Mastering the Exposure Triangle: My Journey from Novice to Manual Mode Maven in Photography

You’ve either upgraded your smartphone or compact camera and chosen one of the finest cameras for novices. The next sensible step is to master the exposure triangle and transition to manual mode.

If you’re questioning the significance of this, it distinguishes a high-end DSLR or mirrorless camera from more casual options. Manual mode stops the camera from handling the technical choices and gives you control over the exposure elements – ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

Having authored photography guides for several years, I believe this is the most challenging concept for novice photographers to grasp. So, if you’re entering the New Year with a new camera and one of your photography resolutions is to finally embrace manual mode, you’ve landed in the perfect spot. In fact, I’m confident that I can have you shooting in manual mode by the conclusion of this article. Are you ready for the challenge?

This may be the most critical photography guide you ever read… EVER!

The Exposure Triangle

The exposure triangle consists of three exposure settings that you may already be acquainted with: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. I consistently think of them in this particular sequence, and I will explain my reasoning later. For now, let’s ensure you comprehend how each setting influences your images. Referring to the accompanying diagram (above) will be beneficial.

What is ISO?

ISO is employed to digitally increase the sensitivity of the camera sensor; as you raise the ISO, the sensor becomes increasingly responsive to light. Simply remember that a lower ISO will enable your camera to absorb less light (darkening the exposure), while a higher ISO allows your camera to absorb more light (brightening the image). However, increasing the ISO comes with a compromise known as noise. Noise appears as graininess or speckles, which tend to degrade image quality as the ISO value escalates.

What is Aperture?

The majority of lenses feature a variable aperture, which simply refers to an opening that you can adjust to allow in more or less light, accordingly. Widening the aperture (which entails lowering the f-number) allows more light, consequently brightening the image. Conversely, narrowing the aperture (which entails raising the f-number) allows less light, resulting in a darker image.

Moreover, aperture affects a visual aspect known as depth of field, which pertains to how blurred or sharp different elements are relative to the focal point. The key takeaway is that a narrow aperture creates a broader depth of field, while a wide aperture leads to a shallower depth of field. A broader depth of field means that items both in front of and behind the focus point will appear sharper, whereas a shallower depth of field will make elements seem more blurred.

The drawback is that achieving precise focus can be challenging with extremely wide apertures due to reduced depth of field. Similarly, when using very narrow apertures, an optical distortion called diffraction can become evident, which will soften even sharply focused areas. Generally, it’s best to refrain from exceeding f/16 to avoid noticeable diffraction.

Note: Both focal length and distance also influence depth of field; however, these factors are not directly tied to exposure, so I won’t complicate things further in this part.

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What is shutter speed?

Shutter speed is arguably the simplest exposure parameter to comprehend. It indicates the duration the shutter remains open. The longer the shutter remains open, the more light can flow into the camera (brightening the picture). Conversely, the shorter the duration it’s open, the less light can enter the camera (darkening the photograph). As with any aspect, there’s a compromise, and in this instance, it’s motion blur.

Slower (or extended) shutter speeds will result in moving elements within your image blurring. Both extended shutter speeds and quicker movements lead to increased motion blur. Hence, shorter (or swifter) shutter speeds are utilized to freeze motion. This principle holds true, as shorter shutter speeds and slower actions will yield less motion blur.

You’ll frequently hear shutter speed referred to as exposure duration. A longer exposure corresponds to a slower shutter speed, while a briefer exposure corresponds to a faster shutter speed. For most photographs, the photographer will strive for a shutter speed that’s rapid enough to halt any motion within the composition. And/or to counteract micro-movements of the camera when it is handheld (this is termed camera shake).

How to apply the exposure triangle (and cheat)

Now that you clearly understand how each exposure parameter influences your camera and images, it’s time to put them into practice. Additionally, I have a couple of handy tricks that will simplify your experience significantly. Recall when I mentioned that I always consider ISO, aperture, and shutter speed in that specific sequence? This is because this is normally the order in which I enter the settings.

This means my shutter speed – entered last – is established via the camera’s built-in light meter, so I don’t have to figure it out myself. If it appears to be too slow, I can then modify my settings accordingly.

I will elaborate further by demonstrating how I would deploy manual settings across three distinct shooting situations. Ultimately, the exposure settings you select will significantly depend on your subject and lighting circumstances.

