Mastering the Camera: The Exposure Triangle Explained Simply

Photography comes from the Greek phōtós (light) and graphê (writing).

Literally: “writing with light.”

And that’s exactly what it is: a camera captures light and turns it into an image.

Simple and beautiful at the same time.

1. How a Camera Works

A photo is essentially light recorded onto a sensitive surface:

• film (in analog photography),

• or a digital sensor (in modern photography).

The process is always the same: Light enters through the lens, passes through the aperture, and while the shutter is open, it is captured on the sensor or film.

As for the settings: don’t worry, I’ll explain them in the simplest way possible.

2. The Basics: Light

To really understand, imagine light works like water 💧.

Your camera is basically a faucet for light!

To let in more light: you can either keep it open longer, or open it wider.

Remember: the more light you let in, the brighter your photo will be!

3. The 3 Basic Settings (The Exposure Triangle)

👉 To control how much light you want in your photo, you can adjust these three settings:

Aperture (f/stop): The Diaphragm

It’s the diameter of your light faucet. It literally refers to the actual “hole”

The aperture inside your lens.

Small Aperture = little light

Wide aperture = lots of light coming through

The Scary Number: F It’s actually really simple!

The size of the aperture is equal to 1 / that number.

o on the left, 1/14 = 0.07 → Small aperture = Less light

While on the right, 1/4.5 = 0.2 → Wide aperture = More light

Just remember:

Big number = Less light

Small number = More light

---

Shutter speed :Shutter

That’s what makes the “click-clack” sound.

It’s a small curtain that opens and closes for a brief moment of time.

You adjust this time in fractions of a second:

For example:

1/50 is one fiftieth of a second.

1/400 is one four-hundredth of a second.

Just remember:

The shorter it's open = Less light

The longer it's open = More light

---

Sensitivity : The ISO

Super simple! ISO is your sensor’s sensitivity.

ISO 100 (low number) = Less sensitive to light

ISO 4000 (high number) = More sensitive to light

Just remember

Small ISO = Less light

Big ISO = More light

4. The Side Effects

We’ve just seen that there are three ways to control how much light enters your camera.But why would you choose one over the others?

Each setting comes with its own characteristic:

Aperture (f/stop): Depth of Field

It’s the area of sharpness around your subject.

Just remember:

Big number = Large depth of field (more in focus)

Small number = Shallow depth of field (more blur)

---

Shutter speed : Motion blur

The faster a subject moves, the faster your shutter speed needs to be (to keep your subject sharp).

Just remember:

Slow shutter = more motion blur

Fast shutter = more sharpness

---

ISO : Image grain

Ideally, to get the sharpest, cleanest photo possible, you want to use the lowest ISO possible (usually 100).

But with modern cameras and editing tools, it’s now possible to go higher in ISO without being too affected by grain.

Just remember:

Small ISO = Best quality

Big ISO = More grain

5. Why Photography is Essential for 3D Animation

You might think photography is just a separate hobby.Think again. It's just as important as drawing! Why? Because your camera in Maya or Blender works exactly like a real DSLR.

• A Perfect Simulation: In your 3D software, camera attributes like Focal Length, Aperture, and Shutter Angle aren't random numbers. They are precise physical simulations of real optics. If you understand how to tune a real camera, you instantly know how to set up your virtual camera for the perfect render.

• Mastering Motion Blur: In animation, motion blur is crucial for realism and fluidity. This blur is directly dictated by your Shutter Speed. Understanding photography means knowing exactly which setting to choose to enhance a fast-paced action shot or smooth out a slow movement.

• Cinematography & Storytelling: Before moving a character, you need to frame them. Photography trains you to compose an image, use Depth of Field to isolate your subject, and direct the viewer's eye. A good animator is, first and foremost, a good filmmaker.

Learning Photography:

That’s the basics of how a camera works! Of course, there are still many topics to explore in photography.

Photography and 3D are closely connected.Learning photography comes through practice!

I’m sharing my latest shots here come say hi!