Stepping into the creative zone...

Sooner or later you'll likely want to start leveraging some of the power of your DSLR. That's when you start using zones on the mode dial that Canon calls "creative". Here are a few reasons while stepping outside the "green box" (all auto zone) can be worthwhile:

- taking pictures when the subject is backlit (by the sun etc.)
- taking pictures in conditions when "full auto" seems to be over or underexposing pictures (making the too light or too dark)
- controling how "deep" the focus is in your pictures (are things up close the only ones in focus or are things near and far in focus).

Before you start playing in this zone, you need to understand the basics of exposure.