Guide for the beginners - Understanding the exposure.
Understanding exposure is essential for any photographer aspiring to take visually striking images. In its simplest form, exposure determines how light or dark an image will appear. Exposure and how it is calculated was something that I had problems wrapping my head around for a good while. Let’s dive into the world of exposure values and how everything comes together.
What is exposure value?
Exposure Value (EV) is basically numerical representation of proper exposure for the scene. Same exposure can be captured with many different combinations of cameras settings thus EV is a certain combination of your camera's aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings. Each of these plays a vital role: aperture controls the amount of light entering through the lens, shutter speed dictates the duration that the camera’s sensor is exposed to light, and ISO defines the sensor's sensitivity to light. By adjusting these settings, photographers can manipulate how light or dark an image turns out.
Understanding a stop of light.
A "stop" of light is an important term and understanding it helps adjust camera settings. It is a term used to describe a doubling or halving of the amount of light captured in a photo. This concept is fundamental for managing exposure. Talking about EV (exposure value) 1 digit represent a stop of light. So 16 EV and 15 EV the difference is one stop of light.
Doubling shutter speed let´s say from 1/100s to 1/200s is one stop less light and cutting the shutter speed in half for example from 1/800s to a 1/400s thus slowing the shutter down is one stop more light.
A smaller ISO value means the sensor or the film is less sensitive to light and a bigger value means more sensitive. Multiplying ISO value by two let´s say from 200 to 400 gives a stop of light and dividing by two say means one stop less light.
I´m not going to break down how aperture numbers are made but the main one-stop gaps in aperture numbers are f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, and f/22. When the value is small the lens aperture is going to be more open letting in more light. You can think it like a 1/16 slice of a pizza is smaller than 1/2 pizza.
The Sunny 16 Rule.
Estimating exposure without a light meter is an essential skill especially for film photographers who often work with old cameras without built-in light meters. Observing the brightness of the environment, the shadows, and how light interacts with subjects can guide your settings. The Sunny 16 Rule is a guideline that provides a baseline for setting exposure on sunny days. Sunny and cloudless days EV, exposure value, is 16. Set your aperture to f/16, and match your shutter speed to the reciprocal of your ISO. For varied conditions, modify this setting: on an lightly cloudy day, use f/11, and in heavy shade, open up to f/8 or wider. This rule helps you quickly estimate the correct settings without metering tools and inconsistent lighting conditions. Remember changing the setting for the proper exposure is a balancing act and should be done mindfully. Learning to "read" light in this way allows for quick, intuitive shooting, particularly in dynamic lighting situations but takes a lot of trial and error.
Indoors the EV can usually be something like 5 or 6 so compared to sunny cloudless day outdoors setting you would need about 10 stops more light indoors. Without using a flash that would mean you need to open up the aperture, slow choose slower shutter speed and raise the ISO to gain those 10 stops of light.
Using a light meter to determine exposure values.
Light meters, whether built into your camera or as standalone devices, are precise tools for measuring light. They suggest exposure settings that balance the light across the scene, ensuring details are captured both in highlights and shadows. For complex lighting, like backlit or mixed lighting conditions, a handheld light meter or using center-weighted or spot metering in the camera can be especially useful, offering more accuracy and flexibility. Light meters can give a lux value which tells the intensity of lighting, an EV value which tells the calculated exposure value and also give detailed settings to set your camera to expose the scene properly.
Creative use of exposure in photography.
Experimenting with exposure can also be a creative choice. Intentionally underexposing (creating a darker image) or overexposing (a lighter image) can produce moody or ethereal effects, respectively. These techniques allow photographers to impart a certain feel or atmosphere to their images, beyond standard exposure settings.
Conclusion.
Mastering exposure is more than just understanding technical settings; it's about seeing and capturing the world in new ways. By experimenting with the concepts of EV and stops of light, you can enhance your ability to capture stunning photographs in any lighting condition. Embrace these techniques, practice regularly, and watch as your photos transform with your growing mastery of exposure.
