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!
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.
Five Tips for Taking Photography Portraits
There are lots of great reasons why you should learn how to take family portraits and you don’t even have to embark on a photography career to do so. Having portraits taken professionally can sometimes be too expensive for many families. And sometimes, it can be impossible to get everyone to the studio at the appointed time.
Every family deserves to have at least one nice portrait together displayed in a picture frame. And, as a family grows and ages, it’s nice to have additional portraits done too. If you want to learn how to take portraits, learn by taking a portrait of your family or someone you know who would love to have a family portrait! If you are taking a portrait of your family, you have to be in it too! So be sure to use a camera with a remote shutter button release and a timer.
If you are new to photography, learning how to take good family portraits will come in handy when taking group pictures at family gatherings like Thanksgiving.
Without further ado, here are some tips to help you get started taking memorable family portraits, whether formal or informal.
1) Avoid the “Police Line Up” Portrait – Instead of lining everyone up shoulder to shoulder, try a more natural arrangement that also makes it easier to to fit a bunch of people into one picture.
Staggering is one such technique. For example, you might stagger the family members on the front steps of a porch or on and around boulders near a pond, with some family members standing and others sitting. If in a park, two siblings might sit on a low hanging branch of a tree or all could sit on the lawn clustered together. Show family togetherness by spacing relatively close together. And by staggering the group, it will make it easier to display the picture in a 8×10 picture frame or even something larger like a 11×14 picture frame.
2) Show Relationships – You can do this by the way in which you have people pose in the portrait. For example, Grandma and Grandpa might stand next by each other, a toddler in their parent’s arms, or siblings with their arms slung around each other.
3) Consider Including the Family Pets – if they will hold still long enough. Even if the pet is sitting still, you probably should raise the Shutter Speed Priority to 1/125 because even the smallest movement can cause a blur. It is always easier to take an individual portrait of a someone with their pet (or even a pet separately), but if the family has a mellow dog or cat, try to take some poses with and without the family pet.
4) Get Creative with Props – depending upon the type of portrait you want. Does the family do any activities or sports like community baseball? Each family member could hold a ball, bat or mitt. This is a trend with individual portraiture that can be fun for families too.
5) Get Everyone Smiling – Instead of just having them say “cheese,” put them at ease by talking to them so they’ll become more relaxed and real. When you’ve got everyone posed and smiling, ask the family to hold them until you give them the signal that you got the shot.
Finally, have fun taking lots of pictures so the family can choose their favorite. You’re sure to get some great shots where the family will be excited to frame them for all to see.
