exposere triangle

Exposure triangle

The exposure triangle is a fundamental concept in photography that brings together three settings: aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity These three elements interact to control the amount of light reaching the sensor, thus determining the exposure of the image. Mastering these parameters results in a correctly exposed and aesthetically balanced photo. 

The three elements of the exposure triangle

Aperture of the diaphragm (f-stop)

: Controls the amount of light that enters the lens, and impacts depth of field. A large opennng of camera lens (small number, such as f/1.8) lets in more light and creates background blur (bokeh).

 Sony ILCE-7M3 f/1.8 1/100 s ISO100  lens 70mm

while a low opening of camera lens (large number, like f/22,) lets in less light and makes the image sharper across the entire depth.

Sony ILCE-6700 f/22 1/100 s ISO 800 lens 20mm 

Shutter speed (exposure time): 

Determines how long the camera's sensor is exposed to light. A fast speed (e.g., 1/1000s,1/640s) freezes motion, letting less light in.

Sony ILCE-7M3 f/3.2 1/640 s ISO 100 lens 42mm

 A slow speed (e.g., 1/20s) captures more light but may create motion blur if the subject moves.

Sony ILCE-7M3 f/22 1/20 s ISO 100 lens 42mm

ISO sensitivity:

 Indicates the sensor's sensitivity to light.  A low ISO (eg:(100\)) gives a cleaner image but requires more light.

Sony ILCE-7M3 f/13 1/100 s ISO 100 lens 69mm

  

A high ISO (eg: (3200\)) allows you to take pictures in low light conditions, but may introduce digital noise into the image.

Sony ILCE-7M3 f/22 1/100 s ISO 16000 lens 70mm