Understanding how the three elements of exposure work — aperture, shutter speed, and ISO — and how to use them will help you master your digital camera.

Conquering the exposure triangle is a pivotal moment in every photographer’s journey – my quiz will help you test your mettle ...

Lenses with a very wide maximum aperture are often called 'fast' lenses – wide apertures allow faster shutter speeds. Aperture and ‘depth of field’ It’s not just about exposure, though.

F-stop is a consistent way to measure lens aperture, and helps photographers control exposure and depth of field. It is noted with an f followed by a slash and number, for example f/2.8.

Good exposure is achieved when the aperture, or size of the lens opening, shutter speed and sensor se. Chron Logo Hearst Newspapers Logo. Skip to main content. Newsletters. About Us.

If the lens you're using opens up to f/2.8, then set aperture to f/2.8. Dial in the shutter speed The shutter speed determines how long the image sensor is exposed to the light for.

A photographer has to consider the lens aperture and shutter speed, both of which control how much light hits the film. A smaller aperture means less light, as does a faster shutter speed.

F-stop is a consistent way to measure lens aperture, and helps photographers control exposure and depth of field. It is noted with an f followed by a slash and number, for example f/2.8.