ISO is a number that represents how sensitive your camera sensor is to light. The higher the ISO number, the higher your camera’s sensitivity, and the less light you need to take a picture. The trade-off is that higher ISOs can lead to degraded image quality and cause your photos to be grainy or “noisy.”
A lower ISO value indicates reduced sensitivity to light, meaning you’ll need more light to capture a photo. Conversely, a higher ISO increases sensitivity, allowing you to take pictures with less light. ISO is a crucial component of photography’s exposure triangle, which also includes aperture and shutter speed, and significantly impacts the quality of your images.
Using a high ISO comes with a trade-off: while it allows for better performance in low-light conditions, it can also result in degraded image quality, making your photos appear grainy or “noisy.” On the other hand, a lower ISO means reduced sensitivity to light, requiring more light to capture a clear image.
In low-light situations, increasing the ISO is often necessary to achieve a clear picture. However, the downside of raising the ISO is that it can introduce ‘noise’ into the image, resulting in a grainy appearance. We’ll explore this issue further below.
If you are taking a picture in ideal light conditions, you will want to keep the ISO low in order to avoid introducing noise into the image.
When I first started shooting, I set my ISO pretty low, around 100 or 200. The images were coming out dark, which was frustrating at first. But I knew that a low ISO meant less sensitivity to light and that the shots would be clean and crisp, free from that annoying graininess. In bright conditions, that’s perfect. But since I was working with less light, I realized that I’d have to make some adjustments.
As the shoot went on and the lighting conditions changed, I started bumping up the ISO. I went to 400, then 800, and the images started looking brighter. It was great at first because I was getting the exposure I wanted without having to slow down my shutter speed or widen the aperture too much. But after a while, when I cranked the ISO even higher—like 1600 or beyond—I started noticing the grain creeping in.
The images were getting overexposed, and there was this noticeable noise in the darker areas, especially in the shadows. The trade-off for more light sensitivity was that grainy texture, which started affecting the overall quality of the shots. By the end of the shoot, I could see how pushing the ISO too high was making things overexposed and grainy, especially in areas where the light was already strong.
In this shot, I was working with really low light—just that red “ON AIR” and “MIC LIVE” sign lighting up the room. To get a properly exposed image, I bumped my ISO up to 3200. It helped me bring out the details in the dark, but I could definitely see the trade-off. The high ISO made the shot grainy, especially in the shadows and the areas around the sign.
The red neon lights came out sharp and bright, but as I looked at the darker parts of the image, I could see that typical grainy texture creeping in, which is a direct result of the high ISO. I knew that lowering the ISO would reduce the noise, but then the whole image would be way too dark without compensating with slower shutter speeds or more lighting.
So, while ISO 3200 did what I needed in terms of getting the exposure right in this low light, it brought along that grainy look that’s hard to avoid at such high settings.
To fix the graininess in this shot, I could start by lowering the ISO—maybe around 800 or so. That would instantly reduce the noise, but then I’d have to adjust some other settings to keep the exposure right. One way is to slow down the shutter speed, but I’d need to make sure the camera stays completely still, maybe using a tripod, to avoid motion blur.
shutter speed – the speed at which the shutter of the camera closes. A fast shutter speed creates a shorter exposure — the amount of light the camera takes in —while a slow shutter speed gives the photographer a longer exposure.
Low shutter speeds are used for scenarios where the lighting in the area is low, This is because the camera needs more time to capture the light so that the photo is not too dark or unreadable due to the lack of exposure. As shown in the diagram below, the camera needs more time to properly adjust to the light in the scene in order to avoid over exposure as seen in the photo taken at a shutter speed of 1/2.
On the other hand, Higher shutter speeds are excellent at freezing and capturing fast paced moments which are usually impossible to see just through the use of eyes, for example, attempting to capture water droplets in movement or a car mid f1 race.
A fast shutter speed, say, in the 1/500th second range, will freeze the water and give it a gnarly, crunchy look. A long, multi-second shutter speed will make waterfalls look silky and veil-like. Both looks can work, but what looks best will depend on the subject and your personal preferences as a photographer.
( 1/45 sec shutter speed) (130 second shutter speed)
The general rule for the shutter speed when it comes to astrophotography is to go with anything between 10 and 30 seconds depending on your focal length. The longer the shutter speed you use, the lower the ISO you can use but using a shutter speed too long can result in blurry stars due to the Earth’s rotation.
Slow shutter speeds and long exposures enable you to create motion blur in your photos. Again, the speed of the moving object will determine how slow the shutter speed needs to be.
Photographers known for shutter speed.
