These are some go-to starter settings for Nikon cameras, but the basics will work for most cameras.
These are manual settings as we shoot on manual, not auto or one of the other preset camera settings. We want the most control over our settings.
Please be sure to shoot in JPG, do NOT shoot in RAW as Darkroom is not compatible with RAW images.
Shooting in Manual Mode (M) means you control how bright or dark your photo looks and how much is in focus. You balance three settings, called the Exposure Triangle: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO.
Think: How much light and blur.
Wide aperture (low f-number) (f/1.8, f/2.8): More light, blurry background. Great for portraits.
Narrow aperture (high f-number) (f/8, f/11): Less light, everything sharper. Great for landscapes.
👉 Tip: Start at f/3.5-5.6 for everyday shooting.
Think: Motion and light.
Fast speed (1/500, 1/1000): Freezes motion. Great for kids, pets, sports.
Slow speed (1/30, 1/10): Lets in more light but can blur movement. Think capturing a waterfall.
👉 Tip: Keep it at least 1/200 (natural light) to avoid shaky blur.
Think: Brightness and grain.
Low ISO (100–200): Clean image, needs good light.
High ISO (800+): Brighter image in dark spaces, but more grainy.
👉 Tip: Keep it under 800 on Nikons for noise control
Set Aperture for the look you want (blurry background or sharp details).
Set Shutter Speed depending on whether your subject is still or moving.
Adjust ISO last until the exposure looks right.
Check your light meter (the little scale in your viewfinder). Aim for the middle.
Think of Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO as three doors that let light into your camera. Together, they decide:
How bright or dark your photo is (exposure)
How your photo looks (sharp, blurry, clean, or grainy)
If you change one door, you usually need to adjust another to keep the balance.
Imagine you’re filling a glass of water:
Aperture is the size of the faucet opening.
Shutter speed is how long you leave the faucet on.
ISO is like how thirsty the sponge at the bottom is.
You can fill the glass in different ways:
Open the faucet wide but turn it on quickly.
Keep it narrow but leave it on longer.
Make the sponge extra thirsty so it soaks up more.
Same glass filled — but different process, different results.
When using natural light, it is important to get as much light into the room as possible- open up windows, blinds and turn on overhead lights if needed.
You will want to use a shutter speed of 1/200 or higher to ensure that baby will not be blurry and you are freezing movement.
Your aperture (fstop) will be 3.5 if using a 35mm or 4.5 if using a 18-55mm
Your ISO will be dependent on the room and the only setting you should change. If using Nikon hospital camera, the ISO should not go above 800 due to graininess.
When using flash, it is important to remember that flash is a lighting assistant and not a main lighting source. You need to have some type of light in room (window light or overhead lights)
You will want to use a shutter speed of 1/80 - flash freezes motion so you can use a lower SS.
Your aperture (fstop) will be 3.5 if using a 35mm or 4.5 if using a 18-55mm
Your ISO will be dependent on the room and the only setting you should change. If using Nikon hospital camera, the ISO should not go above 800 due to graininess.
These are the menu settings for Nikon cameras
Quality- Normal, Medium
White balance- AUTO (unless you are highly educated on manual white balance)
Focus Mode- Single Servo Auto Focus (AF-S, not AF-A or AF-C)
AF Area Mode- Single Point (not auto)
Metering- Matrix
If your White Balance has a * next to AUTO, please read HERE.
If you take a photo and it is TOO DARK-
You cannot move your SS or fstop as they should already be at their lowest (re: above), so you need to RAISE your ISO. If you are already at 800, move closer to the window, turn on lights or use your speedlight. If lower than 800, raise your ISO in increments until lit correctly.
If you take a photo and it is TOO BRIGHT-
I'd start by lowering the ISO and testing. If you need further adjustments, you can raise your SS higher than 200 until lit correctly.
If you are using a flash, see Using a Flash Page
When using single-point autofocus, you need to use the arrow keypad on your camera to move your red focus dot to where you want your focus to be. Avoid using autofocus because it will not be an accurate focal point and you will end up with blurry photos.
The settings from above are minimum baseline- do not go below these settings. If you use these settings and the photos are still too dark, add more light to your room. Open the window, move the baby, etc.
Avoid using Live View on your cameras, this leads to soft focus. Live View relies on slower focusing and unstable shooting — both increase the risk of soft images.
How to Diffuse your Light (Create DIY softbox in room)