Aperture Demonstration for New / Developing Photographers
A brief aperture / background blur demonstration of 8 images captured at different apertures, but exactly the same depth of field between camera / subject and background distance.
Objective: To demonstrate what effect an aperture change will have on background blur when changing the aperture setting on the camera (with all other settings exactly the same).
Lens Apertures
Apertures selected from first to last image: f/1.8 / f/2.8 / f/4 / f 5.6 / f/8 / f/11 / f/16 / f22 (f/1.8 is the largest aperture (actual lens opening with f/22 the smallest aperture of the particular lens used). Read more on the inter-relationship between Aperture / ISO and Shutter Speed: Exposure Triangle>>
Note how the density of the background blur decrease from f/2.8 to f/22. The background blur changes will have very little effect on the focused subject (red telephone / money box).
Difference between Digital Noise and Background Blur View
When is this applicable? In almost all subjects we photograph - from portraits to wildlife to landscapes. For portraits you want to isolate the subject by using a larger aperture (smaller f/ number) i.e. f/2.8 - f/4, for wildlife; isolating animals from their immediate habitat at i.e. f/4 - f/5.6 and for landscapes where you want image sharpness across the frame with smaller apertures (higher f/ number) i.e. f/11 - f/16.
The quality and density of the blur will depend on type of lens used, focal length of the lens, distance to subject (and to background). Various other camera / environmental factors could also have an effect on the desired outcome.
Creative application will also have an effect on the background blur, i.e. long exposures or showing motion in some part(s) of an image. Another consideration is macro photography where you may want to capture a close-up flower with a very narrow depth of field relative to its background - where you may require an aperture between i.e. f/2.8 - f/11 depending on the required blur effect(s) across the frame.
The more I train photographers (10 years +) the more I realise one of the biggest challenges for the new / developing photographer in understanding exposure is lens aperture - or the range of apertures available in a specific lens (which is mainly set / changed from the camera body).
Aperture is one of the critical elements in deciding quite a few decisions in photographing a specific subject / scene (applicable to all images). With a specific aperture the photographer will decide the depth of field and this will vary from the subjective photographic creative objective(s) – depending on what the subject is – and of course, the creative objective(s) of the photographer.
The aperture value / values (settings) will depend on the lens used – it is not a camera (body) function, but determined by the lens used, i.e. f/1.8 or f/5.6 - but as mentioned above set / changed from the camera body. Apertures can be i.e. between f/1.8 and f/22+. Specific aperture values will depend from lens to lens - i.e. 85mm f/1.8 lens or 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. There is a lot of learning / specific application between i.e. f/1.8 and f/16.
Knowledge in understanding what aperture to use and / or what the specific aperture range of a specific lens is, is fundamental in terms of the specific outcome of any image. From small subjects (macro) to wide-area landscapes – it will depend on what lens the photographer is using. The body (APS-C or Full-Frame) will have an impact on the final depth of field, but it is – once again, fundamental for the photographer to understand the aperture value(s) of his / her lens in relation to the creative objective(s).
Note 1: aperture does not function in isolation – other major exposure considerations will be i.e. shutter speed and ISO’s used for specific outcomes.
Here are 8x images starting from aperture f/1.8 to f/22 to demonstrate the application of aperture with a specific camera body and 85mm f/1.8 lens.
Note 2: The main subject is not affected by the aperture, only the background. At f/1.8 the background is essentially blurred out – comparing to f/.22 were it will be possible to see much more finer detail in the background. This exercise will depend on lens / aperture and also distance between lens, subject and background.
Note 3: If the photographer wants nothing in the foreground of specific importance, then f/11 - f/16 should be the choice. In my demonstration it would be difficult to blur out the mailbox (although I'm using an 85mm f/1.8 lens) - it is way too close to the lens. One option would be to remove it via Lightroom's Generative AI tool - that is if the subject (mailbox in this case) renders a 'nuisance' and not blend with the creative objective.
For this demonstration the only variable was the aperture / or what is also refer to as the f/stop.
Note 4: Presented demonstration will have been slightly different if I had used a different sensor camera (APS-C or Full-Frame) and / or a different lens that would have been able to focus in this confined environment. There are many different opportunities with aperture - but, it will depend on the photographer's understanding of aperture, creative objective(s) and / or lens used.
Demonstration done with Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens with external Speedlite flash on tripod.
On the top left of each image will be the specific aperture I have set on the camera body used.
Canon EOS Camera / Lens / Speedlite Flash - Other Settings Used
Aperture and Depth of Field
"Aperture and depth of field are fundamental concepts in photography that work closely together to influence the sharpness and focus of your images.
Aperture
Depth of Field (DoF)
Other Factors Affecting Depth of Field
Understanding how to manipulate aperture and depth of field allows you to creatively control the focus and sharpness of your photos, enhancing the storytelling aspect of your images." (Source: Microsoft Copilot)
Aperture is one of the critical elements in deciding quite a few decisions in photographing a specific subject / scene (applicable to all images). With a specific aperture the photographer will decide the depth of field and this will vary from the subjective photographic creative objective(s) – depending on what the subject is – and of course, the creative objective(s) of the photographer.
