Aperture

Name Photography 10/18/14 Aperture Aperture, also known as f-stop, is a fancy name for the opening in a camera lens. This opening controls the amount of light that is let in, which greatly affects the photo. A large aperture allows a lot of light, while a small aperture allows less light. The cameras aperture is formed out of small, wedge-shaped aperture blades, which form a jagged circle inside the lens. These blades open and close to control the size of the hole. An apertures size is referred to as an f number. The f number is a ratio of focal length to aperture diameter. The smaller the f number, the bigger the opening, and vice versa. As the f-stops decrease in size, each number lets half the amount of light in as the previous one. How can this change your photograph A larger aperture (lower number) will focus on the subject, but the rest of the photo will be out of focus. A smaller aperture (higher number) keeps almost everything in focus, including the subject. Aperture is an interesting element of photography because it does not change based on the focal length of the lens. This means that the same amount of light passes through the lens on a 35mm lens as on a 100mm lens. Even though the size of the diaphragm is different, the amount of light passing through is the same. Its important for photographers to understand aperture in order to get the most out of their photos. Proper application can enhance a photo and make a huge difference in the outcome.