Lesson 2 Exposure Shutter Speed \u200b\u200bAperture Sensitivity. Free school of photography. Conclusions. What ISO settings to use in what cases
If you are tired of the boring auto mode of your camera and want more creativity, then it's time to get acquainted with the basics of exposure. In this article, we will explain simple languageWhat is exposure and its three whales: aperture, shutter speed, ISO (sensitivity).
Every seasoned photographer knows to be able to properly adjust exposure settings. And what is it? Exposure is a parameter that indicates the amount of light that hits the camera's sensor at the time of shooting. When the exposure is aligned correctly, its value is zero. If there is not enough light, then it goes into minus. And when the frame is overexposed, it's a plus. On SLR cameras, it is depicted as a horizontal scale, in the center of which is zero.
To achieve the optimal exposure level, the camera has three parameters that you can control. We are talking about aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity. The ISO value controls pure light, but the aperture and shutter speed also affect the artistic appearance of the photo. Let's talk about these values \u200b\u200bin more detail.
Aperture - first among equals
The first and most popular parameter that photographers love to control is aperture or aperture. The first word is Latin and the second is English. In the Russian version, they are translated as a partition or a hole. The diaphragm itself is the hole in the lens that opens and closes, thereby affecting the amount of light entering the matrix. But the most interesting thing that aperture affects is everyone's favorite background blur, the so-called bokeh.
An example of a photo at an open aperture
Aperture is designated by the letter "F" and has values \u200b\u200bfrom one and higher. The smaller the number, the more the diaphragm is opened. At open aperture, the maximum background blur is achieved. If you want to get the sharpest possible frame, then the aperture must be closed.
Endurance is the master of time
The next important element of exposure is shutter speed. This is the length of time that the shutter will open when the shutter button is pressed. If the aperture limits the light by narrowing the area through which it can pass, then the shutter speed limits it in time. It would seem that everything is simple, we adjust the shutter speed and aperture to get the right amount of light and that's it. But, with the same amount of light and different proportions of aperture and shutter speed, the result in the photo will be different. Exposure, like aperture, affects the image in the frame. It has a "freezing" effect. With a short exposure, the stream of water will be frozen and you will be able to make out every drop, and with a long exposure, the stream will be smoothly smeared and looks more like fog than water.
Long exposure waterfall
Shutter speed is measured in seconds. It is designated as follows: 1 is a second, 2 is two seconds, 1/125 is one hundred twenty-fifth of a second, and so on. The lower the value, the faster the shutter speed.
ISO sensitivity - less is better
The last parameter is ISO. It does not affect the artistic component of the shot in any way, it only affects its quality. The lower it is, the better. The ISO value displays the sensitivity of the camera matrix. The more we increase the matrix sensitivity, the more noise will appear in the frame.
The sensitivity is also referred to as ISO. The minimum value is usually 100. The maximum value is different for all cameras.
Below is a visual table showing which parameter affects what.
To summarize: how to work with aperture and shutter speed
Depending on the task of the photographer, he can choose aperture or shutter speed as a priority parameter. ISO is never a priority, as it is used as a necessary measure when it is impossible to achieve the required amount of light using the first two parameters. This does not mean that ISO should always be minimal, it just should not be overused.
What is aperture priority or shutter speed? This is when you set one parameter, and the second is already adjusted for it.
- Aperture priority - set if you need to blur the background or make the frame sharper.
- Shutter priority - set if you need to freeze the frame, or give it dynamics.
Any DSLR or mirrorless camera has two of these semi-automatic modes. You set the priority parameter yourself, and the camera adjusts the rest for you. It is with them that it is recommended to start your acquaintance with the exposition.
Aperture and shutter speed iso ratio table
Table of shutter speed and aperture values \u200b\u200bfor different weather conditions
There is no need to take this table as a standard, it only serves to understand the principles of the relationship of these parameters. Focus less on all sorts of tables, and more practice, experiment and enjoy your favorite activity.
There are fundamentals in photography, without knowledge of which, it is impossible to learn how to take high-quality and beautiful pictures. One of those things is understanding the exposure of a shot. In this article, we'll cover shutter speed, aperture and sensitivity. These are the things that shape exposure and understanding their work is essential to get good shots. We will tell you what shutter speed, aperture and sensitivity are and how to work with them effectively.
Introduction.
