Getting your camera settings right from the start not only improves image quality, it helps you become more deliberate as a creative. Choosing a manual approach can shift photography from a reactive activity to something more intentional and rewarding.
Coming to you from Ian Worth, this insightful video revisits one controversial point from a previous discussion—auto versus manual white balance settings. Worth clarifies why he prefers setting white balance manually, especially when shooting JPEG alongside raw, because JPEGs permanently lock in white balance adjustments. While you can correct these easily in raw files during editing, JPEG files don’t offer this flexibility, giving manual white balance an edge if quick backups or fast sharing matter to you. More importantly, Worth emphasizes that manually controlling camera settings goes beyond practical benefits: it makes you slow down, consider each shot carefully, and align technical choices with your creative vision. He describes clearly how shooting with intent changes his whole photography experience, moving it from an exercise in damage control to active creativity.
Much of Worth's advice focuses on getting internal camera settings just right—and not only white balance. For example, he always sets the camera’s crop ratio before shooting to frame scenes precisely in the intended aspect ratio. Similarly, when capturing images meant to be monochrome, he switches the camera's digital viewfinder or screen preview to black and white. Seeing the preview this way helps isolate compositional elements like shape, contrast, and form. For Worth, these small yet deliberate adjustments fundamentally change how you engage with the subject matter. Instead of fixing mistakes later, you're refining an already thoughtful idea within editing software. Worth stresses that while editing is essential and enjoyable, it’s most rewarding when used to polish carefully considered shots rather than salvage poorly executed ones.
Worth shares insights into adapting composition techniques in real-time, like adjusting his approach in response to shifting light conditions or a windy foreground making focus stacking tricky. He talks through the exact decisions for his landscape setups, highlighting why each adjustment matters and how each supports his overall concept. Through practical outdoor demonstrations, you watch how intentional settings significantly streamline his workflow and enhance final results.
He also examines why mindful photography matters on an emotional level. When focused and deliberate, you are present in the moment and visualize desired outcomes clearly, enhancing the overall enjoyment and connection to the work. Worth is notably careful to emphasize there’s no absolutely "correct" way to take photographs. Instead, he encourages recognizing personal preferences and adopting a workflow that suits them. Whether it's shooting fully manual or relying on some automation, what matters most is choosing a method that helps you consistently create compositions you genuinely love. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Worth.
