The Exposure Triangle is the foundation of photography, consisting of three key elements: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. These settings work together to control the amount of light that enters the camera and determines how bright or dark an image appears. Mastering the balance between them ensures that your photos are properly exposed, whether you’re shooting in bright daylight or low-light conditions.

Aperture refers to the size of the lens opening, controlling how much light passes through. A wide aperture (low f-number like f/1.8) lets in more light and creates a blurred background (shallow depth of field), perfect for portraits. A narrow aperture (high f-number like f/11) allows less light and keeps more of the scene in focus, ideal for landscapes. Shutter speed determines how long the camera sensor is exposed to light. A fast shutter speed (1/1000s) freezes motion, great for action shots, while a slow shutter speed (1/10s) allows motion blur, useful for capturing light trails or smooth water effects.

ISO controls the sensor’s sensitivity to light. A low ISO (100-200) produces clean, sharp images in bright conditions, while a higher ISO (800-3200 or more) helps in low light but may introduce grain or noise. Balancing these three settings is key to achieving the desired look in your photos. Adjusting one setting affects the others, so learning how they interact will give you full creative control over exposure and image quality.