Step into the world of 35mm photography with the Photography Discussion Roundtable, heard every Monday evening at 7:00 PM ET on BrandMeister DMR Talkgroup 31266 — the MichiganOne Nets channel. This engaging net is your chance to explore the art and science of photography, ask questions, and sharpen your skills in a welcoming, knowledge-rich environment.
Hosted by James N8TMP, Bob KB8DQQ, and Rick AD8KN, each brings a wealth of experience to the mic. Bob and James are seasoned wedding photographers, while Rick adds deep technical insight and practical know-how. Together, they guide discussions on camera features, techniques, terminology, and everything from aperture to artistic vision.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your craft, tune in and join the conversation. Your next great shot starts here.
📸 The Exposure Triangle: A Clear, Practical Overview
The exposure triangle describes how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together to control the brightness of an image. Changing one side of the triangle always affects the others, and understanding this relationship gives photographers full creative control.
🔺 The Three Sides of the Exposure Triangle
-
Aperture (f‑stop)
Aperture is the adjustable opening inside the lens that lets in light.
How it works
- Wide aperture (low f-number, e.g., f/1.8)
- Lets in more light
- Creates shallow depth of field (blurry background)
- Narrow aperture (high f-number, e.g., f/16)
- Lets in less light
- Creates deep depth of field (more in focus)
Creative impact
- Portraits → wide aperture for creamy bokeh
- Landscapes → narrow aperture for front‑to‑back sharpness
-
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is how long the shutter stays open to expose the sensor.
How it works
- Fast shutter (1/1000s)
- Freezes motion
- Lets in less light
- Slow shutter (1/15s, 1s, etc.)
- Introduces motion blur
- Lets in more light
Creative impact
- Sports/wildlife → fast shutter
- Light trails, waterfalls → slow shutter
-
ISO
ISO controls the sensor’s sensitivity to light.
How it works
- Low ISO (100–200)
- Clean image, minimal noise
- Requires more light
- High ISO (1600–6400+)
- Brightens low‑light scenes
- Adds noise/grain
Creative impact
- Bright daylight → low ISO
- Indoor/night → higher ISO (balanced carefully)
🔄 How They Work Together
If you change one setting, you must adjust one or both of the others to maintain proper exposure.
Example:
- If you widen the aperture (f/2.8 → f/1.8), you may need a faster shutter speed to avoid overexposure.
- If you slow the shutter for motion blur, you may need to lower ISO or narrow the aperture.
💡 Hints & Tips
⭐ Start with your creative goal
- Want background blur? Set aperture first.
- Want motion frozen or blurred? Set shutter speed first.
- Shooting in tricky light? ISO becomes your helper.
⭐ Use the “stop” concept
A stop is a doubling or halving of light—key to balancing exposure changes.
⭐ In low light
- Open the aperture
- Slow the shutter if your subject isn’t moving
- Raise ISO as a last resort
⭐ In bright light
- Narrow the aperture
- Speed up the shutter
- Keep ISO low
⭐ Practice with one variable at a time
Try “aperture priority,” “shutter priority,” or full manual to understand how each setting behaves.
📸 Exposure Triangle (Beginner Edition)
A simple guide for new photographers at the MichiganOne Photography Roundtable
The Exposure Triangle is the foundation of photography. It explains how three camera settings — Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO — work together to control how bright or dark your photo is. Think of them as three teammates: when one changes, the others need to adjust to keep the exposure balanced.
🔺 The Three Parts (Explained Simply)
-
Aperture — “How big is the opening?”
- A small f-number (like f/1.8) = big opening → more light → blurry background
- A big f-number (like f/16) = small opening → less light → more in focus
Use it for: portraits, landscapes, and controlling background blur.
-
Shutter Speed — “How long is the camera open?”
- Fast shutter (like 1/1000s) = freezes action
- Slow shutter (like 1/10s or 1s) = motion blur
Use it for: sports, waterfalls, night photography, light trails.
-
ISO — “How sensitive is the camera to light?”
- Low ISO (100–200) = clean image, needs more light
- High ISO (1600+) = brighter image, adds grain/noise
Use it for: indoor shots, night scenes, or when you need extra brightness.
