ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture (Canon, DSLR, Nikon, hobby)

[ShepsMom]

So my other post was about basics of photography, primary composition. So today, i'd like to discuss the "Other Three" elements you MUST know and understand. Especially if you own digital camera with ability to set it on manual mode. We are talking EXPOSURE

What is Exposure? I'm sure you all know what that is, basically, it's how much light is received by your camera, (camera sensor), simple and easy! Exposure is pretty important because it reflects on your image. I'm sure you've heard these words: "Over exposed" and "Under exposed" Over: meaning too much light, Under: meaning too little light. Pretty basic if you ask me.
So, how do you properly expose your shot?
Let's see!!

Exposure is controlled by three things:
ISO
SHUTTER SPEED
APERTURE

Yep, those three things that we've been talking about here on CD. To some of you it is nothing but mambo-jumbo, but i'll try to explain how those 3 things work as best as i can.

Let's take a look at each one of them individually:

ISO, the actual acronyms never made sense to me, i can't seems to get association, but it's just me, if you can explain this, go right ahead.
ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization
Doesn't it look backwards??
So now that we know this very important fact, lets see what ISO is or does.
I've been dealing with photography on and off pretty much since i was a kid. I've been watching my dad entering dark room and processing rolls and rolls of film, it was really cool, i called it 'Red Room"
ISO came from film photography and all it is, is a sensitivity of your film. Before digital cameras came out, remember buying film in order of 100, 200, 400 and even 800? The last one was very cool!! I managed photo lab for about 4 years, and i just loved to explain to people differences in ISO. Call me a photo geek if you wish
Lets see, 100, 200, 400, and 800 and up. Obviously, the higher the number, the faster or more sensitive film to the light. Why would you choose one of the other? Generally, sunny days are shot anywhere between 100-200 ISO setting, because you have a lot of light, and you don't want to overexpose your picture, so you want less light coming in your camera sensor. This is ideal for things that are not moving very fast, or not moving at all, generally called still photography.
For more cloudy, rainy days, you would want to set your camera between 400-600 ISO, because you don't have enough light for a proper exposure, so you need more sensitivity to the light, hence, higher ISO speed.
Are you following?

Here is a trivia question.:
Where would you use 800 and up ISO setting??


Let's move on to Shutter Speed (SS)
This is again, all about light!! Well, photography is about light and more light!!
The very simple way to understand Shutter Speed, is to think of it as a curtain, that opens and closes, fast or slow. This will determent how much light will hit your camera sensor. The slower you open the curtain, the more light you will let in, the faster you open the curtain, the less light you let in. Make sense?

Generally, SS shown as a fraction of a whole number and is measured in seconds. If you see this: 1/30, it means that your "curtain" will be open for one thirtieth of a second, and that is slower SS then 1/600. Got it?

Another trivia question:
Where would you use 1/20 and where would you use 1/1000 ??

Ok, let's move on to the last part of the puzzle:
Aperture, also known as F-Stop, remember these fancies?
The best way i can explain Aperture is to compare it to a human eye. Again, it is all about light, and more light!!!
You are sitting in a dark room, trying to see, your pupil will become very wide in order to see stuff in the dark, opposite to a very bright light, when your pupil will become very very small. Sounds familiar? That's how Aperture works! Isn't this just too simple?
F-stop, the fancy thang, is how we measure how wide our eye (camera eye) will open. So when you need more light, you will set your aperture at the lowest number and vice versa.
Lets take a look:

f/2, f/8, f/10, f/16..... What does all this mean? The smaller f number, the bigger the aperture. The bigger f number, the smaller the aperture.
This can be quiet confusing, as it works exactly the opposite. Once you get a grip on this, you'll be all set

Trivia question:
You're shooting an object in a candle lit room, what f/number will you need, high or low?


It is obvious that none of the settings work by themselves. My trivia questions were specific to that particular settings, so you can understand better how each of them works.

The real challenge is to figure out how all 3 of those above mentioned wonders work together.


What i learned from a few of my photo friends, is start with basics.
Have you ever heard of Rule of 16th or Sunny 16 rule? Oh no, not another rule!!

Relax, it's very very easy.
This rule applies when you shoot outside, on a sunny day, hence Sunny,
and what about 16?? 16 is the most common f stop to start with. Of course, shutter speed must be set accordingly.
Usually, when you are outside and it's sunny, follow this set:

ISO: 100
SS: 100 to 125
Aperture: f/16

Please remember: This is not a RULE to follow at all times, this is a simple set for your camera as a starting point. From this point, you will adjust settings as you see fit and appropriate for the current conditions.


