Photography Basics: How to Use the F Stop
Taking pictures and adjusting the settings manually can be intimidating to the new photographer. Veterans of the craft will no doubt remember the first roll of film they ruined by reading the light wrong, or the irreplaceable moments in time lost behind a lens cap. A photographer’s job is to be the conductor of a symphony of moving parts, influencing each element to make sure the end result is more than just the sum of the parts.
Without understanding the elements of photography individually, it is impossible to understand how they relate to the whole. So let’s start our trip into the inner workings of photography with one of the most unfamiliar topics: aperture.
Defining Aperture
Aperture is simply what controls how much light is exposed to your film (or your digital camera’s sensor). It can be opened and closed using the camera‘s f-stop, which is usually a ring located around the lens between the focus ring and the body of the camera. If you’ve ever looked into someone’s eye as light was shone into it and watched the pupil get smaller, this is how the aperture works too.
Most cameras have an F-Stop range of 1.7 or 2.0 to 22 or so; the range of values usually increases with the quality and cost of the camera. You can see your camera’s range by checking the numbers around your lens. Lower F-Stops are more open and expose the film to more light, while high F-Stops close the aperture and shut the light out.
How Aperture Can Impact Images
Using your F-Stop to purposefully manipulate the camera’s aperture will allow you to change the depth of field in your photographs. If you’re unfamiliar with the term “depth of field” it describes how much of your picture is sharp and how much is blurry. Aperture directly affects the amount of time a frame is exposed. And, the more time the film has to absorb light, the more clarity and depth will come through the final image.
For example, if you were to take a picture of a line of old fashioned vintage picture frames from one end using a low F Stop number (an open aperture) you would likely see one or two frames clearly and the other frames as blurry. Open apertures create a shallow depth of field. If you were to take the same photo with a high F Stop (a closed aperture), you would see a lot more antique picture frames down the line.
Fun Experiments with Aperture
Playing with the aperture on your camera can be great fun once you have a bearing on what it does. Here’s a couple of ideas to try the next time you’re out shooting and you want to test it out:
- Take every photograph twice – once at a high F-Stop, and once at a low F-Stop.
- Challenge yourself to shoot an entire roll at one F-Stop, then switch it up.
- Put your camera on full manual and adjust the F-Stop on the fly to adjust for light
Don’t forget to adjust the shutter speed of your camera to allow for more or less light (faster speeds for more light, slower speeds for less), or you may end up with overexposed or underexposed images. Many digital cameras have a fantastic option called “Aperture Priority Mode” which allows you to choose an F-Stop value and will then adjust your shutter speed automatically. It is worth noting that the best conditions for experimenting with aperture are cloudy or overcast days. When faced with bright or low light, your options for F-Stop values will become limited.
Of course, the very best way to improve your photography is to take lots of pictures. Now it’s time to get out there and have fun taking and displaying them on your picture frame wall!
Beginning Photography – 5 Mistakes To Avoid While Learning
Photography is an exciting and challenging hobby that is accessible to almost everyone who has an interest in it. The great thing about photography is that anyone can pick up a camera and start taking pictures, but if you choose to learn more advanced methods there can be a steep learning curve. Then again, there are a few common pitfalls that you may wish to avoid if you’re just getting started.
Photo Equipment Overload!
It’s easy to get swept up in all of the possibilities for your photography gear. The list of cool photo equipment is endless- filters, tripods, extra lenses, lights, reflectors and timers and so many others. If you don’t have a solid understanding of what you’re able to do with your camera, you’ll never be able to truly master the use of all of the accessories. Start off small with a basic digital SLR or a basic 35mm camera and only one lens so you can really learn the photographic basics. When you feel like you’ve pushed that as far as you can, then start looking for some fancy attachments.
Not Every Shot Will Turn Out
In the beginning, it’s common to miss a lot of great shots. There will also be times when you get a shot but it turns out badly. For this reason, it’s probably a good idea to take every photograph at least twice. This will help teach you about the subtleties of your camera’s inner workings, as well as provide a bit of safety in knowing you won’t miss the important things. Besides, in the day of digital the cost of shooting thousands of images is no more than shooting only ten.
Don’t Use Your Flash
You don’t need it. An automatic flash will at best teach you to ignore complex or difficult lighting situations and will at worse ruin your images. Turn your flash off and force yourself to adapt to natural light using only your wits and your camera’s settings – you’ll be better for it in the long run. Cameras are quite versatile and can shoot in almost any environment, so try to be creative about how you use the light you’re provided, even when it doesn’t seem like enough.
Fix Your Framing
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to put your subjects in the exact center of the frame. This can create unnecessary space in your pictures and make them less interesting. Picture the frame or viewfinder of your camera as a cropping tool so you’ll always compose exactly what you want in your picture. Framing your image properly in the viewfinder doesn’t take long to learn but will make a lasting difference in the quality of your photographs.
Simple Cameras
Simple digital cameras with giant LCD screens on the back are certainly tempting, but if you’re hoping to learn about the art of photography and challenge yourself to improve, you’re probably not going to get anything out of a point and shoot camera. Many beginners pick these cameras due to their convenience and affordability, which is absolutely fine if you’re only intending to use it for non-professional or artistic purposes. If you want to understand photographs and the ways in which you can create them, you need to start with the right tool for the job.
Now that you know these 5 common mistakes, you can steer clear of them and focus your efforts on practicing and expanding your photography knowledge. When learning photography it’s important to establish good habits and skills early on so you can continue to build upon a solid base of knowledge going forward. By regularly taking pictures and avoiding these common pitfalls, you’ll be taking great quality pictures in no time that you’ll be happy to display in a beautiful picture frame in your home.
Learn Photography: 8 Reasons Why You Should Learn It
So you’re interested in learning photography – congratulations! Photography is a fascinating, practical hobby as well as an exciting career choice. Learning photography takes a little patience, but the rewards are worth it. Let’s start with the reasons why you should learn photography:
- The chance to capture special events like a special birthday or the family vacation with clear, well composed pictures.
- Never missing another “Kodak moment” while looking for the correct button or dial to push on your camera.
- Taking beautiful photographs that you and your loved ones proudly frame and display.
- Communicating through the use of images. A picture is truly worth a thousand words (especially if you put it in a beautiful jeweled picture frame)! You can capture an expression that says it all. Or as we’ve seen in magazines like Time and National Geographic, you can shoot photographs that convey messages powerful enough to open a mind or convey just about anything you want to communicate. You don’t have to be a professional photojournalist to get out there and take some great shots.
- The ability to take a portrait photograph in a home or outdoor setting that captures the unique personality and beauty of a loved one – the type of portrait that uplifts the person and makes them want to see the portrait framed on the wall, not hidden at the bottom of a box.
- Excitement! With a good telephoto lens you can take exciting images of wildlife and weather phenomena while still being a safe distance away. Picture your friends reactions when they see your photographs beautifully framed on your wall.
- Fun! It’s fun to take photographs of people, places and things we love. It’s even more fun to take them after learning a few skills!
- Fortune and Fame! Many a photographer has gone on to win awards and make money be selling their images online. Others photographers sell downloads at photo sites like iStock. Some take pet pictures of their friends pets and get their business started from there. Others become wedding photographers or get jobs working as commercial or portrait photographers.
You may have some goals in mind that weren’t listed here. As mentioned the rewards of photography are many. To get started taking pictures, all you need is a good (not expensive) camera and a few basic skills and you’ll be well on your way.
