Exposure
Basics
Three controls decide how bright your photo is. Each one also changes how it looks. That's the whole thing. The rest is knowing which one to move. Pick your camera and what you shoot, and the whole guide adjusts.
The three controls
Each one changes brightness. Each one also has a side effect. Learn the side effect and you know which one to move.
What it is: how long the sensor collects light.
Longer (1/60) = brighter photo.
Shorter (1/1000) = darker photo.
SIDE EFFECT: MOVEMENT
Short = the athlete is sharp. Long = the athlete is blurred.
What it is: how wide the hole in the lens opens.
Wider (f/2.8) = brighter photo.
Narrower (f/8) = darker photo.
SIDE EFFECT: HOW WIDE THE SHARP AREA IS
f/2.8 = the athlete is sharp and the gym behind melts away. f/8 = the gym comes back into focus.
What it is: how much the camera amplifies the light it already collected.
Higher (3200) = brighter photo.
Lower (100) = darker photo.
SIDE EFFECT: BRIGHTNESS AND GRAIN
Low = clean file. High = brighter, with grain creeping into the shadows.
One stop = double or half the light
A "stop" is the unit. One stop is the same amount of light no matter which control you move it with. So if you take one stop away with one control, you can give it back with either of the other two — the photo stays equally bright, it just looks different.
Play with it
Pick a scene, then drag any slider. With brightness locked, the camera pays for your change with another control. Unlock it and the photo simply gets brighter or darker.
Blur, grain and brightness are exaggerated so the difference is visible on screen.
Three problems, one fix each
Real situations from a gym shoot. Pick the fix — the answer explains itself.
Set the camera once
ISO
Cleanest files, most detail in highlights and shadows.
Which shutter type
| Shutter | Speed | Image quality | Flash | Use for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | Yes, up to | |||
| Electronic | No |
Files
RAW type
The rest
- File Format: RAW & JPEG, JPEG at Extra fine, size L.
- White balance: set a Kelvin value or shoot a grey card. Gym lights are mixed — locking it saves hours of editing.
- Anti-flicker Shoot.: On indoors. If you still see banding on the electronic shutter, change the shutter speed slightly.
Colour
| Result | Use for |
|---|
| What you're shooting | Shutter | Aperture | Why |
|---|
Autofocus
Burst and timing
1. With flash, your body syncs up to s () and flash does not work at all with the electronic shutter. Set the shutter to mechanical before you start.
2. Move the light, not the camera. Where the light lands on the subject decides the photo far more than any setting does.
Before you start
Starting settings
| Situation | Shutter | Aperture | ISO | Shutter type |
|---|