Before writing what shutter speed and aperture are, a small digression. Each shot requires a certain amount of light (exposure). The camera has three possibilities to dose the light flux: aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity. Sensitivity is used only when the situation does not allow changing the shutter speed and aperture. In addition to controlling the flow of light to the sensor, shutter speed and aperture are effective artistic tools. First you need to understand them, and with time and experience, ease of use will come. An experienced photographer uses these tools at a subconscious level.
Diaphragm.
(diaphragma - septum, Greek), in English "aperture" (aperture, eng.)
Diaphragm - an element of the lens design, which is responsible for the diameter of the hole that transmits light to the light-sensitive surface (film or matrix).
For a simple understanding of the diaphragm, I will give an analogy with a window. The wider the window shutters are opened, the more light passes through the window.
Aperture, referred to as f / 2.8 or f: 2.8, is defined as the ratio of the lens inlet diameter to the focal length. The concepts of open, large aperture (f / 2.8) and large aperture number f / 16 are often confused. The lower the number in the aperture designation, the more it is open.
By changing F by one value, the amount of light entering the camera changes by 2 times. This is called an exposure stop. Any changes (according to the camera scales) of exposure occur in 1-stop increments. For accuracy, divide the step by thirds, if necessary.
Aperture is a very powerful visual tool. The maximum open aperture gives a very small depth of field (depth of field). Shallow depth of field visually highlights an object against a blurred background.
To obtain a large depth of field, the most closed aperture is used. To get a deeper depth of field in the frame, use an f-number of 8 or higher. However, when playing with the aperture value, remember that there are the following hazards as you approach the extreme values \u200b\u200bof the aperture. When open - the worst sharpness readings, and when closed, all the dust on the matrix will be visible on the frame (for digital cameras).
A greater depth of field is more suitable for landscape photography, when the viewer will be interested in seeing all the details of the photo.
Excerpt.
Excerpt - the time interval for which the shutter opens to transmit light to the photosensitive element.
The analogy with open window... The longer the flaps are open, the more light will pass through.
Shutter speed is always measured in seconds and milliseconds. Designated as: 1/200, the camera displays only the denominator: 200. If the shutter speed is a second or slower, it is designated as 2 ″ ie. 2 seconds.
The minimum shutter speed when shooting handheld (to get a sharp frame) is not constant and depends on the focal length. The dependence is inverse, i.e. for 300 mm it is better to use shutter speeds shorter than 1/300.
Slow shutter speeds accentuate the movement of objects. For example, shooting with wiring - at a slow shutter speed, 1/60 or slower, the camera follows the subject, thus the background is blurred, and the subject remains sharp.
Long exposure flowing water turns into frozen shapes.
Very short shutter speeds, I use to stop an instant, such as the splashing of a falling drop or a car flying by.
ISO sensitivity.
Sensitivity Is a purely technical concept that denotes the sensitivity of a matrix (or film) to light. Imagine people sunbathing on the beach. Those with more sensitive skin will tan faster, i.e. he needs less light for this. Others, on the contrary, need more light to tan, because they have low sensitivity.
Sensitivity is directly related to the amount of noise. The higher the ISO, the more noise, and the film has a grain size. Why? Technically, this is the topic of an extended article.
At ISO 100 the signal is removed from the matrix without amplification, at 200 it is amplified by 2 times, and so on. With any gain, noise and distortion appear and the higher the gain, the more side effects. They are called noises.
The intensity of the noise varies from camera to camera. At the minimum ISO, the noise is not visible and is also less pronounced when processing a photo. Starting from ISO 600, almost all cameras are quite noisy and to get a high-quality frame, you need to use noise reduction programs.
Outcome
Together, the shutter speed and aperture values \u200b\u200bform an exposure pair (the optimal, correct combination of shutter speed and aperture for the given lighting conditions). Exposure control determines the exposure of the frame. Previously, exposure meters were used to determine, which determined the shutter speed based on the amount of light and aperture. Previously, the exposure meter was used as a separate device, today it is built into almost every camera.
Every DSLR has shutter priority and aperture priority modes. In aperture priority mode, the aperture is selected, and the camera, analyzing the light level, selects the shutter speed. The opposite is true in shutter priority mode. I almost always use aperture priority, it allows me to work with depth of field. If there is a need to shoot motion, I use the shutter priority mode.
