A light read

What is the point of shutter speed if all it does at either end of the scale of my camera is give me a white or black screen?  I am beginning to understand that that means the exposure is incorrect, but I can't change it unless I go into the manual setting.

The challenge for Mono Monday being "Light", I took full advantage of my slightly skewed brain to give you "A Light Read".  Thanks to Mrs Linda for hosting.

My extra is of a male kestrel, which was sitting in the lime tree over the fence but taken with optical rather than digital zoom.