Picture taking: aperture and shutter speed settings
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use aperture and shutter speed settings to control light and blur in my photographs.
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.
Teacher tip
Use addtional side-by-side visual examples to show not just exposure changes, but also creative effects.
Equipment
Camera
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Photography is ...
Q2.Which of the following definitions best describes light in relation to photography?
Q3.Which of the following describes an expressive photograph?
Q4.The Greek words photos and graphé mean what?
Q5.True or false? Photos taken on phones today use totally different principles than those taken with older cameras.
Q6.Match the photographic principle to the meaning.
Show space and distance: foreground, middle, background.
Use things (windows, trees, doors) to frame your subject.
Lines in the photo that guide your eye to the subject.
Show space and distance: foreground, middle, background.
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Picture taking: aperture and shutter speed settings, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Picture taking: aperture and shutter speed settings, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 art and design lessons from the Photography unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.