gen-briefly-explain-the-exposure-triangle-and-one-common-misconc-3cc9

Briefly explain the exposure triangle and one common misconception about it.

# The Exposure Triangle The exposure triangle describes the three camera settings that control exposure (image brightness): 1. **Aperture** - Size of the lens opening (f-stops) 2. **Shutter Speed** - How long the sensor is exposed to light 3. **ISO** - Sensor's sensitivity to light These three work together: adjusting one requires compensating with another to maintain the same exposure level. ## Common Misconception **"ISO is part of exposure"** - While ISO is in the triangle, it doesn't actually affect how much light enters the camera. Only aperture and shutter speed do that. ISO amplifies the signal *after* light is captured, which is why it introduces noise/grain at higher values. It's really a sensitivity setting, not a true exposure control like the other two. A more accurate name might be the "Exposure *and* Sensitivity Triangle," but that's less catchy!