Position:Home>Visual Arts> What is the best way to figure the aperature to take picutres?

I use the "Sunny 16" rule!. Try looking that up!.

But basically, set your shutter speed to the same as the ISO number of your film!. So for example, if you have 200 ISO film, set your shutter speed to 1/200, or the closest speed!. Once you have your shutter speed determined, then you can control the exposure with the aperture!.

For bright, sunny conditions, set the aperture to f16!. If you're in light shade, or if it's partly cloudy, open the aperture to f11!. In late afternoon, near sunset, open it to f8!. You can judge lighting without a light meter!.!.!.it just takes practice!.

By the way, you can adjust either shutter speed or aperture to compensate!. You can use a wider aperture, but faster shutter speed to compensate and have the same exposure!. The aperture also affects the depth of field!. A wider aperture will cause a shallow depth of field, which will put the background out of focus!. But sometimes you want to do that, for an effect called "selective focus!."

I never use a light meter!. I do everything manually!.!.!.aperture, shutter speed, focus!. It takes practice, but you have more control and it's a lot of fun!.

By the way, I also shoot in black and white film, and I develop the film myself!.

Just look up the "Sunny 16" rule on Google!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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It depends on the speed of your film (200 ASA, 400 ASA !?!?) and also the subject you are trying to photograph!.

I usually choose a shutter speed first, based on the subject - is it moving or standing still!. Then I choose an aperature setting!. Then, once you decide on an aperature setting, just take about 3-4 shots opening and closing the aperatature for each shot!. That will give you a couple of more exposures to choose from - especially if you are printing from your own negs!.

If you are printing them yourself, you can adjust for any errors by the way you expose the printer paper!.

If you know your film speed and subject I could offer some better advice for shutter speed/aperature settings!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Here is an absolutely terrific article on exposure!. Well worth the read!. You can scroll down to see some exposure charts for various conditions that can get you really close!.

http://www!.fredparker!.com/ultexp1!.htm

Does your Pentax have no internal meter at all!? Unless it is really ancient, there should be an exposure meter of some sort to at least tell you when you are over or under exposed!. You simply move the shutter or aperture to bring the exposure reading to the center point of the meter!.

Barring all that, the "sunny 16" rule is a good base from which to work, but you better bracket some also, (take the same shot with an exposure a stop above and a stop below your "calculated" value)!.

steveWww@QuestionHome@Com

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