The Exposure Triangle Explained in 3 Animated Videos

The exposure triangle forms the basis of creating a good exposure. Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO speed are the three different factors that contribute to determine the exposure of a photo.

It’s important to ensure you understand the basics. The exposure triangle links the three together, and by covering the setting you want a specific value for with your hand in the image below, you can see which remaining elements you can adjust to balance the exposure.

Now you’ve seen how the exposure triangle looks, let’s have a look at the different components themselves and what their own unique effects are on photography.

These three concise videos from Apalapse are a great way to get your head around the basics.

Shutter Speed

In the first of these animated films, get to grips with exactly what shutter speed is, how it works, and how it can affect your photos.

Aperture

The second video looks at aperture and how adjusting your lens’ f-stop will change elements in your image, whether that be the depth of field or the amount of light reaching the sensor.

ISO

Of the three settings, this is the one that is most likely set to auto on a beginner’s camera. By the end of this video, you’ll know what it is and when to adjust the setting.