Everything for Photography

Aperture

What is aperture? Aperture is the diameter in which the camera opens to let in light. Aperture works with a camera's shutter speed and ISO to gain correct exposure. If a camera's f stop is at an f/2.8 (lower number,) it has a wider aperture. If it has an f stop of f/22, it then has a smaller aperture, letting in less light to the camera's sensors. 

Aperture also plays a big part in "depth of field." For example, in the image below, we see our little green alien nice and crisp and in focus, but the surroundings are soft and creamy. This is great for portraits to make the subject really stand out from their background. 

In the next image, the aperture is smaller, thus creating less depth of field. 

The following image has an even smaller aperture, allowing the viewer to see even more of the surroundings. This is great for images where the artist would want to include the background as a focus of the image.

Here is another example, using multiple subjects. Because they are all on the same focal plane, they are all in focus. The focus was put on the middle green green alien, but all remained in focus.

When breaking the green aliens up and spreading them out, they are no longer all in focus. To do so, the artist would need to lower the aperture to let more of the image into focus.

Below is an image taken at f/2.8, 1/640 sec, ISO 400 with a 200 mm focal length. The viewer can see that the subject is crisp against the background. Notice how the bushes that are in the subject's same focal plane are in focus though. 

The next image was taken at f/2.8, 1/1250 sec, ISO 200 at a 200 mm focal length. The subject is again in focus, while the surroundings are not. This gives the rain a soft, dreamy look in the light.

In the next image, I wanted more of the surroundings included. I mainly wanted the structures in focus, but the hills behind them to fade nicely. I achieved this by placing the subjects on the same focal plane as the structures and shooting the image with a smaller aperture at f/4, 1/4000 sec, ISO 400 at a 24 mm focal length.

Hopefully this may have answered some of your questions about aperture. It is best to get out and experiment with different apertures with different lighting situations to best understand its effect.

~Robin