Correct Exposures-VS-Creatively Correct Exposures

By Bryan F Peterson
Founder PPSOP.com

Did you know that most picture taking situations have at least six possible combinations of f/sops and shutters speeds that will ALL result in the ‘same’ correct exposure? Furthermore, did you also know that despite having six possible correct exposures only one, maybe two, would be the ‘creatively’ correct exposure?
Every ‘correct’ exposure is nothing more then the quantitative value of an aperture and shutter speed working together within the ‘confines’ of a predetermined ‘ISO’. For the sake of argument lets say we are both out shooting some flowers in a meadow and we are both using a film speed of 100 ISO and an aperture opening of f/5.6 and whether we are shooting in manual mode or aperture priority mode the light meter indicates a correct exposure at 1/250 second. What other combinations of aperture openings (f/stops) and shutter speeds can we use and still record a ‘correct’ exposure? If I suggest we use an aperture of f/8 what would the shutter speed now be? Since we have cut the lens opening in half (f/5.6 to f/8) I will now need to double my shutter speed time to a 1/125 second to record a correct exposure, (1/250 sec + 1/250 sec= 2/250 which equals a 1/125 second). On the other hand, If I suggest that we use an aperture of f/4 what would the shutter speed now be? Since we have just doubled the size of the lens opening (f/5.6 to f/4) I will now need to cut my shutter speed in half (1/500 second) to record the same ‘quantitive value exposure’.
Now let’s put this into practice and pretend that nine of us have all got together for an evening of shooting. We break into three groups. One third of the group will shoot this night scene at f/4 for at a ½ second, the other third will shoot the scene at a f/8 for two seconds while the remaining third of the group will shoot the scene at f/16 for 8 seconds. You know what? All of us just shot the exact same CORRECT EXPOSURE! Even though each group’s f/stops and shutter speeds were different, the end result was the same; all three groups recorded a correct exposure. However, it’s very clear in this case, that the group, which shot the longest exposure, ended up with the most exciting composition!

f/4 for 1/2 sec

f/2 for 2 sec

f/16 for 8 seconds

Duct Tape

I was recently hired to shoot a series of images for a company called FLEX Solutions in Orange County California. FLEX Solutions is an industry leader in the area of 3rd party logistics and their goal was to convey their speed and efficiency to their clients. Motion-filled images were the ultimate goal and the obvious solution towards recording these motion filled images would involve some rather precarious camera positions.
Among the 1520 images I shot over the course of two day’s, about 30% of them of them required attaching the camera to several of the many lift trucks that operated inside their 200,000 sq. foot warehouse. Ask any commercial photographer what one vital tool of their trade is, and the answer will be ‘duct tape’ and on this particular shoot, duct tape was once again KING! With my tripod at full extension, I was able to jam the lower 18” of the legs in between the pallet of Dole Pineapple and after wrapping the legs and portions of the pallet in duct tape, I was “off to the races”.


With my camera and 12-24mm lens mounted securely to the tripod head and as the lift truck driver drove between the many rows of products, I walked in a hurried pace, firing the camera with the attached cable release. With the camera in Aperture Priority mode and with my aperture set to f/22, my exposure times varied between ¼ second and 1 full second. (The light values would vary as the lift trucks ventured down different aisles.) In addition, due to the tungsten lighting that was in the ceiling overhead, I had set my white balance to TUGNSTEN. A number of exposures turned out quite well that day and if I could offer just one piece of advice, duct tape would be it!

If you want to see more of this check out our huge selection of classes at www.PPSOP.com

Welcome To My New Blog!

Hello everyone, and welcome to my new blog! I finally decided to move into the 21st century, and created this blog to keep you informed of my current and upcoming on location photography workshops that I teach all over the world.

I will also be updating the blog with announcements, news, tips, tricks, and just about anything and everything to help take you photography skills to a whole new level.

I want to thank you for taking the time to visit, and hope to see you out on location someday!

All my best,
Bryan F. Peterson