Auto mode makes taking pictures point-and-click simple. If it’s daylight, if the light’s falling on the front or side of your subject, or if you’re using a flash within 10 feet of your subject, you can use Auto mode to get very nice photos.

To select Auto mode on most cameras:

Here’s what you can control in Auto mode:

That’s it! The camera takes care of everything else. So, what assumptions does the camera make? Typical Auto mode settings include

Unfortunately, the settings used by Auto mode aren’t always the best ones for every photo. In the next sections, you’ll see the kinds of photos Auto mode does well, as well as the kinds of pictures where Auto mode just isn’t the best choice.

Note

Some cameras offer both Auto and Simple modes. On cameras with both modes, the Simple mode prevents you from overriding any settings, while the Auto mode provides a few settings you can change. You might be able to switch between Auto and Hi ISO settings or select color modes, for example.

Auto mode does a great job on typical sunny days like the ones in Figures 4.2 and 4.3.

Figure 4.2. Auto mode produces great results with front-lit subjects like this colorful tree...

Figure 4.3. ...and with side-lit subjects like this boy in play.

Even if the background is much lighter than the foreground, you can use Focus and Exposure Lock to make sure you get the subject exposed just right (see Figure 4.4).

Figure 4.4. Focus and Exposure Lock enable you to shoot better photos of off-center subjects or subjects with light or dark backgrounds, even if you can’t override the camera’s normal exposure settings.

Auto mode also works with indoor subjects just a few feet from the camera, as it automatically uses your camera’s electronic flash (see Figure 4.5).

Figure 4.5. Subjects less than 10 feet away are well lit by the onboard flash when you use Auto mode.

Unfortunately, Auto mode has problems with night scenes (Figure 4.6), fast action (Figure 4.7), snowy days (Figure 4.8), and cloudy days (Figure 4.9), to name just a few less-than-perfect situations.

Figure 4.6. Auto mode fires the flash, but a slow shutter speed (and a tripod) are what are really needed to see the beauty of this building.

Figure 4.7. This amusement park ride is spinning too fast for Auto mode.

Figure 4.8. Auto mode renders the beauty of the snowstorm as dull gray.

Figure 4.9. Using flash can “burn out” (overexpose) people who are too close to the camera (right), but if you turn off the flash in Auto mode, you might have problems with subject blur on cloudy days (left).

One of the great advantages of digital photography is the capability to see your photos as soon as you take them. Digital cameras automatically display your photo for a few moments after it is taken. Afterward, use the Playback or Review button on the back of your camera to display your photos. Use the twoway or four-way control pad on the back of your camera to scroll through your photos.

When Auto mode doesn’t do the job, what next? Depending on your camera, you can use one or both of the following methods to get better photos under a wider range of conditions: