Shooting in Auto Mode – Some Handy Tips for taking the Best Photos

While most of the times, photography experts ask us not to rely on all all-auto mode when clicking photos or use it at all, the extent of ease it offers is unmatchable for the beginner. You don’t have to worry about choosing the wrong settings or even having to fuss with them in the first place. While you cannot compare the images produced as a result of manual settings with the ones taken with an auto-mode, what if your camera only allows auto control and not let you do it manually. Will you still be able to take as great photos as you can take using manual mode? Absolutely.

When you are shooting in a full auto-mode, you let the camera pick the best settings according to the scenario. It will choose everything from the focus, white balance, light sensitivity, shutter speed and flash on its own. While using the auto mode is convenient and easy, it is not always foolproof. However, with a few simple tips and tricks, you can take some great photos using the auto mode as well.

Here is how it all works.

How to take photos in auto mode vintage camera

Photo by Jordan Benton

Hold it Steady

If you don’t want to end up taking blurry images, the key is to hold the camera steady and avoid shaking it. Even the slightest vibrations will affect the sharpness of the photos. This becomes all the more important when you are clicking photos in low-light situations when the camera keeps the shutter open for a long time to let as much light in as possible. It is not very common as when the camera is on auto however always keep it steady. 

A Tripod can come in Handy

While a tripod can be very useful to take steady images, it is not always convenient to carry one along. You can use any steady surface to stabilize the camera when taking photos to ensure it does not shake. Any smooth surface such as a stack of books, the kitchen counter or the road can be used for this purpose.

auto mode girl and leaves

Photo by Oleg Magni

Use the Timer

To click sharp photos of your subjects, you can use the timer option as well. This allows you to have some time when you can position your camera before taking photos to avoid any last minute movements that may blur the images. Another great tip to avoid blurry images is to hold the camera close to your body with your two hands when using the LCD screen to click photos.

How Focusing Works in Auto Mode

To focus on the subject, hold the shutter button halfway and let the camera work on its own. This will allow you to lock the focus on the subject. You will get a signal from the camera when something is focused in the form of a beep o a green light on the LCD display. If the camera is not picking the focus point in the image, bring the subject to the center and it will bring the subject into focus.

Taking photos on auto mode

Photo by Pete Johnsonma

Keep the Flash Control in Your Hands

Most of the digital cameras fire flash when you are using auto-mode, regardless of whether it is needed by the scene or not. This ruins the images. Therefore, it is better to keep the flash control in your own hands according to whether the scene requires it or not. You will get to know about it better by experimenting taking photos with or without flash in different conditions. You can always achieve better results by clicking images in natural light as compared to using the flash as it makes the subjects look too intense. Find your flash settings and turn the flash off. 

With these simple tips, you can click better images using the auto-mode of your camera. Practice using the auto-mode to master the art of this side of photography although it is not common by pro photographers, it is a great way to start shooting when you first get into photography.