Sunlight?

[96 GTS]

Originally Posted by Lizmo

I need help. I'm using the manual setting. ISO 100. White balance is auto. f/5 and a shutter speed of 125.

But if the sun is behind me or I'm shooting into the sun, this happens. . .



Yet, if I change the settins to portrait mode this happens, same. . .sun behind me.



Like it's WAY over exposed?

As others have said, your photo is way way overexposed, up your shutter speed close down the aperture, or both. Your light meter is definitely your friend, too, it'll tell you whether your photo is over or underexposed, and by how much. Any digital camera with manual settings will have one, and likely a good one, built in.

Also, if you're shooting action, I would suggest shooting in shutter priority mode. Set the shutter speed to what you want for the desired amount of blur, and the camera will adjust the aperture to take a well exposed photo. This especially helpful while panning a moving subject, where each frame is likely to have a different amount of light.

Program or automatic modes are not crutches, they are tools, nor does shooting in manual mode make you a "hardcore" photographer. All the different modes have their uses, and you're limiting yourself if you only use one.

[Chewbecca]

DSLRs don't have their own built-in light meter. You have to buy them separately.

[Saje]

Yes they do. You can even change the metering modes.

[Chewbecca]

er...what?
Are we talking about spot metering, matrix metering, and center?

I always hear of them referred to as the individual metering type, not as light metering.
I know that SLRs have a light meter, and it's called that: a light meter.

I guess it makes sense, since it's all to due with exposure, but I have been doing so much inside photography (portraiture), that mine mainly stays on spot because spot metering works best when using the SB600 on camera.
And I slap it on matrix when I am snapping shots outside.
In other words, I have never gotten much into metering.

I'M STILL NEW, D@MMIT.

[Saje]

Yeah those are the types but I"m mostly talking about the light meter bar in your viewfinder that gives you an idea of when you are on target or if you are over/under exposing. All cameras have them. If you shoot manual you'll really pay attention to it. although i suspect you already do

[Buckshot]

May want to try a polarizer filter too.

[zoe08]

Saje is right, you definitely want to look at your meter.

First I would start out with definitely at least going to an f/8 aperture. When shooting action I would want a bit more depth of field to make sure the action is in focus.

I always pick my depth of field first, by deciding whether I want shallow (f/4) or I want everything in focus (f/22) and you have all the varying degrees. I then make sure that I can shoot at at LEAST 1/60, preferably faster, especially for action pictures.

You can do all this by looking at the meter Saje is talking about that is inside your viewfinder. Very important tool to shoot in manual.

There are external light meters that is used for flash photography, like if you were setting up a studio, since your camera only measures available light. The external light meter hooks up to your flash, so that you can set your strobes off and it will tell you then what your settings should be.