Ep.39 Which do you set first... Aperture, Shutter or ISO?

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Welcome to Tog-Talk! I’m Kevin Ahronson from the Hampshire School of Photography, and I’m thrilled to have you with me for this solo episode. Just a couple of weeks away from my 70th birthday, I still feel like that young photographer who picked up his first camera back in 1969. Age might have added some grey hairs (and perhaps a bit more wisdom!), but my passion for photography—and teaching it—hasn’t dimmed one bit. In fact, it’s only grown stronger. There’s something magical about guiding photographers as they move beyond auto settings, mastering their cameras to become true artists behind the lens.

Today’s episode is inspired by a question from Chris Taylor, a keen member of our fast-growing Hampshire Photography Network on Facebook, which just hit the 1,000-member mark! This milestone reminds me of the thrill and privilege of fostering a community of photographers who come together to learn, share, and push their skills further. Chris’s question taps into a common challenge: as you move from auto to manual, how do you know which camera settings to adjust first? Many photographers, especially beginners, wrestle with this when trying to control motion, depth of field, and exposure.

As we dive into this topic, we explore the exposure triangle: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Each setting affects your image in its own way, and learning how to use them creatively is essential. Chris recently found himself at a lively children’s party, where a slow shutter speed led to some blurry shots of fast-moving kids. He also struggled with exposure shifts when moving from indoors to bright outdoor light. Sound familiar? This is where understanding the purpose of each setting—and knowing which one to prioritize—comes in handy.

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