The Five Camera Controls a Photographer Should Master

When you are new to photography, the veritable plethora of controls on a modern camera can be a bit overwhelming. This helpful video tutorial will show you which controls and settings you should focus on the most to master your camera and take more ownership of your creative process.

Coming to you from Mike Browne, this great educational video will show you five common camera controls, displays, and settings you should master to take control of your photography and how to better use them to your advantage. Of them, I think perhaps the most important setting that is often overlooked by new photographers is how different focal lengths render a scene. It's common to think of focal length only as the amount of "zoom" you're using and nothing more, but focal length can have a drastic effect on things like how a subject's face is rendered or how large your background appears relative to your foreground. Experienced photographers take advantage of these relationships all the time, and they're one of the greatest creative tools you can have in your arsenal among the more commonly discussed settings and controls. Check out the video above for the full rundown . 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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3 Comments

I take the lens cap off to recover the highlights.... :D

"It's common to think of focal length only as the amount of "zoom" you're using and nothing more, but focal length can have a drastic effect on things like how a subject's face is rendered or how large your background appears relative to your foreground. "

So what else a focal length is than a "zoom"?

I choked laughing when he just didn't skip a beat "...your camera's an idiot..."