Camera Modes

Every camera has one or more shooting modes.
You don't need to learn them all, but know at least one.

Operating Modes - Turning on the camera
Operating modes are the most basic, and essentially tell the camera whether to take pictures or display them. Some cameras only have "on" and "off". Operating modes can usually be found on buttons or dials on the camera body.


Camera Modes
Old fashioned cameras have one mode.. manual. Camera settings would have to be figured out by the photographer, along with focus.

typical camera mode dial
Modern cameras can do all this automatically, but sometimes they need help. By choosing a shooting mode you give the camera hints about what you want, and it will try to deliver.
Know your modes!
Like riding a bicycle, operating your camera should become second nature.
You should know AT LEAST ONE camera mode well enough to take a picture without hesitation.

Point and Shoot: Auto/Program Mode
Of all the shooting modes, Auto/Program is probably the most useful. Most people don't really want to learn about how a camera works, and point and shoot photography is the perfect solution.

The fully automatic (A)uto or (P)rogram mode is the default for most modern cameras. The photographer can simply aim, press the button, and almost be guaranteed a great image.
point and shoot photography is not second class!
Even professionals will happily switch to program mode so they can concentrate on getting the shot instead of exposure calculations.

More Common Shooting Modes:
While (P)rogram is the most important for everyday use, most cameras have dozens more.. it's like having an assistant photographer inside your camera who tries to figure out what you need.