Which of the following are the four basic factors affecting photos?

• A. Light; ISO; Shutter Speed; Aperture
• B. White Balance; Color Profile; Resolution; Exposure
• C. Focus; Depth of Field; Frame Rate; ISO
• D. Lighting; Contrast; Saturation; Noise

Answer: (A)

Exposure is shaped by four interacting controls: light, ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. Light is what’s available in the scene. ISO decides how sensitive the sensor is to that light. Shutter speed sets how long the sensor is exposed to the light, so longer times gather more light (and can blur motion). Aperture is the lens opening; a wider opening lets in more light and also affects how much of the scene is in focus, while a smaller opening reduces light and increases depth of field. Together they form the exposure mechanism: adjusting any one requires a balance with the others and/or with scene lighting to achieve a proper image.

In other options, factors like white balance or color profile influence color accuracy, not brightness; frame rate relates to motion capture in video; focus and depth of field affect sharpness rather than the amount of light per se; and noise is a result of high ISO rather than a primary exposure control.