My photos in this sunny weather seem to be coming out darker.

[icanhazburger]

I'm really new to photography.

Bit confused here, I've been trying to take some wildlife shots in the park next to work at lunch time, I'd expect my photos to be too bright, but there actually darker, so I'm having to use a slower shutter speed than normal which is causing some of my photos to be blurred.

I've a S5700 and I'm shooting in M mode, which is manual for shutter speed and aperture, I'm also shooting at ISO100. I'm using 13.6 aperture

On an overcast day I'm getting really great sharp pictures at 1/600, even of our toddler trampolining, today I was having to use as high as 1/40, otherwise the image was too dark.

Could the bright sunlight be causing my camera to over compensate for the brightness and be altering something thats actually making things darker?

edit : Thanks Howard for the msn advice, so A mode is the way to go hopefully and a lower aperture.

[Bobster]

change your aperture to something like f5.6, you haven't put exposure compensation on anything by accident?

have you got an example?

[Bobster]

ahh yes A on your camera = aperture priority mode

[shiato storm]

a high f/ number would need a low shutter speed to balance exposure, in manual mode drop the f/ number down and you'll have a better shutter speed.

[icanhazburger]

Great advice thanks, and especially Howard on msn last night.

Back to sharpness again, pic below was zoomed in pretty far and handheld, so I'm happy.