Eadweard Muybridge
is celebrated for his ground-breaking studies of motion, which laid the groundwork for the development of cinema. He was commissioned to capture a horse’s movement to demonstrate that its hooves are off the ground during a trot.
Between 1878 and 1886, Muybridge conducted pioneering chrono photography of animal locomotion, employing multiple cameras to capture various positions within a stride. He also invented the zoopraxiscope, a device that projected painted motion pictures from glass discs, predating the use of flexible perforated film strips in cinematography.
Harold Edgerton
Harold Edgerton was an American electrical engineer and photographer known for his pioneering work in high-speed photography. He developed techniques and equipment that allowed for the capture of fast-moving subjects, revealing details that the human eye could not see.
His iconic images include a bullet piercing an apple and the moment a drop of milk splashes into a pool, showcasing the beauty and complexity of motion. Edgerton’s innovations in strobe lighting and high-speed cameras not only advanced photography but also contributed to scientific research in fields like physics and biology, making him a significant figure in both art and science.
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Hiroshi Sugimoto is a Japanese photographer known for his striking and contemplative works that explore themes of time, memory, and the nature of reality. His most famous series include “Theaters,” featuring long-exposure images of classic movie houses, and “Seascapes,” capturing the tranquil beauty of oceans across different locations and times.
Sugimoto’s use of long exposure creates a sense of timelessness, blurring the lines between the past and present. His work often invites viewers to reflect on the passage of time and the relationship between the observer and the observed, making him a significant figure in contemporary photography.
Francesca Woodman
Francesca Woodman was a groundbreaking photographer known for her evocative and surreal images, many of which were taken at her family’s farmhouse near Florence, Italy. Her upbringing in a culturally rich environment deeply influenced her artistic development, drawing inspiration from surrealist artists like Man Ray and Claude Cahun.
Woodman honed her skills at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she began to explore complex themes of identity and the human experience. In the 1970s, a time when photography was often undervalued compared to painting and sculpture, her innovative approach helped elevate the medium. Woodman’s work paved the way for future American photographers, such as Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin, who similarly examined identity and self-representation in their art.
Here’s a quick summary of shutter speed guidelines:
Shutter Speed Rule: As a general rule, your shutter speed should be double (or more) the focal length of your lens. For instance, with a 50mm lens, aim for at least 1/100th of a second, and for a 75mm lens, at least 1/150th of a second.
Slow Shutter Speed: A slow shutter speed keeps the shutter open longer, allowing more light to hit the sensor. This can lead to motion blur for moving objects and is useful for low-light situations or when you want to capture the sense of movement in a scene.
Shutter Speed Shoot
The focus of this shoot was to experiment with different shutter speed and how it effects movement.
I begun the selection process with 100 pictures, in order to compress this less photos I will use the PnX process to select which photos I want to keep and which I want to discard.
Using the PnX process, I cut down to 24 photos, now I will repeat this process and pick out the best couple photos which I will present.
Here I am using the X/Y feature to compare the two images, once I am satisfied with one I will simply press X on one of them to discard them of the view.
Final set of images which I will use on the blog, the star system also allowed me to decide between images which I prefer and which ones I dislike.
Final Pieces.
(Edited in Lightroom)
Using a fast shutter speed ( 1/125) , I captured the red ball in mid-air, suspended between the trees, creating a striking contrast against the natural backdrop. The high shutter speed froze the motion perfectly, allowing the ball to appear crisp and sharp, avoiding any motion blur and emphasizing the vibrant red against the greenery.
In this image, the use of a 4-second shutter speed creates an ethereal, ghostly effect, capturing multiple overlapping exposures of my model ( Alfie) as he shifts slightly during the long exposure. The soft blur adds a sense of motion, almost as if the subject is moving through time, creating a surreal, dreamlike quality. The background, filled with books and papers, remains relatively sharp, while the subject’s face is duplicated thrice across the frame, producing a unique layering effect that conveys both motion and stillness. The dim lighting enhances the mood, giving the image a mysterious and slightly abstract feeling.
I used a long exposure to capture the subject as they spun around, creating a dramatic, distorted effect. The 4-second shutter speed allowed for the body to blur and stretch across the frame, making the subject appear as though they’re being pulled in multiple directions. The spinning motion produced a swirling effect where limbs and the head melt into each other, resulting in a fluid, abstract form. The contrast between the still background and the distorted body creates a surreal, dreamlike quality, emphasizing the movement in an almost otherworldly manner.
