Use a Gray Card to Measure Exposure
You’ve probably heard of gray cards in connection with white balancing. But there’s also another use that, while it may sound strange, is perfectly sensible: getting a firm grip on exposure.
You’ve probably heard of gray cards in connection with white balancing. But there’s also another use that, while it may sound strange, is perfectly sensible: getting a firm grip on exposure.
Invitations and advertisements for photography workshops are everywhere you look—on the street, on the web, on Facebook, in your mailbox… But how do you choose a good workshop, and what should you want out of it?
In our previous article on exposure settings we introduced the two most basic exposure settings—aperture size and shutter speed. They directly affect how much light falls onto the camera’s digital sensor. There are always multiple ways to combine shutter speed and aperture size to get a correct exposure. Which combination you should choose depends on your creative goals. The relationship between time, aperture, and also the third exposure parameter, ISO, is often called the “exposure triangle.”
The “exposure triangle” is a term for the 3 key exposure settings: aperture, exposure time, and ISO (the sensitivity). Two of these (aperture and time) are covered in our article on exposure settings. This time we’ll focus on the third exposure setting: ISO.
I’m sure you’ve heard the word exposure. But you might not be sure that you know what it means. And if you’re unsure, this article is for you. A photo’s success depends on many different things—such as light conditions during the shot. But it also depends on correct camera settings, and especially the three exposure settings: time, aperture, and ISO. You, the photographer, need to choose values that both give you correct exposure (how dark or light the photo is) and help you express what you want to express. These settings affect your expression because they influence how time and space are recorded in the photo.
Got the photography blues? Feel like your photos all belong in the cutting bin? Don’t give up, give it your all! Your worries are actually proof you’re on the right track. We’re confident that many of you will find that the following article speaks to you. We’ll advise on what to avoid, what to aim for, and by what road to get there.
The first successful photograph of motion was taken by photographer and inventor Eadweard Muybridge in 1878, using a technique called chronophotography. This was part of his study called “The Horse in Motion.” In this article we’d like to talk about how to freeze motion, and also how to highlight it by blurring certain parts of a picture.
It’s not so important what you photograph, and especially not what you use. It’s more important that you’re taking pictures. Take at least one picture daily—even if it’s with your phone. Practice composition, and watching your surroundings.
If photography is more for you than just a way to document celebrations, relatives, and vacations, read on. In short if photography is what you live for and you want to present the best, then this text is definitely for you. Take these words to heart, and you’ll never be stuck with a “great... but unusable” picture again.
Almost every photographer’s artistic development goes like this: first they take a camera and photograph everything without being aware that there are any rules, and so they break them with a clean conscience (and unconsciously). Then they dive into studying photography, start applying and following its rules, and finally reach the point where they once again start breaking them—but this time knowledgeably, and on purpose.
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