Today is the day you have all been desperately awaiting provided that you are a lonely person devoid of a social life who lives like a recluse in the woods: Lesson 2 of Dumb Mom’s guide to Taking Awesome Photos of Things That Move!
However today’s lesson is going to help you even if you like to take pictures of stuff that doesn’t move, like flowers and rainbows and corpses and junk!
That’s right funeral home photographers of the world, this post is for you!
When I got my first DSLR a few years ago* I spent a lot of time going what the F?!
But, not for the reasons you think.
Okay, for that reason too. I was so totally confused by all of the different modes and menu choices and lenses and what not, that I spent many days overwhelmed and afraid to take my camera out of automatic mode.
But I was also what the f-ing because when I cracked that super-big-so-not-for-dummies user’s manual open there was all this talk about shutter speeds and f-stops (aka aperture).
For whatever reason, I got the aperture thingy down pretty easily.
Say what?!
You’re still confused? Well, I can help with that!
The aperture is basically the light hole of your camera; when it’s open wide (and for longer), it lets a ton of light in and, when you close it some (and faster) you get less.
Just like your pupil or a window with blinds on it (something I know nothing about because I need blinds on my windows so badly I could cry. I’m sick of being peeping Tom-ed by all of my blog stalkers!).
Sounds easy, no?!
Yeah, no.
Because, for whatever reason, the camera making saboteurs decided to make things a little tricky (an effort to keep the dummies out I guess) when it comes to actually using the camera to take pictures.
The way I see it, they basically mixed up the numbers; the higher the number, the smaller the aperture (aka camera light hole). And vicey-versy.
So, when you look at your camera and it says F1.8 the aperture is open all the way (for this particular lens; it’s a 50mm 1.8**) in an attempt to let a bunch of light in. I shoot a lot at this setting (I like the sharpness you get here as well as the bokeh possibilities; no worries my young padowans, more on bokeh soon!).
But, when you look at your camera and it says F22, this means that the aperture is open very little in an attempt to let less light in. You know, like when you’re outside in an area with tons of light flooding in and little need for extreme sharpness (I’m thinking of like the Grand Canyon, but since I’ve never even been to the Grand Canyon, I’ve honestly never shot anything at F22).
Everybody got that now?
The smaller the aperture setting the less light gets in. And the bigger the aperture setting the more light gets in.
So, what does that mean when it comes to shooting in Aperture Priority (AV/A) mode on your DSLR?
It means you control the aperture, and the camera matches the shutter speed to what it thinks will be best based on what you selected and the lighting conditions it detects.
It just gives you a little more authority over what your final photo is going to look like because changing the aperture allows you to control the depth of field (aka DOF or how much of your photo will be in focus and add a little artistic bokeh) in your shots. Which basically allows for the differences between this (shot in AV mode @ 1.8)…
and this (shot in AV mode @ 5.6)…
See how artsy and fun coming out of automatic mode can be?!
I was going to talk to you about shutter speed and how it can up your photo awesome too, but now that I’ve blown your mind with f-stops I can’t do that to you!
Guess we’ll have to save that for another Dumb Mom’s Guide to Taking Awesome Photos post!
Just promise me that you will work on NOT shooting in automatic a bit and we can go ahead and have a little fun!
Time to look at photos of cute people!
Can you believe it’s almost that time already?!
*My first camera was a Canon Digital Rebel XTi. She is a beauty and she works like a charm. I just wanted more so a year or so ago I added a Canon D40 to my arsenal.
**I use my 50mm 1.8 prime lens the most. I love it so much and really just want to save up for the 1.4 which would make photos like these even more pristine and awesome.
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
I need me one of them fancey schmancey DSLR thingy magigs! I think my PAS (point and shoot) is a POS (piece of shhhhhhhhh)!!!
Your photos are SUPERB! One day (perhaps after I rob a bank) I will join the ranks of DSLR-dom!
Thanks! I practice A LOT! And, my POS, I mean PAS is a pain to use.
Your pictures look awesome. Thanks for the refresher course!
Thanks!
I always wondered what those things were for! I took a photography class in high school, but managed to forget everything between then and now. Thanks! Looking forward to more of these posts!
I’m trying, but writing useful stuff is HARD! I’m better equipped for mindless posts about nothing at all:)
Thank you! I have read so much about aperture and f-stops and no matter how many times I read it, I still get confused.
I’ll bookmark this page to come back to. I need to get my camera out of auto more often.
You totally should. Just experiment, don’t be afraid! That’s the beauty of digital, you don’t have to worry about wasting your film and you can learn more quickly because you can see the results of your actions immediately.
I was wondering what that f-stop thing was! Thanks for clearing that up for me:-)
I probably confused you more, but I tried!
Thanks for this post! I’m always afraid to take my camera off of automatic. Maybe I will get a little braver now.
Yes! You should. It’s so fun to experiment and you learn so quickly when you do!
I had to read over this f-ing (as ina perture) thing a couple of times. It’s too early to get my mind all swirly and stuff! Anyways, I’m working on convincing the Mister to get me a real camera for our anniversary. Our cheapo camera can’t do any of this (I think). I might have to check it out when I get home. Hmmmm…..
Lots of PAS’s can accomplish this stuff too, but it’s WAY, WAY more work! Personal favors for the hubs are totally worth it on this front!
Can I summarize what I think you are saying because the numbers confuse me too?
The bigger the f number, the bigger the depth of field (more stuff in focus).
Yes/no?
Yes! 100% correct. See, I knew I was being confusing. I get all brain tied when it comes to technical stuff. I’m better at being funny!
All of those pictures are of really cute people. And now I wish someone would hand me a baby to snuggle with.
You should have one:)
Do save! I got it for “Christmas” and am still giddy every time I use it
In fact, thank you so much because it was partly bought with the gift card I won here.
Yeah! I love supporting people’s photography development!
Great explanation. As someone who recently mastered (hahahaha) F-stops you did a great job of making it understandable to us normal people.
I confused the crap outta myself in the process!
Thanks, this is a perfect explanation!
Wow! Thanks for the lesson. I learned something about photography today. Slowly teaching myself to use my new camera:) SLOWLY … but surely!
THANK YOU!!!!
I’m going to play. Right now.
So when you going to head down south and do a Dumb photo shoot of my frat? We’ve never had a whole family photo taken “professionally”. I probably can’t afford to get you here, but I make a mean pot of Gumbo and a bread pudding that’ll make you slap…well…somebody anyway.
You’re thinking about it aren’t ya? LOL
Thanks for the tips- same here.. I read about them and still get confused. I do randomly come out of automatic mode sometimes, but it is just that- random- to see what happens when I am not happy with what the automatic is giving me. I am up a creek, though, because my son has started indoor soccer… i.e. fast-moving motion in a horribly-lighted (fluorescent) gym. Since my husband is deployed, he wants pictures of the soccer games and, well… it’s hard.
So excited about this post. I’ve “known” this stuff for years, but not the proper terms for it, which makes things difficult when I’m trying to figure something out and need, you know, the proper terms. Thank you so much! Now to find lesson 1…
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