Visualizing: the Exposure Triangle at Work

During the last lesson, we tied up the elements of shutter speed, ISO, and aperture into one shape that is the exposure triangle. We mentioned that the exposure triangle is an important concept in photography, used by starters to professionals in the field.

In order to create a properly lit image, you will need to find the perfect harmony between the shutter speed, aperture, and the ISO. The exposure triangle then serves as a guide for photographers to remember and understand the relationship between the elements.

With that said, in order help us understand the said relationship more, we will visualize the exposure triangle today.

The Visual Aspect

Being a shape itself, the exposure triangle aims to explain the relationship of the shutter speed, ISO, and aperture more visually. As we keep on mentioning, these three are very critical elements on their own but combine then together and you get something much moe bigger.

With that being said, understanding the triangle is directly equal to understanding the relationship in between shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. As we mentioned last lesson, their relationship is interdependent rather than being individual and linear.

Visualizing

What you can see above is the actual exposure triangle. The relationship between the three elements may not be that evident at first glance but as we go through it, you will see the relationship more. 

From our previous discussions, we established that each one of these elements affects the exposure in different ways. 

First and foremost, the ISO adjusts the sensitivity of your sensor to light with a higher ISO value indicating a sensitive sensor that will let more light affect it. 

On the other hand, the shutter speed manages the amount of light by opening the shutter in different speeds with a faster shutter speed letting in lesser light. 

Lastly, the aperture or f-stop is the camera’s initial opening or iris. The aperture can be dilated in order to let in more light by increasing the value of your f-stop.

The Relationship

As we mentioned, the relationship of the three elements in the exposure traingle is interdependent. By interdependent, we mean that each one has its own roles but they depend on each in order to function in a bigger scale. 

Apart from how they affect the brightness of your photo, some things you have to consider when dealing with these elements are also their secondary effects. 

The secondary effects are the other things that your ISO, shutter speed, or aperture can effect apart from the known contributions to exposure.

ISO - a higher value for your ISO indicates that your sensor will be more sensitive to light. With that said, a higher ISO will also get more light particles to imprint on it thus creating grain. A lower ISO value will result to a cleaner image, on the other hand. Shutter speed - the effects on shutter speed on the amount of light is basic knowledge already. However, the shutter speed, as we mentioned before, also affects motion blur. A slower shutter speed will render motion blur since you are allowing your camera to capture a relatively longer timeframe as compared to a fast shutter speed. Aperture - the wider you open your aperture, the more light you will be letting in your camera. However, the aperture also has big effects on your depth of field and how wide your focused area will be. With that said, an aperture of f/1.8 will have a smaller area of focus making it better for portrait shots as compared to f/11 perhaps.

The other effects of shutter speed, ISO, and aperture are very useful for getting creative in photography.

Conclusion

Today we dissected the exposure triangle and discussed the multiple effects of its elements on a certain picture. We mentioned that they have an interdependent relationship which means that they all work together to achieve a goal. The exposure triangle is definitely something you should not forget as long as you are a photographer so be sure to keep on reviewing the basics. To further understand their relationship, be sure to experiment and explore them as well through practice. Our next lesson will be on the camera’s light meter which brings us one step closer to understanding exposure more holistically. Be sure to show your peers these lessons as well to help them develop their skills more.