ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed Explained With Examples. Take Your Photos to the Next Level
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Important to Know
The basics of photography are fundamental for anyone starting out in photography.
No matter your interests, equipment, or goals, having a solid foundation in the main basics of digital photography is key to capturing better images and improving your photography.
However, things aren't easy when you're starting out. What are the basics of photography? What basic photographic aspects should you master? What's the best way to learn the basics of photography?
I was in that position too, and I know it's difficult. There are many articles online about basic photography concepts, but the information is often incomplete or presented in a disorganized way.
For that reason, I decided to create this beginner's photography guide to learn the basics.
This basic photography manual is what I wish I had found the first time I held a DSLR camera in my hands. All the important information you need to understand the main photography concepts is presented in a logical and engaging way. To help you along the way, I've also included many examples and basic photography infographics to make everything easier.
Exposure is the most important basic photography concept and the first photographic notion you should understand.
You've probably heard the expression "photography is painting with light" before. This is absolutely true; photography is about capturing light, and exposure is crucial because it's the amount of light your camera captures.
The basic concepts of photographic exposure are made up of different elements that we'll analyze below, such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The fundamental thing you need to understand is the effect of exposure, which is capturing the image with a specific amount of light (this is also called "Exposure Value").
Ideally, the image should be correctly exposed, meaning it has the ideal amount of light so that all the detail in the highlights and shadows is visible. However, in photographic exposure, there is no absolute right or wrong, as many photographers choose to capture an underexposed or overexposed image. For now, we will focus on the elements for achieving a correct exposure.
Exposure also has other effects on the final appearance of the image, such as depth of field, motion capture, and digital noise. We will explore these concepts throughout this basic photography tutorial.
Below, you can see an infographic of basic photography concepts highlighting the main effect of exposure on an image.
Aperture is the first of the basic concepts of photographic exposure.
This fundamental concept in photography has a direct effect on exposure; the wider the aperture, the more light the image will show, and the narrower the aperture, the darker it will be. It also plays a significant role in depth of field and sharpness.
The maximum and minimum aperture of the lens are defined by a value known as "f-stop." The higher the f-stop number, the narrower the aperture, and vice versa.
The second fundamental principle related to basic exposure concepts is shutter speed.
This value has a significant impact on exposure; a shorter shutter speed will result in a darker image, while a longer shutter speed will capture a brighter image.
Shutter speed is also a fundamental principle in photography for capturing motion, which is vital in some genres like long-exposure photography, and it also affects camera shake.