The Exposure Triangle

The exposure triangle in photography consists of three fundamental elements that control the exposure of an image:

---

Using ‘The Web’s Original CameraSim” I had a go changing ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed. To see how it has an effect on the pictures I could take.

Playground in focus

Girl in focus

Blurry Fan

Frozen Fan

Dim Indoor Lighting Sharp Image

---

Using Aperture

The aperture is the opening of the lens that allows a specific amount of light to enter and hit the sensor. Having. shallow depth of field equates to having a larger aperture, where everything will be focused.
However, having a Deep depth of field you would need a smaller aperture.

Shallow DOF Portraits

Shallow DOF Portraits using a reflector
In the Pictures below I used a reflector. A reflector is used to “reflect”/bounce the light from a light source, ie the Sun.
I used the reflector to minimise harsh lines created on the subject’s face due to the light source being on either the east or west side of the subject. By reflecting the light on the subject it gets rid of any harsh shadows that make the image look like dull, and it brightens the face.
I used a golden reflector so the light reflected had a very warm tone to it, which translates into the picture.

---

Shallow DOF Portraits taken on film

We used this camera to take our film photos.

Darkroom Enlargements

To create a Shallow DOF image I set my aperture to the lowest it could go and made sure my lighting was good so that as much light could hit the sensor as possible, also using a reflector helped more light bounce off the subject into the camera.
Shutter speed was on auto and it helped greatly to make sure I didnt get any unwanted blowouts or blur.
I also then used ISO 400 B&W film.

Shooting on film created a more rounded image and less harsh lines. This helps complement Shallow DOF portraits as im trying to achieve a soft natural look.

---

Pin Hole Camera

A pinhole camera is a simple optical device that captures an image without the need for a lens. It consists of a light-tight box with a small aperture, or pinhole, on one side and a photosensitive surface on the opposite side. When light passes through the pinhole, it projects an inverted image of the scene outside onto the photosensitive surface inside the camera. The smaller the pinhole, the sharper the resulting image, but with the trade-off of a longer exposure time.

The photos above were taken on a pinhole camera and inverted in lightroom.

Rays of light travel in straight lines. Each point on the scene emits light in all directions, and the pinhole only allows a small portion of those rays to enter the camera. This limited aperture creates a focused image on the opposite side of the pinhole. While pinhole cameras are quite simple and lack the sophistication of modern camera systems, they offer a unique and creative way to explore the fundamentals of photography and light.

The DOF using a pinhole camera is very shallow, due to the aperture being very small, this makes it so a lot more light has to enter the camera to be able to get an image, so the average exposure time was about 15 seconds when taking the pictures.

---

Large Formal Camera

A large format camera is a type of camera that uses large sheets of film, to capture images. These cameras are known for their high resolution and the ability to produce detailed and sharp images.

Taking a picture with a large format camera involves a series of steps.

1. Setting Up the Camera:
   • Large-format cameras are typically mounted on sturdy tripods for stability.
   • The camera has a rail system that allows for precise focusing by adjusting the distance between the lens and the film plane.
2. Compose the Shot:
   • The image on the glass, the focusing screen of the camera, is used to compose and focus the shot. This is done by adjusting the lens-to-film distance and camera movements
3. Metering the Light:
   • To determine the correct exposure, a light meter is often used. A light meter measures the intensity of light in the scene and provides settings for aperture and shutter speed.
   • For large-format photography, light meters are commonly used. The photographer holds the meter at the subject’s location, pointing it towards the camera.
4. Setting Aperture and Shutter Speed:
   • The photographer adjusts the lens aperture and shutter speed based on the light meter readings. The desired depth of field and any other requirements influence these settings.
5. Inserting the Film Holder:
   • Large format cameras use film holders that carry large sheets of film. The photographer loads the film into a film holder in a dark bag or darkroom before inserting it into the camera.
6. Focusing and Final Adjustments:
   • Fine-tune the focus on the glass and make any necessary adjustments to composition and camera movements.
7. Taking the Shot:
   • Once everything is set, the photographer removes the dark slide from the film holder, exposing the film to light for the determined duration.
8. Replace the Dark Slide:
   • After exposure, the dark slide is reinserted to protect the film from further exposure.
9. Processing the Film:
   • The large-format film is then developed in a darkroom using traditional chemical processes.

---

My Photographs using a large format camera

These pictures were taken outside and needed a fast shutter speed due to the amount of light that was outside. Both pictures had a shutter of about 1-3 seconds.

These pictures were taken indoors and needed slow shutter speeds, The picture of the chapel needed 60 seconds and the Library needed 30 seconds, as there was less light indoors.

---

Evaluation

During this process, I’ve learned the ins and outs of photography using light sensitive paper. Learning how light travels and is inverted which in turns flips the image upside down. I have learned how to set up pinhole cameras, and I’ve learned the theory of why they work.
I also have learned a lot about large-format cameras. I’ve learned how to use them and how to fine-tune my photography with them by changing the aperture, shutter speed, etc… Also being able to load the paper in the camera in a dark room has taught me to be independent.

Throughout this process it was tricky in some areas, Such as positioning the pinhole camera and finding the balance between exposure and shutter time was challenging, however, in the end, I made some great pictures using it.
The Large format camera I would say was easier to use however did require a lot of patience especially when setting up the camera and finding the right settings on the camera for the shot you need.

Understanding the exposure triangle has helped a lot, especially when using analog cameras. Learning what settings to use to create the image you want by setting the correct aperture for either portaits or landscape shots and finding the right time to expose the paper. By me going and having a look back at the exposure triangle helped me understand how to set my camera to get the shot I needed.

I liked using both film and the large format for different reasons, the film camera is small and easy to use, and you are able to get shots just like you would with a digital camera. The large format is great for those still shots of large areas, getting a very high quality image out of them is also a very good plus.
Both have drawbacks such as the film camera, there are a lot more steps post shoot, such as developing the film and then developing an enlargement. However with the large format you just have to develop the paper and thats it for the most part.
The large format however is very big and you cant close up shots unless you put a large lens on the camera. Also a lot more steps pre shoot such as loading the paper in a dark room etc.

Overall I have learned a lot about analog photography and the skills I’ve learned now will benefit me on projects to come.