🌟 Beginner Tips
Start with your goal
- Want a blurry background? Set aperture first.
- Want to freeze or blur motion? Set shutter speed first.
Use Priority Modes
- Aperture Priority (A/Av) → great for portraits and landscapes
- Shutter Priority (S/Tv) → great for action or creative blur
Keep ISO low when you can
It gives you the cleanest, sharpest images.
Higher ISO = brighter image, but more noise. Lower ISO = cleaner image, but needs more light.
Practice with one setting at a time
This helps new photographers understand how each part behaves.
Remember: every change affects the others
If your photo gets too bright or too dark, adjust one of the other sides of the triangle.
📝 Multiple‑Choice Quiz
- A wider aperture (e.g., f/1.8) results in:
- More depth of field
- Less depth of field
- No change in depth of field
- A darker image
- A fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/1000s) is best for:
- Light trails
- Freezing motion
- Increasing noise
- Creating blur
- Increasing ISO from 200 to 1600 will:
- Reduce noise
- Make the image darker
- Make the sensor more sensitive to light
- Increase depth of field
- If you slow your shutter speed by one stop, what must you do to maintain exposure?
- Raise ISO or narrow the aperture
- Lower ISO or widen the aperture
- Nothing
- Change white balance
- Which setting primarily controls depth of field?
- ISO
- Shutter speed
- Aperture
- Focal length
- What does ISO stand for in photography?
- International Standards Organization
- Internal Shutter Operation
- Image Sensitivity Optimization
- Instant Scene Output
Multiple-choice Quiz answers
- Answer: B
- Answer: B
- Answer: C
- Answer: B
- Answer: C
- Answer: A
Next week we’ll discuss:
How to develop your own personal photography style
Previous and upcoming Photography Discussion Roundtable topics:
| Date | Topic |
| 8/4/2025 | Welcome to the world of 35mm photography |
| 8/11/2025 | What is Aperture in photography |
| 8/18/2025 | What is the Golden Triangle? |
| 8/25/2025 | Top photo editing software available in 2025 |
| 9/1/2025 | What is Depth of Field? |
| 9/8/2025 | What is Bokeh in photography? |
| 9/15/2025 | Understanding Lens Focal Length |
| 9/22/2025 | What are leading lines? |
| 9/29/2025 | What is Back-Button Focus? |
| 10/6/2025 | 5 important photography facts that I didn’t know when I started |
| 10/13/2025 | How to shoot in manual mode |
| 10/20/2025 | The different types of lenses |
| 10/27/2025 | All about camera filters |
| 11/3/2025 | On-camera flash vs off-camera flash |
| 11/10/2025 | How to use tripods and stabilizers |
| 11/17/2025 | What is ISO? |
| 11/24/2025 | Film vs digital? |
| 12/1/2025 | How to find and organize your photos in a logical manner |
| 12/8/2025 | Understanding long-exposure photography |
| 12/15/2025 | Enhancing the sky in your photos |
| 12/22/2025 | Where and how to learn more about photography techniques |
| 12/29/2025 | DSLR vs mirrorless cameras |
| 1/5/2026 | The exposure triangle |
| 1/12/2026 | How to develop your own personal photography style |
| 1/19/2026 | Color theory (histograms) in photography |
| 1/26/2026 | Photography ethics in the digital age |
| 2/2/2026 | The future of film and where the analog industry is going |
| 2/9/2026 | How to build a portfolio |
| 2/16/2026 | Photography hints and tips |
| 2/23/2026 | How to take action/motion photos |
| 3/2/2026 | Explaining photography terms |
| 3/9/2026 | Macro photography hints and tips |
| 3/16/2026 | Landscape photography hints and tips |
| 3/23/2026 | Portrait photography hints and tips |
| 3/30/2026 | Night photography hints and tips |
| 4/6/2026 | F-stops and how to use them |
| 4/13/2026 | What are the AE-L, AF-L, and *-buttons? What do they do? |
| 4/20/2026 | White balance explained |
| 4/27/2026 |
https://thediabeticham.com/previous-and-upcoming-photography-discussion-roundtable-topics/
