Photography Tutorial - Aperture and F Stops Explained

Jared Polin

13 May 201106:13

Summary

TLDRIn this instructional video, Jared Poland from nophoto.com guides viewers through a practical exercise to understand the impact of different apertures on photography. Using Kermit the Frog as a subject, Jared demonstrates the effect of apertures ranging from F1.4 to F16 on depth of field and background blur, or bokeh. He encourages viewers to experiment with their own cameras in aperture priority mode, regardless of the lens, to observe how f-stops influence sharpness and focus. The video concludes with a visual comparison of the images captured at each aperture setting, emphasizing the learning opportunity in understanding camera settings.

Takeaways

📷 The video is a tutorial by Jared Poland from nophoto.com, focusing on demonstrating the effects of different apertures in photography.
🐸 The subject of the demonstration is Kermit the Frog, used to illustrate how aperture affects the depth of field in images.
🔍 The demonstration starts at an aperture of 1.4 and goes up to 22, showcasing the changes in background blur and focus as the aperture increases.
🔧 The Nikon D3s camera with a 50mm lens is used for the tutorial, but Jared emphasizes that the exercise can be done with any camera or lens.
⚙️ Viewers are encouraged to set their camera to aperture priority mode to see how the camera adjusts shutter speed with different f-stops.
🌞 ISO is mentioned as an important setting, with Jared suggesting a starting point of 400 for the exercise.
👀 Focusing is crucial, and Jared advises focusing on the subject's eye for the best results.
🌿 As the aperture increases, the background becomes more recognizable and less blurred, which is visually demonstrated in the video.
📚 The tutorial is meant to give photographers a better understanding of how aperture affects their images, helping them make more informed decisions when shooting.
🏞️ The exercise is recommended to be done in various environments to see the effect of aperture in different lighting conditions and backgrounds.
📝 Jared concludes by encouraging viewers to practice this exercise to gain a hands-on understanding of aperture and its impact on photography.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?
-The main purpose of the video is to demonstrate the effects of different apertures on the depth of field and background blur (bokeh) when taking photographs.
Who is the subject of the video?
-The subject of the video is Mr. Kermit the Frog, who is being used to illustrate the effects of various aperture settings.
What is the range of apertures that will be demonstrated in the video?
-The video will demonstrate apertures starting from 1.4 and going up to 22, with the 51.4 lens only going up to F16.
What camera and lens is Jared Poland using in the video?
-Jared Poland is using a Nikon D3s camera with a 51.4 lens in the video.
What camera setting is recommended for this exercise?
-Aperture priority mode is recommended for this exercise, as it allows the camera to automatically adjust the shutter speed while the user changes the f-stops.
What should the viewer focus on while changing the aperture settings?
-The viewer should focus on the subject's eye, in this case, Kermit the Frog's eye, to see how the depth of field changes with different aperture settings.
Why is the ISO set to 400 in the video?
-The ISO is set to 400 to provide a starting point for the exercise, though it may be adjusted based on the lighting conditions of the shooting environment.
What does the term 'bokeh' refer to in photography?
-Bokeh refers to the aesthetic quality of the blur in the out-of-focus areas of an image, especially in the background.
How does the background change as the aperture increases from 1.4 to F16?
-As the aperture increases, the depth of field becomes larger, resulting in a more recognizable and less blurred background.
What effect does changing the f-stop have on the shutter speed?
-As the f-stop increases (the aperture gets smaller), the shutter speed decreases, allowing less light into the camera for each exposure.
What is the final message from Jared Poland to the viewers?
-Jared Poland encourages viewers to go outside and experiment with different apertures on their own cameras to understand the effects on depth of field and background blur.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Exploring Aperture Settings with Kermit the Frog

In this video segment, Jared Poland from nophoto.com introduces a project aimed at demonstrating the effects of different apertures in photography. He is in a natural setting with Kermit the Frog as the subject. The goal is to show the viewer how changing the aperture from 1.4 to 22 (with the limitation of the 51.4 lens which only goes to F16) affects the depth of field and background blur. Jared encourages viewers to try this exercise with any camera and lens, emphasizing the importance of understanding how aperture affects the field of view. He sets his camera to aperture priority mode with an ISO of 400, focusing on Kermit's eye for sharpness. The video will visually demonstrate the progression from a wide-open aperture to a smaller one, showing how the background changes from being completely out of focus to becoming more recognizable.

