learn photography: Aperture
Spring Tulips photographed at f/1.4
Spring Tulips photographed at f/8
Aperture
Aperture is the opening in the lens that determines how much light will hit the camera’s sensor. Aperture is a value expressed as a fraction, also known as the “f-stop”. The aperture controls two variables when taking a photograph: how much light will fall on the sensor, and how much depth of field the photo will have.
Use a wider aperture (lower f/stop number) when photographing in low light or when you want more blur in the background. Portraits look best when using a wider aperture to allow for background blur.
Aperture Settings
The aperture is determined by the lens. “Fast lenses” have a wider aperture and allow you to take photos in low light. For example, f/2.8 is considered a wide aperture because the lens opens very wide, allowing more light through the lens and into the camera’s sensor. F/22 is a small aperture because the lens opens very little.
Depth of Field
Depth of field means how much of your foreground and background will be in focus around your subject. A wide aperture (small f-stop #) will create a shallow depth of field. A larger aperture # will create an image with more depth of field and more of the image will be in focus.
