Exposure is one of the most important things in photography. Understanding exposure helps you take control of your camera, resulting in better photos. Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together to produce a properly exposed picture. These three variables form the exposure triangle.
Aperture
Aperture refers to the size of the lens opening. It controls the amount of light that enters the lens. The larger the opening, the more light and the smaller the opening, the less light entering. Aperture is measured using f-stops. It is a bit confusing to understand the numbers because a smaller number means large aperture while a larger number means small aperture.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed controls how long the shutter is open which means controlling the length of time light is allowed to hit the sensor. The longer the shutter speed, the more light that hits the sensor. The shorter the shutter speed, the less light that hits the sensor. Shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second.
ISO
ISO controls the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor. In other words, it brightens or darkens your photo. However, if you set your ISO higher, the picture may turn out grainy. ISO is measured in whole numbers.
Using these three variables, we can manipulate the exposure of our photos. In addition to exposure, we can also experiment with depth of field through aperture and motion through shutter speed.