In our next articles, we will continue to cover the basics of photography. Indeed, it is in these things that the understanding of the art of photography lies. Knowing them, you will be able to create those frames that you want.
- What are A (Av), S (Tv) and M modes, definition of each;
- In what situations should you choose each of them and why;
- Some advantages of the (Av) and S (Tv) modes over manual tuning;
- Some advantages of manual configuration and examples of situations where this is the only possible option.
Manual shooting modes, what are they?
Manual Mode (M): This mode gives you full control over three camera settings that determine exposure (known as the exposure triangle) - ISO sensitivity, aperture, and shutter speed. In the guide, we'll focus on each of the options.
Aperture Priority (A on Nikon, Av on Canon): This mode gives you the ability to control two settings, namely ISO and aperture. The camera will automatically detect the appropriate shutter speed to ensure you get the right exposure.
Shutter Priority (S on Nikon, Tv on Canon): This mode also gives you the ability to control two exposure settings, but this time it's ISO and shutter speed. The camera will automatically determine the appropriate aperture value for your settings.
There are other factors that affect the result, namely the metering that is used and the exposure compensation. We will dwell on this a little later.
How do you decide which mode to use?
I use aperture priority and shutter priority modes more often than any other. When deciding which one is best to choose, you should consider what you are shooting, under what external conditions and what effect you want to achieve:
- Choose aperture priority mode when you want to control depth of field (DOF)... So, for example, if you are creating a portrait with nice bokeh, then set the aperture to f2.8 or f1.8. Aperture priority should be selected not only when creating a pleasant blurred background, but also in cases where, on the contrary, you need to take a clear picture by choosing an aperture value of f11 or less.
- Use Shutter Priority mode when you need to control subject movement, that is, either make the subject very clear while moving, or, on the contrary, blur it qualitatively. Thus, photographing sports events, concerts or wildlifewhen clarity is important, the shutter speed should be set to at least 1/500. When photographing the movement of water or a car at night, the exposure interval should be chosen much longer, at least 2-5 seconds.
- There are several cases where the best option will be shooting in manual mode. So, if you are taking a night portrait or landscape, working in a studio, or taking an HDR photo using a tripod, also in some cases when using a flash (for example, when working in a dark room, you still want to preserve a little natural light) ...
Here are some sample images taken with each of the above modes.
Photo taken in aperture priority mode
Photo taken in shutter priority mode
Photo taken in manual mode in the dark
Things to keep in mind
ISO: Remember that when you select any mode, you still adjust the ISO sensitivity yourself.
You need to choose sensitivity based on what kind of lighting you are shooting in. For example, when shooting in bright sunlight, it's better to set ISO 100 or ISO 200. If it is a cloudy day, or if you are shooting in the shade, then the value should be set to 400 ISO. For indoor shooting with poor lighting, the value should be set above 800 ISO, depending on the circumstances. Values \u200b\u200babove ISO 3200 are set for special situations, such as when you shoot a subject in motion without using a tripod and the lighting level is low. Using a tripod allows you to set lower ISO values, since the risk of making a blurry shot is reduced to almost zero.
Check the shutter speed in aperture priority mode.
If the camera determines the value of the shutter speed on its own, this does not mean that you will be able to take a high-quality picture, so it is better to check once again what speed your camera has set. Yes, basically there are no problems, but if you set up the camera and set the sensitivity to 100 ISO, with an aperture of f16 in a dark room, then you will shoot with a rather slow shutter speed, and if the tripod is not used, then the frame will most likely come out blurry. Therefore, make sure that the shutter speed is set correctly, for this you can use next rule - 1 / focal length \u003d shutter speed. That is, if you shoot at a distance of 200 meters, then the shutter speed should be 1/200. Knowing this rule, you can adjust your ISO and aperture settings so that the shutter speed is automatically set to the value that works best.
Manual shot with HDR
Watch out for mis-exposure warning notifications in modes S and A.
Your camera is pretty smart, but it can only work within its own limits. Therefore, sometimes you may receive messages that you go beyond those parameters when it is possible to set the correct values. automatic settings... This message will be displayed as a flashing warning in the viewfinder. Here are examples of such cases, both in shutter priority and aperture priority modes.
