Do you need to shoot in Manual mode?

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Are camera settings important? Should you use a manual mode, or can everything be done in Auto? In this video I walk through how I choose my camera settings, and why it doesn't have to be a complicated process!
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[@DavidSenteno]

I think by making photography seem complicated it gives us the feeling we are special. Ellie people who know every mode and setting and you don't. When I started I felt like I could never compete. Now I just want to have fun and do the best I can. Sharing the love of photography is way more infectious than the tiny details. 👍🏻👊🏻🥂

[@Jazzmaster1992]

"There are an awful lot of people, making an awful lot of money, out of making photography seem much more complicated than it is" Thank you, I could not agree more. The amount of "gear" I see recommended by other people can be pretty insane. I think some folks are unsure of themselves and so they feel they have to have a variety of lenses, filters etc. "just in case", like they may need a long expsosure so they pack in multiple ND filters etc. so they can get the kind of photo they think they ""should"" get. It's taken me a while, but I moved past that, and now my setup and process is very simple. It doesn't need to be complex, maybe because I'm pretty satisfied what I'm getting out of it now.

[@waynosfotos]

I do believe it depends; What are you shooting. I shoot cars so a gimbal is a really good tool. But some people think they are a waste of money. If you don't have to walk quickly or any distance for your shots, a gimbal is a waste of money. If you do coffee shoots then a telephoto lens is a waste. So i say it depends. Mostly i use a gimbal, 85mm, 35mm and a tripod.

[@ronboe6325]

I've gone down the gear hear route in several hobbies. Turns out it's more of a "explore yourself" route, as one is new to a hobby they really don't know what they will use and what they won't (or can't :^) ). After a bit you know what works for you and what is not being used. Then phase two starts; should one purge the surplus gear or save it because you just might use it one day. I tend to, sadly, go with the latter more than the former. :D

[@smashexentertainment676]

If everyone knew how easy it is to be a photographer, we'd have a lot more competition))

[@steves1015]

Ian Lindo i agree with this. Some of the video recommendations are not even a disguised attempt to earn money / sponsorship - the magazines for most hobbies tend to be bad for that. I used to buy fishing and diving magazines until I cottoned on to the fact they really didn’t tell you that much mew information (nearly always recycled) and a large percentage of the magazine was basic advertising for new gear (especially for fishing there was always a great new “must have” gadget to try out). When it came to photography I started to take it seriously (“serious” as opposed to random clicks with the phone) last year. A lot of the videos I watched about starting out kept telling me all this gear I “must” own, and they were often a bit overwhelming. (Although I empathise with the content makers a bit because they don’t really know you or I, or what we are trying to accomplish and they are trying to cover all of their audience). When I finally got a camera I then spent time learning how to use it and trying to take shots. It was only doing that that I started to realise what I wanted to do but couldn’t: It was after being on the EBC trek and having strap burns on my neck (and slight scratches to the display screen) from having the camera dangling constantly that I realised the peak design camera holder was worth the expense. It was missing out on a number of pics wildlife (you know - when they come out as tiny indistinguishable specs) that made me realise i needed a lens which could have a narrow field of view. It was the constant blur especially in low light that made me realise I needed a tripod etc. I got my gear based on what I needed and through the process of finding my feet. And if there were mistakes I would try to fix them first by asking myself what I did wrong or could do better, not automatically blaming inferior hear. I get the feeling that some people have a fear of missing out, that they want to be able to photograph every situation (or simply have more money to spare than I do :) ) and thus buy all the gear they can before really thinking what they need.

[@orphanuprising]

I've also gone down the gear route with many hobbies. And in every single one of them the adage "gear doesn't matter" is something that's repeated time and time again. And while that's very true, gear isnt everything, I've found getting a new piece of gear inspires me to use it, and in turn, inspires me to go explore my craft. I love having lots of gear, but you're definitely right, its not completely necessary.

[@TW7]

Once again James's 'photography philosophy' is spot on

[@12foundations]

My school's off now... I know which KZbin channel I'll be watching all day long... pssstt it's yours

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

haha, thanks man!

[@smasanomas]

Cheers, a year later and I'm in the same position - first day of the new semester and I've been saved by an ice storm >:)

[@12foundations]

@@smasanomas have fun :)

[@CheeseOnEverything]

This is very true, because you have to understand the settings and what they do instead of having each photo's settings on the frame. The light is different in every situation, whether you're shooting during sunny days, cloudy days, in the shade, shooting portrait or landscape. Everything changes.

