Learn the exposure triangle by changing ISO, aperture and shutter speed in this free interactive photography simulator. See how camera settings affect brightness, background blur, image noise and motion, then use practical starting settings for portraits, landscapes, sports and low-light photography.
These settings work together. If you change one, you may need to adjust another to keep the same brightness.
Sensor sensitivity · higher ISO adds brightness and visible grain.
Adjust ISO from 100 to 6400.
Lens opening · lower f-number means a wider opening and shallower depth of field.
Exposure time · slower speeds show more movement; faster speeds freeze it.
At ISO 400, f/2.8 and 1/125s, you have a balanced starting point for a daylight portrait, with a softly separated background.
Choose a common shooting situation to load a practical starting point. Treat these as starting settings, not rules — available light and creative intent still matter.
A practical cheat sheet for what to prioritise, why it matters, and what you trade off.
Use ISO 100–200 in bright daylight for clean detail. Try 400–800 in shade or interiors. ISO 1600+ can help at night or indoors when you cannot use a slower shutter, but expect more visible noise.
You need a fast shutter in dim light, or you want the cleanest image possible and have enough light.
Use f/1.4–f/2.8 for portraits and low light when a shallow focus plane works. Try f/5.6–f/8 for groups, street scenes, and general sharpness. Use f/8–f/16 for landscapes when deeper focus matters.
You want background separation, need more depth of field, or need to balance available light.
Start around 1/500s or faster for running subjects; 1/1000s or faster for many sports. Try 1/125s for still subjects handheld, and 1/15–1/30s for intentional light trails with a stable tripod.
Your subject is moving, you are handholding the camera, or you want deliberate motion blur.
If the image is too dark, open the aperture (smaller f-number), use a slower shutter, or raise ISO. If it is too bright, do the reverse. Change shutter carefully if you need to freeze motion, and change aperture carefully if depth of field matters.
The exposure triangle describes how aperture, shutter speed and ISO work together to control a photograph's exposure. Each setting also affects the image differently: aperture changes depth of field, shutter speed affects motion blur, and ISO affects visible image noise.
Start with ISO 100–200 in bright daylight, around f/5.6–f/8 for general scenes, and a shutter speed fast enough for your subject. For portraits, try a wider aperture such as f/1.8–f/2.8; for sports, start around 1/1000s or faster. Treat these as starting points and check your camera's exposure meter.
Aperture is one of the main controls for background blur. A wider aperture, shown by a smaller f-number such as f/1.8 or f/2.8, creates a shallower depth of field. Lens focal length, subject distance and the distance between your subject and background also affect the result.
A fast shutter speed such as 1/500s can freeze many everyday movements, while sports and very fast action may need 1/1000s or faster. The right speed depends on how quickly the subject moves and how much motion blur you want.
No. The simulator uses an illustrative scene and simplified visual effects to explain exposure, blur and noise. It is a learning aid, not a RAW image processor or a precise prediction of a specific camera and lens.
Continue learning with the DraftsRush free tools and practical guides across the site.
Once you can control brightness, learn how lens choice, focal length, lighting direction and composition shape the image too.
Learning note: the preview is an illustrative simulation, not a RAW-processing engine. Actual brightness, noise, depth of field and motion rendering vary with camera sensor, lens, focal length, distance, stabilisation and lighting. For long exposures, use a tripod; for low-light moving subjects, a wider aperture or higher ISO may be preferable to a slower shutter.
