No more Auto mode

Jason Parnell-Brookes takes it back to basics by showing how to move away from the safety of Auto mode and take the leap into Aperture Priority mode

32 Master Aperture Priority for creative control over depth of field

We’re going to show you how to move out of the comfort of Auto mode and get stuck in to one of your Nikon’s other exposure modes. In order to do that we’re shooting static subjects, like these natural rock formations, but if there are none to hand then look for anything stationary, such as a woodland, some urban architecture, or even a statue.

The advantage of shooting rock formations is that you can capture some unbelievable shapes and colours, so they’re a great place to start your photographic journey while you learn more about your Nikon.

Aperture Priority is a semiautomatic mode that allows you to test uncharted waters while still having a safety net. In this mode you get to decide on which aperture value (the size of the opening in your lens) and ISO sensitivity you want, while the Nikon automatically selects an appropriate shutter speed to give a well-balanced exposure.

Typically this will work as follows: widening your aperture to f/2.8 or f/3.5 will let more light into the camera, so the Nikon will make the shutter speed faster to counteract this flood of light.

Conversely, narrowing your aperture to f/8 or f/16 will let less light pass through into the camera, so the result is a longer shutter speed. This then enables the image sensor to receive the correct amount of light to create a balanced exposure. However, there’s more to it than that, as your aperture also affects the depth of field, opening up your creative options, as we’ll see…