[@GeneWaddle]

As a beginner several years ago the best advice I got on settings was to find a scene I wanted to shoot, set the camera to auto, then look at what it determined the settings should be and adjust from there. The camera itself is a great learning tool. I suppose until the outside is available again we'll have to settle for the 🐑 on the shelf unless of course, some 🐑 come to visit at your house. No offense intended to the 🐑 on the shelf, I'm sure he's a fine 🐑.

[@lylestavast7652]

not just a FINE sheep, a BAAAAAAAADDDD sheep.

[@jodeanesullens6588]

Yeah, I am going to miss getting my weekly sheep fix. Stay safe James, we need you.

[@thegrayyernaut]

@Dawaleeb Alhawa I just put my camera to Aperture Priority and not worry so much about settings xD Or my subjects would just run off somewhere while I fiddle with the dials.

[@geester]

@@thegrayyernaut same, been shooting for over a decade and started off in manual but now shoot exclusively in aperture. I only shoot in manual if the lighting is challenging indoors as my camera might expose darker then I want.

[@timothylatour4977]

@@justlovethisgame3537 If you're happy with the results with a point and shoot, then why not? The word "beginner" implies there is a journey ahead, but that might not be the case for everyone. The only reason to move higher and higher in gear acquisition is that your current gear is incapable of producing what you want. So you see, it still boils down to what you want, not what someone else says you should have.

[@marktrued9497]

Photography is a craft. Seeing, really seeing, is the Art.

[@joekoz451]

For what it's worth, you're spot on about posting settings along with the image. It's something I've believed since the beginnings of my photographic adventure in the late 1960s. Posting the settings tell you little or nothing of value to the viewer. Because of the relationships between ISO, shutter speed and aperture, you could post two dozen settings that would achieve very much the same image.

[@CarolyneMacMillan]

I've been an aperture priority girl for years. I occasionally go shutter priority for bike racing and chasing my kids but mostly AP. It's just habit I think, formed after 30 odd years making images. I found what worked best for me and stuck with that. Lately I've been checking out P mode to try something different while we're locked in. I must say I quite like it. I switch between fixed ISO and auto ISO depending on the situation and the light. I like that I can change both aperture and shutter speed with one dial instead of switching to one or the other and then changing the settings and of course you still have exposure compensation for fine tuning things. I can understand why photojournalists find it useful. It's a very quick way to change settings in fast changing situations. Manual mode on steroids. As for settings on images, I have to confess I never look at them. I'm more interested in walking around inside the image if you know what I mean. The only time I've really looked at them has been recently for astro shots. I bought a Samyang 7.5mm lens to give astro a go but since the lens arrived a couple of days ago, it's been raining. Murphy's law I think. Cycling I'd say keep trying. Don't run before you can walk though. Try easy trails and build up speed and confidence. One tip I learned from a friend that crashed off a farm motorcycle, don't wear wool close to your skin. It causes burns in a fall. Keep a layer between. I've no idea what all these new man-made fabrics are like in a fall. Hopefully they give some protection. Stay safe :)

[@christophpleininger5876]

Once again, I couldn't agree more. I love your honest approach and putting fun first in photography.

[@melprophet1936]

Just found you on KZbin, James, and am really enjoying your videos. It's great to see practical information.

[@marekward6202]

Thanks. I listened to all those who spouted that Manual Mode was the proper way. After about 8000 pictures I switched to Aperture Priority. I still keep an eye on speed but my usable pictures have increased dramatically. It only takes a little cloud to drift by, or away and the exposure changes in the space of seconds. A/P reacts way quicker than me. More than anything it allows me to take one or two shots instead of five or six to get what picture I wanted and just saves time sifting through the better photos on a memory card.

[@robstammers7149]

Thank you James, being stuck indoors due to the present crisis, we have your videos to inform and entertain us. I've been doing more editing than usual, actually talking to my gear and telling them how much I really appreciate them, and apologising to them too, as they're getting bored too, I'm getting them out of their bags and covers just to assure them they are still part of life, again thanks James.

[@washingtonradio]

Great overview of how to chose settings. I understand your point about reviewing the settings someone else made is often pointless because we were not there to see what the issues were that determined the settings.