The aperture value / values (settings) will depend on the lens used – it is not a camera (body) function, but determined by the lens used, i.e. f/1.8 or f/5.6 - but as mentioned above set / changed from the camera body. Apertures can be i.e. between f/1.8 and f/22+. Specific aperture values will depend from lens to lens - i.e. 85mm f/1.8 lens or 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. There is a lot of learning / specific application between i.e. f/1.8 and f/16.
Knowledge in understanding what aperture to use and / or what the specific aperture range of a specific lens is, is fundamental in terms of the specific outcome of any image. From small subjects (macro) to wide-area landscapes – it will depend on what lens the photographer is using. The body (APS-C or Full-Frame) will have an impact on the final depth of field, but it is – once again, fundamental for the photographer to understand the aperture value(s) of his / her lens in relation to the creative objective(s).
Note 1: aperture does not function in isolation – other major exposure considerations will be i.e. shutter speed and ISO’s used for specific outcomes.
Here are 8x images starting from aperture f/1.8 to f/22 to demonstrate the application of aperture with a specific camera body and 85mm f/1.8 lens.
Note 2: The main subject is not affected by the aperture, only the background. At f/1.8 the background is essentially blurred out – comparing to f/.22 were it will be possible to see much more finer detail in the background. This exercise will depend on lens / aperture and also distance between lens, subject and background.
Note 3: If the photographer wants nothing in the foreground of specific importance, then f/11 - f/16 should be the choice. In my demonstration it would be difficult to blur out the mailbox (although I'm using an 85mm f/1.8 lens) - it is way too close to the lens. One option would be to remove it via Lightroom's Generative AI tool - that is if the subject (mailbox in this case) renders a 'nuisance' and not blend with the creative objective.
For this demonstration the only variable was the aperture / or what is also refer to as the f/stop.
Note 4: Presented demonstration will have been slightly different if I had used a different sensor camera (APS-C or Full-Frame) and / or a different lens that would have been able to focus in this confined environment. There are many different opportunities with aperture - but, it will depend on the photographer's understanding of aperture, creative objective(s) and / or lens used.
Demonstration done with Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens with external Speedlite flash on tripod.
On the top left of each image will be the specific aperture I have set on the camera body used.
Canon EOS Camera / Lens / Speedlite Flash - Other Settings Used
- Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens / Canon Speedlite 430EX II
- f/1.8 - f/22 / ISO 400 / 1/60s (85mm) Manual Focus (via Live View) Tripod
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| Aperture f/1.8 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
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| Aperture f/2.8 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
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| Aperture f/4 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
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| Aperture f/5.6 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
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| Aperture f/8 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
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| Aperture f/11 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
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| Aperture f/16 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
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| Aperture f/22 ISO 400 : Canon EOS 6D / EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens |
"Aperture and depth of field are fundamental concepts in photography that work closely together to influence the sharpness and focus of your images.
Aperture
- Definition: Aperture refers to the opening in a camera lens through which light passes to enter the camera. It’s similar to the pupil of an eye, adjusting to let in more or less light.
- Measurement: Aperture is measured in f-stops (e.g., f/2.8, f/5.6, f/16). A smaller f-stop number (e.g., f/2.8) means a larger aperture, allowing more light to enter. Conversely, a larger f-stop number (e.g., f/16) means a smaller aperture, letting in less light 1.
Depth of Field (DoF)
- Definition: Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a photo that appear acceptably sharp. It determines how much of your image is in focus.
- Influence of Aperture:
- Wide Aperture (Small f-stop): Produces a shallow depth of field, meaning only a small part of the image is in focus while the background and foreground are blurred. This is great for portraits where you want the subject to stand out against a blurred background 2 3.
- Narrow Aperture (Large f-stop): Results in a greater depth of field, meaning more of the scene is in focus. This is ideal for landscapes where you want everything from the foreground to the background to be sharp 4.
Other Factors Affecting Depth of Field
- Camera-Subject Distance: The closer you are to your subject, the shallower the depth of field.
- Focal Length: Longer focal lengths (e.g., telephoto lenses) produce a shallower depth of field compared to shorter focal lengths (e.g., wide-angle lenses).
Sensor Size: Larger sensors (e.g., full-frame) tend to have a shallower depth of field compared to smaller sensors (e.g., crop sensors) at the same aperture 2.
Understanding how to manipulate aperture and depth of field allows you to creatively control the focus and sharpness of your photos, enhancing the storytelling aspect of your images." (Source: Microsoft Copilot)
Shooting Location: Milnerton Cape Town (Photographer: Vernon Chalmers Copyright Policy)
More about the Exposure in Photography Exposure Triangle