In this attempt, I aimed to capture a subtle motion by having the subject move only their head during the long exposure. However, the experiment didn’t go as planned—the subject moved their head too rapidly and inconsistently, causing the entire head to blur into an almost ghostly smear. Instead of a distinct motion trail or soft blur, the head nearly vanished from the frame, creating a strange, disjointed image where the body remains sharply in focus but the head has become a faint, formless blur. This unintended effect results in a surreal, eerie composition where the absence of a clear head makes the subject appear almost headless, adding an unintentional element of distortion and mystery to the photograph.
In this shot, I used a long shutter speed combined with cold lighting, but unlike previous attempts, there was no movement from the subject. By staying perfectly still throughout the exposure, the subject remains sharp and clear, with no motion trails or blurring. The cool-toned lighting adds a stark, almost clinical atmosphere to the image. The long exposure doesn’t introduce any distortion or ghostly effects—instead, it enhances the stillness. The focus is sharp across the entire frame, capturing every texture and detail in both the subject and the surroundings, resulting in a crisp photograph. The
In this image, the fast shutter speed perfectly captures three tennis balls suspended in mid-air, seemingly frozen against the plain background of the sky. The high shutter speed ensures there is no motion blur, allowing the balls to appear sharp and crisp as if they are floating in a straight, horizontal line. The simple, cloudy sky creates a minimalistic backdrop, drawing all attention to the alignment of the tennis balls, emphasizing their identical positions and uniform spacing. The fast shutter speed essentially freezes time, giving the impression that the balls are defying gravity, creating a balanced and clean composition that plays with movement and precision.
The Evolution of Photography: From Camera Obscura to Digital Imaging
Photography has revolutionized the way we see the world, documenting history, and enabling us to capture memorable moments. It’s a fascinating development story that spans centuries, with key figures contributing to the development of photographic techniques and technology. This blog post will walk you through the fascinating evolution of photography from its old fashioned beginnings to the digital equivalent’s.
Camera Obscura
The camera obscura is the earliest known device to project an image. Dating back to as early as the 5th century BC, this optical device was described by ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi and later by Aristotle. The term “camera obscura” itself, meaning “dark chamber” in Latin, was coined by mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century.
It consisted of a dark room or box with a small hole on one side, allowing light to pass through and project an inverted image of the outside scene onto a surface inside. While no photographs were taken with this device, the camera obscura laid the groundwork for modern photography by demonstrating how images could be captured using light.
Fast forward to the early 19th century, and we meet Nicephore Niepce (1765–1833), the French inventor who created the first permanent photograph. In 1826, Niepce used a process he called “heliography” to capture an image on a polished pewter plate coated with bitumen. This image, titled “View from the Window at Le Gras”, is recognized as the world’s oldest surviving photograph.
Niepce’s method required an exposure time of about eight hours, making it impractical for widespread use. However, his breakthrough was the first significant step towards modern photography.
While Niepce was making progress in France, an Englishman named Henry Fox Talbot (1800–1877) was experimenting with his own photographic methods. In 1834, Talbot developed a process using paper coated with silver chloride, which darkened when exposed to light. He created the world’s first negative images ( black and white photography).
In 1841, Talbot improved his process by developing the calotype, which allowed for multiple positive prints to be made from a single negative. This was a significant advancement, as it introduced the negative-positive photographic process that would dominate the field for more than a century.
Around the same time as Talbot, another Frenchman named Louis Daguerre (1787–1851) made a major contribution to photography. In 1839, he introduced the daguerreotype, a process that created highly detailed images on a polished silver-plated copper sheet. Unlike Talbot’s calotypes, daguerreotypes were one-of-a-kind and could not be reproduced.
The daguerreotype became incredibly popular, especially for portraiture, and remained a dominant photographic process throughout the 1840s and 1850s. Daguerre’s invention is often credited with bringing photography into the public eye and making it accessible to everyday people.
In 1871, Richard Leach Maddox (1816–1902), a British physician, revolutionized photography with the invention of the dry plate. Before Maddox, photographers used wet plates, which required immediate processing after exposure, making photography inconvenient.
Maddox replaced the wet collodion process with dry gelatine plates that could be stored for later development. This breakthrough allowed photographers to work more flexibly, as the plates didn’t need to be developed immediately. It was also a crucial step toward more portable and user-friendly cameras.
George Eastman: Bringing Photography to the Masses
George Eastman (1854–1932). In 1888, Eastman introduced the Kodak camera, a simple box camera preloaded with a roll of film that could take 100 pictures. The slogan for Kodak’s marketing campaign was “You press the button, we do the rest.”