[@bosrey7807]

Great Vid James. I'm also a G9 shooter but I'm mostly in shutter priority for wildlife--will definitely try your aperture method for other types of shooting. I recently had a bad fall trying to manual and tore my meniscus and partially tore my ACL back in April. Could barely walk for a month and thankfully found out I didn't necessarily need surgery. During that time I didn't even want to look at my mountain bike or watch MTB videos. During my physio and rehab during the lock down, I began to ride the trainer watching my go pro footage visualizing my self on the trails, flowing, doing what I love. As I began watching MTB vids again, something led me to the Canyon website and lo and behold, 6 months interest free financing! Our lock down had just ended and I pulled the trigger and a new Strive. Between virtually riding my favorite trails, doing what I love, and a new bike, I was able to progress from road to easy trails again. Had a bit of a low speed fall and landed, as luck would have it , on the same knee. Fortunately, no further damage, but I did feel like Peter from Family Guy, clutching my knee, breathing through clenched teeth and ahhhh-ing....until I realized all was good. It's been a challenge but start slow and if it's something you love, you can't not do it. Also, watch Martyn Ashton ride Whistler... kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZvLmZWredd9Z6M

[@joeshmoe7967]

One does not have to shoot in manual, but some of us prefer it. 6 years after my first DSLR and around 100K photos taken...99% in full manual. I start with abase setting like ISO 640, shutter 800, f6.3. The vast majority of time I am shooting birds or wild life, so the base settings is a start. I can change shutter and aperture on the fly with out taking my eye off the subject. It is just my preferred way to work. Auto modes do work well in a modern camera, but I am puzzled at those that shoot in Av mode and choose an aperture that will get them a high shutter speed. Av when you want to control depth of field, Tv when you want to choose shutter speed. On good thing about at least learning to shoot in manual is the ability to guesstimate an exposure if something isn't working. I can sunny 16 my way out of any scenario.

[@Mr_Smith1327]

Thankyou James, this finally triggered the initive in me to go and do some simple research to learn if it technically mattered if I was shooting high shutter speed wide apature vs. slow shutter speed narrow apature. And as you would know I learned technically no, it mostly dictates motion blur and depth of field which makes me happier knowing I wasn't doing anything inherently wrong. So thank you again for making these videos James. I started out, as I imagine most of us did, shooting exclusively in auto mode. It wasn't until I was at an event that went into the night that I had to force myself to rather quickly learn manual mode due to auto mode severely underexposing the shot. As of that day I have never had the need nor desire use auto mode again.

[@philbrown8181]

Quite agree regarding showing the settings for each photo, not least as the image will often have been post-processed.

[@mattcom2]

Terrible video editor? No way. The manner in which you finesse some of those jump cuts....audio edit before video, for example...speaks of mastery, not ineptitude. I’ve been watching KZbin videos for a couple of years now and I came to the medium hating jump cuts. Still do, except when they’re done well. You’ve somehow managed to incorporate everything from framing to subject motion to brilliant timing in a way that makes them completely acceptable, even admirable. I can’t even see most of what you’re doing. No greater praise.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks so much Michael, that's wonderful to hear :)

[@RobertJohnKerrUK]

Hi James lovin your channel.... You have been a great help regarding my recent purchase of the G9 and I also just got the 8 to 18mm .... even though I am a vlogger your videos have helped me get back to a professional camera rather than the glitches I always had with the GoPro 5,6,7...and the 8.... Cheers pal.... very entertaining 👍👍👍

[@franklawler7055]

Your Videos are always a breath of fresh air James. Photography is not as complicated as some people make you believe. I think there is are so many videos on KZbin which seem to be aimed at photographers who spend all their time renting or buying the latest equipment and that it makes me wonder they will ever fully master anything they buy. I have used the same set up for a long while and know what I can get out of my camera/lens combination for my wildlife photography. With digital (unlike film) you can do trial and error and quickly correct in most cases and digital just cries out for experimentation. There is a lot to be said with just fiddling about in photography which is both fun and intuitive. On your mountain biking..Have Emily ride in front of you as I'm sure she is less reckless than you and is more money conscious! Also, I think you have scored a first in photography video land by helping a lady load scuba gear into her car..Well done! Thank you for another fine video.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks so much Frank :)

[@TheMoodyPhotographer]

@3:03 The best sentence anyone has heard about camera gears 👏🏻👏🏻

[@spiegeje]

Love your honesty and humor. Your editing isn’t bad...your personality seems to come through.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks so much! :)

[@JohnMHazlewood]

Great video as usual James Makes so much sense.

[@ThomasParis]

Every time I go on a photowalk with a group (and that used to be very often), I tell them the one thing they have to do to make a photo is find the shutter button. Meaning in most situations the camera can deal with the technical side of things. Sure, there are situations where one needs to master the settings. But there aren't that many. Composition, however, is something cameras can't do for us. Not yet, at least. So, I'd rather beginners (and lots of people coming to these photowalks are beginners) would focus on improving their composition skills than waste time on mastering something the camera can do for them. As for the current situation, I normally work as a software engineer but ended my last contract shortly before the crisis and can't work from home. So... No income until further notice. Not even unemployment. Well, I do have my Patreon, but that's such a small amount of money it doesn't help much. Good thing I have some savings but they won't last forever...

