How cameras work

Move the controls to see what lenses, aperture, shutter speed and ISO do to a photograph.

Manual mode35 mm · f/4 · 1/250 s · ISO 200

DarkerBrighter

Balanced light. A lovely place to start.

Camera mode

You're in charge of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. See how they work together.

Choose your lens

24 mmWide35 mmStory50 mmClassic85 mmPortrait

A 35 mm lens keeps your people and a little of their world.

Aperture Background blur

f/4

A lower f-number lets in more light and softens the background.

Shutter speed Catch the movement 1/250 s

A slow shutter turns movement into a soft trail. A fast shutter keeps the couple sharp. It changes how much light gets in, too.

ISO Brightness & grain 200

Higher ISO brightens the image and adds grain. Slide all the way left for Auto: the camera chooses ISO as you change the other settings.

An illustrated playground, not a light meter. Full-frame lenses, a fixed camera position and focus on the couple. Real results depend on your camera, light and distance.

Turn on JavaScript to play with the camera. The illustration shows a 35 mm lens at f/4, 1/250 second and ISO 200. A wider aperture softens the background; a slower shutter blurs movement; higher ISO brightens the image and adds grain.

Let’s make something worth remembering.