Beyond Camera Settings: Emotion in Photography

As a photographer, my mission isn’t just to capture a scene—it’s to capture the emotion behind it. Yet, at every presentation, someone always asks the classic question:

“What were your camera settings?”

And sure, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO matter—they’re the bread and butter of photography. But here’s the truth: the more important question isn’t what my settings were, it’s what I was feeling when I clicked the shutter. Because photography isn’t just light—it’s emotion with a little chaos thrown in (trust me, I know chaos).

Mastering Light: The Craft Meets the Feeling

A camera is just a tool—like a brush for a painter or a chisel for a sculptor. I use it to capture the light dancing in front of me, adjusting settings to record the scene exactly as I felt it. Photography, after all, is the art of capturing light…and surviving life’s curveballs while doing it.

Think of light like water in a glass:

• Too little light → underexposed and sad.
• Too much light → overexposed and screaming for sunglasses.
• Just right → balanced, serene, and exactly how you remember feeling.

Case Study: Dawn Greets Block Island

That morning on Block Island, my settings were ISO 100, f/8, 1.3 seconds. I could have chosen ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/25 second and captured the same light—but the emotion would have been gone faster than my patience waiting for the tide to cooperate.

Fast shutter speeds freeze the world like a well-timed punchline. Slow shutter speeds smooth it into serenity, like a deep breath after a long hospital wait (I know, I’ve had a few of those myself). That morning, the beach felt peaceful and timeless. I went slow, letting the tide roll in gentle, silky waves—because that’s what my heart felt.

When the Artist Meets the Craftsman

Great photography happens when the artist and craftsman inside you collaborate:

1. The Artist feels the mood, tells the story.
2. The Craftsman selects settings that translate feeling into light.

For Dawn Greets Block Island, the artist wanted peace and stillness. The craftsman delivered it with low ISO, small aperture, and long exposure. The result? An image that invites you to pause, breathe, and maybe wonder: “How does this guy still smile like that?”

Key Takeaways for Your Photography

• Don’t just ask for settings—ask what the photographer felt.
• Learn how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together.
• Adjust shutter speed to match your subject’s motion.
• Let emotion guide your technical choices—even when life is messy.

Pro Tip for Sunrise Photography

Arrive early, watch the light dance, and let it inspire your settings. Try both fast and slow shutter speeds to see which best captures the feeling of the moment. Bonus: you might even laugh at yourself waiting for the sun to rise. Or me…probably me.