Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

Which aspect of an exposure can be adjusted if using a tungsten light requires more brightness?

1. Aperture opening

2. ISO sensitivity

3. Shutter speed

4. All of the above

The correct answer is: All of the above

When using tungsten lighting, which typically emits a warmer color temperature and is often less intense than other light sources, brightness can indeed be increased by adjusting various elements of the exposure triangle: aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Adjusting the aperture opening allows more light to hit the camera sensor. A larger aperture (a smaller f-number) decreases the depth of field but increases brightness in the exposure, making it a useful way to compensate for less intense light sources like tungsten. Increasing ISO sensitivity allows the camera to be more sensitive to light, which means that even in lower light conditions, the sensor can capture more brightness. However, this comes with the potential downside of increasing noise levels in the image, particularly at higher ISO settings. Lastly, adjusting shutter speed can also increase brightness. A slower shutter speed allows more light to reach the sensor over a longer period. However, care must be taken to avoid motion blur or subject blur, so this method is typically used in still situations where camera stability can be maintained. Since all three options can effectively contribute to increasing exposure in the context of using tungsten lighting, it is accurate to say that any one of them can be adjusted to achieve the desired brightness in the image. Thus, the answer that encompasses all possible adjustments