Eastman’s innovation made photography affordable and accessible to the general public, allowing anyone to capture their own photographs. This democratization of photography marked a turning point in the field, with millions of people embracing the new medium.
Eastman introduced the Kodak Brownie in 1900. This camera was even more affordable than its predecessors and became wildly popular. Priced at just $1, it was marketed towards children and everyday families, making photography a widespread hobby.
The Brownie played a crucial role in establishing snapshot photography, enabling individuals to document everyday moments for the first time in history. Its simple design and affordability made it a game-changer for the industry.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the world saw the emergence of digital photography. Scientists at Bell Labs developed the charged-coupled device (CCD) in 1969, a technology that could capture digital images. This paved the way for the first digital cameras in the 1980s.
The transition from film to digital began in earnest in the 1990s. Companies like Kodak and Sony introduced digital cameras that allowed users to store images on memory cards, eliminating the need for film altogether. By the 2000s, digital photography had overtaken film photography in both professional and consumer markets.
Today, digital photography is the standard. We now have access to high-resolution cameras on smartphones, making photography more ubiquitous than ever before.
The evolution of photography spans centuries and involves countless innovations by pioneers who changed the way we capture images. From the camera obscura to digital photography, this journey highlights how far we’ve come in terms of technology and accessibility. Today, anyone with a smartphone can take a photograph in an instant, thanks to the groundbreaking work of figures like Nicephore Niepce, Louis Daguerre, and George Eastman.
The primary function of Aperture is to control the amount of light which is utilised by the camera by enlarging or minimising the size of the hole in the back of the lens via F/stops ( numbers which dictate the size of the hole or commonly known as the focal length of the lens). This typically ranges from f/1.8 -f/22.
Depth of field links in directly with aperture, it is recognised by the ability to manage things in focus. Usually a larger f/stop means there will be more things in focus because there is a smaller hole in the lens ( this is called a deep depth of field as the background/focal point and foreground are both in focus) , whereas typically a smaller f/stop setting and a larger hole in the lens ties in directly with a shallow depth of field meaning only a narrow area of the photograph will be in focus( the first thing the camera takes notice off, the foreground or the main focal point). creating an image with a blurred background where only the main object is in focus.
Small aperture / Larger f/stop = Deep depth of field + smaller focal length ( smaller hole) > More things in focus.
Large aperture / Smaller f/stop = Shallow depth of field = Larger focal length ( larger hole) > Less things in focus
Experimenting With Aperture
Here I am using the lowest aperture possible, which in return creates a image with a clear focal point ( the plane) and a blurred background.
The image is fully unreadable when using a high aperture without changing the shutter speed, as they work interlinked and always rely on each over to create a aesthetically pleasing image.
In order to fix this issue, I balanced out the shutter speed setting to match the aperture being high, they work in correlation to each over, when f/stop is increased, the shutter speed must slow down in order to create a clear image. Here the image has everything in focus, which represents how aperture works.
Experimenting With Aperture.
In order to achieve the effect of blurring the subject, I had to use a smaller aperture and higher f stop to be able to focus in on the background with a deep depth of field.
In order to achieve a blurred background I had to use a high aperture and low f stop setting in order for the camera to utilise a shallow depth of field , to create this portrait like affect where the background is blurred and the subject is in focus.
Photographers who utilised aperture depth of field.
Uta Barth
is a prominent contemporary photographer known for her explorations of perception and the act of seeing, particularly through her manipulation of aperture and depth of field. Her work often blurs the lines between representation and abstraction, inviting viewers to engage with the subtleties of light, focus, and space.
Barth’s photography frequently employs a shallow depth of field, which creates a sense of ambiguity and encourages viewers to question what they see. This technique can obscure details and shift attention, prompting an examination of how our perception is influenced by focus and blur. In pieces like her series “Ground,” she uses soft focus to emphasize the sensory experience of seeing, rather than merely documenting a subject.
Through her experiments with aperture, Barth highlights the temporal and spatial aspects of photography. By adjusting the settings on her camera, she plays with the viewer’s expectations and experiences, often leading to a more meditative engagement with the images.
Saul Leiter
was a pioneering American photographer known for his vibrant colour work and innovative use of depth of field. Active primarily in the mid-20th century, Leiter’s photography is characterized by a poetic approach to street scenes and urban life, blending abstraction with the everyday.
Leiter often employed a shallow depth of field, which allowed him to create a sense of intimacy and immediacy in his images. By focusing on specific details while leaving other elements blurred, he drew attention to colour, light, and form, transforming mundane scenes into evocative compositions. His unique use of colour was ground-breaking at the time, capturing the atmosphere of New York City with a painterly sensibility.
