Hi 777Fred
Sorry, I don't know the HP M627 camera! However, being a digital camera it will have much of the facilities that I mentioned.
If you have auto pre-sets for Portrait, Sports etc, then use these for suitable subjects. The Sports setting will always set the maximum shutter speed for the available light. It is excecellent in fine and fair weather but in dull/flat light, if you don't have a 800 to 1600 ASA setting you will run out of light.
You may be able to take a reasonable picture by simply dropping down to the next ASA setting. Likewise, the wider the apparture, the shallower the depth--of-Field and in a scenic shot you may notice the foreground and/or background out of focus. The 'Portrait' setting uses this to advantage in, that it uses the widest possible aparture to blurr the background and make the person, face or object stand out sharper.
If using a zoom lens for portraits choose the 60mm zoom setting, as this gives perfect perspective for a portrait.
The only problem I have with the pre-sets is that I often forget to change back to normal settings when next taking a photo. Thankfully, with digital you can always delete the ruined shot, but it usually happens with a once-only shot that can't be repeated!!! But experiment with the pre-sets. Take the same photo using each setting and look for the changes, you will eventually learn which one to use for certain shots and affect.
With my Canon 350D I have 'servo-focusing' lenes, which is a great help when taking fast moving objects while using a zoom range. With a train, you focus on it while it is well back from where you want the picture and as you pan the camera to follow the train, the lens continually refocuses as the train gets closer and will be correct when you click the shutter.
However, if you don't want to mess about with the camera while picture taking (you may not have the time to make changes) simply set an ASA setting of 400 or 800 ASA with the shutter set at 500th sec. I prefer to use 'Shutter Prority, where I set the shutter speed, manually and leave the auto exposure to get the exposure right. This, of course will get the exposure if the scene is 'averagely' lit, but in a back-lit scene with a lot of sky or water, this will make the auto exposure shut down too much and the person or object will be well underexposed.
Here is an example and my way of correcting this problem, in most cases....
Apologies, this image simply refuses to work as the ones below. Please click on the hyperlink to see the image.
Above: The auto exposure has dropped the exposure too much due to there being a lot of sky around the narrow building.
Above: All I have done here is do an about turn, point the camera at the scene which is front lit, with plenty of trees and grass to give an average exposure. I pressed the shutter button 'half-way' to set the exposure (note too that both scenes are distant, giving a similar 'infinitive' focus setting).
Above: Next I turned back to the Pagodo, still holding the button half-way, reframed the scene and pressed the shutter fully. You can see the difference in the detail of the Pagoda and there is more detail in the tree branches.
Providing the 'opposite' view has a more neutral light level that the back-lit view this will work for you everytime. Likewis, as mentioned, take into account that the object you are photographing is within a similar distance as the opposite scene. If you need to refocus then this won't work. You will have the correct exposure but the object will most likely be out of focus.
I could have spent time changing the camera settings but this method only took a few seconds and is also a good example for those who have an 'All-Auto' camera and have wondered how they may be able to avoid these type of under exposures.
If it is required to refocus, use the camera on 'manual', set the exposure for the 'average' scene, then turn back to the required scene and take the picture.
Again, I trust that is of some help.
Cheers.
BillEWS.