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Great advice :)

[@tTLM823]

Great advice, James... thank you!

[@kent2000100]

Thanks for the perspective.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

Great video! This is exactly my philosophy to settings too!

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks Mads! Hope you're well 🙂

[@jayryia]

Nice to see you in the "office" again man. Regardless where you shoot, you make awesome, realistic (and amusing) stuff. Not that they're locking down the beaches and bars and everything here sadly, I don't even know how much shooting I'll be able to do anymore.

[@mfreider]

James, excellent points! F-Stop, shutter speed are pointless without knowing what was actual conditions and intentions at the moment when shot was taken. When we are looking at pictures we do not know where focus plane was and how much of frame was cropped out, what kind of light conditions photographer had, so providing some abstract numbers makes very little sense to me. Bike :) Don't be afraid to fall. It is part of learning. First day when I were riding my motorbike to work , long time ago, I crashed on intersection ;) Everybody, even best of us fall, be a man, get up and try again. Just do not kill yourself, I want to see you next videos ;)

[@quadisimov2966]

Welcome to the world of editing James. 5 hours for a 10 min vid is actually pretty good. When I’m editing a TV show, I often need weeks if not a month to edit a single episode. It’s time consuming! Love the video, glad you’re ok after falling of the bike.

[@Ulrich.Bierwisch]

I'm cycling a lot but I never had the confidence for mountain-biking. Kind of 45 Years ago, I decided to do road biking. First thing I found during trips in Denmark and the Nederlands was that flat countries are not that much fun after a couple of days. It' like hiking in the mountains. It looks uncomfortable in the first place but at the end it's more fun. So since then it's the mountains and pass roads like the Applecross road or the Vršič-Pass in Slovenia you visited in one of you videos. There are hundreds of lovely pass roads in the Alps alone and on the road, you don't have to watch for obstacles on the next 10 meters, you can cycle, enjoy the landscape, reset your mind and relax (as long as you not start to hunt for the better time).

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

That sounds awesome - hopefully I'll be able to get to the alps when this all passes!

[@8co0ley2]

Ordered my copy! Can't wait 😁

[@kkaramath7104]

I agree with you 100% however I always shoot manual, because I prefer having full control of everything, because I like to have the creative control, so I can continously over or under expose as I choose, or have a crisp background or blur it to oblivion, or weather I choose to freeze motion or blur it beyond recognition. Great video James

[@tarynsanmartino8930]

Glad to see you were okay after the spills on the bike!

[@rowlandh25]

Great video James.

[@EricAlainDufresne]

This was a very helpful video. Thank you for posting it.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks for watching Eric :)

[@trevorcarpenter6678]

Excellent, your best and most important video. I've spent a long time banging my head against a wall trying to explain to people why somebody else's settings don't matter. If you know what it is you are trying to do and how the camera makes those opportunities available to you, you have cracked it.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks Trevor :)

[@markandannette]

It must have been a bad spill, excuse my two spills if it scared you that much. Glad you are well James and you are spot on with your topic, knowing settings is really not that helpful. Every photographer has a vision in mind and may need different settings. Thanks for the videos James, I find them very informative and very entertaining, love your humor keep it up my friend.

[@iangordicans8763]

new to your channel and I like it. you cut through the crap, not up yourself and provide useful info. thanks

[@antcox2006]

i fell off my bike few times, its all about getting back on and building your confidence back up. No other way to it. I have hit patches of gravel, patches of oil on road, frost and ice and it boils down to you anticipating the conditions and getting a feel for the bike that you know how it runs and what it can do. I've been riding for over 10 years.

[@chrisclarke3443]

i have photographed manually for many years and it is a bit like changing the gears of your car - you get to know what settings you need in daylight conditions without thinking about it. its really not that difficult but most people revert to shutter or aperture priorities because it is easier and they want short term results. If you shoot using the camera preprogrammed settings then you will get the same results as most people because you are doing the same as them. Thats ok- if that is your intention. If you want photographs that are different then you have to take control of the camera. Yes i will take the first shot to test that i have got it right but quite often i will not change the camera settings until i get home. i accept that you will make a few mistakes when you start out but if you persist then within a month or so you will get it right. Just "trust the force Luke - trust the force" .

[@kolhausen]

Gravel bikes are game changing. It looks like the kind of places you go would be ideal.

