PhotographyUnderstanding the Exposure Triangle

Dustin Banyai

Exposure TriangleIncludes three settings

1. aperture2. shutter Speed3. ISO

ApertureControls how wide the lens opens

• Controls how much of the photo is in focus• large aperture= small focus area• small aperture= large focus area

Changing focus area can give the photo a sense of depth

Large Aperture Small Aperture

Shutter SpeedControls how long lens stays open

• Slow shutter speeds blur motion• creates sense of movement

• Fast shutter speeds freeze motion• captures detail

Fast Shutter Speed Slow Shutter Speed

ISOIncreases light sensitivity

• Lets us use faster shutter speeds in dark rooms• Image quality decreases as ISO increases

Image noise is preferable to an underexposed photo

Low ISO High ISO

ExposureHow much light the camera takes in

• Underexposed photos lose detail in dark areas

• Overexposed photos lose detail in light areas

• Properly exposed photos show detail evenly

Underexposed Properly Exposed Overexposed

Exposure TriangleEach setting effects how much light camera takes in

• When increasing shutter speed you have to increase aperture• When decreasing shutter speed you have to decrease

aperture

• When increasing ISO you need to decrease shutter speed and aperture.