Photography Tutorial : Aperture

Welcome to the Camera-Warehouse aperture tutorial (see Tech Tip: Aperture). At each stage of the tutorial, please remember to save the photos you take to send to your tutor for evaluation and discussion.

Before you start, in order to minimise the size of emails when sending your images for assessment, please set the resolution of your camera's images to no more than 3 megapixels, or reduce the images to this size prior to sending (this should be sufficient for evaluation purposes). Thank you.

What you'll need:

  • digital compact or SLR camera and lens with manual aperture and shutter speed adjustments
  • tripod if available
  • willing subjects (these needn't be people - try an orange, lemon and lime for great colour contrast and texture)
  • about 40 minutes

1. ADJUSTING APERTURE FOR STILL SUBJECTS*

* Please note that the size of the sensor in most compact digital cameras reduces the effect of depth of field significantly.

a) Arrange your subjects in a perspective arrangement (one behind the other, but all in shot). Take a picture with your camera set to use automatic settings and focussed on the foremost subject. This will be the 'control'.

b) Adjust the aperture settings on your camera ('A' mode) to maximise the aperture and take another shot; and do the same at minimum aperture.

c) Compare the 3 photographs. Describe any differences between them. Which of the shots do you prefer and why?

d) Describe 3 ways this effect could be used for artistic purposes

e) Adjust the aperture to what you consider to be the optimum level and take a final shot.

2. ADJUSTING APERTURE FOR  SUBJECTS IN MOTION

a) Take a picture of a subject in motion (e.g. a passing car) with your camera set to use automatic settings. This will be the 'control'. (Tip: to reduce the 'speed' of the object, try taking the shot at an angle, rather than perpendicular to the direction of motion). Record the aperture and shutter speed of the shot.

b) Adjust the aperture on your camera to its widest and note how the shutter speed on the camera adjusts accordingly. Take the shot and record the shutter speed

c) Repeat b) above, adjusting aperture to its minimum (obviously, this need not be the same object...we don't want you chasing cars down the street!)

d) Compare the 3 photographs. Describe any differences between them. Which of the shots do you prefer and why?

e) Describe 3 ways this effect could be used for artistic purposes

f) Adjust the aperture to what you consider to be the optimum level and take a final shot

3. SUMMARY QUESTIONS

a) In which of the following situations are you likely to use a large or small aperture (please indicate which):

i) portrait
ii) horizontal group shot (people positioned next to each other in the shot)
iii) vertical group shot (people positioned one behind the other in the shot)
iv) landscape
v) night shot
vi) beach landscape

b) How might using a flash affect your choice of aperture?

c) You've taken a shot using an aperture setting of f/5.6 and a shutter speed of 1/8th of a second, but the image was blurred. Describe what steps that you might take to reshoot the shot with less blur and any possible side-effects.

5. SUBMIT YOUR WORK

Please send your photos, answers to the questions and any comments to tutor@camera-warehouse.com.au for assessment. We will endeavour to contact you within 5 days of receipt.