Let’s build a theoretical fundament

Master the photography basics with a fun and simple guide to the Exposure Triangle

2024-12-08
#theory

Today, my main goal is to refresh my knowledge about the exposure triangle. But first, we start with a joke: "Why did the photographer get kicked out of the restaurant? Because he kept asking for 'ISO' instead of 'Iced tea,' 'Shutter speed' instead of 'Check, please,' and 'Aperture' instead of 'Appetizer!' Turns out, he was really focused on the Exposure Triangle instead of the menu!"

Triangle

Now, let’s dive into the serious stuff—but don’t worry, I’m keeping it simple. The exposure triangle might sound complex, but it’s the recipe for a well-cooked photo. Imagine you’re a grill master who grilled a steak. You need the right balance of meat, seasoning, and temperature of your grill to get a perfect result. In photography, those ingredients are aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Let’s deep dive a little bit:

  1. Aperture: setting for controlling how much light enters your camera like a door into the saloon. A wide-open door (low f-numbers) lets in more lights (cowboys). This is perfect for portraits or isolating a subject from its surroundings. On the other hand (high f-numbers) let in less light, but keep everything in a photo. This is perfect for detailed photos like a landscape.
  2. Shutter Speed: This is how long your camera gets the light. Just like you control the cooking time on your grill to achieve the perfect level of doneness, shutter speed determines how long your camera's sensor is exposed to light. A quick sear (fast shutter speed) captures a moment in time, like a perfectly cooked steak. A longer cook time (slow shutter speed) allows for more flavors to develop, like capturing the dreamy look of a flowing river.
  3. ISO: This is like the sensitivity of your camera sensor. A low ISO needs more light, while a high ISO lets you shoot in the dark. Do you remember our first analogy with grilling steak? Just imagine ISO like a correct, balanced, absolutely the same type of roasting meat. I mean without overcooked places in some places. In photography, we say like “without noise”.

To get a well-exposed photo, you need to find the right all three settings.

Practical Tips:

  1. Bright Outdoors: Start with ISO 100-400, use a fast shutter speed, and adjust the aperture as needed.
  2. Low Light/Indoors: Bump up the ISO to 800 or more, open the aperture wide, and keep an eye on the shutter speed to avoid blur.
  3. Creative Effects: Experiment with slow shutter speeds for motion blur or high aperture for landscapes.