique we haven’t tried before, but that’s going to change the next time we head out in the field. So watch the video, suspend your fear of Manual mode, and give this method a try.

There’s much more to learn on d’Entremont’s YouTube channel, so head over there after watching the video. And be sure to check out the tutorial we posted from another Canadian photographer, explaining how to edit sunset photos like a pro, with a free Lightroom preset.