| At some point all beginning photographers are | | | | will not give a detailed explanation about |
| confronted with certain technical aspects of | | | | aperture in this article - the simplest way |
| photography that have them either burning up | | | | to understand is this: An F-stop is the |
| rolls of film, or loading up memory cards! | | | | adjustable opening that controls how much |
| Two in particular: Exposure (which will be | | | | light coming through your lens hits the film |
| addressed in a different article) and Depth | | | | or digital sensor. The shutter speed is |
| of Field (or DOF) leave the newly shutterbug | | | | involved with this as well, but for now let's |
| bitten novice shaking their head, wondering | | | | stick with aperture. The F-stop also controls |
| what they are doing wrong.When I first | | | | the DOF of an image.Older SLR camera lenses |
| started taking on an informal teaching role | | | | typically have the F-stop numbers on the lens |
| with beginning photographers it was | | | | barrel. An older very basic lens may have |
| interesting that the single most common | | | | numbers around the aperture ring like: 2.8 - |
| question asked by them was: "How do I make | | | | 5.6 - 8 - 11 - 16 - 22. These are the |
| the background blurry and my subject sharp?" | | | | F-stops, or the aperture opening |
| and of course, "what do I need to do when I | | | | settings.More modern cameras are electronic |
| want everything in focus?"It's inevitable. If | | | | and the F-stops are usually seen at the |
| you desire to take your photography to a | | | | bottom of the viewfinder. Contemporary lenses |
| higher level of quality, you will need to | | | | usually have more F-stop settings available, |
| understand what causes short and long depths | | | | such as: 2.8 - 3.5 - 5.6 - 6.3 - 7.1 - 8 - |
| of field, and especially how to manipulate it | | | | and so forth, possibly all the way up to |
| to express your vision. Let's get | | | | 32.To choose the DOF you wish to use for a |
| started...First - what is a photograph with a | | | | particular shot you need to understand this |
| short Depth of Field, and what is one with a | | | | very basic concept: The lower the F-stop |
| long DOF? Quite simply, a photograph with | | | | number - such as 2.8, the shorter your DOF |
| only the subject in focus, and everything | | | | will be. The higher the F-stop number - 22, |
| before and behind it blurry, is a photograph | | | | the longer the depth of field. To simplify it |
| with a short DOF. An image with everything in | | | | further - making a photograph with F22 or |
| the foreground to the background sharp and in | | | | higher is going to have everything in the |
| focus has a long DOF. With this highly | | | | final image in focus. Shooting with the |
| sophisticated formula I'm sure you can figure | | | | aperture set at 2.8 is going to mean that |
| out what a medium DOF is!Why use a short DOF? | | | | only what you specifically focused on is |
| When you reach this level of being able to | | | | going to sharp.Take a moment to absorb this |
| control exactly what you want in focus | | | | because this basic concept is the nuts and |
| (typically referred to as Selective Focus) in | | | | bolts of creating a quality photograph, |
| your photograph you will have developed a | | | | rather than just taking a picture. The very |
| dynamic tool that will create powerful | | | | best exercise you can do to practice this |
| photographs! You will see this used | | | | technique is to line up 3 objects - such as |
| extensively in photojournalism - such as the | | | | apples. Place them on a table about 2' apart |
| photographer focusing on one particular | | | | lined up going away from you at just enough |
| individual in a crowd of people. Creative use | | | | of an angle so the first one isn't blocking |
| of this tool certainly gives sustenance to | | | | the other two. Place your camera about 3' |
| the term: A picture paints a thousand | | | | from the first one, and focus on the apple in |
| words!Quite often you will see the use of a | | | | the middle. Shoot several shots - each one at |
| short DOF in glamour portraiture. A classic | | | | a different f-stop, starting with the lowest |
| example is when you see the model's eye | | | | number (short DOF) and changing to the next |
| closest to the lens sharply focused, and the | | | | higher f-stop after each shot...all the way |
| one furthest is blurred. It's one of the most | | | | to the highest F-stop.If your lens has an |
| unique techniques a photographer can utilize | | | | F-stop number as low as 2.8 you will see that |
| to convey her or his message.What about a | | | | maybe only the forward surface of the apple |
| long DOF? Landscape photography is the best | | | | is in focus - everything from closest to |
| example of the long Depth of Field in use. | | | | furthest is gradually very blurry. With each |
| Shooting images of seemingly endless vistas | | | | shot changed to a higher F-stop number you |
| would render a photograph worthless if only a | | | | will see more of the field in focus. By the |
| small portion of the 'field' was in focus. | | | | time you get to the highest F-stop setting, |
| Since you want virtually everything from | | | | virtually everything in the photo will be |
| closest to farthest tack sharp - you will | | | | sharp and focused.Most SLR cameras have a DOF |
| want to shoot with a long DOF. You can see | | | | Preview Button. If you use it while looking |
| this utilized with incredible results in the | | | | through the lens at your scene - you will see |
| works of the greatest fine art photographers | | | | what the final image will look like. Only |
| such as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. But | | | | problem is - the higher the F-stop number is, |
| even when making photographs of spectacular | | | | the smaller the amount of light is let in. So |
| scenes, there will be times when your | | | | it can be very difficult to see because it |
| creative vision will want to focus attention | | | | will be very dark. After practicing with |
| on a tiny, fragile flower amidst nature's | | | | these techniques you will not bother with the |
| grandest formations. Developing these | | | | DOF preview button. You will know how the |
| techniques will arm you with that kind of | | | | image will be reproduced.That is the mystery |
| photographic versatility.So now that you | | | | of Depth of Field in a nutshell! Yes, there |
| understand what DOF is, how do you make it | | | | is more in-depth aspects of DOF - such as |
| work? This is where we begin to get a bit | | | | understanding Hyper Focal Distance, and of |
| technical, but it's important you understand | | | | course knowing that you will get different |
| it. Since DOF will vary depending on the | | | | DOF results with longer and shorter focal |
| focal length lens you are using, my examples | | | | length lenses. But understanding these basic |
| will be in regards to using a normal SLR lens | | | | DOF concepts will revolutionize your |
| in the 45mm - 70mm range. To be able to | | | | photography, and give you one more step up in |
| manipulate DOF you must be able to adjust the | | | | photographic quality.Chip Clark is a San |
| aperture (or F-stops) on your camera. Most | | | | Diego based professional photographer, with |
| all SLR cameras that are even remotely modern | | | | over 20 years experience in landscape |
| can do this by switching your mode to | | | | photography, wildlife photography, sports |
| Aperture Priority mode - or AV mode.While I | | | | photography, and portraiture. |