The Photography Guide: #1 - Exposure

What do you think about when you are about to take a picture?

When most people prepare to take a picture, they don't ask, "do I have good contrast?" Or "does this follow the 'rule of thirds?'" But in reality, these are just a few of the many questions a photographer must consider when capturing an image. Taking a quality image goes way beyond whether a picture simply looks "good" or "bad." In taking a well-composed shot there are many rules and techniques of composition that contribute to whether an image pleases both a technical and creative standard. And over the course of the next six weeks, I will be demonstrating many of the key components in achieving a truly quality photograph. 

One of the most important factors in capturing a shot is how exposed your picture is. Determining whether or not a photograph is underexposed, overexposed, or just right.

Underexposed
-too much light, lacking shadows and contrast

Overexposed
-not enough light, too many shadows, lacking highlights

Good exposure
-good balance of highlights and shadows

One of the easiest ways to assure your picture has the correct exposure, is to use a light meter. "An exposure calculated by a light meter provides a combination of aperture and shutter speed that should expose your picture correctly" (London 68). In other words, a light meter helps you to determine the best settings to use in capturing the picture you are taking. But although the settings the light meter gives you might work well, it is not strictly the only combination you can use. For more artistic value, you can play around with your aperture and shutter speed yourself and end up with a photograph that is just as good or even better!

I tested this idea out myself. Ignoring my light meters suggestions, I took various pictures without it's guidance. Two of these pictures are displayed below.

f-stop (aperture): f/6.3

shutter speed: 1/1250 sec

f-stop (aperture): f/6.3

shutter speed: 1/4000 sec

Although it may not seem like it, the first photograph is actually underexposed. There is far too much light being let into the lens and the brightness of this has not only washed out the image, but has also drawn attention away from the intended subject. With all the light being let into the picture, the viewers eye is almost automatically drawn to the wall of the bus, rather than the boy. But not to worry, there is an easy solution to this! Notice the difference in the shutter speed of the images. The underexposed picture taken at an exposure of 1/1250 sec, whilst the second was taken with an exposure of 1/4000 sec. Since the shutter speed is responsible for the speed of which the shutter opens and closes (London 77). That means the shutter speed determines how long light is let into the image. Therefore, in other words, by changing the shutter speed the 1/4000 sec. in the second shot, this allowed less light into the picture, making the shot much darker and thus completely changing the dynamics of the photograph. This simple change in shutter speed not only brought attention back to the subject, but also fixed the coloring, contrast, focus and clarity of the image.

But it is important to not get hooked onto the exposure of your image. While having a good exposure is one the most important technical aspects of your image. There are still many other things to be considered when capturing and editing your picture. Next time, we will take a look at contrast and how having good contrast influences the entire feeling and visual impact of your image.



London, Barbara. Photography. 9th ed. London: Pearson Education, 208. Print.