How does the Exposure Triangle Work Together – Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO
In this video we will be learning how the three settings in the exposure triangle, i.e, Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO work together. We will be doing an exercise to understand this. Learning how the exposure triangle works is the key to understanding how to shoot in the manual mode of a DSLR or a Mirrorless camera. Here’s the video:
Video Summary
This video by Creative Pad Media provides a practical exercise on how the three elements of the Exposure Triangle—Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO—work together alongside the camera’s light meter to achieve the perfect shot.
Summary of Key Concepts:
- The Light Meter: The instructor introduces the light meter (or exposure meter) [00:22], which acts as a guide. If the marker is on the negative side, the image will be underexposed (dark) [02:18]; on the positive side, it will be overexposed (bright) [02:42]. Aiming for the center ensures an optimal exposure [01:07].
- Aperture and Artistic Intent: To achieve a blurred background (shallow depth of field), the aperture is set to a low f-stop number, such as f/1.8 [03:59]. This is often the first setting adjusted based on the photographer’s creative objective [04:10].
- ISO and Image Quality: To maintain a clean, high-quality image without “noise” or grain, a low ISO (like ISO 100) is preferred [04:30]. However, lowering the ISO reduces the light entering the camera, potentially making the meter show an underexposed shot [05:07].
- Shutter Speed as the “Savior”: In scenarios where the subject and camera are completely still (such as using a tripod), shutter speed becomes the balancing factor [06:57]. Instead of increasing ISO and introducing noise, you can slow down the shutter speed (e.g., from 1/125th to 1/40th of a second) to let in more light while keeping the image clean [07:34].
- Holistic Decision Making: The video concludes by emphasizing that while the light meter helps achieve correct exposure, the specific settings chosen depend on movement in the scene and whether the camera is handheld or on a tripod [09:22].
Important Links
This video is from our Basics of Photography course, which has 15 videos and 2.5 hours of content. You can access the full course via Udemy, using the link below:
