Page 52 - (DK) Advanced Photography Guide

50 INTRODUCING |

EXPOSURE

Exposure is the art of letting just the right amount of light reach the sensor in order

to create a good photograph. Three variables need to be juggled for a successful

exposure: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO (sensitivity to light). How you balance
these three elements will have an effect on the visual quality of your images, and

understanding this is a significant step on your path to creative photography.

Exposure basics
A “correct” exposure is one that creates a pleasing tonal CONTROLLING EXPOSURE
range across an image. While personal preference and the By using the shutter-speed settings, you will
artistic intention of the photographer determine what is “a have the greatest scope for altering exposure;
the range of available ISO and aperture
pleasing tonal range,” it’s also true that when too little or too adjustment is usually smaller in comparison.
much light reaches the sensor, a photo will be under- or However, you may encounter situations in
overexposed respectively. An underexposed photo has dark which it’s impossible to set a particular shutter
shadows that have little or no detail, and no highlights. An speed without over- or underexposing the
shot. Use filtration to solve the first problem,
overexposed image has bright shadows, and the highlights and flash and other lighting for the second.
will be burned-out to pure white.

ALTERING THE APERTURE
UNDEREXPOSED CORRECT EXPOSURE OVEREXPOSED

f/11 f/8 f/5.6 f/4 f/2.8

◾ ◾ Muddy highlights ◾ ◾ Underexposed ◾ ◾ Ideal exposure ◾ ◾ Overexposed ◾ ◾ White highlights
◾ ◾ Dense shadows highlights ◾ ◾ Detail in both but with details ◾ ◾ Bright shadows
with little detail ◾ ◾ Areas in deepest highlights and in the shadows ◾ ◾ Shallow depth of
◾ ◾ Extensive depth shadow lose detail shadows ◾ ◾ Decreased depth field and reduced
of field ◾ ◾ Excellent quality ◾ ◾ Good quality of field image quality

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