Beginner Photography Cheatsheet
Exposure
Learning exposure will help you to take full control of the camera and take better photos. There are three elements that, when combined, create exposure
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Aperture - diameter of the hole inside the lens
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Shutter Speed - filters how much light goes into the camera
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ISO - sensitivity of the sensor
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Practice Tip: Take three photos of the same scene, adjusting one setting each time (aperture, shutter speed, ISO). Notice how the changes affect your image.
1. Aperture
The Aperture is similar to the pupil of your eye. Aperture refers to the diameter of the hole inside the lens. The wider the aperture, the more light is allowed into the camera and vice versa.
Format: f/number
Ex: f/4.0
Larger the Aperture, the lower of the f/number get and more light enters the camera. Larger aperture also creates a more shallow depth of field (background blur).
2. Shutter Speed
Once Light has passed through the aperture, it reaches the shutter. This is where you decide how much light reach the sensor. Slower shutter speed lets in more light and vice versa. It's like opening and closing curtain blinds, open and close the blinds quickly, less light is in your room and vice versa.
Format: 1/number
Ex: 1/1000
Faster shutter speed (Ex: 1/250) will let in less light and capture motion more sharper (no motion blur), which is great for capturing sports or fast movement.
Slower shutter speed (Ex: 1/60) will let in more light and will add motion blur, which is great for night photography (capture beautiful night lights) and water falls.
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Tip: Shutter speed 1/60 and above, camera can be hand held for stable shot. Shutter speed blow 1/60, a tripod is required to stabilize the shot.
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3. ISO
Once Light has passed through the aperture, and filtered through the shutter, it reaches the sensor, where we decide the ISO.
As the ISO increases, the exposure increases, however, more digital grain or "noise" is added to the image, decreasing image quality.
Format: number
Ex: 100, 200, 400, 800, etc