His work also often features reflections, layers, and obstructions, such as windows or rain-soaked surfaces, which further enhance the feeling of depth and complexity. Leiter’s ability to blend focus and blur creates a dreamlike quality, inviting viewers to explore both the physical and emotional landscapes of his photographs.
Ralph Eugene Meat yard
was an American photographer known for his enigmatic and often haunting imagery. Active primarily in the mid-20th century, Meatyard’s work is characterized by its exploration of themes such as identity, isolation, and the uncanny, often using masks and staged scenes to evoke a sense of mystery.
His approach to photography was deeply influenced by his background in philosophy and literature. Meatyard often created surreal, dreamlike compositions that challenge viewers’ perceptions of reality. He frequently employed shallow depth of field and unconventional framing, which contribute to the otherworldly quality of his work.
Meat yard’s use of masks in his photographs adds layers of meaning, inviting viewers to consider the nature of identity and the roles we play in society. His series often included family members and friends, blending personal narrative with broader themes of existence.
Personal Work inspired by Ralph Eugene Meat yard
I focused on capturing close-up shots of sticks, branches, and the intricate details of tree life. As I adjusted the aperture settings, I chose a wider opening to create a shallow depth of field.
This technique allowed me to keep my main subjects sharp and detailed, while the backgrounds faded into a soft blur. I loved how this made the textures of the plants and the unique shapes of the branches stand out., drawing the viewer’s eye directly to the beauty I found in those small, often overlooked elements of nature.
The blurred backgrounds created a peaceful, dreamy effect, adding a sense of calm to my shots. Making the textured details of the tree life truly stand out.
Focus points and focal length
The focal point is essentially the area of an image that draws the viewer’s attention first; it’s where I want to direct their gaze. Understanding how to choose and emphasize this point is crucial for effective composition.
Focal length, measured in millimetres, determines the lens’s angle of view and how much of the scene is captured. A shorter focal length, like 18mm, gives a wider perspective, which is great for landscapes or capturing more of a scene. Conversely, a longer focal length, such as 85mm or 200mm, allows me to zoom in on specific details, isolating subjects.
When I experiment with different focal lengths, I notice how they affect the depth of field. A longer focal length can produce a shallower depth of field, blurring the background and making my focal point stand out even more. This technique can really enhance the textures and details I want to highlight in my subjects, whether it’s the intricate patterns on a leaf or the roughness of tree bark.
Aaron Siskind was born in New York City in 1903 to a Russian-Jewish immigrant family. Initially drawn to poetry and music, Siskind’s artistic journey shifted when he received a camera as a wedding gift in 1930. This sparked his passion for photography, leading him to join the New York Photo League, where he became known for his social documentary work during the Great Depression, particularly his photographs of Harlem.
In the 1940s, Siskind’s style evolved as he became influenced by Abstract Expressionism. He began to focus on abstract forms in everyday objects, emphasizing texture, line, and composition. His photography blended “straight” documentary realism with abstraction, making him one of the pioneers in transforming photography into a medium for abstract art. His work often reflected his emotional experiences and a modernist concern with flatness, influenced by close friendships with artists such as Franz Kline and Willem de Kooning.
Siskind taught photography at the Institute of Design in Chicago and later at the Rhode Island School of Design, shaping the next generation of photographers. His contributions to photography are marked by his ability to merge the literal and abstract, influencing both his peers and future photographers. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 87.
Siskind was interested in surfaces and textures, both from the natural world but also the urban environment. He gets in close to his subjects and fills the frame with detail. There is always a strong sense of design and all over interest for the viewer.
Line – Are there any elements in the photograph that function as lines? Consider whether they are straight, curved, thin, or thick. Do these lines direct the viewer’s eye in a particular direction? Do they outline forms or suggest movement and energy?
Shape – Can you identify any shapes within the image? Are they geometric with straight edges or organic with more fluid, curving forms?
Tone – Does the photograph display a variety of tones ranging from dark to light? Where is the darkest area located? Where is the lightest?
Repetition / Pattern – Are there objects, shapes, or lines that repeat, forming a pattern within the composition?
Texture – Imagine touching the surface of the photograph. How do you think it would feel? How do the objects within the image appear in terms of texture?
Space – Does the photograph convey a sense of depth, or does it seem more shallow? What elements contribute to this perception? Are there notable negative (empty) spaces in contrast to positive (solid) areas? Is there any illusion of depth created through techniques like perspective?
My Favourite Images
Fully unedited
~ All photos are originals taken on a cannon 2000D ~
