Exposure

For our first Christmas as a married couple, we set a $15 limit for gifts for each other.  I thought long and hard about how to utilize such a small sum in order to give a thoughtful present to my wonderful husband.  Christmas morning arrived and I watched as he opened the picture I had framed for him.  And then came the better gift: I had written a children's story of how we had begun dating, had a friend illustrate it, and bound the manuscript.  He loved it!  I felt on top of the world.  Until I opened what he bought me.  Apparently the $15 limit was just for me.  He had bought me a digital SLR camera.  Yes, that is correct.  Not a picture of a camera, but an actual camera.  So my gift lost some of its luster as I held the precious artistic tool that was now mine.  Years went by before I actually decided to learn how to use the camera as more than a point-and-shoot.  And I quickly learned that it all begins with exposure.

In digital photography, exposure consists of three components: aperture, ISO, and shutter speed.  Here are the incredibly simplified basics:

• Aperture- how open the lens is when taking a picture
• Shutter Speed- how long the shutter is open when taking a picture
• ISO- how sensitive to light the camera is when taking a picture

Each of these are measured differently:

• Aperture- "f-stops"; the higher the number, the more closed the lens (f/2.8 will be more open than f/11)
• Shutter Speed- measured in seconds (1/4 sec will be open longer than 1/1000 sec)
• ISO- lower the number (ISO 100)= less sensitive and the less grain (noise); higher number (ISO 3200)= more sensitive and more grain

Here are some visuals that may help:

Aperture-

Shutter Speed-

ISO-

Left- lower ISO
Right- higher ISO

In order to really learn the three components of exposure, it is necessary to play with your camera and see the impact the different changes you make to your camera have on the pictures you take.  So spin those dials and have some fun!