Welcome to your photography 101 class! Today’s topic: Understanding Exposure. Don’t worry, we won’t make you feel like you’re back in math class.
So, what is exposure? In simple terms, it’s how light or dark your photo is. And to control it, you need to understand the three elements that make up the exposure triangle: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.
Let’s start with shutter speed. This is how long the camera’s shutter stays open to let light in. A fast shutter speed freezes action, while a slower one creates motion blur. Think about it like taking a picture of your pet running – you want a fast shutter speed to capture them in mid-air, not a blurry mess.
Next up is aperture. This is the size of the opening in the lens that lets light in. A wider aperture (smaller f-stop number) creates a shallow depth of field, with the subject in focus and the background blurred. A narrower aperture (higher f-stop number) creates a larger depth of field, with everything in the photo in focus. So, if you’re taking a portrait, use a wide aperture to blur out distracting elements in the background.
Last but not least, we have ISO. This is how sensitive the camera’s sensor is to light. A higher ISO creates a brighter image, but can also introduce digital noise or grain. Try to use the lowest ISO possible in well-lit conditions, and only bump it up when necessary.
It’s worth noting that these three elements are all interdependent. Changing one affects the others, so it’s all about finding the right balance for your situation.
One tip: if you’re shooting in manual mode, try using your camera’s histogram to check your exposure. If you don’t know what a histogram is, let me know and I can do a post about them and how to read them. This handy graph shows the distribution of light in your photo, and can help you avoid underexposed or overexposed shots.
And there you have it, the basics of understanding exposure. Practice with different settings and lighting situations to see what works best for you. Now go out there and capture some awesome photos!
Happy shooting!
