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Digital Exposure Basics

Understanding Shutter Speeds And ƒ-stops. Here are some tips to help you get consistently good exposure
Rick Sammon

Updated June 30, 2016
Let’s begin with shutter speed. Shutter speed is the time the shutter, which lets light onto the digital image sensor, remains open—or the time the image sensor is activated. If you’re new to photography, look at it this way. If you’re in a room and open and lower a window shade, you’re basically doing the same thing a shutter does: letting light expose an area. The longer you leave the shade up, the longer the room is illuminated.

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Originally Published March 7, 2007
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