Exposure, can't get my head around it.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can get my head around exposure? I am reading the photography for dummies book and gosh I can't get my head around it all. Is there an easy way to learn it all?

Apparently it's ALL ABOUT THE LIGHT!

Maybe a pro can enlighten the both of us :)

What are your problems?

The numbers of the f-stops (aperature) or the time?

I think in reality most photographers learn by trial and error, much easier these days with a digi camera where you can play with the settings and instantly see how that changes the picture.

I will assume that you are talking about the F Stop as this usually causes most confusion.
The lower the F number the more light you are letting into your camera. Try to think of your F Stop as a set of venetian blinds. When the blinds are open you can only see the edge of them and they let lots light in the room (small amount of blind visible = small F number). When you start to close the blinds you can see more of them and the amount of light coming into the room is reduced (Large amount of blind visible = large F number).

I like Alan's explanation :) very good for the beginner... I remember Big number = Little light, Little number = Big light... don't quite know why it works for me but it does

Also, the longer you expose something, the more light you will let in which is why if shooting at night the shutter speed will become slower to allow for more light to come in

Plus depending on the light of where you are taking the pic, you would change the numbers accordingly. I was taught to take pics not when it's too bright, but a bit overcast and in the shade.....You dont' want squinty eyes from the clouds, and you don't want too much light because it's the overexposed....and that is just the natural light.

Thanks for the replies guys. Aperature is definitely a concept that I'm struggling with but also the interplay of the f stops, iso and shutter speed. Like when you change one how does it affect another etc. Also how to know what you need to change in which situation. Need lots of practice I think!

It is all about trial and error!

Taking the same picture over and over again, but changing one variable at a time (and recording it somewhere for reference) is the best way to understand, at least that's how I did it. Then you can venture onto multiple variables / different lighting conditions etc to gain a wider understanding

Canon World of EOS have some online videos that explain lots of features of cameras including f stops etc. even if you dont have a Canon it's worth a look. x

It's really tricky to get the hang of, but once it clicks you'll be rocking it :)

Aperture + shutter speed = exposure! ISO also has a bit of bearing in it too (remember back to using film and you'd choose 100 film for bright light and for darker conditions choose 400?).

The smaller the number of aperture then the more light is let in. In manual mode (or aperture priority/servo) you use the command dial to increase or decrease the size of the diaphragm (or little hole that lets the light in) inside the lens. Increasing the number makes the hole smaller and decreasing it makes the hole bigger which is opposite to what it seems it should be! You may see aperture referred to as f/stops and it will be written on your lens what range the f/stops are. Choose what you want your aperture to be with your command dial and half depress the button and focus on your subject. When you look through the viewfinder in manual mode you will see a series of vertical lines at the bottom. This is the meter and VERY important!

The camera meter reads the amount of light that is coming through the lens and tells you to adjust the shutter speed so that the photo is correctly exposed. You also adjust the SS by rolling the command dial left or right. You may have two dials (one for App and the other for SS) or only one. If you only have one, check through your manual to see what other button you need to press at the same time you roll your dial to change over to the other.

When you then roll your SS dial either left of right and see the meter line moving, your aim is to line it up with the centre which should be thicker than the other lines. When it's all lined up then release the shutter! The suggested SS that the meter tells you to set is subjective though and you can either under or over expose a stop if it doesn't seem right.

If you are having issues with the photos being too dark and you can't make the aperture smaller (or don't want to) then it's time to adjust the ISO up a bit. Same if they are exposed correctly but blurry from a too long SS.

This is so much to take in when you first dabble in manual photography and I've tried to make it as simple as possible. It didn't click for me till I did an IRL course so don't stress if you don't get it for a while. You guys are so lucky to have a DSLR lol. I learned with film and it was a tad expensive.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I think i have a better idea now.

Raven your explanation was great. I had no idea about that meter so thank you! So much to learn! I have no idea how i will get my head around it all. Do you mind if i pick your brain a bit more from time to time? And oh my gosh your photos are AMAZING!

Tanstar i have a Canon 60d so that word of eos thing is great. I had a look at the tutorials available and found a whole bunch that are great for me. I had no idea that was there!

I am really loving trying to get my head around all of this. My brain is getting a real work out which it definately needs after 2 years at home raising children. Im really enjoying it.

No probs I enjoy helping explain the technical stuff because I remember how frustrating I found it. I'm really glad that there are a few talking photography here ATM because it's been kinda dead for a long time lol.

I did a little edit with the aperture explanation too just thought it might explain it a little better.