Featured image conceptualized with Sora AI. The rest of the photos are my own.
Let me tell you something folks — my camera settings? They’re the best settings. Tremendous. Nobody has better settings than me. People are always asking, “How do you get such great photos?” And I tell them — it’s the settings. Not just good settings. The greatest settings.
ISO — Powerful. Strong. Like a Wall.
Stars and Meteor at Mono Lake
Caption: ISO 6400, a little noise, a lot of mood.
I shoot ISO 100 when I want clean. I shoot ISO 6400 when I want grit. I control the ISO like I control my golf swing — loosely, with confidence, and a little noise. But it’s good noise. The best kind of noise. You ever see bad noise? Sad!
Shutter Speed — Fast. Faster Than Fake News.
My shutter speed is so fast, it catches birds mid-air before they even flap. I once shot a hawk at 1/8000s — the bird was frozen, confused, and frankly, impressed. A beautiful moment. Some say too fast. I say just right.
Red Tailed Hawk In Flight
1/8000s, because time waits for no bird.
Aperture — Wide. Wider Than the Ratings Gap.
F/1.8? Of course. I blur the background like it’s 2016 and everyone else is out of focus. You want separation? I invented separation. You can spot my subject from a mile away — because everything else is gone. Disappeared. Vanished. Fake background!
Beautiful Drangonfly
f/1.8, because my subject deserves the spotlight.
White Balance — Perfectly Balanced. Just Like Me.
Auto? Custom? I eyeball it. That’s right. I trust my instincts. If it’s too blue, I warm it. Too warm? I chill it. I’m like the thermostat of photography. The photothermostat. I make the colors great again.
Dia De Los Muertos Oakland 2016
White balance set by pure instinct (and a little practice).
Focus — Always On. Always Sharp. Like My Tweets.
Autofocus? Manual? Whatever gets the shot. My focus locks on like a heat-seeking missile. AI Servo? I call it Me Servo. Because I serve the shot. The camera just obeys. It’s loyalty. Beautiful loyalty.
Rose stem with thorns
Focus so sharp, it could cut glass, or sting.
So yes — my camera settings? Absolutely the best.
Some say presets. I say preset this! I don’t need filters. I don’t need tricks. Just a great camera, strong settings, and the eye of a champion.
Other photographers? Good people. But they fiddle. They guess. They use “Auto.” I laugh. Because when you’re this good… you shoot Manual.
“These settings are the gold standard. Even my lens flare salutes them.”
— Anonymous Prime Lens
What About You?
What are your go-to camera settings? Do you shoot manual, or is Auto your best friend?
Share your favorite settings, stories, or even your best shot in the comments below—if you dare!
No egos were harmed in the making of these settings. Shoot what makes you happy. For more tips on the best camera settings and manual photography, stick around!