Chapter 1: Aperture
Summary:
Aperture, measured in f-stops, controls the size of the opening in the camera lens that allows light to pass through. A smaller aperture (higher f-number) gives a greater depth of field (more of the image will be in focus), while a larger aperture (lower f-number) gives a shallower depth of field (less of the image will be in focus).
Example:
If you're photographing a portrait and want to keep both the subject and the background in focus, you would use a smaller aperture (higher f-number), such as f/8. If you're photographing a macro shot and want to isolate the subject from the background, you would use a larger aperture (lower f-number), such as f/2.8.
Chapter 2: Shutter Speed
Summary:
Shutter speed, measured in seconds or fractions of a second, controls how long the shutter on the camera remains open to let light into the sensor. A faster shutter speed (shorter duration) freezes motion, while a slower shutter speed (longer duration) allows motion to blur.
Example:
If you're photographing a waterfall and want to freeze the water in motion, you would use a fast shutter speed, such as 1/500th of a second. If you're photographing a car race and want to show the motion of the cars, you would use a slower shutter speed, such as 1/30th of a second.
Chapter 3: ISO
Summary:
ISO measures the camera's sensitivity to light. A higher ISO makes the camera more sensitive to light, allowing you to shoot in darker conditions. However, it also increases the noise (graininess) in the image.
Example:
If you're photographing indoors in low light, you would use a higher ISO, such as 800 or 1600, to ensure you can get a good exposure. If you're photographing outside in bright sunlight, you would use a lower ISO, such as 100 or 200, to minimize noise.
Chapter 4: Metering
Summary:
Metering is the process of determining the correct exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) for a given scene. There are different metering modes that measure light differently, such as spot metering (taking a small spot of the image into account), center-weighted metering (favoring the center of the image), and evaluative metering (taking the entire image into account).
Example:
If you're photographing a scene with a high contrast between light and dark areas, you would use spot metering to ensure that the exposure is correct for the subject. If you're photographing a complex scene with multiple light sources, you would use evaluative metering to get a balanced exposure.
Chapter 5: Exposure Compensation
Summary:
Exposure compensation allows you to manually override the camera's automatic exposure settings. It's useful in situations where the camera's metering system may not be getting the correct exposure, such as when photographing against the sun or in heavy shadows.
Example:
If you're photographing a person against a bright sky, you would use positive exposure compensation to ensure that the person is properly exposed. If you're photographing a landscape in heavy shadows, you would use negative exposure compensation to bring out the details in the shadows.