[@walterwiniana]

Well explained mate! Have a good day 👍🏼

[@Bryan_Stock]

I had a mountain bike, sold it and snagged a gravel bike love it great purchase. Specialized diverge it’s awesome! Great purchase. Thanks for the video always great info! Look forward to future videos

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

I might head the same way mate :)

[@thomastarner8683]

I think seeing before SOOC image next to or followed by the after post processing image are more valuable to see than what settings were used to capture the image.

[@Happy_Snapper]

Great video, again! Stay healthy James.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Cheers mate, you too!

[@scottfineshriber5051]

I wholeheartedly agree with your views about showing all the settings a photo was taken with! How often will a viewer want to take a photograph of the same thing from the same place under the exact same lighting? I sometimes see it as relevant with regard to stopping action or showing off a wide aperture, but that can be saved for lens reviews, or maybe comparing sensor formats. Rarely relevant otherwise.

[@chumleyspedalboards2037]

I really appreciate your channel and agree with this video. We have a 5d Mark III, 70D, 6D, a 12 year old Rebel, Lightroom, Photoshop...blah blah. My favorite is the simple Rebel in jpeg mode. I'm not a huge fan of editing photos and spending hours at the computer. However, I do love going out and shooting the best photos I can straight from the camera.

[@twotone3070]

I think the settings thing really is down to the type of images you take, no moving objects, no low light, no shallow DOF. It suits you fine. On other channels there can be a discussion about the composition and how to achieve a certain effect and the decisions taken to arrive at the desired outcome. Your channel is different to theirs, not better or worse, just different. Really the best way to learn about the settings, once you have a basic understanding, is to get out and take the same pic at different settings yourself, then study them to see what does what.

[@clinty51]

Echo response from another viewer... Full Auto is great to learn from. Educate and enable the understanding of how to create what you felt the shot could have been, and, given the time, at that moment, to change settings and recapture the scene quickly is what I take out of learning your camera, it's settings and in fact how easy it is to access those settings and share the environment in front of you.

[@gapcreekonline948]

Fantastic video 🌸 great to know how long it takes you to edit your clips,,,, makes me feel better about some of the editing I do ,. Also nice to see there are still some gentle men out there these days ,, Stay safe

[@johnsparkes8963]

Well said, I also think a lot of vlogers try to make Landscape photography very complicated with all that editing. Get it correct in the field to save all that after fuss.

[@GrantSR]

Back in the day, when I had my Pentax Super-Program, I would almost always just set it to program mode and center-weighted average metering, then adjust the exposure compensation based on my estimation of of the brightness in the scene and what I had learned about how the meter would think. Reading all those John Hedgecoe Photography books had taught me how to estimate how much of the scene was above or below the average 18% gray that the meter was looking for, take into consideration how dark or light my subject was in relation to the rest of the scene, then adjust accordingly. This drastically reduced how much thinking I had to do. By sticking to the exact same setting most of the time, I allowed my brain to develop it's own neutral network, which worked in concert with the meter. Plus, the only setting I had to change was the exposure compensation. Now, my ISO was fixed. Based on whatever roll of film was still left in the camera. But my technique was there same, regardless. Look at the scene. Judge what exposure compensation I would need, then shoot away. I almost always got perfect exposure. My point is not too never use manual (or aperture or shutter priority). The point is to give yourself time to learn how your individual camera thinks. And this is easier to do when you aren't changing modes and settings all the time. Once you know how the most basic mode of your meter thinks, you can be a lot more confident when you go out shooting. You'll know you have at least one mode where you know exactly what will happen. That way, if you get overwhelmed by some new mode you are experimenting with, but you want to be sure to get the shot, you can always drop back to your tried-and-true technique and quickly get the shot. After that, you can go back to experimenting around with other metering modes. Oh, and to the original point of the video. The only information I would really care to know about my exposure was what compensation I had used. So, one simple + or - number, written on a scrap of paper would suffice. But that number wouldn't help anyone else because they didn't have the same camera as me.

[@Mark-ks9jj]

Grant Robertson bloody brilliant comment and for the huge majority of what we shoot it works well 95-98% of the time

[@owenminter7341]

Nice video James :) not sure I understood everything but your overall messages are always clear and helpful! Why not do an episode - similar to using one lense, or one aspect ratio - but this time only use auto on your camera? It would be nice to compare your results with the ones mere mortals like myself achieve... Also, I think gravel bikes would be harder and scarier to ride DH on... Get back on yours straight away and take things slow on easy tracks!

[@mattlo1661]

Just ordered your book! Hopefully it exceeds my expectations like the previous one 😬

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks so much Matt :)

[@dAhkS]

Gravel bikes are easily the best thing that has happened to cycling in the last years! I have switched completely from MTB to Gravel and I'm liking it every minute. You can ride almost the same trails but cover way larger distances. 10/10

[@dougmckillop9352]

Second [e-mail] says about gravel bikes. If you ride one you will soon find the mountain bike rather sluggish on tracks and trails although the MTB better on really rough stuff. But sound as though you need a bit of practice first either way!

