Originally Posted by
abortretryfail
I'll have to partly disagree on this. shooting in AE modes especially
aperture and shutter priority will help you understand the individual
elements of exposure. but you will start to understand their relationship
better when shooting manual.
well, you can see the relationship in the provided selection of program mode.
yes, but the key phrase is "provided for you". you "see" it but probably won't
understand why.
AE modes were developed to help photographers get to shooting faster.
to help photographers in concentrating on other aspects like timing the shot
or composition. just don't let it become a crutch.
a good exercise to try is shooting manual without the meter. base it on
the sunny day f16 rule and balancing exposure in your head. why? well, which
is faster, using AE mode, checking your meter, compensate accordingly, then
firing away? or just being able to know what the exposure should be and
ready to fire before the viewfinder even gets to your eye?
shooting manual can offer a lot in terms of really understanding photography...
...as in really understanding it. though, yeah, it does take a lot of patience and practice.
I understand where you are coming from bro, and i respect your opinion.
From my perspective, if at the first few weeks of owning an SLR and you still does not understand the relationship between "aperture', 'shutter speed', and 'sensor sensitivity'; i believe you don't have the knack for photography. It is the understanding of these three proponents of the exposure triangle that will help you learn the other aspects faster. Sure, shooting full manual mode during the first few weeks would certainly help you understand the connection between the three. What it will help you is understand the camera...
If newbie like me wants to understand how aperture affects the exposure, let him set his camera to 'APERTURE PRIORITY' and see how the camera adjusts the shutter speed accordingly while maintaining the same 'sensor sensitivity (ISO)'. Wouldn't that be easier for them to absorb and understand?
On the other hand, if the same person want's to understand how shutter speed affects exposure, let him set his camera to 'SHUTTER PRIORITY' and see how the camera adjusts the aperture accordingly while maintaining the same 'sensor sensitivity (ISO)'.
To understand how the aperture and shutter speed is affected by sensor sensitivity (ISO), while in any of the two mentioned modes, let him adjust his sensor sensitivity (ISO) and watch how the two other components adjusts accordingly. Instead of guessing what shutter speed, aperture, or ISO to use in manual mode; set your camera mode to any of the semi-automatic modes (A, S, or P. / Av, Tv, or P.) and LEARN how the camera adjusts the other components accordingly... the most common reaction for a newbie like me is: "AHHH MAO DIAY NA!"...
Photographers (professionals or hobbyists) wants the viewer of his work to be led to the subject of his photograph. the most common and widely accepted way of doing this is to use the 'depth of field' (DOF) or bokeh as we know it. This means that we only let the subject to be in focus. We all know this di ba? Even Newbies like me. And the fastest way to do this is to set your camera to "APERTURE PRIORITY". Define how much of the subject will be in focus (4", 8", 12", .... infinity; depending on the focal length) and let the camera adjust the shutter speed accordingly. It the shutter speed turns out to be too slow, boost the ISO. It's really easy and you don't have to be in manual mode to understand this.
For me, using the manual mode when the other semi-automatic modes are available is like using a landline phone when in fact the cellular phone is already available.
But then again, this are just my opinions based on facts. I am also entitled to it in the same manner as you are. I just want my friends (fellow newbies that i'm sharing my learnings with) to spend more time looking for a better angle, composition, light, etc.; than tinkering with their settings... these guys knows the exposure triangle already.
Lastly, i would like to reiterate that these are my opinions and are in no way hard rules or guidelines. If people shoot in 'manual', i respect them... it's a difficult way to practice photography but they can really pull through...
Have a nice day...
mao ni ang pinaka-importante sa tanan... DON"T PRESS THE SHUTTER BUTTON WITH THE TIP OF YOUR FINGER!!!
hopefully next session 
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