A Guide for Moms Wanting to Master Manual Photography

Hey there, busy moms! If you’re like me, you love capturing those magical moments of your kids—whether it’s their adorable faces when they’re fast asleep, their laughter at the park, or the beautiful chaos of family life. But sometimes, you might wonder why your photos don’t quite match what your eyes see. Well, that’s where understanding manual exposure and the exposure triangle comes in!

If you’re ready to level up your photography and take control of your camera, I’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the exposure triangle and how you can master it.

What is the Exposure Triangle?

The exposure triangle is the foundation of photography. It’s made up of three key settings: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. When you switch your camera to manual mode, these are the three controls you’ll adjust to get the perfect shot. The key to understanding exposure is realizing that all three settings work together, like the sides of a triangle, to determine how bright or dark your photo is.

Here’s a breakdown of each side of the triangle:

1. Aperture – Controlling How Much Light Enters the Lens

Think of the aperture as your camera’s “eye.” The aperture is the opening in your lens that controls how much light gets into the camera. It’s measured in f-stops (like f/1.8, f/4, f/11), and the tricky part is that smaller numbers mean a larger opening, letting in more light.

Low f-stop (wide aperture): More light, and a shallower depth of field, meaning a beautiful blurry background (perfect for those dreamy portraits of your kids!).
High f-stop (narrow aperture): Less light, and more of the scene will be in focus (great for group photos or landscapes).

Want a soft, blurry backgrounds while your baby is the star? Try lowering the f-stop as low as it goes!

2. Shutter Speed – Freezing or Blurring Movement

Shutter speed controls how long your camera’s sensor is exposed to light. It’s measured in seconds or fractions of a second (like 1/1000 or 1/30).

Fast shutter speed: Freezes motion. Great for capturing your little one mid-jump on the trampoline!
Slow shutter speed: Blurs motion. This can be fun for creating artistic effects, like showing the motion of your toddler running or making car lights blur at night.

If you’re photographing active kiddos, start with a faster shutter speed like 1/500 or faster to avoid motion blur.

However, if motion blur is what you're after - lowering the shutter will create a sense of speed around a moving object.

3. ISO – Boosting Your Camera’s Sensitivity to Light

ISO is the setting that controls your camera’s sensitivity to light. A low ISO (100 or 200) means your camera is less sensitive to light, and a high ISO (1600 or higher) means your camera is more sensitive to light.

Low ISO: Clear, sharp images with little noise (graininess). Use this in bright daylight.
High ISO: More sensitive to light, but can introduce noise into your photos. Perfect for indoor or low-light situations, like capturing a quiet moment with your child reading by a nightlight or playing outside at dusk.

ƒ/8.0
1/250 Shutter Speed
4000 ISO ... Embrace the Grain!

If you’re indoors without much natural light, try raising your ISO to 800 or 1600. But remember, higher ISO can make your photos grainy.

Putting it All Together: Manual Mode Magic

When you’re in manual mode, you control the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO yourself. Here’s how they work together:

If you want a brighter photo, you can:
- Open the aperture (lower f-stop)
- Slow down the shutter speed (but be careful with moving subjects)
- Raise the ISO (but watch for grain)
For a darker photo, you can:
- Close the aperture (higher f-stop)
- Speed up the shutter speed
- Lower the ISO

Quick Tip: Start with Aperture Priority Mode

If manual mode feels a little overwhelming at first (it’s totally okay because it absolutely is overwhelming!), try aperture priority mode (A or Av on your camera). In this mode, you control the aperture and the camera handles shutter speed and ISO. It’s a great way to focus on getting those dreamy blurred backgrounds or sharp landscapes without worrying about the rest right away.

Practice Makes Perfect

Images from my first attempt at manual exposure and my most recent with my not so little baby!

Photography is an art, and like any art, it takes a TON of practice. Some pick it up quick, other people like myself take YEARS to finally feel confident in what they are doing. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your camera’s manual settings. Try taking photos of your kids in different lighting situations, playing with aperture for portrait shots, and adjusting shutter speed when they’re on the move. In time, you’ll get faster and feel confident in capturing not just memories, but beautiful, well-exposed memories.

So, go ahead and switch that camera to manual mode! You’ve got this, mama. With a little patience and practice, you’ll be capturing the magic of your family’s everyday moments in no time.

Happy shooting! 📸

Feel free to reach out with any questions in the comments—I'm here to help you on this exciting photography journey!

Back to Basics - Unlocking the Secrets of the Exposure Triangle