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Have you ever been taking pictures, and suddenly the sun goes behind the clouds or the day starts to get dark, and your photo results become too dark, noisy, or have weird colors?

Light is dynamic, changing from hour to hour. As photographers, we can't just rely on the Auto setting. To avoid confusion when the lighting conditions change, here's a cheat sheet of basic settings (Exposure Triangle & White Balance) to accompany you throughout the day!

1. Morning (Sunrise - 09.00) Morning light is soft, fresh, and has a slightly blue or cool tone before the sun rises fully.

1. Aperture (Opening): If you're shooting landscapes with morning dew, use f/8 to keep everything sharp. If you're shooting models, use f/2.8 to blur the background.
2. Shutter Speed: Since the light isn't too bright yet, keep it at a safe 1/125s to 1/250s when shooting handheld (without a tripod).
3. ISO: Keep it at ISO 100 or 200 for super clean photo results.
4. White Balance (WB): Try setting it to Cloudy or Shade. This trick will give your photos a warm, yellowish/orange hue, making the morning atmosphere feel more magical.

2. Midday (11.00 - 14.00) This is the most avoided time for photographers because the light is harsh. The shadows under the model's eyes or nose will appear sharp. But if you must shoot at this time, here are some tips:

1. ISO: Keep it at the lowest! ISO 100. The light is abundant, so don't make the sensor work too hard.
2. Shutter Speed: Increase it! You can play with 1/1000s or even 1/4000s to avoid overexposure.
3. Aperture: If you still want to achieve a bokeh effect (f/1.8), you must use an ND filter (sunglasses for lenses) to prevent excessive light. If you don't have one, you'll have to increase the aperture to f/5.6 or f/8.
4. WB: Daylight or leave it on Auto.

3. Afternoon (Golden Hour: 16.00 - Sunset) The most romantic time for photographers. The sun's light comes from a low angle, has a golden color, and creates long, soft shadows. It's the perfect time to shoot silhouettes or portraits!

1. Aperture: Open it as wide as possible (f/1.4 to f/2.8). Let the sunset's flare enter the lens to create an aesthetic effect.
2. Shutter Speed: Gradually decrease it as the sun sets. Play with a range of 1/200s.
3. ISO: If the day is getting darker but you need a fast shutter speed, don't hesitate to increase the ISO to 400 or 800.
4. WB: Daylight (to maintain the natural color) or Cloudy (to make the sunset even more vibrant and reddish).

4. Night (Low Light) The sun has set, and now we're fighting against streetlights and vehicle lights. This is where your camera's capabilities are truly put to the test.

1. Aperture: Use the largest aperture your lens has (f/1.4, f/1.8, or f/2.8). We need as much light as possible to enter.
2. Shutter Speed: If you're shooting people on the street, at least 1/60s (be careful not to shake the camera). If you have a tripod and want to create light trails, decrease it to 2 seconds to 5 seconds.
3. ISO: Don't be afraid of noise! Increase the ISO to 1600, 3200, or whatever is needed to make the image not too dark. A slightly grainy photo is better than a blurry one due to a slow shutter.
4. WB: Tungsten or Incandescent. Streetlights are usually yellow. This setting will cool down the color to make it more normal and cinematic.