Capture & Create:

The Exposure Triangle Cheat Sheet

I remember how confusing it felt at the start…

When I first picked up a camera, I thought great photography came from luck, expensive gear, or some secret setting I hadn’t discovered yet. I’d head out excited, come home disappointed, and wonder why the photo never matched what I saw or felt at the time.

Over the years — shooting photojournalism, sports, landscapes, and teaching countless beginners — I’ve seen the same thing again and again. Most photographers don’t fail because they lack talent. They get stuck because the fundamentals were never explained clearly.

Photography is simple at its core. It’s not about memorising numbers or pressing the shutter and hoping for the best. It’s about understanding light — how your camera sees it, controls it, and records it. Once that clicks, everything changes.

This cheat sheet is the guide I wish I’d had at the beginning. It strips photography back to the essentials: the Exposure Triangle, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and how they actually work together in the real world. No jargon. No fluff. Just practical explanations you can take straight into the field.

I’m not here to turn you into a technical robot. Photography is a doing thing. We learn best by getting out there, making mistakes, adjusting, and trying again. This guide gives you the confidence to do exactly that — to pick up your camera and know why you’re choosing a setting, not just guessing.

If this cheat sheet helps you get even one photo that feels closer to what you experienced in the moment, then it’s done its job. And if it sparks a bigger curiosity to learn more, I’ll be right here to help you take the next step.

Your first confident step into photography starts here.

This beginner-friendly downloadable cheat sheet breaks down the Exposure Triangle — aperture, shutter speed and ISO — in clear, easy-to-understand language. Designed for new photographers, it helps you understand how your camera controls light, how to balance exposure, and how to move beyond guessing and auto mode.

You’ll learn how exposure, depth of field, motion and composition work together, with practical examples you can use straight away. No jargon. No overwhelm. Just a solid foundation to build confidence behind the camera.

This cheat sheet is the starting point of the Capture & Create journey — with plenty more learning, support and hands-on workshops waiting when you’re ready.

👉 Download now and take your first step into photography with confidence. 📷✨