There is no single 'correct' set of camera settings — only the right ones for the light and the story in front of you. Still, after thousands of frames we keep returning to a handful of reliable starting points. Here's what's usually dialled in before we lift the camera.
Shoot in manual, think in three
Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO are one connected triangle. Change one and you compensate with another. Learn to feel that balance and you'll stop fighting your camera in tricky light.
Aperture for mood
For portraits we live between f/1.8 and f/2.8 — enough separation to melt the background while keeping the eyes tack sharp. For groups and landscapes we close down to f/5.6 or f/8 so everyone stays in focus.
Shutter speed to freeze the moment
Keep it above 1/200s for handheld portraits and push past 1/1000s for movement — a first dance, confetti, kids mid-run. Blur is a choice, never an accident.
Keep ISO honest
Start at your camera's base ISO and only raise it when the light demands. Modern sensors handle 3200 gracefully, so don't be afraid of a little grain when the alternative is a missed moment.
Always shoot RAW
RAW files hold far more detail in the highlights and shadows, giving you room to recover a blown sky or lift a dim corner in post. Storage is cheap; a lost memory is not.