I had so many of you comment on my post containing basic photography tips asking about explanations on topics such as ISO and shutter speed that I’ve decided to dedicate 4 (maybe even 5) posts to white balance, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and other more advanced photography settings.

But first…

Get your manual!

I just can’t seem to say it enough. These posts take a lot of time and effort for me to write, and in exchange I ask you to get your manual out and spend a few seconds reading to figure out how to change the necessary settings in order to execute. You’ve spent hundreds of dollars on a certain product, now it’s time to really learn how to use it!

I think it’s easiest to get out the paper version you received when you bought the camera, but if you don’t have that, visit this page on About.com with several links to websites where you should be able to find the manual for your specific model.

I’ve tried to write the posts starting with what the majority of digital cameras can do, which means by the end of the week my posts might not be relevant to those who have relatively basic point and shoot cameras. I hope you will still read though, so that someday when you upgrade you will have a basic idea of how to proceed.

White Balance post with plenty of pictures coming up next!