Manual Settings

ISO: This referrers to the sensitivity of the camera depending on the light availability. The lower the ISO reading the less sensitive to the light the camera is, the higher the ISO reading the more sensitivity the camera is to the light. The ISO number can be changed automatically or manually. This feature allows the photographer to take an image in an area of low light with no flash.

Aperture: this term refers to a hole in the lens of the camera, through which light travels. It gathers external light and bends it around the body of the camera. The aperture either expands or shrinks depending on the amount of lighting used, this can be done automatically or manually. This then regulates the amount of light that passes through onto the film inside the camera when the shutter closes and then opens again during an exposure process. It is sometimes called the camera diaphragm, as it opens to let light in. The aperture number is easily adjustable on an SLR camera; the most popular type of camera used today. Aperture size is calibrated in f-numbers or f-stops, these values can be found on the barrel of the lens.  I found that I used an aperture of f16-18 with the studio lighting. I learnt that the aperture number affects the depth of field of an image. For example the higher the higher the f- number the more in focus the background objects will be, where as the lower the f- number the more out of focus the background will be. Every lens has a limit to the range of aperture number depending on its purpose. However the maximum aperture of a lens is more important than the minimum as it shows the shutter speed.

Shutter Speed: the shutter speed of a camera depends on how long the sensor will be open or closed for, this then controls the income of light to the cameras lens.When the camera fires the shutter if fully opened, which lets the light pass through the lens aperture. It is basically how long light is allowed to come into the camera. The shutter speed works with the exposure; a faster shutter speed means a shorter exposure time. If a shutter speed it fast it can 'freeze' an action, it is typical used on the sport auto setting. Where as a slow shutter speed is used generally in night time images.

Exposure: this feature allows the photographer to determine how dark or light they want their image to be. This is done when the picture is initially captured by the camera. The exposure is all down it the aperture, ISO and shutter speed settings.