Digital

Photography I
Aperture
ISO
Shutter Speed

The
Exposure
Triangle
Digital Photography I

Exposure

This is by far the most technical lesson of this se

However it is essential to begin to get a grasp of
exposure triangle concept.

You must refer to your personal camera manual in

to completely understand how to use the creative
Be sure to take notes when necessary.

Exposure
Exposure is the total amount of light
that you allow into the camera

Exposure Triangle
ISO

Changing any of
the three
elements will
effect the
exposure

Aperture

Shutter
Speed

Aperture and shutter speed are inversely proportional to each other.

Exposure Triangle

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robert_d_ellis/5387408926/

Camera Configuration

Digital Sensor
Shutter
Aperture
Lens

Exposure
Too much light results in an over-exposed
image where there are areas of bright
white or
blow-outs. These areas contain no
detail or color.

Exposure
Too little light results in an
under-exposed image where
there are areas of low detail.

Exposure
Great differences in light within a photograph
confuses the camera.
The camera exposes to the bright light , therefore
the darker portions of the photograph
are blacked out.

Vatican, Rome

Shutter
Speed

Shutter Speed

Posing for 19th century photogr

Usually took as much a 5 minu
Sitting perfectly still.
Luckily, today we can control
Shutter speeds.

Opelika, AL

Shutter Speed
Shutter Speedthe amount of time the shutter is open
which determines how much light is captured in the
recording process
Measured in seconds: super fast 1/2000 second to 30
seconds
The slower the speed, the longer light can enter the
camera. Appropriate for shooting pictures in darker
situations; also great for freezing action and
movement
Shutter speeds and aperture (f-stops) are inversely proportional.
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Shutter Speed
Action shots require fast shutter speeds.

Callaway Gardens
Steeple Chase
14

Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is measure in fractions of a
second.
A shutter speed greater than 1/60th second
requires the use of a stabilizing device like a
tripod. Without stabilization, the photograph
will not be crisp and clear.

15

Low Light
requires longer shutter speeds and a tripod

Full 1 second shutter speed

Langdale Mill

Low Light
requires longer shutter speeds and a tripod

Shutter Speed

Must use
A tripod

Best for
Sports
shots

ISO

ISO

ISO is the measurement of how sensitive

the image sensor in the camera is to light.
Measured in numbers 100, 200, 400, 800, etc.
Use a lower number when smooth crisp images
are need and you have plenty of light.
Higher numbers are used when light is limited,
you do not want to use a flash, or the subject
is moving; may result in grainy images

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The Exposure Triangle

ISO International Organization of
Standardization
ISOthe measurement of the sensitivity of the camera
image sensor to light.
Measured in numbers 100, 200, 400, 800, etc.
Lower numbers used when smooth crisp images are desired and
you have plenty of light.
Higher numbers are used when light is limited, you do not want to
use a flash, or the subject is moving; may result in grainy images

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ISO
ISO is the measurement of the
sensitivity of the camera
image sensor to light.
An ISO of around 200 is average.
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ISO
An ISO of around 200 is average.
Lower numbers are used when smooth crisp
images are needed and you have plenty of light.

Below 200

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ISO
An ISO of around 200 is average.
Lower numbers are used when smooth crisp
images are needed and you have plenty of light.

Below 200

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ISO
Higher numbers are used in
limited light conditions,
Flash is not desirable
subject is moving
May result in grainy images

400 and above

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Choosing ISO Setting

100 to 200 -------Outside Bright Sun
400----Shade or overcast conditions
400----Bright light indoors
800-1400----Stormy day
800-1400 Low light indoors

Higher ISO
400 ISO

800 ISO

Light is limited and flash was not desirable in either shot.

ISO

Too little light can leave parts of your

imagetoo dark to make out details.

If the ISO had been higher this photograph

would have been brighter.

Trevi Fountain, Rome

ISO 200

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High ISO

This photo taken with

ISO 800. Notice the grainy
appearance. This is called
noise.

Rome by night
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ISO 160
Notice the camera
exposes to the light
not the bride.

More advanced cameras have a

mechanism that will allow you to
expose to individual areas with in
the shot.

