Manual Mode / The Exposure Triangle

The Exposure Triangle

The Exposure Triangle consists of three variables that adjust how a camera captures light: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together to create your exposure. Together, these three elements properly expose a shot. You want to get the best exposure possible in-camera. Don't rely on editing alone!

The Basics

Aperture:

The aperture controls how much light is entering your camera, affecting the brightness as well as how sharp or blurry your background is (aka the depth of field).

• A lower aperture will create a brighter image and have less depth of field, resulting in a blurrier background.
• A higher aperture will create a darker image and have more depth of field, resulting in a sharper background.

Low f-stop (f/1.8 - f/4): Blurry backgrounds (portraits, products).

High f-stop (f/8 - f/16): Sharp backgrounds (landscapes, groups).

ISO (International Organization for Standardization)

ISO is your camera sensor's sensitivity to light as a numerical value.

• Use a lower ISO in bright conditions
• Use a higher ISO in low-lighting

ISO 100-400: Best for daylight.

ISO 800+: Needed for low light but increases noise.

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed controls how long your shutter is open and exposes light to your camera sensor. It determines how motion is captured as well as how bright your image is.

• A low shutter speed will let in more light and capture motion blur. Use a tripod to prevent camera shake for these shots.
• A higher shutter speed will let in less light and freeze motion.
• Higher ISO's will add grain to your photos.

Fast: (1/500s+): Freezes motion (sports, action shots).

Slow (1/30s-): Creates motion blur (light trails, waterfalls).

Things to Remember:

If your image is too bright, raise your aperture, raise your shutter speed, or lower your ISO.

If your image is too dark, lower your aperture, lower your shutter speed, or raise your ISO.