Best "Simple" settings

bandgeekndb

Hey everyone!

So, I'm realizing that my g/f is almost as interested in photography as I am. It seems a lot of shoots, I take a whole bunch of shots, then she forces me to give up the camera and pose for her! I now have a better understanding of how much work it takes to be a good model!

On that note, I haven't been able to find the time to teach her all the manual settings, and since that's how I shoot my camera when we're out, I need to find an alternative. Until I can teach her how to shoot manual, what would be the best mode on my D40 to set for her? Her equipment would be my 18-50 f/2.8, my D40, and maybe an SB400 flash. I don't mind showing her a few things quick, it's just to tide her over until I can teach her manual and we both have some time to actually go and shoot while teaching. She doesn't have her own DSLR, so she learns on mine for now!

Thanks in advance, and I'm sure she'll appreciate your advice as well!

swintonphoto

The best thing would be to simply teach her how to use the scene modes. I know we often shy away from them, but they work very well and have done the thinking in advance. Just using the ones on the dial will likely be sufficient - has portrait, landscape, sports, child, macro, and night modes.

Cygnus Studios

I would start her off in A or S mode. Give her the basic overview of what that setting means and what it should do.
Teach her to use the histogram to make adjustments.

When viewing the photos, use the exif to show her how and why the shots were good or bad.

Manfr3d

I would teach her Aperture priority (leaves her 1 wheel to turn and control DOF), also tell to keep schutter above 1/60s to avoid blur, and preset flash for portraits (usualy -1 or so). Thats how I introduced my gf to my Canon.

bandgeekndb

Thanks everyone, I'll try these out next time she picks up my camera!

~Nick