Hey friend! 👋
So you got yourself a camera (or you’re thinking about diving into photography), and suddenly you’re staring at a bunch of terms like ISO, aperture, and shutter speed wondering…

“Uhhh, is this photography or rocket science?” 🚀😅

Don’t worry — I’ve got you. This post is your crash course into the Exposure Triangle (fancy term, right?) and it’s gonna be simple, clear, and even kinda fun.

Let’s break it down one by one — with real examples and photo inspo along the way!

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🌟 1. ISO – Your Camera’s Sensitivity to Light

Think of ISO like your camera’s sunglasses… or night vision goggles.
    •    Low ISO (100–200): Great for bright, sunny days ☀️ Crisp, clean images.
    •    High ISO (800+): Helps in dark spaces 🌙 but can add grain/noise (like that gritty look in older film photos).

📸 Example Photo:
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👉 Best friend tip: Always start with the lowest ISO you can get away with — clean images are dreamy!

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🎯 2. Aperture – How Wide Your Lens Opens (a.k.a. How blurry you want your background to be)

This one’s all about those blurry backgrounds we love 😍 (depth of field)
    •    Measured in f-stops like f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/8…
    •    Lower f-number (f/1.8): More background blur, great for portraits 💁‍♀️
    •    Higher f-number (f/8+): Sharper focus front-to-back, great for landscapes ⛰️

I typically base my aperture on the amount of people in the photo.
  •    1 person – f/1.4 or higher
    •    2 people – f/2.8 or higher
    •    3-5 people – f/3+

Keep your aperture number the same as the amount of people! Personally, when my aperture reaches 8, I stop increasing.

📸 Example Photo:
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👉 BFF insight: If you want that creamy background glow, go low on your aperture! But watch out — the lower you go, the more light floods in.

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⏱️ 3. Shutter Speed – How Long the Camera “Sees” the Scene

This is the one that controls motion — either freezing it or showing movement.
    •    Fast shutter speed (1/1000): Freezes action like running kids, dancing, or splashing water 🏃💦
    •    Slow shutter speed (1/10 or longer): Shows motion blur — think waterfalls or night trails 🌌✨

My Go-To Shutter Speed Rule of Thumb:
    •    For portraits, I’ll use the slowest shutter speed I can get away with — usually around 1/100, as long as my subject is still and my hands are steady.
    •    If there’s any movement from my subject, I bump it up to 1/250 to freeze the action.
    •    And if they’re running or moving fast, I don’t risk the blur — I shoot at 1/500 or faster.

📸 Example Photo:
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👉 Pro-tip like we’re at brunch: If your hands shake like mine after coffee ☕, don’t go below 1/60 unless you have a tripod!

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🎯 Putting It All Together: The Exposure Triangle

Here’s the secret: ISO + Aperture + Shutter Speed all work together.
Change one, and you might need to adjust the others. Like a balancing act with light!

📸 Example Photo:
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🎒 Your Starter Settings Cheat Sheet

Here’s what I’d tell you if we were setting up your camera side by side:

****Situation****
ISO
Aperture
Shutter Speed

Sunny Day Portrait ☀️
100
f/2.8
1/250
Indoor Family Photo 🏠
800
f/2.0
1/125
Sunset Landscape 🌅
200
f/8
1/60 (on a tripod!)
Action Sports ⚽
400
f/4
1/1000
Night Sky 🌌
1600+
f/2.8
15-30 sec (tripod essential!)

🎉 You Got This!

Don’t stress if it doesn’t all click right away — I still have oops moments with settings too. The best way to learn? Get out there and shoot. Experiment. Make mistakes. Take weird photos. Learn as you go.

And always remember: It’s not just about perfect settings — it’s about telling your story. 💛

-Chantel Marie Photography