Scenario number 1. Aperture priority mode. Let's say you decide to set ISO 800 and F1.8 on a bright sunny day, and the camera will tell you that the frame is too bright. The camera cannot set the appropriate shutter speed (fastest). If you do take a photo, make sure it is overexposed, which is what the camera warned you about. Choose a lower ISO or use a smaller aperture and try again until the warning disappears.
Scenario number 2. Shutter priority mode. Let's say the shooting takes place in a dark room with ISO settings of 400 and 1/1000 sec., In this case the camera will not be able to set the correct aperture value, you will be notified of this via a message in the viewfinder. To correct this problem, you need to select a slow shutter speed and probably a higher ISO sensitivity so that the warning disappears.
Instructions
The term "diaphragm" comes from the Greek word for "partition", its other name is aperture. The diaphragm is a special device built into the lens to regulate the diameter of the hole that allows light to enter the matrix. The ratio of the diameter of the lens aperture to the focal length of the aperture.
The letter F denotes the f-number, which is the reciprocal of the relative aperture lens. Changing F by one stop, we get a 1.4-fold change in the diaphragm opening diameter. And the amount of light falling on the matrix will change 2 times.
The smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field of the imaged area, i.e. an area in sharp focus around the subject. You can set the required aperture, depending on the model of the camera, manually through the camera menu by rotating the aperture ring on the lens or the control wheel on the camera body.
The lower the F number, the larger the aperture, and, the diameter of the lens opening becomes wider and more light enters the matrix. The maximum aperture is f1.4, f2.8, etc. For a 50mm lens, the DOF will be maximum at f22, and at f1.8, the sharpness will be small. For example, when shooting, to get a clear face and a blurred background, the aperture should be set to a small f2.8. If the diaphragm is clamped on the contrary, i.e. set a larger f-number, then the majority of the frame will be in focus.
The length of time during which the light rays hit the matrix is \u200b\u200bcalled exposure. The shutter secures it. Aperture and shutter speed together with exposure pair. The increase in sensitivity is inversely proportional to the exposure, i.e. if the sensitivity is doubled, the exposure should also be halved. To measure shutter speed, fractions of a second are used: 1/30, 1/60, 1/125 or 1/250 s.
For moving subjects, a fast shutter speed should be used to avoid wiggling. To calculate the required shutter speed, you need to know at what focal length you will be shooting. For example, the lens is 24-105 mm, it is extended by half - about 80 mm. And since the maximum shutter speed should not be more than the value inversely proportional to the focal length, the shutter speed should be set no longer than 1/80 s. Short shutter speeds are used to "freeze" movement: bird flight, drops falling, athlete's running, etc.
Best suited for shooting at night or at dusk long exposure... It will help to correctly expose the frame. When shooting with slow shutter speeds, there is a high probability of blurring the frame, in this case it is worth using optical stabilization or a tripod. Such a shutter speed will allow you to shoot interesting scenes - a "fiery train" during evening and night shooting of moving cars.
When shooting water, the shutter speed is important. With a short exposure, the water will resemble glass. When shooting slow rivers and streams, it is best to use shutter speeds between 1/30 s and 1/125 s. Rapid streams or waves crashing against rocks should be shot at a short shutter speed of 1/1000 s, because it will allow you to work out small splashes in detail. For shooting fountains and waterfalls, a long exposure is suitable - it will allow you to convey the movement of water.
In photography, bracketing is a general technique for taking multiple shots of the same subject (landscape) using different camera settings. Specifically "different camera settings", not "different exposure." Bracketing can be: by exposure, by focus, by white balance, by sharpness, as well as by shutter speed and aperture.
A less common type is Flash bracketing. This is fill-flash bracketing combined with ambient lighting. For example, when shooting portraits in bright daylight, fill flash is used to brighten faces and soften shadows. The amount of light emitted by the flash varies from frame to frame, allowing you to choose the photo with the most pleasing result.
Focus bracketing and depth-of-field bracketing
Focus bracketing is widely popular in macro photography, where the depth of field is limited and often very shallow. Taking a series of shots with different parts of the composition in focus, which allows you to use the focusing technique, where you can later combine several frames in Photoshop, keeping only those areas of the image in focus that are needed. You can also use this technique in landscapes where the foreground element is very close to the camera and you want the depth of field to capture both it and the background. For this, 2 pictures are taken, on the first we focus on the foreground object, on the second to infinity. Then the two frames are stitched together in the editor. And you have everything in focus!
