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Day 4: The Exposure Triangle Explained Simply


Finally understand how your camera actually works.


If you’re brand new to photography or video creation, nothing feels more intimidating than the Exposure Triangle. But I promise — once you understand what Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO do, your camera suddenly starts to make sense.



And once it makes sense, you’ll feel confident shooting in Manual Mode, and your creative options explode.


This guide is written for absolute beginners, so no jargon, no physics, no confusing charts. Just real-world explanations you can start using today.


What Is the Exposure Triangle?


The Exposure Triangle is just a fancy name for the three settings that control how bright or dark your image is:

  • Aperture — how wide the lens opens to let light in

  • Shutter Speed — how long the shutter stays open to capture frames quickly

  • ISO — how bright the sensor becomes to compensate for lack of light sources


Each one affects the exposure differently, and each one also affects your image creatively.


Understanding these three settings is the foundation of photography and filmmaking.


Aperture — How Wide Your Lens Opens


Think of aperture like the pupil of your eye. A wider pupil = more light. A smaller pupil = less light.


Aperture is written as an f-number, like f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, etc.


What Aperture Controls:


1. Brightness

  • Lower f-number (f/1.8) = more light

  • Higher f-number (f/8) = less light


2. Background Blur (Depth of Field)This is the big one.A wide aperture (f/1.8) gives you that creamy, blurry background you see in professional photos.

A narrow aperture (f/8 or f/11) keeps everything in focus.


Beginner Tip:


If you want blurry backgrounds → use a lower f-number.


If you want everything sharp → use a higher f-number.



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Shutter Speed — How Long Your Camera Sees the Scene


Shutter speed is how long your sensor is exposed to light.

Examples:

  • 1/50

  • 1/250

  • 1/1000


What Shutter Speed Controls:


1. Brightness

  • Longer shutter (1/50) = more light

  • Faster shutter (1/1000) = less light


2. Motion Blur / Action Freezing

  • Slow shutter → motion blur

  • Fast shutter → freezes action


Beginner Tip:


If you’re filming sports (like basketball), use:1/500 to 1/1000 to freeze motion.

If you’re filming video, a good rule is:Shutter = 2 × your frame rate(24fps → 1/50 shutter)



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ISO — Your Camera’s Sensitivity to Light


ISO tells the camera how bright the image should be without changing the lens or shutter settings.

Examples:

  • ISO 100

  • ISO 800

  • ISO 3200


What ISO Controls:


1. BrightnessHigher ISO = brighter image.

2. Image Noise (Grain)Higher ISO also makes your footage grainy.


Beginner Tip:


Keep ISO as low as possible — only raise it when you absolutely need to.

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How the Exposure Triangle Works Together


Here’s the simple trick to understanding it:


Aperture controls the look

(blurry or sharp background)


Shutter controls the motion

(freeze or blur)


ISO fills the gaps

(brightens the image when you run out of light)


Once you understand what each does creatively, and how they work together, it becomes much easier to choose your settings.


A Simple Beginner Exposure Formula


This is an easy starting point for any beginner, whether you’re shooting photos or video.


Start here:

  1. Aperture: f/2.8 – f/4(nice blurry background, but not too extreme)

  2. Shutter Speed:

    • Photos: 1/250

    • Video: 1/50 for 24fps

  3. ISO: Auto (with max set to 1600)


This gives you great results on most cameras.


Practice Exercise (Do This Today)


Grab anything at home — a coffee mug, a toy, even your Thanksgiving leftovers — and take:

  • One shot at f/1.8

  • One shot at f/4

  • One shot at f/8


Then do the same thing while changing shutter speed.

Seeing the differences with your own eyes makes everything click.


Ultimately, you can read articles, watch videos, and listen to podcasts. But the thing that is going to help you the most is experience. Repetition, working in different conditions, and being comfortable with your camera's abilities.


🛠 Recommended Beginner Gear


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✔ Entry-Level Camera (Canon M50)

✔ Fast 50mm f/1.8 lens

Amazon Link here.

✔ Microfiber cleaning cloths

✔ LED light panel for indoor shooting


Further Learning & Helpful External Resources


If you want to go deeper into the Exposure Triangle, these articles and videos offer excellent beginner-friendly explanations and visual demonstrations:


Articles


1. Digital Photography School — “Understanding the Exposure Triangle”

https://digital-photography-school.com/learning-exposure-in-digital-photography/A clear, step-by-step walkthrough of how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together.

2. Photography Life — “What Is the Exposure Triangle?”

https://photographylife.com/what-is-exposure-triangleIn-depth examples and diagrams that help you visualize how each part of the triangle affects your image.

3. B&H Photo Video — “Understanding Exposure”

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/understanding-exposureA great technical breakdown with tips for beginners and intermediate creators.


Videos


4. Peter McKinnon — “How to Use Your Camera (Exposure Tutorial)”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8T94sdiNjcA super beginner-friendly, high-energy explanation of exposure settings and what they do.

5. Tony & Chelsea Northrup — “Exposure Explained Simply”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmH5p1rGm20A reliable, clear visual demonstration from two of the most respected photography educators online.

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