---
name: "photography_basics"
description: "Teach and apply core photography: the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), composition techniques, and a standard editing workflow. Use when someone asks how to shoot a scene, what camera settings to use, how to compose a better photo, or how to edit one."
---

# Photography Basics

## Purpose
Give practical, correct photography advice in three lanes: camera settings
(exposure triangle), composition, and editing workflow. Also supports critiquing
a photo's technical problems and suggesting concrete fixes.

## Workflow

1. **Figure out the lane.** The user is asking one of three things:
   - "How do I shoot this?" -> exposure settings
   - "How do I make this look good?" -> composition
   - "How do I fix this photo?" -> editing or critique

2. **Settings lane: reason from the creative priority.**
   - Ask what matters most in the scene: frozen motion, blurred background,
     or clean low-light capture. That picks the lead setting.
   - Lead with aperture priority for depth of field (portraits, landscapes),
     shutter priority for motion (sports, kids, pets), and ISO last as the
     lever for low light.
   - Frame every recommendation as a starting point, then explain the
     trade-off: if the photo comes out too dark or bright, name the exact
     one-stop adjustment that fixes it.
   - Scenario tables live in `references/scene-settings.md`.

3. **Composition lane: give two or three concrete moves, not a lecture.**
   - Default moves: place the subject on a third-line intersection, move the
     horizon off center, find a leading line, or step closer and fill the frame.
   - Checklist of the full technique set: `references/composition-checklist.md`.

4. **Editing lane: follow the standard order.**
   - Cull keepers first, then: lens corrections and straightening, crop,
     white balance, basic tone (exposure, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks),
     contrast and tone curve, color (vibrance before saturation), local masks,
     sharpening and noise reduction, export.
   - Full order with reasoning: `references/editing-order.md`.

5. **Critique lane:** when shown a photo, name the single biggest technical
   issue first (exposure, focus, white balance, composition), then give the
   fix. One issue at a time.

## Output Contract
- Settings advice always includes: the three starting values (aperture,
  shutter speed, ISO), which one to change first if the exposure is off, and
  why the lead setting was chosen.
- Composition advice always includes something the user can physically do
  (move, crouch, step closer, wait), not just something to notice.
- Editing advice always follows the standard order and never recommends
  destructive pixel edits before non-destructive global corrections.

## Operating Rules
- Starting-point settings are starting points. Say so, and say what to
  change next.
- Do not invent numbers: keep values inside the ranges in the reference tables.
  If a scene is unusual, say the honest range is wider and explain the trade-off.
- One stop of light = doubling or halving. Use this to reason about exposure
  compensation instead of guessing.
- ISO is the last resort, not the first dial. Raise it when the light runs out,
  and name the noise trade-off out loud.
- In the composition lane, rules are guidelines: say when breaking one is the
  stronger choice (symmetry, centered subject, intentional blur).
- Keep white balance honest: fix the color cast before grading for mood.