{"id":16726,"date":"2009-02-27T00:20:40","date_gmt":"2009-02-27T00:20:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwphoto.onpressidium.com\/book\/underwater-photography-exposure\/"},"modified":"2025-08-15T06:57:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T06:57:06","slug":"underwater-photography-exposure","status":"publish","type":"book","link":"https:\/\/www.uwphotographyguide.com\/book\/underwater-photography-guide\/underwater-settings\/underwater-photography-exposure\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Exposure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exposure can be defined as the amount of light your camera lets in for any given shot. In the old days, “the exposure” was another term for your photo that was produced by your camera. <\/p>\n

Alternatively, you can say it’s the amount of light that hits your camera sensor<\/a>. Exposure is one of the most important things for an underwater photographer to master.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is a good exposure?<\/h3>\n

When people talk about having a good exposure, they mean that their photo is not too dark and not too bright.<\/p>\n

But what is a good exposure? A good exposure can be defined as a an exposure that gives your photo the tonal values and colors that you imagined when you took the shot. Many people will tell you correct exposures are defined by a histogram<\/a>. In the end, a good exposure is defined only by your judgment. A histogram can be very helpful in telling you what kind of exposure your photo has.<\/p>\n

The definition of a proper exposure<\/strong> is an exposure that matches the exactly what the photographer’s vision was. Even the best camera will not automatically expose a photo in the way a creative photographer imagined the scene, which is why photographers often take control of the exposure.<\/p>\n

\"Spotted<\/p>\n

The four factors of underwater exposure<\/h2>\n

Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO <\/a>all affect your exposure. If you are using a strobe, then the strobe power is also a 4th (and major) factor in your exposure.<\/p>\n