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Nice! :)

[@VishMulchan]

I think this video was full of really good info. Thank you.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@tjsinva]

Excellent perspective, James! Aperture priority is the most sensible approach provided you know the sweet spot of the lens, which, as you say, is available in many corners of the web, or since they have time, they could find themselves. As far as the bike goes, maybe a return to training wheels or some sort of outrigger apparatus. Never heard of a gravel bike. ⁉⁉ Stay safe and rock on!

[@mavfan1]

tjsinva but of course aperture priority is far from sensible shooting sports, esp indoor sports.

[@tjsinva]

@@mavfan1 True, circumstances prevail.

[@JohnsJunk]

I transition from shooting things that are more or less stationary to moving at 150-300 km/h in a few seconds. Getting that right is trying. I find it useful to know the settings used as a means of getting into a photographers head to know why those settings. Loses most of its usefulness if you aren't standing right next to them when they got the shot though. Every little bit helps.

[@carlmcneill1139]

I mostly shoot in manual and my starting settings are based on what type of photography I'm doing. If I'm doing landscape with a tripod I want the lowest ISO I can use. Unless I'm at the beach and I want to freeze the motion of the waves and its still somewhat low light. But I'll use the lowest ISO I can get by with. For astrophotography I know I'll start with different settings. For sports I would use something different. For long exposure in waterfalls I need a specific shutter speed. And it gets more difficult calculating everything with an nd filter. Here's something I see in my photography group. I see people tell the new ones in the group, that are new to photography, that they need to learn the exposure triangle. Well yes but, there's more to it than that. I can get a correct exposure using almost every ISO depending on the light. I can get a correct exposure with every shutter speed. Knowing what shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to use can make a huge difference.

[@CanadianArchivist]

You discussed about camera settings information. The only reason why that should be in a video is if someone is doing a review on a lens, or explaining how to shoot a subject ( like landscape), and see how it affects the way the subject looks. Manual mode. I do like it because I can control the settings. But as some say, you can miss an image because of all the fiddling around. I shoot minor hockey which can be extremely fast. I deal with bad lighting, smudge marks on glass, the glass in the arena itself, and netting protecting spectators. I can’t use aperture priority because at 70mm I’m at f:/4 and as I zoom toward 300mm it drops to f:/6.3. I use 1/320 second shutter. Can’t use shutter priority because I’ll zoom out and the aperture will be set by the lens and it won’t compensate. Due to the brightness of the ice surface, I get dark images because the camera closes the aperture because of the ice. I use EV exposure value / exposure compensation to trick the cameras metering by a few stops which helped get much better images. So in some instances, auto modes may not work and you have to be creative with manual settings

[@timothylinn]

I'm going to be the voice of dissent on the issue of sharing settings with your images. They _can_ be instructional but, more than that, they are interesting. Interestingness is reason enough. I don't deny that some newb may not know what to do with the information but dumbing down a channel to target the lowest common denominator seems short-sighted. As for the extra effort, if you create a project template from which you begin each episode, you can include a title template in it which you can copy and customize for each image with very little time or effort expended. Great channel, BTW. I'm enjoying the content as well as your sense of humor.

[@Janice45840]

I'm one of those newbs. I like seeing the settings, not to try to replicate, but I struggle with settings. Seeing what a photo's settings were gives me a feel for what mine might be like in a similar situation.

[@timothylinn]

@@Janice45840 I appreciate your comment, Janice, because I think it illustrates that most people, regardless of experience level, have the common sense to understand metadata does not equal some type of magic formula. It is a data point.

[@jacobthompson6291]

Great video, as always. Try a dropper seat post for confidence on the mountain bike, really helped me... Glad you and the camera are alright 😉

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Cheers mate, and I love my dropper :)

[@dalekanium9531]

It's been hard to photograph during these times, so your channel has been my "fill"!

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Awesome to hear! Thanks for watching :)

[@CliffyBRD2008]

Stick with the mountain bike. I went through the same stage of thinking I was going to get hurt. Your skill level will improve faster than you think and you will be fine. Btw, I have the same green smith helmet but not as color coordinated with my glasses. Love the videos! Thank you!!

[@kungfool69]

I usually use P mode on my Lumix GX8, seems to calculate the best settings for my style of portaits. Bought myself a G9 as well, just waiting for it to arrive!!

