Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet
Who doesn’t love a good cheat sheet? If you are in the process of learning photography basics, I have a guide just for you! Download my Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet for free. Keep it handy as you practice as a camera setting quick reference guide!
In case we haven’t met, my name is Kelley Hoagland and I am a family photographer based in Chattanooga, TN. With the encouragement of my husband, I signed up for a beginner’s photography class at a local community college a few months after my first daughter was born. Neither of us could have predicted how this little “diversion” from my difficult transition to motherhood would completely change our lives. Photography for me has progressed from hobby, to side-hustle, to full time business. It all started with learning the fundamentals of the exposure triangle.
I’m not saying this is the path you will or have to take. I believe flexing your creative muscles has so much value and can really bless the world around you even if you don’t decide to pursue a business. Everyone loves to have beautiful images of their loved ones. Even my daughters find so much joy flipping through our yearly photobooks, which are packed full of photographs I’ve taken of our everyday lives, holidays, and adventures. They may not know how to articulate it, but there is truly something more eye catching and soulful contained in a real photograph when compared to an iPhone snapshot. Maybe I’m just a romantic, but I suspect you may agree.
Why You Need an Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet
So why do you need the Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet? Maybe you’re a faster learner than me, but I found the exposure triangle pretty confusing at first. (Cut my some slack. I was also a sleep deprived new mother at the time.) It felt like learning a new language. There were letters and numbers put together (f-stops). Small numbers also meant large and large numbers meant small (aperture). Then let’s throw fractions into the mix (shutter speed)! All of this, not to mention the fact that you have to balance three different elements at once.
Okay, I’m being a little dramatic. However, I still contend that it can be helpful to have a printable exposure triangle cheat sheet to reference as you practice. I hope, with intentional practice, that you will only need this exposure triangle guide for a short period of time. If you put in the work, thinking through your camera settings will become second nature in no time!
What does this Exposure Triangle Guide Include?
This exposure triangle guide is 20 pages long. It includes brief written reviews of the definitions of photography exposure and the three elements of the exposure triangle, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. More importantly, it includes quick reference diagrams detailing the functions of each exposure triangle element. The cheat sheet also includes a chart detailing my mental workflow when choosing exposure settings. There is also a summary of how to use the Sunny 16 rule to estimate exposure. There’s plenty of room for notes and questions as you learn to shoot in manual mode!
How to Use This Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet?
How should you use this exposure triangle guide? I recommend printing it out and storing it with your camera or in your camera bag. Review it before pulling out your camera the first few times your try out shooting in manual mode. As you get more comfortable, still keep it handy for when questions come up!
Most importantly, I’ve included a couple pages for photo notes. Use this part of the worksheet when you review and analyze your favorite images. I strongly believe that taking some time to reflect on what works in your images will help your work improve as you move forward and grow! Believe it or not, there is a science behind creating beautiful, appealing images! A little analysis will go a long way towards tapping into that. I’m actually doing the very same thing as I learn to shoot film!
Get the Free Download Now!
Don’t leave this page without downloading your free Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet. And don’t forget to let me know how it’s going! Free free to drop me a quick line via email or socials!