Please take a look at this excellent demonstration of how 3 elements work together. Trust me, after you try it, it will make more sense

cameraDemo


Excellent reading material, by Bryan Peterson,"Understanding Exposure", available here:
Amazon.com: Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition): Bryan Peterson: Books


I hope you will find my lesson somewhat useful. Learn things as you go, take it one step at the time and you shall succeed!

[sanspeur]

I am beginning to realize that my camera is not as versatile as I thought. It has a range of only f2.8 to f8 for one thing. Also a couple of days ago I tried the top 50 high speed feature. That limits me to 3 mega pixels, but even so I did not expect the images to be so grainy.

My subject was about as challenging as one could find...Swallows in flight chasing insects over a field. They fly low, fast and never straight.

Shot at 200 ISO, f8, 1/500 sec. and 421mm.

Not happy with the results at all.

[bibit612]

Well sans, the lack of versatility of your camera, is well compensated for in the way you take your photos so I wouldn't worry too much about it! They're excellent as excellent comes.

[kdog]

One of my pet peeves, and this is NOT directed at Bibit, is hearing people say "it's not about the camera, but about the photographer." Well, that's not always true -- especially when it comes to action photography.

For BIFs, I always try to stay faster than 1/1000th second and usually have to shoot at ISO 400 to accomplish that. ISO 400 would have gotten you there too. Regardless, 3MP leaves you nothing to crop into. Honestly, with a bird that small and fast, you are completely exceeding the capability of your equipment. It's only by your skill that you got what you did.

This is ISO 400 1/2000th second, at 400mm.


I'm not going to fool anybody by saying I could have made that shot on lesser equipment, because I couldn't. There's a good reason that I'm broke.

[ShepsMom]

san, have you tried higher SS on this one?

[bibit612]

Don't worry, kdog! I didn't take it like that at all, but you gotta admit that even if sanspeur had ventured out of his comfort zone, and probably maxed out his camera for those shots, his others are just beautiful! I see "upgrade" in the tea leaves.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by bibit612

Don't worry, kdog! I didn't take it like that at all, but you gotta admit that even if sanspeur had ventured out of his comfort zone, and probably maxed out his camera for those shots, his others are just beautiful! I see "upgrade" in the tea leaves.

Absolutely. Sans posted some pictures of a swallow feeding on a dragon fly that were outstanding. Ditto for his landscapes. I just hate to see people frustrated by their equipment. Having the right tools for the job really helps.

[Nomadicus]

kdog is right about the need for equipment that is capable of doing the job. It's sort of like a sharpshooter having a bb gun when a scoped deer rifle is needed. The best eye in the photographic world will not use a camera designed for general casual photography and consistently bring home chamber of commerce type photos of moving targets. When you need a deep socket wrench that's what you need not an adjustale cresent or a pair of pliers. Some of the time you will get lucky with less but not often. I learned the hard way...I had to be shown to be pursuaded even about the upgraded lenses. The farther away and the faster your subject moves the more costly this hobby/profession is. That is even made more true if you want to make larger than than the normal photo album sized prints. I don't remember if anyone has commented on any of the threads or not about focus lock speed. That is one thing that comes with the pricey lenses we invest in and the camera we mount them on. This remote control plane photo was taken with a Canon 10D. That is a camera that is not really designed or any kind of action. I got extremely lucky. Seeing what I was up against I bought the first 1D Mark II in my area for fast action photography. When the subject is moving along at 200 mph you have needs beyond even entry level dslr's. Since this era the new Canon 40D cameras are most adequate for this type of action at a fraction of the cost. I believe Nikon also has delivered on cameras now that are much more affordable for action shots but I'n not familiar with the models. Lens requirements will always be the same. If the lens hunts for focus you just missed your shot. Al Servo shooting is a wonderful type of photography that is rewarding when it delivers the staring moment of the great football catch, jumping fish, birds in flight, etc. Hey, if it moves, shoot. Yea, I'm long winded but I listen a lot to without saying much. This happens to be on of the 2 most enjoyable photographic topics of mine. This is about 1/1000 of a sec, panning. I don't remember the fstop but the ISO would have been 100. Bright light that day. Thanks for putting up with this old coot.

[sanspeur]

I will try again at different settings. Those swallows are there every day. but today I'm preparing to go on a fishing/camping trip for a few days on the remote west coast of the island. I enjoy shooting things that don't move, or at least don't move that fast, but that high speed stuff is a challenge I'd like to master.

Great shot of the Caspian Tern, Kdog...I saw one the day I shot the Swallow, but I was too slow on the trigger.

[Bulldawgfan]

I think it is great that you are providing these classes, ShepsMom. And I guess that I am the only person who, when reading the title of this lesson, does so in the cadence of " Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!". ISO, shutter speed and aperture, oh my!