Mastering Shutter Speed, ISO, and Aperture for Perfect Exposure

Course Overview

This course will teach you how shutter speed, ISO, and aperture work together to control exposure in photography. Whether you’re shooting with a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or smartphone, understanding these three elements will help you take well-lit and sharp images in any lighting condition.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ What shutter speed, aperture, and ISO are and how they affect your photos.
✅ How to balance these settings for proper exposure.
✅ How to adjust settings based on different lighting and photography styles.
✅ How to use Manual Mode (M), Aperture Priority (A/Av), and Shutter Priority (S/Tv) effectively.

​

1: Understanding Exposure – The Key to a Well-Lit Photo

1.1 What is Exposure?
   •    Exposure is the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor, determining how bright or dark an image appears.
   •    The Exposure Triangle consists of:
   •    Shutter Speed (motion control)
   •    Aperture (depth of field control)
   •    ISO (light sensitivity)
   •    Adjusting one setting affects the others, requiring a balance for the perfect shot.

​

2: Shutter Speed – Controlling Motion & Light

2.1 What is Shutter Speed?
   •    Shutter speed is how long the camera sensor is exposed to light.
   •    Measured in fractions of a second (e.g., 1/100s, 1/1000s).

2.2 How Shutter Speed Affects Photos

✅ Fast Shutter Speed (1/500s - 1/2000s)
   •    Freezes motion (sports, wildlife, action shots).
   •    Reduces blur in moving subjects.
✅ Slow Shutter Speed (1/10s - 30s)
   •    Creates motion blur (light trails, waterfalls, long exposure shots).
   •    Requires a tripod for stability.

2.3 Shutter Speed Examples
   •    1/4000s - 1/2000s: Freezing birds in flight.
   •    1/1000s - 1/500s: Capturing sports action.
   •    1/250s - 1/125s: Portraits and general photography.
   •    1/60s - 1/10s: Low-light handheld shots.
   •    1s - 30s: Light painting, star trails, night photography.

​

3: Aperture – Controlling Depth of Field & Light

3.1 What is Aperture?
   •    Aperture is the opening in the lens that controls the amount of light entering the camera.
   •    Measured in f-stops (f/1.8, f/2.8, f/8, etc.).

3.2 How Aperture Affects Photos

✅ Wide Aperture (f/1.4 - f/4)
   •    More light enters the lens.
   •    Shallow depth of field (blurry background, great for portraits).
✅ Narrow Aperture (f/8 - f/16)
   •    Less light enters the lens.
   •    Deep depth of field (sharp focus on entire scene, good for landscapes).

3.3 Aperture Examples
   •    f/1.2 - f/2.8: Blurred backgrounds for portraits.
   •    f/4 - f/5.6: Everyday shooting and events.
   •    f/8 - f/11: Group shots and street photography.
   •    f/16 - f/22: Landscapes with sharp foreground and background.

​

4: ISO – Controlling Light Sensitivity

4.1 What is ISO?
   •    ISO controls how sensitive the camera sensor is to light.
   •    Higher ISO = brighter image, but more noise (grain).

4.2 How ISO Affects Photos

✅ Low ISO (100-400)
   •    Clean images, best for bright conditions.
✅ High ISO (800-3200+)
   •    Brightens the image, best for low-light conditions but introduces noise.

4.3 ISO Examples
   •    ISO 100-200: Bright daylight, studio lighting.
   •    ISO 400-800: Cloudy days, indoor lighting.
   •    ISO 1600-3200: Low-light indoor photography, concerts.
   •    ISO 6400+: Night photography (use cautiously to avoid noise).

​

5: How Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO Work Together

5.1 The Exposure Triangle in Action
   •    Changing one setting affects the others.
   •    Example:
✅ If you increase shutter speed, you need to widen aperture or raise ISO for proper brightness.
✅ If you use a small aperture (f/16), you may need a slower shutter speed or higher ISO.

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

​​​

Final Project: Applying Your Knowledge

✅ Take three photos, adjusting only one setting at a time.
✅ Take a motion blur photo and a sharp freeze-action shot.
✅ Capture an image using low and high ISO settings to compare noise levels.
✅ Take a portrait with a blurred background and a landscape with deep focus.
✅ Submit your best shot for feedback!

Conclusion & Next Steps

By mastering shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, you’ll gain full control over your camera and create professional-quality images in any lighting condition.

​