ABSTRACT

The exposure in photography describes the total quantity of light energy incident on a sensitive material, which in general terms is the photographic exposure. It may alternatively describe the process of controlling the light energy reaching a sensitive material in a camera, which is more specifically the camera exposure. The colour of the subject and its surface reflection properties will affect the amount of light directed at the sensor. Additional factors include the type of light source(s), the direction and intensity of the light, and the distance between the light source and the subject, which follows the inverse square law. The greater the distance between subject and light source, the lower the intensity of the light that reaches the subject. Subjective preferences influence the photographer's choices for optimum exposure. Any scattered light results in a reduction in scene contrast. The luminance range is reduced by flare and, as a result, the tonal increments in the shadows are compressed.