View single post by Robert
 Posted: Mon Dec 16th, 2013 03:42
Robert



Joined: Mon Apr 2nd, 2012
Location: South Lakeland, UK
Posts: 4066
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 In a way it might be best to turn the top knob to the green 'AUTO' setting to start with. Despite my ability to make my own settings, when I am using the 3100 I tend to run it in auto, but once you get more used to the camera and you want to be more creative you can gain full control right up to full manual settings.

On the back screen you can set a graph or histogram of your image to appear after you have made an exposure.

That graph is your friend when taking photographs in bright or poor light. By checking the graph you can see if you have over or under exposed the scene. What you are looking for is an even distribution across the entire graph, with data to the left and right but NOT all bunched up at one side or the other.

Check out reading and understanding histograms on the internet, here is one link which give a good explanation but there are many others:

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-read-and-use-histograms

Until you understand the limits of exposure you are best working in the auto mode and concentrate on composition of your image, fill the scene. Be sure a photograph has a subject and a background, the subject does not have to be dead centre of the scene; check the light, that is what makes the photograph, sometimes really bright light is not the best, you need some contrast in the scene.



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Robert.