Shutter Speed, ISO, and Focal Length

One of the first considerations I make when I go out to shoot is the quantity of light that I have to work with, which determines the ISO setting I will use. As well as technically controlling the sensor’s sensitivity to light, my choice of ISO has a significant impact on my choice of aperture and shutter speed, as well as on my ability to handhold the camera and expect a sharp photograph. Camera shake is the single most common reason for soft photographs, and this problem is made worse by the use of shutter speeds that are too slow. Controlling the ISO is often one of the best ways to eliminate this issue and create tack-sharp photographs.

The revelation came for me when I began to get increasingly frustrated ...

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