Now that you have a brief overview of Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed, let’s bring it all together. The first thing I do is either adjust the Aperture, or the Shutter Speed, depending on what my subject is. Once you decide what you’re going to be photographing, you can then decide if the Aperture, or the Shutter Speed, needs to take priority. Due to how a higher ISO can degrade an image, I adjust this last, and keep it to the lowest setting I can.
For an image where your subject is moving, it’s best to determine the needed Shutter Speed first. Once you’ve decided that, go ahead and adjust the Aperture accordingly. Noting that for faster speeds, you’ll need a wider aperture to allow more light into the image. This is due to the fact that your shutter won’t be open for long. If your image is too dark, open up the aperture further. If you skip this, and go straight to raising the ISO, you have a greater likelihood of a grainy image. Keep in mind that the lower you set the aperture you’re decreasing the depth of field, thus keeping your subject in focus while blurring the background.
Alternatively, if you’re photographing a sweeping view of the mountains on a sunny day, you’ll want your aperture on a smaller setting. Not only will this allow less light into the camera, helping to avoid an over-exposed image, it will also allow for the entire image to be in focus. Since your aperture would be smaller, you’ll want to decrease the shutter speed to allow more time for the light to enter the camera. Again, if you skip lowering the shutter speed in favor of raising the ISO, you’ll probably have a grainy image.
Now, get your camera, and try it out! Look for my next post on where I’ll dive into another camera tip.
Terri Johnson, Owner, Plumb Pixel Photography
The Right Angle Matters
Plumb Pixel Photography 