Often times, in photography, we talk about exposure. Perhaps we refer to getting a correct exposure, underexposing, or overexposing.

So what the heck is exposure?

Try to think of the camera’s primary function. It isn’t just to record the scene before you. It’s to collect and record light. In photographic terms, exposure refers to the “total amount of light permitted to enter a camera and received by the image sensor (or film) through the course of capturing an image”.

During an exposure the camera is capturing the subject’s brightness or luminosity by determining the tonal value and contrast ratio in the scene. You control this through your camera’s settings such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

So why does exposure matter?

Simply put, your aim as a photographer is to capture the correct exposure to convey the scene before you as you see fit. You have to take into consideration the mood, the color, and the detail.

You can expose too long and your image will become “washed out”. This is often referred to as overexposing. Conversely, underexposing, or exposing the image too short will create a picture that is too dark. Many otherwise great images have been ruined due to a “bad exposure”.

That being said, it’s important to realize that overexposing and underexposing images can be a powerful and creative tool used by practiced photographers. Furthermore, it can be necessary to overexpose or underexpose an overall scene to get a “good exposure”. An example would be a white subject against a dark background. The meters in your camera may wash out the subject trying to get a “good exposure”. There goes all the detail.

One of the keys to consistently getting good exposures is to make plenty of mistakes or “bad exposures”.

Say what?

It’s about learning the fundamentals and how the process works. It’s about learning how you or your camera can be fooled by difficult lighting. To fully wrap your head around the nuances of your camera’s meters it’s a good idea to practice getting multiple varied exposures of given scenes to see what can happen with varied exposures. Bracket shooting can really work wonders in honing your craft.

Moments are fleeting.

That’s why learning about exposure matters. Light can change so fast (especially during sunsets) and scenes change quickly. My toddler loves to move in and out of shadowed areas around the house when I pull my camera out (it’s like she knows just how to make me really work hard at this). If you have kids or pets, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re not ready to change your settings quickly and adjust the exposure compensation you’re going to lose that shot you were looking for.

Nailing your exposure involves finding a nice scene, getting into position, reading the light, and making adjustments. Throw in tons of practice and a little luck and you’ve got the makings of some really fantastic photography.

Photograph untitled by _DiChi_