Your Field Guide

Universal Camera Setup — Your Starting Point

These settings work across all camera brands and types. This is your 'when in doubt' starting point.

There is no 'perfect setting,' but there are reliable starting points. Use this table as your foundation.

The Exposure Triangle, Made Practical

Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together to control exposure. Balancing them is the core skill.

Shooting Modes, Explained Simply

Manual + Auto ISO is the secret weapon: e.g. f/2.8, 1/500s, ISO Auto for kids and events.

RAW vs JPEG

When in doubt, shoot RAW + JPEG until you know which you actually use. RAW preserves far more data for fixing exposure, white balance, and shadows/highlights later.

DSLR vs Mirrorless

The exposure triangle works the same on both. Good light and good focus matter more than camera type.

Portraits — Outdoor

• Focus on the nearest eye
• Keep background far behind the subject
• Use open shade for soft light
• Avoid harsh noon sun on faces

Portraits — Indoor

• Move the subject near a window
• Turn off ugly overhead lights if possible
• Watch for motion blur at slow shutter speeds

Landscapes

• Use a tripod for sunrise/sunset
• Focus about one-third into the scene
• Watch the highlights in the sky
• Bracket exposures for high contrast

Sports

• Track the subject before pressing the shutter
• Use zone AF or subject tracking
• Keep shutter high before worrying about ISO noise

Birds in Flight

• Use back-button focus if comfortable
• For birds against bright sky, try +0.7 EV
• Use a wider focus zone until you can track well

Kids and Pets

• Get down to their eye level
• Use continuous autofocus
• Prioritize shutter speed over low ISO

Street Photography

• Use silent shutter carefully under artificial lights
• Pre-focus or use zone focusing
• Look for layers, gestures, signs, and light

Night Street

• Find light sources: signs, windows, lamps
• Accept higher ISO
• Avoid underexposing too much

Concerts / Stage

• Expose for faces, not the dark background
• Do not use flash
• Expect changing light

Macro

• Depth of field is extremely thin
• Move your body slightly to focus
• Use flash or an LED light if possible

Product / Still Life

• Use soft window light or a diffused lamp
• Avoid mixed light sources
• Use a tripod for consistency

Long Exposure Water

• Use a 2-second timer
• Turn stabilization off on a tripod if it causes issues
• Use ND filters in daylight

Stars / Milky Way

• Use a tripod
• Turn off stabilization on a tripod
• Use magnified live view for manual focus
• Avoid a full moon for the Milky Way

Problem → Solution

Use this when things go wrong.

Focus Modes

Focus Area Modes

• Focus on the eye for portraits
• Use AF-C for anything moving toward or away from you
• Use single-point AF when the camera keeps grabbing the wrong thing
• For groups, focus one-third in and use f/5.6–f/8
• For birds and sports, use continuous AF and burst mode

Metering & Exposure Compensation

• Use + exposure compensation when the image is too dark
• Use − when it's too bright
• Snow, beaches and backlit scenes often need +0.7 to +1.7 EV
• Dark scenes may need −0.3 to −1 EV to keep the mood

White Balance & Color

Shoot RAW when color matters — white balance corrects far better from RAW than JPEG.

Composition Basics

• Rule of thirds
• Leading lines
• Framing
• Negative space
• Symmetry
• Foreground / subject / background
• Fill the frame
• Watch the edges
• Use layers
• Get low or high instead of always shooting at eye level

Light Basics

• Golden hour
• Blue hour
• Open shade
• Window light
• Backlight
• Side light
• Harsh noon light
• Reflections
• Silhouettes
• Catchlights in the eyes

Technique Basics

• Half-press to focus
• Control your breathing
• Tuck elbows in
• Use the viewfinder for stability
• Shoot bursts for action
• Review sharpness by zooming in
• Check the histogram, not just screen brightness
• Move your feet before zooming
• Take a safety shot first, then experiment

Lens Choice Guide

A better lens does not fix bad light, focus, or timing — but it can make certain shots much easier.

Shutter Speed Cheat Sheet

Aperture Cheat Sheet

ISO Cheat Sheet

Before You Shoot — Checklist

beginner level

• Use Aperture Priority
• Use Auto ISO
• Shoot RAW + JPEG
• Use single-point focus or Eye AF
• Keep shutter above 1/250s for people
• Learn exposure compensation