Aperture Settings

Canon EOS 450d, aperture priority f4, ISO 200, Shutter Speed Auto

The series of these three images show how the depth of field can effect an image to create a alternative impression and message on the viewer, with the above example I have set the camera to aperture priority and have decided to use the lowest stop being F4 in the environment the camera was in, the camera before taking this picture then calculated the shutter speed after I had manually selected the IOS to 200, using f4.0 allows the main subject in the image to be in focus whilst the background appears to be a blur.

Canon EOS 450d, aperture priority f14, ISO 200, Shutter Speed Auto

This second image represents the importance of time and speed being combined, this image is shot at f14 and shows a greater depth of field in comparison to the previous shot as we can see more detail in the background without losing any foreground focus. In this shot we are able to see more detail towards the far end of the table and we can now make out the display creating the backdrop in this shot, although we cannot necessarily read what the display says we are however more aware of what the background is as we can see that it is examples of work , also with this aperture and shutter combined we are able to see the figure’s of fellow students working at computers around the room and we are able to see what body shape they have unlike on the previous image where we could only see a blur of their clothing for example a pink blur.

Canon EOS 450d, aperture priority f29, ISO 200, Shutter Speed Auto

For this final example of aperture setting I have put the camera to its limits by shooting with F29, this is the camera’s maximum capability and with this setting we are able to achieve the maximum quality of depth of field, with this setting everything is in focus that isn’t moving for the duration of this shot, with such a high F stop it is likely that in most environments the shutter speed will be pushed to at least 1 second  and therefore if something is to move within the frame for example a bird or human they will become blurred therefore meaning that the shot doesn’t fulfil its full potential. The above image demotrates these settings however after reviewing this shot although the background and foreground is well focused it has a slight motion blur in the middle, Mark (teacher) is stood between the main subject and its backdrop and it appears that his arm has moved over the time period that the shutter is open/active meaning that there is a blurring effect of his right arm/hand. Shots that use high F stops for example F29 and long shutter speeds such as 20 seconds are often used by photographers looking for a perfectly focused image or one that can represent movement, an example of a photographer that adapts these techniques into his images is local photographer Joe Cornish, two examples of Joe’s images are located below and demonstrate the effect movement can have on a long exposure and also how with no movement the perfect landscape image can be achieved.




This shot shows the water looking misty and has a mysterious effect, the shot will have been created using these techniques of a high F stop low ISO and long shutter speed to avoid freezing the action of a water ripple or wave.











This shot again is achieved with similar settings and Joe has used this technique to allow him to get maximum focus on the whole of the landscape making the image more appealing and 3 dimensional.