Capturing a landscape on a tripod

ISO: Since my camera and subject are stationary, I know I don’t need to be concerned about my shutter speed being overly slow. This allows me to select my camera’s base ISO (the lowest ISO level before entering extended ISO modes) to achieve maximum image clarity. In most cameras, base ISOs are typically ISO64 or ISO100.

Aperture: Landscapes focus on capturing as much detail as possible, meaning producing as much of the image in sharp focus as you can. A smart way to enhance sharpness while avoiding diffraction is to establish a moderate aperture of f/8 to f/11.

Shutter speed: Given that you’re shooting on a tripod and not capturing a moving subject, there’s no need to stress about your shutter speed – unless you’re executing a more advanced technique such as utilizing the most effective filters for photography, which I will not discuss here. Therefore, you can simply monitor your camera’s light meter or electronic viewfinder and adjust the shutter speed to achieve a balanced exposure.

Capturing handheld around the city during daylight

ISO: If it’s a particularly bright day, you may be able to use ISO100, but if you’re photographing during an overcast day or in relatively lower light circumstances, you might want to increase it to ISO400 or 800.

Aperture: If you’re merely capturing whatever comes your way as you wander the city, then an aperture of f/8 is your best option, “f/8 and be there,” as photographer Arthur Fellig allegedly stated. This is due to the aperture being narrow enough to provide a sufficiently broad depth of field for most subjects, yet wide enough to allow a good amount of light to enter your camera.

Shutter speed: You can now input your shutter speed to balance your exposure. If it’s extremely fast, like 1/3,000 sec, you may choose to lower your ISO (if feasible) to enhance image quality. And if it’s slightly too slow for handheld shooting, for instance, anything below 1/125 sec, you can simply increase your ISO. If your ISO starts to exceed comfortable levels, you can widen your aperture slightly.

Shooting wildlife with a long lens

Aperture: My approach to capturing wildlife or sports is somewhat different. The necessity for a rapid shutter speed often influences the aperture and ISO you employ. I begin with the aperture because it’s highly likely it will need to be as wide open as feasible to achieve a fast enough shutter speed without resorting to an excessively high ISO. The best telephoto lenses often reach their maximum at between f/2.8 and f/5.6, so go as wide as possible.

Shutter speed: For most wildlife subjects and lengthy lenses, you’re typically looking at utilizing a shutter speed exceeding 1/1000 sec – ideally 1/2000 sec if you’re photographing birds in flight. You can more accurately determine the shutter speed required to prevent camera shake at long focal lengths by adhering to the reciprocal rule, but I won’t delve into that here.

ISO: It’s now a matter of selecting the ISO necessary to balance the exposure. If the ISO is simply too elevated, your only option is to reduce your shutter speed. However, this style of photography often favors noise over blurry images. Wildlife and sports photographers frequently operate at ISO levels far exceeding ISO1000. Noisier wildlife and sports picturesare merely more favorable than disruptive environments or pictures and are more desirable compared to a hazy subject. Additionally, utilizing top-notch photo editing applications for noise reduction is another possibility, but that’s a more sophisticated technique for another time.

Note: Some wildlife and sports shooters utilize auto ISO, which signifies the camera automatically adjusts the ISO to achieve exposure balance, while the photographer still governs the aperture and shutter speed.

TL;DR

I’ve discussed a significant amount in this article. You now comprehend what ISO, aperture, and shutter speed are, and how to balance them independently of one another to realize the ideal exposure. Here’s a summary of my most crucial points…

• Manual mode enables you to manage all three of your camera’s exposure parameters, eliminating the decision-making process from the camera.
• Lower ISOs result in superior image quality, yet darken exposures, while higher ISOs introduce noise but lighten exposures.
• Bigger apertures allow more light in but create shallower depths of field, whereas smaller apertures permit less light but create wider depths of field.
• You may begin to observe diffraction at smaller apertures, typically above f/16.
• Quicker shutter speeds allow in less light but capture moving subjects sharply, while slower shutter speeds let in more light but introduce motion blur to moving subjects.
• It’s usually advantageous to set your ISO, aperture, and shutter speed in that sequence.
• However, when capturing wildlife or sports, it’s generally advisable to set a wide-open aperture first, followed by shutter speed, and finally, ISO.

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If you’re beginning to approach photography with greater seriousness and wish to enhance your editing skills as well, I’d suggest exploring 100 Photoshop editing tips, which provide an excellent foundation in Adobe Photoshop CC. If you’ve just upgraded your camera and are seeking to gradually expand your kitbag, the finest tripod is a crucial investment, especially for landscape, architecture, macro, and still-life photographers.