The ABCs of Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed
The use case for this blog: You recently got into photography and/or interested and would like to know the basics of using a camera.
Side note: This blog is long overdue. Sorry T.F for the delay.
Okay, so there are 3 important things you should know and learn about your camera:
Aperture
ISO
Shutter Speed
If you can grab your camera while reading this, it might be helpful. I am a hands on person + visual learner.
Alright, let’s first talk about aperture. It is pronounce: a·pr·chr
Aperture:
Imagine your camera's lens as a window. The aperture is like the size of the window. It controls how much light enters your camera.
A big aperture (smaller number like f/1.8) means a wide-open window, letting in lots of light. It's perfect for low-light situations or when you want to blur the background and make your subject stand out.
A small aperture (larger number like f/16) means a smaller window, allowing less light to come in. This is great for capturing landscapes or when you want everything in focus from the foreground to the background.
ISO:
ISO measures how sensitive your camera's sensor is to light. It's like adjusting the brightness knob on your TV.
Lower ISO values (like ISO 100) are ideal when you have lots of light available, like on a sunny day. It helps you capture sharp and noise-free images.
Higher ISO values (like ISO 800 or 1600) are handy when shooting in low-light conditions, but they can introduce grain or noise to your photos. So use higher ISO settings sparingly.
Shutter Speed:
The shutter speed determines how long your camera's shutter stays open. It's like blinking your eye. Fast or slow, it affects how motion is captured in your photo.
A fast shutter speed (like 1/1000th of a second) freezes action, capturing a bird in flight or a sports player in mid-air.
A slow shutter speed (like 1/30th of a second) creates motion blur, making a waterfall look silky or capturing light trails from moving cars at night.
Now, let's bring it all together with an example:
Imagine you're at a beautiful park, and you want to take a photo of your friend swinging on a swing. Here's what you can do:
Set your aperture: If you want your friend to stand out and the background to be blurred, choose a low number like f/2.8. But if you want everything in focus, go for a higher number like f/11.
Adjust your ISO: If it's a sunny day, use a low ISO like 100. But if it's cloudy or getting darker, increase it to something like 400 or 800.
Select the right shutter speed: If your friend is swinging really fast, you'll need a fast shutter speed (like 1/1000th of a second) to freeze the action. But if they're swinging slowly and you want to capture the motion, try a slower shutter speed (like 1/30th of a second).
Remember, these settings can vary depending on the lighting conditions and the vision you have for your photos. Have fun that’s all that matters!
Let me know how it goes & T.F please have your mom call me if you have any questions! Sorry again