Expose Your Triangle - Aperture

It's called the Exposure Triangle....and seems to be one of the most confusing things in photography although it shouldn't be!  I've included graphics for linear and circular thinkers...something for everyone!

So, what is it anyway? The exposure triangle is three settings that go hand-in-hand that let you create amazing photos: ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture.

Today, I'll cover Aperture. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I shoot in Aperture Mode on my Nikon D3200 because my general area of interest is floral closeups and landscapes - talk about being on opposite ends of the spectrum! - so I do a lot with Depth of Field.

Aperture is the size of the opening of your lens. I'll not go into what all the stops mean, but aperture is measured in f-stops.  It seems counter-intuitive, but low number = wide open lens, high number = very small opening in lens.

Depending on your lens, it can be a very low number (wide-open) f1.4 or very high number (barely open) f32.  Think of it like a cat's eye:

When the pupils of a cats eyes are wide open, they let in a lot of light that allows them to see in the dark. A wide open lens also lets in more light and takes better photos indoors or in low light.

When the cat's pupils are narrow slits, usually when the environment is very bright. Just like an f32 setting, they let in very little light because the area is bright. Too much light - over exposed photos - lose most of the detail, it's just too bright. (Conversely, an under-exposed photo is one where there was not enough light.)

Wide open pupils - Aperture small number i.e. f1.4, f2.3, f3.4, etc. - lets in a lot of light. Blurs the background (called bokeh).

Nearly closed pupils - Aperture large number i.e. f24, f32, etc. - lets in a small amount of light. Focuses the background.


(These are NOT my cat photos.)




Aperture controls that mysterious thing called Depth of Field which represents 'how far can you see clearly and in detail?" and applies to your background.

If you want a closeup of a flower in your garden and a blurry background (called 'bokeh'), or if you are shooting in a dim indoor setting, you will want an aperture number that is a small number but wide opening that lets in lots of light, say f1.8 or f2.8.

If you want your background to be in detail - as you might with a landscape shot with meadow in the foreground and mountains in the background -  you will want an aperture number that is pretty high such as f18, f22, etc. It sees clearly at a distance.

Note that not all lenses offer all apertures! When looking at a zoom lens, for example my Nikkor 55-200mm, says on the box f/4-5.6. This means that at 55mm the smallest aperture (widest opening) this lens can provide is f4, and zoomed out to 200mm the smallest aperture this lens can provide is f5.6. On the narrow side (high number, tiny opening), 55mm will go to f22, and 200mm will go to f32.

The best way to understand aperture is to play with it. I have taken my camera set up on a tripod and taken photos of the exact same subject at different f-stops, starting with wide open (low number) and going to very small opening (high number), then comparing the clarity of the backgrounds. This is best done outdoors where you have some distant details to work with, like down the street, or out in nature with hills/mountains in the background. It's a great way to learn what the different stops do, and really shows the meaning of  'depth of field.'

You can see why it's important to have an idea of what you want to shoot before you purchase a lens. Will you be shooting indoors or in low light, or outside in bright light? Do you want closeups or wide angles? A lot of detail throughout your photos, or an artistically blurry background (bokeh) with your subject in perfect clarity and detail? 

Next time, I'll cover another aspect of the exposure triangle. Meanwhile, here are a couple of diagrams to help.

. . .

If you aren't editing your photos, why shoot in RAW?

This is a question I saw the other day in one of the Facebook photography groups I belong to, and it got me to wondering, so I asked:

* Is there any value taking photos in RAW then converting to JPG as opposed to just shooting in JPG if you're not going to edit?

* Is there any value in comparing RAW to JPG as a personal educational tool? (How different are they, really, if you're shooting in, say, Aperture Priority as I do?)


About RAW and JPG:

If you haven't noticed already, your DSLR can save photos onto your SD Card in two formats: RAW and JPG. It can also save them in both formats simultaneously which is what I do. (Consult your camera's owner's manual for how to set the output formats.)

For folks who are taking photos to share online or send to friends, JPEG is good enough. If you want to get into the editing and/or artistic areas of photography, or printing your photos, you really want to be shooting in RAW.

