This photo on my son and his girlfriend is for the Camera Settings Challenge. I'm trying to learn how to use the manual settings on my camera and the challenge this week is to use the f5.6 aperture setting. I'm not sure if this was the right subject matter for this setting, but I had to work all day, so this was my only photo op. I don't know enough about aperture to know what that setting did to the photo, so if anyone could tell me, I'd appreciate it. Comparing it to the same photo I took on the auto settings, it seems that the silhouettes are sharper and darker and the DOF is a bit shallower.
@sunnygreenwood The aperture on the auto setting photo is f8. This stuff is like Greek to me. Honestly. I'll check out your friend's link. I need all the help I can get. Even with a book, it's just so confusing to me. I'm hoping if I keep practicing, I'll eventually catch on.
great shot laurie! you nailed it! i would be interested in knowing the aperture setting in the auto shot - larger number?. the smaller the aperture opening [the larger the f number] , the greater the depth of field. i had commented earlier with your scenarios reversed in my head. i may still have it messed up but mary lou is good at explaining things. here's a link that will help: http://365project.org/allred/extras/2012-01-06 @allred
@sunnygreenwood@lauriehiggins Hi Laurie, I'd be happy to help explain any of this, I find the technical stuff easy, it's the creative stuff I find harder.
@allred I think we should be friends! You and I seem like polar opposites in a really good way. Thank you so much for your offer to help! I'm working tonight (ridiculous, but true) but I plan to check out your instructions on this tomorrow. I have the link opened up, but I'm too tired to understand it right now (although the pictures really helped).
you must have been quick to read it as i posted it then deleted it as soon as i re-read your explanation, realizing i had misunderstood which shot was which.
as for the settings, what can be really confusing is when people explain things by just saying "smaller aperture" or "bigger aperture" --- is that a smaller number or a smaller opening!
@sunnygreenwood I find aperture crazy confusing because it's counter-intuitive. As for the quick response, I'm actually working tonight, so any distraction in my email is a welcome break. It's been fun chatting with you tonight!
nice chatting with you too. this is reinforcing things for me. btw, i think of the number as a fraction and it makes more sense. ie. just like 1/4 is a smaller amount than 1/2 for instance, so f/8 is a smaller opening than f/5.6.
This is really nice. I think by the smaller f number you let in more light so the shutter speed can be quicker making less blur from movement. At least one way it works.
When I do night shots, the aperture (depending on what lens I'm using) is usually about f5.6, simply because it seems to yield the sharpest results, so I think this shot works well for f5.6. If it was a city scene or something I might use a smaller aperture (higher number) to get some starry light effects, but then you'd probably have to shoot a wee bit later at night. This is a lovely shot!
@jannkc@pwallis Thank you so much for explaining aperture to me in such a clear manner. I really appreciate you taking the time. Experimenting has proven fun, but it brings up oh so many questions since I'm such a novice.
@lauriehiggins if you look at my post for today, you'll see that I shot that at f5.6. It's kind of my "go-to" aperture for night shots, unless I'm going for some specific effect or detail.
Can I suggest that for this shot you should use a f stop of something like f11. This will ensure that the entire images is in focus at f5.6 you have the risk of only part of the image being in focus.
Now having said that the F5.6 didnt take away from the photo.
this is beautiful... i think it came out fine with the aperture at 5.6... Brendan is a master, so I would listen to him... when i am experimenting, especially at night, i will try different f stops and different shutter speeds with the same subject matter just to see how they come out...
@agima Thank you so much for your advice, Brendan! I really appreciate it. This was my first foray out of auto and it's so confusing. I'm sensing that I will be doing alot of trial and error, and posting alot of errors. Advice like yours is really helpful.
Love how this turned out, even if all that aperture stuff confuses me. I bought a book but have yet to read much of it. Maybe some day when my life is less hectic, and as you know, one crazy thing follows the next and that quiet moment just never comes. But I still hope maybe some day.
@allred
as for the settings, what can be really confusing is when people explain things by just saying "smaller aperture" or "bigger aperture" --- is that a smaller number or a smaller opening!
Can I suggest that for this shot you should use a f stop of something like f11. This will ensure that the entire images is in focus at f5.6 you have the risk of only part of the image being in focus.
Now having said that the F5.6 didnt take away from the photo.
@agima