By
Bettye Sue Austin
I was using the manual mode each time I shot photos. Then I tried aperture priority mode. Now I use this mode 99 percent of the time.
Aperture priority (AV or A) is a semi-automatic mode found on DSLR cameras. Its main function is to give you control over depth of field (DOF) and sensitivity to light (ISO) while letting the camera automatically adjust the shutter speed (SS), ISO, and sometimes white balance, based on the selected aperture. DOF is controlled when you select the desired aperture manually. When you set the desired f-number, the camera can select the shutter speed settings and ISO to produce a properly exposed image. The lower the f-number like 1.4, the shallower the background. This causes a blur of the background so you can isolate the subject with a soft background. Higher f-stop numbers like f/8 and above means everything will be in focus. The f-stop limits are different for different lenses. Shooting in the AV mode frees you up to check the composition and other aspects to get the most appealing image.
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