Exposure / Learn by doing
Stop explained simply
What is “Stop”?
A doubling or halving of light or exposure-related brightness. One stop brighter is twice as much; one stop darker is half as much.
- 01Double
- 02Same
- 03Half
How do you use Stop practically?
A small exercise
Compare 1/125 second and 1/250 second with aperture and ISO unchanged. The shorter time records half as much light.
- Make a starting version and keep it so you can compare fairly.
- Try the change in the exercise. Keep unrelated choices steady where the exercise allows.
- Compare the result at the size your viewer will actually see. Write down what changed and whether it helped.
How does Stop solve a problem?
Stops make exposure changes easy to describe without guessing at vague words such as slightly brighter.
What can go wrong?
A full stop is different from one dial click. Many cameras use one-third-stop clicks.
How do you turn the idea into a useful solution?
Start with the specific problem in your image or brief, try the exercise, and keep the version that meets that need. If the result is worse, return to the starting version and change one choice at a time.
Quick check: can you explain the three ideas in the diagram?
Double → Same → Half. Explain how each relates to the exercise. Then compare the starting version with your result and choose the one that meets your brief.
Related video lesson
Exposure controls — Canon
This related lesson gives wider context for the topic. Camera menus and software versions may differ from yours.
Loading the player connects to YouTube. You can also watch the lesson on YouTube.Keep exploring
Try the idea in a studio shoot
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