Camera Settings Explained

The best way to control the outcome of your photos is shooting in manual mode. It can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be!

We'll dive into the exposure triangle below, and don't forget to download this guide to help you further.

The Exposure Triangle

When you switch your camera into manual, there are three main settings to focus on: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Each has its own unique function and purpose, and all three of them can drastically change your lighting.

1. Shutter Speed

   As the name suggests, shutter speed is how fast your camera's shutter opens and closes. It's measured in fractions of a second — 1/1000 is fast, while 1" (one full second) is slow. This affects two things: sharpness and exposure.

   
   

   Sharpness: The slower your shutter, the more camera shake and subject movement your camera picks up. A good rule of thumb is to never shoot handheld below 1/60. If your subject is moving, go faster.

   
   

   Exposure: The longer your shutter is open, the more light it lets in. A slow shutter like 1" lets in a lot of light; a fast one like 1/2000 barely lets any in.

   
   

   This is what makes church and live music photography tricky — you're shooting moving subjects in a dark room, so you need a fast shutter and lots of light at the same time.

   
   

2. Aperture

   Aperture is how wide your lens opens and closes. It's measured in f-stops, typically ranging f/1.2 - f/30. Aperture also affects two things: focus/depth of field and exposure.

   Focus/Depth Of Field: A wide aperture (small numbers; f/1.2 - f/2.8) creates a shallow depth of field resulting in a blurry background and sharp subject. A shallow aperture (big numbers; f/6+) creates a deep depth of field reuslting in more of the background being in focus. You can also get some really cool light effects with a shallower aperture, commonly referred to as a "sunburst" (shown below)

   
   

Exposure: A wide aperture (small numbers; f/1.2 - f/2.8) lets more light into your camera resulting in a brighter image. A shallow aperture (big numbers; f/6+) lets less light into your camera resulting in a darker image. Typically, I just leave my aperture as wide as possible. On my day-to-day setup, that's f/2.8. Then, it's one less setting to worry about, and with more light in my camera, I don't have to worry as much about boosting my ISO. Speaking of which...

3. ISO

   ISO is how sensitive your camera is to light. It's measured in numbers typically 100-102,400. It affects overall image quality/grain and exposure. Quality/Grain: A low ISO results in a clean, grain-free image. A high ISO produces lots of unwanted grain/noise. It's editable, but it should be avoided unless necessary. Exposure: A low ISO means your image will be less bright, while a high ISO makes your images brighter. In general, you should always keep your ISO as low as possible. Because I keep my aperture wide and try to keep my shutter speed only as fast as necessary, I set my ISO last. That way, I can set it as low as possible while already using my shutter speed and aperture to my advantage.

   
   

Once you master each aspect of the exposure triangle, it becomes second nature to set them and let them work together to your advantage. If you want another resource, be sure to download this guide to help you further.