The 'Perfect Camera Settings' Don't Exist. Learn This Instead.

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I get so many people asking, hell, even *demanding* that I provide them settings for the images that I post to YouTube or Instagram, because I never do. Well, it would be a big mistake if I did because the perfect camera settings don't exist, and this video explains why.

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[GS-vbzn]

Since this video was aimed at beginning photographers (or so it seems… especially by the end when the pitch came in), here’s my advice to beginning photographers- learn composition first. Search out videos, buy books on it but learn composition first. Throw the camera into P mode and don’t worry about ISO/shutter/aperture. The basics of those things can be learned in an afternoon. When you feel confident in your composition skills start using aperture priority and shutter priority, you can start learning more about the exposure triangle then. And, yes, your creativity will improve with a deeper understanding of the triangle. Also, go to Flickr, look at some photographs you find interesting and then check out what the settings are, because there is nothing wrong with doing that. You can use that information as a jumping off point for your own work and go from there.

[A.DJC.PRODUCTION]

I feel like this video was aimed at me (i know it wasn’t) because another photographer shared on his IG story that I asked him what’s setting his photo was shot in. I only asked because it was a photo of something I wanted to do and needed a template for me to start at. Any who, great video as always. There always informative 🙌🏾🙌🏾

[HukeIsMe]

Thinking back to when I started getting into photography, this was a question I had a lot. But I never related it to iso/aperture/shutter speed. So my interpretation of when someone asks for your settings, they’re asking for: button mapping, LUTS, exposure compensation, maybe asking how to focus stack or exposure bracket.

Its always a good day when a pat Kay video hits the sub box

[Dennis]

its all about getting the correct exposure, while prioritizing depth of field, motion blur, and noise.

[DavidRamgobin]

Kinda blew my mind when you mentioned using a filter while shooting 1s exposure to reign in light metering.
And the overall message rung true as well. Settings alone don’t explain the decisions behind the shot. Sometimes, trying out extremes can be teachable moments.

[davidthompson]

I agree with you about copying settings, unless you can repeat the weather at the same time and conditions, someone's settings are useless to everyone else.

[mishkalarsoncreations]

Thank you for saying that out loud because for so long when I was a young photographer I wrote down every set of settings I could get my hands on and then would be terribly disappointed at the outcome. Now that I’m back in to photography all these years later and am using a DSLR with more bells and whistles that I need to have I trust a lot of the automatic settings and they are very good but when I do flip over to Manuel I use suggestions from a lot of people like yourself but I just play around and if I get a great image out of it I am grateful.

[malikdhadhalinux]

Thanks for the no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point advice.

[ThePathOfLeastResistanc]

I like a smaller aparture and slower shutter for most waterscapes

[-grey]

I think when I want to know settings, I'm trying to figure out my comparative skill level. For example if I see a really clean night shot on the Ricoh GR and I see they used iso 800 where I can barely dip below 3200, I'm wondering how. If it turns out that it's their ability to get a steady handheld shot at 1/8 of a second with no moving subjects then I just have to concede that I can't do that. However, if it's still like 1/125 and f4, I'm going to realise that even though the scene looks dark, it's probably far better lit than it seems. Especially compared to where I live. Shots of Tokyo or Seoul generally do this to me.

[L.Spencer]

I didn't realize that the lens has an aperture that's its sharpest. I was thinking that a smaller aperture would give greater depth of field and sharpness, so I've been trying to increase the aperture number when I wanted more depth of field. I need to go back and study some of these fundamentals. Thanks!

[byunTAEuP]

I love this so so so much. Can't ever stop learning. Thank you for the video Pat!

[BrLee-nbxu]

Really well done. Aways love your video. It's so great. Such a good teacher.

[CluelessYoutuber]

Great video, Pat. Totally agree. The artistic decisions really matter, for some scenes we tend to underexpose to introduce drama and mood or sometimes overexpose to emphasize the whites. I will probably only add that while there are no perfect settings, just make sure the histogram doesn’t clip 😂

[_Martech_]

Great video !! Idea for next one : hyperfocale distance I admit I have no clue what it actually is…

[multisportscott]

Thanks for a great vid Pat, your presentation is so clear and concise! Re the Bootcamp, what do you mean by a Beginner? Would someone who has been pretending to learn for a few years, who has a basic understanding but needs a kick in the butt be a suitable student? Thanks, S

[josesalgado]

Pat, I am so excited to hear about your course. You can count on me to be in your bootcamp!

[stayyourself]

Finally someone said it... thank you :D
All these people asking for settings, it's so pointless. Every photo is unique like you said, every scenario and camera is unique, there's no "perfect" settings.

[sharonkastelijns]

How do you know what the shapest f stop (sweet spot) of your camera is?

[ReclusiveEagle]

People always ask for settings but its like???

What are you going to do with the information that this specific photo was shot at f3.5 or 1/2000th? Nothing.
People have become obsessed with being keyboard warriors and "critiquing" other peoples shots/techniques when they just learned them