
Watch the videos in order, practice as you go, and build your skills by shooting. Engage with module comments and questions, and download materials for offline access.
Master the basics of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, and learn how stops and exposure value shape your photos, using a jargon-free approach.
Master manual photography by learning shutter speed, aperture, and ISO in one-third stop steps, using the rhythm of three clicks to control exposure and simplify camera settings.
Master manual photography by controlling ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. Let auto flash, auto white balance, and auto focus handle the rest.
Explore when to use manual focus, white balance, and flash in macro and studio shots, highlighting depth of field and lighting control for precise results.
Explore how ISO influences exposure and noise in manual photography, from film grain to modern digital sensor gain, with per-shot ISO control.
Explore how sensor size and megapixels influence ISO performance, showing that full-frame sensors offer better low-light results than crop sensors, and how this affects high ISO noise.
Learn how ISO affects exposure, noise, and motion alongside shutter speed and aperture. Explore starting points from 100 to 6400 for outdoor, indoor, golden hour, and star shots.
Explore how aperture, hole at the back of the lens, controls light and depth of field to create portrait background blur. Learn how F 2.8 to F 22 balance exposure.
Find your lens's sweet spot by testing apertures from f/5.6 to f/11 and checking sharpness at 100% zoom; f/22 increases depth but may reduce sharpness.
Learn shutter speed as the time the shutter stays open, freezing motion or blurring it, and how it combines with aperture and iso to create the correct exposure.
Learn how shutter speed controls light and motion, using practical examples to freeze action, show motion, craft light trails, and long exposures in water and night photography in manual mode.
Explore the three metering modes—matrix, center-weighted, and spot—and learn when to use them with the built-in reflective light meter in manual mode to achieve consistent, professional style pictures.
In this video, we review the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed and how to use them to your advantage. You'll want to consult the "recipes" in this PDF file - Manual Mode All Day.
Be sure to download the gear guide!
Adjust for indoor light by shooting at 50th–100th sec, f/2.8–f/4, ISO 400–1000 with natural indirect light, and use white balance presets or raw to fine-tune wb later.
In this video, I am demonstrating shooting in snow. Note, the exact same principles apply in bright beach settings! The temperatures are very different, but the bright reflections are very similar. Refer back to Module 6 for a refresher on how your in-camera light-meter works.
Be sure to check out the bonus guide to using Continuous Focus!
Please note: in the video I mention using an "ND3" filter. It was actually an "ND8" filter. The other information is correct, it makes the image 8 times, or 3 stops, darker.
Master manual exposure for indoor sports by balancing aperture, shutter speed, and ISO in low-light venues; understand how gear and lighting affect results.
Learn practical portrait posing to keep subjects relaxed and convey flattering results, with scene assessment, open shade, camera setup, and step-by-step poses from full-length to waist-up.
Learn to pose two people by balancing height, hiding hands, bending limbs, and using a long lens with ISO 400, 1/200, and f/7.1 to create flattering portraits.
You want to finally learn how to control your camera in manual mode and shoot like the pros do.
Here is what you do not need - more information!
If that's all it took, librarians with cameras would be the best photographers out there.
Here is what you do need - a Teacher.
It's not about X hours of video, Y number of PDF's, etc.
You need the right teacher, who will speak clearly and demonstrate the simple concepts that have been under your nose for years (hint, they are fairly simple, they are just usually not taught that well, or comprehensively).
That's where I come in. I have taught hundreds of people my style of Manual Mode professional photography over the years, and have even helped launch some professional careers (in addition, I am a professional photographer who has made my living completely from photography-related ventures for over 20 years). Now, I'm taking that same teaching and applying it in an online course, so I can teach people anywhere in the world, in less than 30 days, how to shoot like a pro!
I teach photography nuts to completely control their camera, get the shot every time, fill their walls with their photos, and/or make a profit from photography. I will teach you as well, in less than 30 days if you wish! Join me :)