Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

The Sunny 16 rule is a formula to find what type of exposure?

1. Final

2. Starting

3. Creative

4. Adjusted

The correct answer is: Starting

The Sunny 16 rule is a guideline used primarily to establish a starting exposure for photography in bright, sunny conditions. According to this rule, if it's a sunny day, you can set your aperture to f/16 and your shutter speed to the reciprocal of your ISO for proper exposure. For example, if you are shooting at ISO 100, you'd use a shutter speed of 1/100 second. This method provides a quick and reliable way to achieve a balanced exposure without needing a light meter, particularly in daylight. It serves as a foundational starting point that photographers can then adjust based on their creative vision, lighting conditions, and subject matter. While the other options might suggest different kinds of exposure calculations or techniques, the Sunny 16 rule specifically focuses on giving a photographer a solid basis from which to begin, making it essential for understanding exposure in varying lighting situations.