Foto Friday: Shutter Priority Mode (AKA Better Photos In Low Light)
Date: Friday November 30, 2007Posted in: Foto Friday, Photography
I have been completely honest with you guys when I told you that I do not normally take photos in the fully manual mode on my camera. I told you that I am lazy not very good cheat usually use Aperture Priority (Av) mode on my camera.
To refresh, it is almost manual, but not quite. You pick the aperture, ISO, White Balance, focal point, and the camera sets the shutter speed to be middle metered (not over or under-exposed).
Mostly manual, with the snapping ease of automatic. Perfect.
When you are outside with lots of light.
Now that it is cold and dark (and did I mention COLD?), and we spend most of our days inside, my cheater technique for taking photos without a flash has not been working. So I did what any good Foto Friday host would do. I figured out why it is not working and branched into another Mode on my camera’s dial.
First the why behind it.
When you set all of your settings in Av mode, your camera sets the shutter speed for you. Problem is, based on your settings, the middle metered shutter speed may be slow. This means that the shutter stays open for 5 seconds and when it finally closes your kids have long left the scene and you have a photo of a blurry trail of flesh-coloured something-or-other.
There is another Mode on your dial called Shutter Priority (Tv). It works better for taking pictures inside in low light.
Here is why.
You get to pick the shutter speed (Fast shutter speed! Pick a fast one!) ISO, White Balance, focal point and then your camera picks the aperture.
In the viewfinder, your camera should tell you what aperture it is picking.
If the f-stop number blinks, then it means that a suitable aperture is not available at that shutter speed in the lighting you are shooting in. You can then change to a higher ISO or faster shutter speed and try again.
The results are not horrible.
Shutter Priority (Tv) mode is supposed to be a good Mode to be in when shooting Christmas lights. We’re setting up our trees (Yes, two trees. Wheee!) on Sunday and you better believe that photos will follow.
I used my 18-200mm lens for this, because most people have the 18-55mm lens, so we would be taking photos with a similar lens. If you also have a faster lens (which I do) you can take even better photos in low light. I could go deeper on the lens subject (I’ve been reading and playing a lot lately), but maybe I’ll explain it better in a future Foto Friday post.
If all of this Shutter Priority (Tv) hoopla seems like a big pain in the hoo-ha (I’m a poet and didn’t know it), you could always get a fancy flash!
My 430EX came last week. We are still in the getting-to-know-you stage, but she is wooing me with visions of Christmas morning/dinner as well as general winter night time nonsense without harsh shadows.
Graham and Spiderman’s “house”
Hey Emily?
You have a little somethin’ somethin’ on your lip. And chin. And shirt.
Um, Nathan? Are you diggin’ for gold?
Is it tasty?
He bites his nails too. Sigh.
Apart from the grossness, I like the fact that the flash makes for clearer/less harsh photos.
(Pauses to lick kiss her flash).
It is the Christmas season (Duh). Try the Shutter Priority (Tv) mode, and a tripod (or counter top) and see if you cannot take some pretty photos in low light.
In other news, this officially ends my thirty-day posting for NaBloPoMo. Maybe I’ll even win something this year. A girl can dream.
Knowing me, I will still post frequently, but if I miss a day (or five)? I won’t lose sleep over it.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
25 Comments
I’ve enjoyed your posts everyday. I will miss my daily Dutch Blitz.
Comment by Keri on November 30th, 2007 @ 7:22 amYour house looks fabulous, by the way. I’ll be testing out this new setting, as my AV mode hates the inside of my house. Oh and I asked for a lens for Christmas and Mike said, “What kind?” And I said, “Oh crap, I don’t know. I need to go back and see what Angella got.”
Comment by She Likes Purple on November 30th, 2007 @ 7:24 amHappy end of NaBloPoMo!
I look forward to the tree trimming photos.
I really enjoyed your daily posts, Ange. Good for you for sticking with it…hope you win something sweet for your diligence.
