5. Understanding Exposure

Exposure is one of the most important concepts in photography. It refers to the amount of light hitting the camera sensor when you take a picture. Understanding exposure and how it works can help you take better, more consistent photos.

What is Exposure?

In simple terms, exposure is the amount of light hitting the camera sensor during the process of taking a picture. If the photo is too dark, we say it's underexposed, which means it didn't receive enough light. If the photo is too bright, it is overexposed, which means it has received too much light.

The Three Pillars of the Exhibition

There are three main components that affect exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Together they are known as the "exposure triangle".

Opening

Aperture is the size of the hole in the lens diaphragm through which light enters the camera. Aperture is measured in f-stops; a larger aperture (represented by a smaller f-number) lets in more light, while a smaller aperture (represented by a larger f-number) lets in less light.

Shutter speed

Shutter speed is the amount of time the camera shutter remains open to allow light to reach the sensor. Faster shutter speeds let in less light, while slower shutter speeds let in more light.

ISO

ISO is a measure of how sensitive the camera's sensor is to light. A higher ISO makes the sensor more sensitive to light, which can be useful in low light conditions. However, a higher ISO can also result in more image noise.

Balancing Exposure

To get the right exposure, you need to balance aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. If you change one of these elements, you'll need to adjust the others to compensate. For example, if you widen the aperture to let in more light, you may need to increase your shutter speed to prevent the photo from being overexposed.

Understanding exposure and how to adjust these three elements can take some time and practice, but it's critical to improving your photography skills.