White balance bracketing
White balance bracketing is used to compensate different types lighting. It can remove color cast caused by light sources such as an incandescent lamp, etc. This allows the whites of the scene to remain white in photographs. With the introduction of RAW image format in photography, white balance bracketing is obsolete because we can now specify post-capture white balance when editing photos in programs such as Photoshop Lightroom and the like.
Exposure Bracketing (Exposure Bracketing)
Expo bracketing is by far the most popular and most useful type of bracketing in photography. When a photographer says bracketed, he is most likely referring to Expo bracketing.
There are two methods of exposure bracketing:
- Auto bracketing (AEB)
- Manual bracketing
Auto bracketing (AEB)
Auto bracketing (AEB) is functionality camera that allows you to take multiple frames based on presets with one press of the shutter button. For example, set the exposure interval to 1EV in the AEB settings, and by pressing the shutter button, you will get 3 frames, one with normal exposure, one slightly overexposed, and one darkish.
Different cameras have different AEB configurations. Entry-level DSLR cameras allow you to take 3 frames with an interval of one stop; more expensive models have more functionality, which allows you to take up to eleven frames, with 1/3 exposure intervals, and up to 5 frames.
I bet many do not even know about the existence of this function in their camera, but, it is highly likely that it is.
In my photography, I mainly use two AEB configurations: three frames using 1EV bracketing or three frames at 2EV intervals. In extreme cases, when shooting HDR, a burst of three frames at 3EV intervals can be used. In most cases, it is best to shoot with a tripod using bracketing, but if the lighting conditions permit, you can shoot handheld.
Manual bracketing
When using manual bracketing, instead of relying on the camera to take multiple shots, the photographer can set manual exposure compensation settings after each shot to compensate for the exposure value from one shot to the next.
Use a tripod when using manual exposure bracketing. The first shot is taken at normal exposure, then check the histogram to decide which exposure to take for the next shot. Then using exposure compensation, set -1EV and take a second shot. I check the histogram after each shot and, if necessary, take a third shot at + 1EV.
The advantage of using manual bracketing is that you take fewer photos if you can cover the entire dynamic range of the light by taking two shots instead of three. This saves space on the memory card and hard drive.
HDR photography
Bracketing is the foundation for HDR photography. When the dynamic range of the scene exceeds the dynamic range of the camera, the only way to cover the full range is to take multiple frames at different exposure values \u200b\u200band combine them together using software to create HDR images.
Blending exposure (Blending / Blending)
Blending Blending technology has become popular in last years... Instead of relying on HDR software to merge multiple shots together, photographers can blend them manually in Photoshop using luminosity masks. While this method is more complex than HDR, it gives us much more control over the blending process. I'll cover it in the next article.
Life hack
I will share with you a life hack on how bracketing can help you get cleaner and beautiful pictures... I am combining several shots not in order to expand the dynamic range, but in order to reduce noise and improve the quality of the final image. Technique is the same: take 3 pictures, but this time with the same settings and combine them into one. The life hack is suitable for those who are not happy with the noise in their photos, as well as for photos in the dark, especially with hands.
And so, come on, summing up, let's make step by step instructions to action:
Step 1- Check if your camera model has AEB function. If your camera has AEB features, find it and go to the next step. If your camera does not have AEB, use my article to take three shots each time changing the exposure before the next shot.
Step 2 - In the AEB settings, set 3 frames and an interval of 1EV.
Step 3- Set the camera to aperture priority mode. In aperture priority mode, the photographer sets the aperture value manually and the camera automatically selects the appropriate shutter speed. Since aperture controls the depth of field in photographs, it is very important to keep it constant from shot to shot.
Step 4- Mount the camera on a tripod. You can shoot handheld, but this entails some difficulties in the subsequent processing of the images, because no matter how hard you try, the frames will shift relative to each other.
Step 5- Be sure to turn off the lens stabilizer, if there is one, and set the 2s timer to avoid shaking when you press the shutter release button. Or use a remote control.
Step 6 - Wait for the camera to take all three pictures. Some cameras take all these pictures by themselves, some need to press the shutter each time, depending on the shooting mode you choose, whether it is continuous shooting or single frame. Check this point in the settings.
That's all, everything is simple, it remains to practice!
Good luck to everyone and good frames, friends!