Comment by Amanda Brown on November 30th, 2007 @ 7:56 amI too have enjoyed the 30 day’s of reading entertainment. Have fun putting up your tree, we will be doing the same.
Comment by jazz on November 30th, 2007 @ 7:57 amWe did a mimi light up of our house last night and I had to try different modes outside in the cold. Not fun. I used the nightitme mode and tried auto with and without flash. I still cant get indoor photos perfect, so will give your ides a try. I always seemt to get that weird orange freaky lighting look.
Comment by kelly on November 30th, 2007 @ 8:24 amWe did a mimi light up of our house last night and I had to try different modes outside in the cold. Not fun. I used the nightitme mode and tried auto with and without flash. I still cant get indoor photos perfect, so will give your ides a try. I always seem to get that weird orange freaky lighting look.
Comment by kelly on November 30th, 2007 @ 8:25 amI love the first photo with the reflections in the glass. Very artsy - was it intentional?
I can’t wait to get my fancy shmancy Nikon for Christmas (well, Boxing Day.) I will be reading through all the Foto Fridays again 
Woosh - so much of that was Over. My. Head. Probably because I still (STILL) don’t have an SLR. Boo!
I will miss the daily blog posts - I have really started to get used to them!
Comment by Hannah on November 30th, 2007 @ 10:14 amGreat photos… somewhere back at aperature you lost me….
I am learning so much! Thank you. And whoo-hoo to the end of nablpomo!
Comment by familymclean on November 30th, 2007 @ 1:18 pmNoah was just telling me that he wants to put two trees up. Why? I don’t know. He just really likes Christmas. A lot. A really lot. Why do you do it? (just out of curiosity)
25 days until I can put these Foto Fridays to good use!!!!
Comment by Jen on November 30th, 2007 @ 1:44 pmNooo!!! Last day of NaBloPoMo!! Whatever will I do when Im supposed to be doing homework?!?
Comment by Alexandria on November 30th, 2007 @ 2:28 pmWow…I like the results with the fancy new flash! That may have to go on my wish list!
Comment by ashpags on November 30th, 2007 @ 4:06 pmI’m really learning from you! I don’t learn well by reading, I learn better by observation and trying myself. So your tutorials have been very helpful
And yes, take off a week if you need to, even though I know you’ll be back sooner! Good work on this November marathon.
Comment by LVGurl on November 30th, 2007 @ 7:41 pmWoohoo! You did it! Now you can relax, and even take a few days off if you need to! I’ve got my fingers crossed that you’ll win something!
Comment by Michele on November 30th, 2007 @ 10:04 pmI love it when you talk dirty camera to me. ; )
(Happy! Foto Friday, woot.)
Comment by kerrianne on November 30th, 2007 @ 10:08 pmThis post kinda made me giddy, because the only thing on my christmas list is a new camera and I will most likely get it for christmas or shortly thereafter and I’m so excited to sift back through these posts and play with my camera and your knowledge and my adorable kids!! Woo hoo. Thanks for making it through November, I just love stopping by.
Comment by Amanda Franks on December 1st, 2007 @ 4:29 amIm starting to think you can read my mind. I was just sitting here messing with my camera trying to figure out how I was going to get some decent shots at the festival of lights. We leave here in just a bit, and i said OHH DUH, check angella LOL, and walla I found what I needed!! thank you, man I really do learn a ton here! great pics btw, and I wanna see the tree(s) when they are up!!!
Comment by Jenn on December 1st, 2007 @ 4:19 pmI’m mad at you.
Until my stupid husband gets a stupid job and gets me a stupid 40D I am protesting all things SLR.
Stupid law firms.
Stupid stupid stupid.
Very cool. I *just* got a new DSLR camera and feel like I have so much to learn. Just this weekend I started playing with time Time Value and Aperture Priority modes.
Your post was so timely
Thanks for the good tips.
That was a ton of greek to me, but I enjoyed the photos.
Comment by Kristie on November 30th, 2007 @ 6:14 am