A Blogger's Guide to Photography: ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed

One of the questions I get asked about most is photography. Having quality photos can easily make or break your brand, so it's no surprise that aspiring blogger sask how to take photos. A few weeks ago I shared exactly what's in my camera bag, and you guys loved it. So, I figured we'd keep this little photography/Blogging 101 series going, and today i'm excited to go beyond the camera and dive into learning how to work it.

So, where to begin? If you're new to DSLRs they can be incredibly confusing, but once you find the courage to flip off of automatic and on to your manual settings they're pretty simple to get the hang of. It takes some practice, trust me you don't want to see my original posts (hah!), but it's worth it. Today I figured i'd dive into the three things that I focus on most: ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. For me, they're the trifecta that stand between any blogger and a bad*ss photo. 

ISO

In the most basic meaning ISO refers to how sensitive your camera is to light. The higher the ISO is, the more light the camera will let into the photo. If you're outside in the sunshine you won't need a very high ISO (say, 100 or 200) but, if you move inside and the sun begins to set you may need to raise it to 800-3,200. 

Now I'm guessing your saying, "wait I can shoot whenever I want and just adjust the ISO to make my images brighter." Ehh, yes but,  no. The higher you set your ISO the grainer your photo will become. So, i'd suggest relying on natural light instead of just increasing your ISO setting. 

Typically I shoot at 100-200 when I'm outside and i'll increase it to 400 - 500 when I move inside. On cloudy days I tend to go a little higher, but try to avoid a high ISO if at all possible. 

Now, if you haven't already I'd suggest shifting your camera into the manual settings mode and take the same photo while adjusting the ISO. You'll notice pretty quickly how easily it changes the brightness of the image as well as the noise/grain. 

Aperture 

What is Aperture? 

Ahh Aperture! It's by far my favorite photography trick because it's the easiest way to get that blurred background that blogger's love so much. Aperture refers to the hole through which light is let into your camera. The wider the hole (smaller the aperture) the more a blur effect will be added to your photo. The Everygirl has a really great graphic that explains it a bit better if you're still confused. But, to put it simply if you have a low aperture at say f/2.8 your image will be blurrier than if you set it at f/5. 

Apart from exposure, aperture affects your depth of field. (Hang in there, I promise you'll get this) Depth of field is really just how much of what is exposed in your shot is actually in focus. So, if you go with an aperture of f/22 then everything will be in focus, crisp and sharp. But, if you make the hole wider at an f/2.8 then only the object closest to the camera will be in focus and the rest will come out blurry. This is AMAZING when shooting details, portraits or product shots. 

Why Do Blogger's Love It?

So, why do I and other blogger's love it? Because it allows you to shake up your photography and focus on the subject that is in field instead of a landscape. I also love shooting portraits this way, because it pushes people to look at the outfit or person instead of the background. I especially love it for shooting details like jewelry or watches. 

Typically, i'll shoot my full body shots at about f/3.2 and then go to f/2.5 when focusing in on details. This gives all of my photos that blurred background, but also keeps me in focus. Here are a few examples of a low, or wider aperture (f/2.5): 

 

My Favorite Lenses for Blurred Photos

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens: $125

This was the first lens I purchased, and I adore it. It’s great for showcasing outfit details or photographing food. It also gives that blurry background look that all the bloggers love, while still being relatively simple to use. 

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Wide-Angle Lens: $500+

I added this lens to my kit when I purchased my new Cannon 6D, and it’s been pretty life changing. It’s a wide-angle lens which I adore for my full body shots as it makes me look leaner and taller. It’s also been AMAZING for my home photos, because it enables me to capture an entire room in one photo. GAME CHANGER. 

Shutter Speed

You've almost mastered it! We're on to final pillar of photography, Shutter Speed. Shutter Speed is the length of time your shutter stays open when you're taking a photo. Essentially, it's how much time light is allowed into your camera. The lower your shutter speed, the more light that's allowed it. 

Shutter Speed can have a BIG impact on the crispness of your photo. Basically, the faster you allow your shutter speed to go the crisper your image is going to come out. Think about it, if you slow your speed down it takes longer for your photo to be processed so any human movement can cause blurriness (and not the good kind). Typically, you have to make your shutter speed and ISO work together. So, if I increase my shutter speed, i'll also increase my ISO so that it will add in a bit more light. 

NOTE: If you are shooting with a slow shutter speed, make sure to have a tripod to ensure your photos don't come out blurry. 

How are we feeling? Hopefully not too overwhelmed! I promise, photography gets easier and easier the more you play around with it, so i'd suggest brining your camera everywhere with you and practicing on different subjects. 

Got questions? I'll do my best to answer them below!

XO, 

K

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