05:00

🔍 Understanding Shutter Speed in Relation to Aperture

The second paragraph delves into the relationship between aperture and shutter speed. As the aperture narrows (from 1.4 to F16), the amount of light entering the camera decreases, necessitating a slower shutter speed to compensate for the reduced light intake. Jared explains that even though the focus of the exercise is not on exposure settings, viewers can learn from observing how their camera adjusts the shutter speed when changing the f-stop. He reiterates the call to action for viewers to experiment with different subjects and lenses to see the effects of aperture on their own. The video concludes with Jared reminding viewers of the educational intent behind the exercise and bids farewell, signing off with his website nophoto.com.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Aperture

Aperture refers to the opening in a camera lens through which light passes to enter the camera. It is measured in f-stops and affects the depth of field, which is the range of distance within a photo that appears sharp. In the video, the concept of aperture is central as the presenter demonstrates how different apertures (f-stops) impact the background blur and sharpness of the subject, using Mr. Kermit the Frog as an example.

💡Depth of Field

Depth of field is the area in a photo that appears in sharp focus, while the rest of the image is blurred. It is directly influenced by the aperture setting on a camera. The video script discusses how changing the aperture affects the depth of field, showing a progression from a shallow depth of field at f/1.4 to a deeper one at f/16.

💡F-Stops

F-stops are the standardized numbers that represent the aperture size on a camera lens. They are used to control the amount of light that enters the camera and to adjust the depth of field. The script mentions various f-stops, from 1.4 to 16, to illustrate how each setting changes the appearance of the background in a photograph.

💡Bokeh

Bokeh is a term used to describe the aesthetic quality of the blur in the out-of-focus areas of a photograph. It is often associated with a pleasing, smooth background blur that can make a subject stand out. The script mentions 'bokeh' when discussing the effect of a wide-open aperture at f/1.4, which produces a very smooth background blur.

💡Aperture Priority

Aperture Priority is a camera setting that allows the photographer to choose the aperture, while the camera automatically selects the appropriate shutter speed to maintain the correct exposure. In the video, the presenter instructs viewers to set their cameras to aperture priority mode to focus on the effects of different apertures without worrying about exposure settings.

💡ISO

ISO measures the sensitivity of a camera's image sensor to light. A higher ISO setting allows the camera to capture more light, which is useful in low-light conditions but can introduce noise into the image. The script mentions setting the ISO to 400 as part of the camera settings for the exercise.

💡Shutter Speed

Shutter speed is the length of time the camera's shutter is open, determining how long light is allowed to hit the sensor. It affects motion blur and the sharpness of a photo. The script explains that as the f-stop increases, the shutter speed decreases to let in less light, resulting in a slower shutter speed.

💡Focus

Focus is the adjustment of a camera lens to ensure that the subject of a photograph is sharp and clear. In the video, the presenter emphasizes focusing on Kermit the Frog's eye to demonstrate how different apertures affect the sharpness and focus of the subject versus the background.

💡Field of View

Field of view refers to the extent of the observable environment that is seen at any given moment through a camera lens. The script suggests that viewers will get a 'field of view' for what different apertures will look like when shooting with their camera.

💡Exposure

Exposure is the amount of light that reaches the camera's sensor and determines how bright or dark a photo will be. While the video is not primarily about exposure, the script explains how changing f-stops affects the camera's automatic adjustment of shutter speed to maintain exposure.

💡Lens

A lens is a piece of optical equipment used in cameras to focus light onto the sensor or film. The script mentions using a '51.4' lens, which is likely a typo for '50mm f/1.4' lens, and emphasizes that the exercise can be done with any lens, regardless of the camera or lens type.

Highlights

Introduction to a super secret project video by Jared Poland from nophoto.com.

The video features Kermit the Frog as the subject for demonstrating different apertures in photography.

Jared will showcase the effects of apertures starting from 1.4 to 22, with a focus on the bokeh and depth of field.

The Nikon D3s camera with a 51.4 lens is used for the demonstration, but the lesson applies to any camera or lens.

Setting the camera to aperture priority mode allows the photographer to focus on the effects of f-stops without worrying about exposure.

The importance of adjusting ISO to suit the shooting environment is mentioned.

A practical exercise is suggested for viewers to try different f-stops with their own cameras to understand the impact on depth of field.

The demonstration begins with an f-stop of 1.4, emphasizing the shallow depth of field and the bokeh effect.

As the f-stop increases to 2.8, the background starts to become more visible, illustrating the change in depth of field.

The progression to f-stops of 4, 5.6, and 8 shows a gradual increase in background detail and focus.

At f11 and f16, the background becomes more recognizable, demonstrating the maximum depth of field achievable with the lens.

The video visually compares the images taken at each f-stop to highlight the differences in depth of field and background blur.

Jared explains the inverse relationship between f-stop size and shutter speed, affecting the amount of light entering the camera.

The video encourages viewers to experiment with different subjects and lenses to understand aperture effects.

A reminder that the exercise is not about exposure but about observing the changes in depth of field and background sharpness.

Jared Poland concludes the video with a call to action for viewers to practice and experiment with aperture settings.

The video ends with a reminder of the source, nophoto.com, and a farewell from Jared and Kermit the Frog.