It’s All About Light

02. UNDERSTANDING EXPOSURE IT’S ALL ABOUT LIGHT

PHOTO MEANS “LIGHT”, and graph means “to draw”. Photograph means “to draw with light”. The exposure triangle is simply the relationship between your ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. These three components work together to create an actual exposure or photograph. It is referred to as the exposure triangle, because when you adjust one element, another element MUST change to capture the same exposure. When learning the photography basics and understanding the exposure triangle, it is paramount to always remember this cause and effect relationship.

Each of the three aspects of the triangle relate to light and how it enters and interacts with the camera. In selecting the exposure for any given photography situation, you need to choose some combination of the three that will yield what you consider the best exposure for your environment.