Photography is all about light. The way a camera captures light determines how bright or dark, sharp or blurry, grainy or smooth your image turns out. To get the perfect shot, you need to understand something called the Exposure Triangle, which consists of three key settings: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO. These three work together to control how much light enters your camera and how your final image looks.
Let’s break it down with simple explanations and relatable examples.
1. Aperture: The Eye of Your Camera
Aperture refers to the opening in your camera’s lens that lets light in. Think of it like your eye’s pupil—it widens in the dark to let in more light and shrinks in bright conditions to let in less.
- Measured in f-stops (e.g., f/1.8, f/4, f/11, etc.)
- Lower f-stop (wide aperture, e.g., f/1.8): Lets in more light, creating a blurry background (shallow depth of field) that makes subjects stand out beautifully in portraits.
- Higher f-stop (narrow aperture, e.g., f/11 or f/16): Lets in less light and keeps everything in focus, great for landscapes.
Example: If you want to take a dreamy portrait with a blurred background, set your aperture to a low f-stop (like f/1.8). If you’re photographing a breathtaking mountain range, a higher f-stop (like f/11 or f/16) keeps everything in focus.
2. Shutter Speed: The Time Keeper
Shutter speed controls how long your camera’s sensor is exposed to light. It’s like blinking—if you blink quickly, you catch a short glimpse; if you keep your eyes open longer, you see more.
- Measured in fractions of a second (e.g., 1/1000s, 1/250s, 1/30s, etc.)
- Fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/1000s): Freezes motion, perfect for action shots like sports or wildlife photography.
- Slow shutter speed (e.g., 1/30s or slower): Allows motion blur, useful for light trails, waterfalls, or night photography.
Example: Want to freeze a soccer player mid-kick? Use a fast shutter speed (like 1/1000s). Want a silky smooth waterfall effect? Use a slow shutter speed (like 1/4s) and a tripod.
3. ISO: The Light Amplifier
ISO determines how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light. It’s like your eyes adjusting to a dark room—higher ISO makes it easier to see in low light, but too much can make things look grainy (noisy).
- Measured in numbers (e.g., ISO 100, ISO 400, ISO 1600, etc.)
- Low ISO (e.g., ISO 100 or 200): Produces clean, sharp images but needs more light (best for bright conditions).
- High ISO (e.g., ISO 1600 or above): Helps in low light but can add grain or noise to the image.
Example: Shooting outside on a sunny day? Keep ISO low (100-200) for crisp details. Taking photos in a dimly lit restaurant? Increase ISO (800-1600), but be careful of noise.
How They Work Together
Each setting affects the other two. If you change one, you may need to adjust the others to keep the right balance of light in your photo.
For instance:
- If you widen your aperture (low f-stop) to let in more light, you might need a faster shutter speed to avoid overexposure.
- If you use a slow shutter speed to capture motion blur, you may need a lower ISO to reduce noise.
- If you’re in a dark setting and need more light, you can raise ISO, but it might introduce grain, so you could also try using a wider aperture instead.
Final Takeaway: Find the Right Balance
Imagine you’re filling a glass of water:
- Aperture is the size of the faucet opening.
- Shutter Speed is how long you leave the tap running.
- ISO is like adding artificial light if the room is too dark.
A good exposure means finding the perfect mix so your image isn’t too bright (overexposed) or too dark (underexposed). Practice adjusting each setting and see how they affect your photos!
Now, grab your camera, experiment with the Exposure Triangle, and take amazing photos! 
Photo by Luriko Yamaguchi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-camera-film-2061678/