[@searam1]

Thanks for being honest about settings. I was wondering if, when you were researching your new camera system, if you compared the G9 to the GX9? I hope you and your wife stay safe! Sean

[@sicilia71]

Firstly the telling off lol James you're not 10 years old anymore, doing bike stunts and whatnot. Take it easy dude. As i mentioned in one of your other videos i didn't want to watch one where you had been injured so i'm glad you're ok. And secondly, another great video. I'm one of "those" that spends a little to much time wondering about peoples' settings as i still consider myself relatively new to photography, so thank you for simplifying things. Stay safe, we're living in crazy times at the moment.

[@Mark-ks9jj]

Program mode with adjusting the exposure compensation to get the exposure etc you like is a great way to take the pressure off when shooting difficult subjects ie birds, insects etc

[@marcanthonyskidmore4131]

Yes. it is vital to get all the settings correct before editing on the PC.

[@chrisperceval193]

Yes - in the studio!

[@anniebooo]

Hi James, Thanks for a new funny and interesting video. I'm in the tripod clan, but basically using the same method bar less the ISO, most of the time... I'm running a business, it is extraordinary times. Keep safe! All the best. Annie

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

You too Annie! :)

[@niallmurphy9376]

Something like a specialised sequioa is a good bet, it is between the diverge gravel bike and the AWOL bikepacking bike. I cycled mine through north Spain and a lot of gravel in Finland. I love that bike. To get confidence back. Maby go a bit smaller and build up to more difficult again.

[@TroyHomenchuk]

Been at photography long enough and I totally agree, for what it's worth.

[@martyryan2706]

I knew we'd be back in the room. Knew it!

[@fotoguy95037]

Priceless..great video with comedy

[@garyrowe58]

I walk about in P mode; I'm ready for anything. If its a fleeting shot, I know at least I got the light right, but if I have a moment I can spin the front wheel to get a much better balance between shutter speed and aperture. With known subject types, I choose which is more important - DOF or shutter time ... If I want a particulr aperture, i put it in Av mode and let the camera select the shutter speed, or if its sports I put it into Tv and go from there. But if things are unchanging, I put it in manual, so the camera doesn't get distracted by a fleeting change if lighting.

[@westr70]

I broke two ribs and six months later, broke my arm doing mountain biking. As a viable alternative, I took up backstabbing competitive crocheting. ;)

[@MichaelSmith-ct9qh]

Might sound daft but the best thing is just getting back on the bike. Longer you are off it, the harder it becomes in my own opinion anyway. Gravel or a cyclocross bike is a great option! Loads of fun to be had on one!

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Cheers mate :)

[@billkipper3264]

The best confidence boost is to keep riding. You're going to fall and get scraped, cut, beat and bruised but you'll heal. In all my years of riding mountain bikes, since the late 80's, the vast majority of riders never get beyond getting beat up a bit. The best advice I can give is to stay off the brakes, keep your weight centered, and let the bike roll. That's not to say don't use the brakes. Learn to feather the brakes and don't forget that the front is the most important. Most of your braking power is there. You're braking balance should be more front than rear. Unless you grab a huge handful of the front you're not going over the bars. Brake as you enter the corner then let the bike roll through it. Braking in the corner could cause the front to wash out and down you go.There's a fine line between going too fast and going fast enough so the bike will just absorb and roll over obstacles. Too slow and the bike won't absorb either and that's when obstacles cause the wheels to deflect off the rock, root, etc. which can also cause a crash. In fact, my worst injury happened while riding too slow. Gravel bikes are cool but in my opinion you already own one. Maybe another set of wheels with tires more dirt road oriented rather than trail riding. However, if you want to ride long distances, thirty miles or more a day with a mix of paved and dirt roads, then a dedicated gravel bike would be best.

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks so much Bill!

[@n00g]

gloves, knee pads and more speed :) I fell off a couple of times early on when I started mtb'ing, you just have to keep going at it and you'll get the skills eventually. at least you 're in the right part of the country to test yourself :)

[@markhoffman9655]

I have been shooting A or S mode most of the time in the last 30 years, film or digital. But recently have "discovered" that Manual is not the same beast now compared to the film days as most cameras allow auto ISO in M-mode. The beauty is that you can set aperture for DOF and shutter speed for motion and let the ISO go where it needs to go. This has transformed my bird photography for short range (need minimum f-stop to get enough DOF) and fast motion (fast shutter speed to freeze movement). Just controlling speed or the aperture was a high miss rate approach even with the highest ISO limit dialled in. Now I seldom use A or S.

