New
New
Picture taking: aperture and shutter speed settings
I can use aperture and shutter speed settings to control light and blur in my photographs.
Lesson 2 of 9
New
New
- Year 10
Picture taking: aperture and shutter speed settings
I can use aperture and shutter speed settings to control light and blur in my photographs.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Cameras work by allowing light to pass into a camera and onto a light sensitive surface.
- The f-stop or aperture controls allow us to change the size of the opening.
- The shutter speed allows us to control how long the aperture is open.
- By using both of these, we can control how light or dark our photographs are, and can reduce or manipulate blur.
Keywords
Aperture - The hole through which light travels in a camera lens
Shutter - The part of the camera that opens to allow light through the aperture
Common misconception
Changing the aperture or shutter speed only affects how bright the photo is.
While both aperture and shutter speed do affect exposure (how light or dark a photo is), they also have creative effects on how the photo looks, such as blur.
Use addtional side-by-side visual examples to show not just exposure changes, but also creative effects.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Camera
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Photography is ...
Photography is ...
the art and practice of using pencils to create images.
the art and practice of using paint to create images.
Q2.Which of the following definitions best describes light in relation to photography?
Which of the following definitions best describes light in relation to photography?
light of any kind is not needed to take a photograph
light is not what makes a photo possible
Q3.Which of the following describes an expressive photograph?
Which of the following describes an expressive photograph?
a portrait taken to capture a facts and information
Q4.The Greek words photos and graphé mean what?
The Greek words photos and graphé mean what?
sound and measure
images and scratch
Q5.True or false? Photos taken on phones today use totally different principles than those taken with older cameras.
True or false? Photos taken on phones today use totally different principles than those taken with older cameras.
true
Q6.Match the photographic principle to the meaning.
Match the photographic principle to the meaning.
