Exposure decides how bright or dark your photo comes out. Our visual guide shows one scene at five exposures, explains what a stop is, and how aperture, shutter speed and ISO each change the result
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Exposure in Photography Explained
Exposure in photography is how bright or dark your photo comes out. It depends on how much light reaches your camera's sensor, and how sensitive that sensor is. Three settings control this: aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
A correct exposure keeps detail in both the darkest and brightest parts of the scene.
ONE SCENE, FIVE DIFFERENT EXPOSURES−2 to +2 stops
The same scene, shot from the same spot. Only the exposure changes, one stop at a time.
−2 stops
01
Very dark
Very underexposed
Shadows go black and their detail is lost.
−1 stop
02
Dark
Slightly underexposed
Moody, and usually easy to brighten in editing.
0
03
Correct
Well exposed
Detail in both the shadows and the highlights.
+1 stop
04
Bright
Slightly overexposed
Light and airy, but the brightest areas start to lose detail.
+2 stops
05
Very bright
Very overexposed
Highlights turn pure white. That detail is gone for good.
LEARNING ESSENTIALS
What does the term 'stop' mean for exposure?
A stop is a doubling or halving of light. One stop brighter lets in twice as much light. One stop darker lets in half as much light.
Metered is the exposure your camera thinks is correct. It measures the light in the scene and picks settings to match. That's your 0.
THREE SETTINGS THAT AFFECT EXPOSURE
Aperture
How wide the lens opening is.
A wider aperture lets in more light.Also changes depth of field.
Shutter speed
How long the shutter stays open.
A slower shutter speed lets in more light.Also adds motion blur.
ISO
How sensitive the sensor is to light.
A higher ISO makes the photo brighter.Also adds noise.
Top tip
Not sure about the correct exposure settings? Go a little darker
Dark shadows can usually be brightened in editing. Highlights that have turned pure white can't be brought back.
−⅓ stop
Notes: Brightness in 01–05 is simulated for illustrative purposes. focus.picfair.com/articles/what-is-exposure-in-photography-infographic
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