[@Dan-kb2oz]

Interesting, might try it. Have you tried Manual with Auto ISO? I really like it, on the G9 too. Thinking about it the process seems similar to how you use AP. It’s like AP+SP and the camera chooses ISO, up to the limit I think I’ve set at 3200. Just tweak the top and back dials for aperture and shutter respectively and watch the ISO. Stay safe James. You don’t want a trip to hospital now 😜

[@broken12367]

Keep the content coming

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Will do :)

[@LOLL1234567890123456]

Hey.. about getting you confidence up: take it slow and gradually ride harder trails, there is no need to rush it and you have all the time in the world. It's all about practice, maybe visit a local pump track if there aren't any people there now. I'd say you don't really need a gravel bike yet, since the scout is a very capable bike even for pedalling. You will save a lot of money and space if you get another set of wheels with faster rolling tires (something meant for XC, for example maxxis ikon or vittoria barzo) and just set your fork a little bit harder when you need to. I enjoy your videos very much, cheers!

[@kelv52]

Getting your confidence back.........get back on, be aware you can fall and hurt yourself, then forget about it and enjoy yourself.......or sell the bike and go back to walking, but be careful when you cross the road, climb a ladder, walk down a hill......I envy your confidence in the G9 and slow speed shooting I am a 5D Mkiii shooter and would feel safer playing Russian roulette, would probably get a better shot doing that than I would at a 1/4 of a second hand held....did I say be careful....will watch out for the book publication

[@TheTyrellWellick]

Thank you, I find your videos very helpful (starting out with the G80)! I was wondering if you are using the default stops on the exposure wheel... And could you provide some guidelines (maybe a future video topic) on how to set the right exposure/aperture and general rules of thumb for shutter speed targets?

[@Reno_T]

Cool video and funny part I ordered my first gravel bike last weekend 🚲 Cannondale Topstone model 2. New 2021 line. Go for it🤘🏻 Ride and shoot 😂

[@andrewhird5373]

Hi James, good to see your video from my neck of the woods in Bakewell. Following on from the scuba diving - you should check out you tube video's on Bakewell's Holme Bank Chert Mine (I guess that's where she had been diving as Bakewell isn't known for its coral reef's). Some stunning video from the submerged mine but would scare me to death. Spent years walking past there without knowing it existed! Enjoying the local content and familiar locations - keeping me inspired to get out with the camera more. Love the channel, content and approach - keep up the good work!

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Ahh thanks for the tip Andrew - beautiful neck of the woods you've got there!

[@ivorcomment1526]

Refreshingly you as ever !

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks mate :)

[@deborahtravis5688]

In these uncertain times, I would say you are almost a public service. Thank you. If you can, please keep posting.

[@w0lfyovi294]

I agree aperture completely with you ... I think people wanting to know specific settings because it’s human nature to imitate as much as they can to learn/understand even though this applies a lot less for photography. And some people are not patient enough to learn trial by error, experiment and understand the results. (When they say “Break a leg” you don’t have to take them literally James :P )

[@AndyLSB]

Love your videos man ! you're so funny in a weird way haha and you're photos are awesome ! congrats on the book btw. also, i bought a G9 and you inspired me to get one in the first place now i have a question, what would you say its the best ISO for the G9 in photos and video ? I'm testing it out my self but i wanted to know your opinion because you have more time with the camera than me, anyways be safe and cheers from Honduras mate !

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Thanks mate! I shoot iso 200 whenever possible 🙂

[@videomaker8532]

so accurate, I never use auto because I feel like I didn't do anything, but look at phone cameras, if you compare phone cam auto to camera auto, the phone will usually win because that is what its good at. Using manual in phone cameras is kinda pointless unless you are shooting something specific that needs a specific shutter speed.

[@TheMadkozzie]

Mountainbike slow and speed up the video to look awesome 😂😁 be safe James and keep us up to date on the new book!

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

haha!

[@photohiker81]

3:02 best conclusion ever, 100% agree

[@grabshotphoto7396]

4:44 to better understand it I've started using shutter and aperture priority with auto iso. So far, it makes shooting more fun and I can't say my images have suffered. Along with insane IBIS from my Oly I don't even need a tripod for anything under 1 second if in careful when using wider end of my lens.

[@AgentPepsi1]

I do agree with you about the data settings on the photos. It's useless for most people actually, as every photo and situation is completely unique.

[@jamesfox4198]

Raise the ISO in my view. Aperture is the initial creative choice, and you chose it for a reason. Hang everything off that, then the shutter to keep the sharpness you need. ISO comes last. Noise can create interest and if the aperture and shutter speed are wrong then the ISO and noise never mattered because you missed the shot. I learnt from my wedding photographer that noise is more tolerable if the shot is great.