Learn These 3 Camera Settings to START Shooting in Manual

Summary

The video introduces the three settings of the exposure triangle—aperture, shutter speed, and ISO—and explains how they affect both image brightness and appearance. In manual mode, changing one setting may require adjusting another to keep the exposure balanced. The presenter recommends choosing settings for the creative effect you want, then adjusting the remaining settings to achieve a well-exposed image.

The Three Settings

• Aperture

  • Controls the size of the opening in the lens and is measured in f-stops.
  • A smaller f-number means a wider aperture, which lets in more light and creates a shallower depth of field. This is useful for blurring the background in portraits.
  • A larger f-number means a narrower aperture, which lets in less light and brings more of the scene into focus. This is useful when you want the background to remain visible.

• Shutter speed

  • Controls how long the shutter stays open and how much light reaches the sensor.
  • A fast shutter speed can freeze motion and produce a sharper image of a moving subject.
  • A slow shutter speed can blur moving subjects, creating effects such as soft-looking waterfalls or streaks of traffic.
  • Long exposures are vulnerable to camera shake. The presenter recommends using a tripod or monopod as appropriate, along with a self-timer to reduce shake. An ND filter can help achieve longer exposures in bright conditions.

• ISO

  • Describes the sensor’s light sensitivity in digital photography.
  • A higher ISO brightens the image but can add digital noise or grain, particularly in midtones and shadows.
  • A lower ISO generally produces a cleaner image but may require more light or changes to the other exposure settings.
  • The presenter’s rule of thumb is to keep ISO as low as possible while still achieving a properly exposed image.

Demonstrations

• Shutter speed and motion: At the High Line, the presenter first uses a fast shutter speed to keep cars sharp. She then slows the shutter to create motion blur, compensating for the extra light by narrowing the aperture. With an ND filter, she demonstrates a six-second exposure that substantially blurs cars and people, followed by a two-second exposure for a less extreme effect.
• Aperture and portraits: With a portrait subject, she changes from f/5.6 to f/2 to blur the background. Because the image becomes too bright, she lowers ISO and adjusts shutter speed. She then uses f/11 for greater depth of field, compensating with a slower shutter speed and higher ISO.
• ISO and low light: In bright conditions, she lowers ISO from 400 to 100 while maintaining a well-exposed image. In dimmer conditions, such as photographing birds in flight, a higher ISO may be needed to retain a fast shutter speed.

Sunny 16 Rule

For a quick starting exposure on a sunny day:

1. Set the aperture to f/16.
2. Choose an ISO.
3. Set the shutter speed to approximately 1 divided by the ISO. For example, ISO 400 suggests a shutter speed of about 1/400 second.
4. Treat the result as a starting point and adjust as needed.

The presenter also suggests aperture starting points for other conditions, using the same shutter-speed formula: f/8 for overcast conditions, f/5.6 for heavily overcast conditions, and f/4 at sunset.

Main Takeaway

Manual exposure is not just about achieving the “correct” brightness. Choosing aperture, shutter speed, and ISO also shapes an image’s depth of field, motion, and noise. The presenter encourages experimenting with these effects to tell a story or create a particular look.

Speakers and Sources

• Sam — Presenter and narrator from B&H.
• Sydney — Portrait subject in the aperture demonstration; no spoken contribution is included in the subtitles.