Part of the reason is this: JPG format is edited by and in your camera, and only minimal editing is available afterwards. RAW is not edited in camera at all. You have far more ability to be creative within your editing software.


My questions were answered by one of the fellows who posted this link to the group.

RAW vs JPG Overview

It includes a 10-minute video and an article with photo examples of the differences, and the different capabilities allowed, when processing and editing JPG and RAW files.

Hocus Pocus Focus

Getting a tack-sharp photo is one of the greatest challenges in photography.

I'll mention up front that I use Single Point Focus, I zero-in on only one point on my focus grid [that little set of boxes or dots in your camera that light up when you push the shutter half-down to focus].

Depending on your camera, you may have to shoot in other than the automatic pre-sets like "Landscape," "People/Portrait," and "Sports." They are fine, but limiting, and take away a lot of your creative control. For me, Single Point focus works exceedingly well!

Not only that, I attended a seminar on lenses last weekend, and when I mentioned that I shoot in Single Point Auto Focus, the instructor gave me a thumbs up and suggested that everyone else at least try it!

One tip from me before we let the experts weigh in: If you are too close to your subject, you may not get that tack-sharp focus! If you want a closeup, or to have your subject fill the frame, it may better to zoom in than to move in too close!

On to some more good stuff! Here are two resources offering stellar focusing advice.

Please Note this very important distinction: Manual Mode does NOT mean Manual Focus. Manual Mode means you are not using one of the pre-set automatic modes like "Landscape," and etc. but you are using Auto-focus!

1 - link to an article on Digital Photography School.com

Understanding Normal and Cross-Type Focusing Points

A Post By: Simon Ringsmuth

The author does an excellent job explaining simply but in depth how focus point sensors and auto-focus works, and at the end includes a list of cameras by make and model telling what type of focusing points each camera uses.

2 - six-minute video with Paul from Photo Genius in Australia who does an excellent job showing how and why to use Single Point Auto-focus, and change the focus points on two camera models. Refer to your Owners Manual to find out how to change your camera.

Find Interesting Subjects to Photo

No, no, no, no, no!

Don't find interesting things to take photos of, make things interesting! 

(Paraphrase from Joel Sartore, one of my favorite photography instructors from his great videos -  see below.)

One of the major lessons I learned about photography subjects:

Don't take pictures from eye-level. Everyone sees from eye-level, look for something different. Get up high, get down low, walk all the way around your subject (providing it's free-standing) and see what's there! Get a different perspective. You will find something interesting.

Here are three of my interesting finds following Joel's advice:

I took these with my Nikon D3200 camera and 18-55mm kit lens, no special lenses or filters!  I moved into my picture instead of expecting my picture to come to me.

To see a larger image, click the photo. These photos are for sale on Dreamstime (without the watermarks of course).

Christmas gifts through a crystal globe.

Raindrops in a garden spider web.

Funny boy!














You can make things interesting!

Here are the lessons I watched featuring Joel Sartore. In fact, I was watching the Fundamentals II last night and love the way he takes you out on location, shows you how to work around any challenging conditions like harsh lighting. Give them a try if you are so inclined!

Why buy a camera?

This is certainly a legitimate question!

I have a friend who purchased the best smartphone on the market for its excellent rating as a camera. I don't use one for photography, I love the feel of a camera!

DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex)  cameras have these advantages:

Versatility - the variety of accessory lenses give you a much wider range of photo subjects you can capture with a DSLR. I know several birders who love having a camera with a telephoto lens to capture birds for their photo albums.

Longevity - a good camera can serve you for many years! The lifespan of a DSLR is measured in 'shutter actuations,' the number of times the shutter blades open and close. The typical DSLR will last for between 100,000 and 300,000 clicks. Most are rated for a minimum of 100,000 -  150,000 which is quite a lot of photos for a hobbyist (as I am assuming you are).

Fun - just having a camera will motivate you to get out and have fun with it! Go to new places and do some things you've never done before. (I'll mention the learning curve here....yes, there is a lot to learn with a DSLR, but there are fantastic video courses and books that make the learning easy and fun, too!)

Coolness - you just look cool with a fancy camera! Mine is shiny red and tends to attract attention! It's a fun conversation starter when out taking photo, too. You'll meet other photographers; they'll see your gear and want to chat!