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Aperture

Aperture
f-stops

Aperture is the camera feature that regulates the amou

that passes through the lens by controlling the size of the
in the lens.

It is measured in f/stops.

Aperture
f-stops

Described as the f/stop

the smaller the number
the wider the lens will open

Stopping down

Aperture is the camera feature that regulates the amoun

that passes through the lens by controlling the size of the
in the lens.

Aperture
f-stops
The common range for f-stops goes from
f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22

Narrow depth of field

f/8 is a good average aperture where

Most everything will be in focus.

Infinite depth of field

F/stops and depth of field

Lower f stops need less light to expose

Higher f stops need more light to expose

f/2

Depth of Field
decreases

f/8

Depth of Field
increases

F /22

Aperture
f-stops

Full f-stops go from

f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22, f/32

Each full stop value increase, decreases the light entering

by half.

Fast lens
Shorter shutter speed
Narrow depth of field

Slow
Longer
shutter speed
lens
Large depth of field

Narrower Depth of Field

More exposed

Longer Shutter Speeds

Greater Depth of field

Aperture

37

Shutter Aperture
Relationship
The smaller the
aperture, the
longer the shutter
speed
The larger the aperture,
the
shorter the shutter

Sunny Sixteen Rule

The "rule of sunny-16" is simply a handy trick to remembe

away to set proper exposure when the sun is high in the s
And casts strong shadow on a bright day.
The camera aperture is set to f/16
(hence the -16 in sunny-16). dark shadows.

The sunny sixteen rule

was NOT used in this
photoghraph.

Sunny Sixteen Rule

Aperture
Aperture
f/22
f/16

Stops
stops
conditions
Conditions
snow or beach
-1 stop
sunny-16

bright daylight
dark shadows
weak or hazy
sun
sun low in sky

f/11

+1 stop

f/8

+2 stops

cloudy bright

f/5.6

+3 stops

darker clouds
subject in
shadow

f/4

+4 stops

sunset

Issues with each exposure

point
IS
Noise
O

Changing any of
the three
elements will
effect the
exposure

Aperture

Shutter
Speed

Motion Blur
Depth of Field
Aperture and shutter speed are inversely proportional to each other.

Manual Settings Dial

Creative Camera Modes

Point and Shoot Modes

Creative modes

Program Mode

Shutterspeed (exposure) and Aperture are set in unison automati

When you change the shutter speed, the aperture changes autom
When you change the aperture, the shutter speed changes autom

Aperture Priority Mode

Av
Use Av when :
Want everything
In focus (use high f/stop)
OR
Want the background to be out of
Focus (use low f/stop)
In AV mode, the aperture remains constant.
By turning the main dial on your camera, you can
adjust the
shutter speed.
The aperture remains the same.

Shutter Priority Mode

Tv
Action shot mode
In Tv mode, the shutter
speed remains constant.
By turning the main dial on
your camera, you can adjust
the aperture.
The shutter speed remains
the same.

Manual exposure mode

In M mode, the aperture and the
shutter speed can be altered.
By turning the main dial on your
camera, you can adjust the shutter
speed.
The aperture remains the same.

Read your camera manual to determin how to set boththe Av and the Tv

In the Canon Rebel

Set the Tv by turning the dial
Set the Av by holding down the Av button and turning the dial.

Manual exposure mode

In the Canon Rebel
Set the Tv by turning the dial
Set the Av by holding down the Av button while turning the dial.

Manual exposure mode

In the Canon Rebel
Set the Tv by turning the dial
Set the Av by holding down the Av button while turning the dial.

The standard exposure

level is achieved when
the slide bar is locate
in the center.
This meter may be vie
on the LCD screen or
through the view finde

AE Lock
Consult your camera manual for AE lock steps

Exposed to the light (normal )

Exposed to a chosen darker subject

in the photo ( AE lock)

Automatic Depth of Field

Canon's auto depth of field (A-DEP) feature work

by (1) finding the nearest and furthest of all the
autofocus points, (2) setting the camera's focusi
distance to optimally position the depth of field
between these nearest and furthest points, and
(3) setting the aperture so that the edges of the
depth of field extend far enough to contain
these nearest and furthest points.