Beyond Auto Mode: A Guide to Taking Control of Your Photography

LET THERE BE LIGHT

When you make a photograph, you are literally drawing with light. Without light, you cannot make a photograph. When using automatic camera modes you give a black box the power to choose how to use light and how your photographs look. It makes no sense to give that control to a box that cannot see what you see or know what kind of photograph you wish to make.

In the next few chapters I use the word light frequently. The levels, quality, and color of light affect every decision a photographer makes. It’s no different for you. You will find yourself looking for light and, once you find it, looking at it differently than before. It’s just like learning any new skill—practice makes perfect.

At this point, all you need to know is this: You need light to make a picture. Too much light and your picture is too bright; too little light and your picture is too dark. Making images is about controlling the amount of light your camera is using.

You will also read the word exposure a lot in this book. Without getting into too much detail right now, exposure is simply the total amount of light used to make an image. In other words, it’s how light or dark your image is.