My way of looking at exposure triangle: I have a different way of looking at the exposure triangle. I like to compare it to a seesaw with shuttertime and aperture on one side and ISO...

Elmerviking

I have a different way of looking at the exposure triangle.
I like to compare it to a seesaw with shuttertime and aperture on one side and ISO on the other side. When the exposure is correct the seesaw is in balance, that is level. If the seesaw is not level it means that one of sides is too heavy. If the picture is over exposed the ISO is ”heavy” or the shittertime/aperture combination is too “light”.
You correct this by either setting lesser ISO or increase shuttertime and/or smaller aperture.
If the exposure is too dark it means that the time/aperture side is too “heavy” or the ISO side is too “light”.
Compensate by choosing a higher ISO or longer shutter time or bigger aperture.(or both”.
This way to look at it makes a lot more sense than the triangle. The exposure triangle does not, in my opinion, explain when the exposure is correct, only how the different sides depend of each other.
What do you think?
/Bosse

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

That'll work.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I posted this series some time ago.
Exposure and How It Works - A Beginner's Guide
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-484554-1.html

More Exposure and How It Works - A Beginner's Guide
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-484826-1.html

Finishing Up Exposure and How It Works - A Beginner's Guide
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-485845-1.html
--Bob

Elmerviking wrote:

I have a different way of looking at the exposure ... (show quote)

Bill_de Loc: US

So you treat 2 elements (shutter speed and aperture) as one, even though they are two distinctly different things. I guess whatever you can wrap your head around works.

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bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

How about the ISO as the pivot?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Bill, not really. Look at it as a balance beam scale. ISO is a weight on one side of the scale. Two weights, shutter speed and f-stop, on the other side of the scale. With the correct weights chosen for the shutter speed and f-stop, the scale balances. If one changes one of those weights, one is required to change the other in order to re-establish that balance.
--Bob

Bill_de wrote:

So you treat 2 elements (shutter speed and aperture) as one, even though they are two distinctly different things. I guess whatever you can wrap your head around works.

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BebuLamar

Elmerviking wrote:

I have a different way of looking at the exposure ... (show quote)

That is why I think the exposure triangle is not good. Your seesaw is a better way to visualize exposure. On the side of aperture and shutter speed it's the exposure. The ISO side is the exposure requirement, that is how much light is needed to register a good image. With the seesaw you can assign number to it also. There is no way to assign number to the triangle.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Bob, that would eliminate the concept of balance. Without the sensitivity of the medium being considered, shutter speed and aperture are somewhat meaningless.
--Bob

bobmcculloch wrote:

How about the ISO as the pivot?

Elmerviking

rmalarz wrote:

Bill, not really. Look at it as a balance beam scale. ISO is a weight on one side of the scale. Two weights, shutter speed and f-stop, on the other side of the scale. With the correct weights chosen for the shutter speed and f-stop, the scale balances. If one changes one of those weights, one is required to change the other in order to re-establish that balance.
--Bob

Thank you! That is exactly what I mean!
/Bosse

Elmerviking

BebuLamar wrote:

That is why I think the exposure triangle is not good. Your seesaw is a better way to visualize exposure. On the side of aperture and shutter speed it's the exposure. The ISO side is the exposure requirement, that is how much light is needed to register a good image. With the seesaw you can assign number to it also. There is no way to assign number to the triangle.

You got it!
/Bosse

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

rmalarz wrote:

Bob, that would eliminate the concept of balance. Without the sensitivity of the medium being considered, shutter speed and aperture are somewhat meaningless.
--Bob

Shutter speed and f stop can be balance d at any ISO

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I have never found the triangle useful either. Frankly, I have been doing it so long that I don’t visualize anything - I just think in terms of stops, but I definitely like the idea of the balance beam better with ISO on one side and shutter speed and aperture on the other. iSO goes down, then either shutter speed or aperture must go down for the same exposure. ISO stays the same and shutter speed goes down, then aperture must go up to keep that side of the beam the same (and vise versa).

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Elmerviking wrote:

I have a different way of looking at the exposure ... (show quote)

I say "Any port in the storm". There are many ways to remember how the relationships of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO function with each other. Your thoughts are as good as any other method. And if your method helps one other member to understand exposure, it was well worth your putting it out there for someone to find.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

rmalarz wrote:

Bill, not really. Look at it as a balance beam scale. ISO is a weight on one side of the scale. Two weights, shutter speed and f-stop, on the other side of the scale. With the correct weights chosen for the shutter speed and f-stop, the scale balances. If one changes one of those weights, one is required to change the other in order to re-establish that balance.
--Bob

Like two kids on one side and one heavier kid on the other side. The two kids moving back and forth affects the balance even though the heavier kid doesn't move.

Elmerviking

Bill_de wrote:

So you treat 2 elements (shutter speed and aperture) as one, even though they are two distinctly different things. I guess whatever you can wrap your head around works.

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No...I treat them as two independent “weights”. Shuttertime and aperture are independent of each other.