If you want to create interesting photos that will go above Instagram selfies and vacation memories, you need to switch to manual mode.

You probably bought your first semi-professional or professional camera, but it looks so complicated. With all the buttons and switches, new cameras might look scary at the beginning. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Auto mode is the safest bet, and it served you well up until now.

If you are wondering why your photos aren’t as good as that photographer with a million followers who has the same camera as you, the answer is probably that he is manually adjusting the exposure to get the desired effect.

Auto mode can get you only so far. It is programmed to perfectly expose the photos without minding the depth of field or the shutter speed. It will adjust the exposure parameters on its own, and you are not in control of the photo that’s being created. Manual mode is what allows you to be in complete control, and even though it looks complicated, it really isn’t. After all, the exposure has only three elements, and you can easily master them.

A good photo is not just a product of manual mode and exposure settings. While aperture, shutter speed, and ISO are crucial elements for any modern camera (even some smartphones allow you to manipulate these parameters), photography is about telling a story.

The camera is just your medium, and you are the artist. This is why, at the end of this book, you will find a chapter that will introduce you to the basic photography composition rules. There are also some tips and tricks there waiting for you that will improve your photography.