Les Jones

Photos > Note to Self: Use Smaller Apertures More Often (Picture Bump)

Riders on US Hwy. 129 TN/NC border

My June Year's Resolution is to use smaller apertures more often than I do now.

I've been using a safe way of taking pictures that ensures a pretty high success rate. Basically, I shoot with aperture wide open. For the two zooms I shoot with that's roughly F/4 to 5.6. (Aperture
numbers are like shotgun gauges: the bigger the hole the smaller the number.).

Calderwood Dam overlook on US Hwy. 129 TN/NC border

Here's how I shoot 90% of the time:

A) Set the mode dial to A (Aperture priority).
B) Set aperture to the maximum for that lens at that focal length.
C.) Set the mode dial to M (Manual).
D). On my Nikon D40, press the Info button, aim the camera at the subject, and while observing the light meter use the dial to adjust the exposure to neutral or slightly under-exposed. With large apertures that tends to set short shutter speeds.

Big apertures make sense as a safe bet. In low light they're the only way to fly because they let in the biggest stream of light that lens can admit. Large apertures also let me set shallow depths of field so I can focus on the subject while blurring out the background. (I thought that was so cool that I wanted to shoot everything that way for a while.) Finally, big apertures mean short shutter speeds, so it's less likely my hand shake or the subject's movement will make blurry pictures.

Thing is, large apertures don't lead to sharp pictures. From what I've read most lenses are sharpest between F/11 on the small end and between one and two stops above the largest aperture on the large end. For my lenses that's roughly F/8 or 11. So on sunny outdoor shots I'm going to try aperture F/8 or 11 to get more sharpness and a greater depth of field. Then I need to get around to reading Understanding Exposure.

Deals Gap on US Hwy. 129 TN/NC border

Tree of Shame (motorcycle parts lost in wrecks) Deals Gap on US Hwy. 129 TN/NC border