Photography 101: Pocket Guide: Exposure Basics, Camera Settings, Lens Info, Composition Tips, and Shooting Scenarios (Spiral Bound, Comb or Coil)

The camera cheat sheet that fits in your camera bag—and actually teaches you photography.

New to photography? Still shooting on Auto because the other modes feel overwhelming? This spiral-bound Pocket Guide was made for you.

Photography 101: Pocket Guide is a compact, heavy card stock reference guide sized at 3.5" x 5.25" that you can flip through in minutes—at home while you’re learning or in the field when you need a quick reminder. It’s not a textbook. It’s the guide you wish came with your camera.

What’s inside:

• Pre-shoot checklist—confirm your camera is dialed in before every shoot

• Exposure fundamentals—aperture, shutter speed, and ISO explained clearly, including how they interact and when to adjust each one

• Camera settings guide—shooting modes, metering, focus modes, white balance, RAW vs. JPEG, histograms, and more

• Lens and focal length overview—what each focal length does to your subject, depth of field, and background compression

• 12 composition techniques—rule of thirds, leading lines, negative space, framing, light, and more, each with a photo example

• 8 real-world shooting scenarios—settings for portraits, landscapes, action, low light, long exposure, macro, and more

This guide is for you if:

• You just got your first DSLR or mirrorless camera and feel lost beyond Auto mode

• You keep forgetting which aperture gives you a blurry background

• You want one physical reference you can grab before heading out—not another app or YouTube video

• You’re buying a gift for someone who just got a camera

This guide is NOT for:

• Working photographers who already completely understand exposure, metering, etc. (you’ll find it too basic)

• Anyone looking for post-processing or editing guidance (this covers in-camera settings only)

Spiral-bound, printed on heavy card stock, 48 pages, and small enough to slide into any camera bag. This little Pocket Guide has amassed over hundreds of positive reviews because it does exactly what it promises: gives photography beginners a clear, portable reference they’ll actually use.