Even though, I am not a professional photographer, I took photos very often. It would be a great idea to document my photography study, so here we are.
To capture an image, a person can just point and click, and a photo is produced. Likewise, to capture a good image, you need to point, adjust and click.
The Exposure Triangle
The exposure triangle consists of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO — three settings that control how much light reaches your camera sensor. Balancing these elements determines both the brightness (exposure) and creative style of your image.
Aperture (f-stop)
It controls the size of lens opening (how much light enters) and affects depth of field (how much of the image is in focus).
Key Terms:
- Wide Aperture (e.g., f/1.4, f/2.8):
- Lets in more light.
- Creates a shallow depth of field (blurred background).
- Best for: Portraits, low-light scenes.
- Narrow Aperture (e.g., f/11, f/16):
- Lets in less light.
- Creates a deep depth of field (everything in focus).
- Best for: Landscapes, architecture.
Shutter Speed
It controls how long the shutter stays open (exposure time) and creates motion blur or freezing action.
Key Terms:
- Fast Shutter Speed (e.g., 1/1000s, 1/500s):
- Freezes motion (e.g., sports, birds in flight).
- Lets in less light.
- Slow Shutter Speed (e.g., 1/30s, 5s):
- Creates motion blur (e.g., flowing water, light trails).
- Lets in more light (requires a tripod to avoid camera shake).
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| People who pose and stay relatively still | 1/125 |
| Moving people | 1/200-1/800 |
| Landscape: blurring water movement | 1-10 seconds (and a tripod is necessary) |
ISO
It controls the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light. The higher ISO = brighter image, but introduce digital noise (grain). So, brightening the photo via ISO is always a trade-off. Only raise ISO when it is not possible to brighten the photo via shutter speed or aperture.
Common ISO values:
- Low ISO (100-400):
- Minimal noise, best for bright condition.
- High ISO (3200+):
- More noise, but usable in low light (e.g., concerts, night photography).
As mentioned above, it is good practice to stick to the lowest ISO (base ISO) of the camera. Even in dim or dark environment, using low ISO is still possible if the camera can stand still. In such case, the camera can be set to long shutter speed to capture more light.