Modern cameras can be covered in buttons and dials, which can be daunting to new photographers. But understanding what these controls are, and what they do, is important if you want to up your photographic game. Here we look at what's what on your new camera, from the shutter-release button to the tripod socket.

So you've got a new camera and are probably getting some great shots. But if your mode dial is still pointing at Auto, you probably have a pang of guilt that you're not making the most of your camera every time you press the shutter. Here we look at modes such as Shutter or Aperture Priority, along with the sometimes daunting Manual mode, to make getting out of auto that one bit easier.

Do you sometimes wonder why your photos have turned out blurry or out of focus? It could be that you are using the wrong aperture or shutter speed, or it could be your choice of focusing mode. Here we look at the main focusing modes you're likely to find on your camera, and when to use each one to get the best results and more images which are correctly-focused.

We've previously looked at how aperture, shutter speed and ISO can control the amount of light your camera uses, and how they're related in the exposure triangle. But how does a camera determine what the correct exposure is? Here we'll explore the metering modes most commonly found on cameras, and which ones you should be selecting for different subjects.

We've already looked at the importance of understanding ISO and aperture if you want to get your camera out of its automatic setting and start being more creative. Here we'll explore what shutter speed is, how it's measured, and how you can use the setting to take the sort of images you want, and start getting creative with your photography.

Camera manufacturers increasingly like to crow about ISO ranges when launching a new camera, with high ISO numbers now reaching into the hundreds of thousands. But what do these numbers really mean? Here we look at what ISO is, and how you can use different ISO settings to not only to shoot in varying lighting conditions, but also take more control of your photographs as you move out of auto mode.

If you want to get creative with your photography, and out of that all-too-tempting automatic mode, you'll need to get your head around a few key settings. We've already looked at ISO, and now it's the turn of aperture. Here we explain what aperture is, how it works, and what impact changing it will have on your photographs.

Hopefully our guides to ISO, aperture and shutter speed have made those photographic terms a little less daunting than they once were. If you now feel like you understand those concepts and are already comfortable trying out the semi-automatic modes on your camera, it might be time to go for full manual mode. Here we'll look at the idea of the exposure triangle, and how understanding it can make it easier when you first start shooting in manual.

If you want to get the most out of a camera, one discussion you'll come across sooner or later is whether to shoot in RAW or JPEG. Here we'll look at what that actually means, the benefits that can be had by shooting RAW, along with some of the drawbacks. We'll also think about the times to consider shooting RAW, and when you'll be best off still shooting JPEG.