Ultimate Guide to Camera Aperture — What is Aperture & the Exposure Triangle Explained [Ep 1]

Summary

This video explores the concept of aperture—one of the three pillars of exposure every filmmaker must understand. It compares the camera’s aperture to the human eye, explaining how different f-stops affect light, brightness, and depth of field. Through cinematic examples from films like 1917, Joker, and Marriage Story, the video demonstrates how small, large, and medium apertures influence focus, emotion, and storytelling. It emphasizes the balance between art and technique, showing how aperture choices shape both the external world and internal emotion of a scene, setting the stage for the next lesson on ISO.

Takeaways

• 😀 Aperture in filmmaking is like the pupil of the human eye, controlling how much light enters the camera.
• 😀 Aperture not only affects brightness but also directly influences the depth of field, or the area of focus in an image.
• 😀 A smaller aperture (e.g., f-16) gives a larger depth of field, keeping more of the scene in focus, which is useful for wide shots and establishing setting.
• 😀 A larger aperture (e.g., f 1.4) creates a shallow depth of field, isolating the subject from the background, often used for emotional moments or character focus.
• 😀 Depth of field plays a key role in storytelling by either revealing more of the environment or focusing on a character's internal world.
• 😀 Smaller apertures are helpful for capturing context and world-building, as demonstrated in '1917' by Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins.
• 😀 Larger apertures help emphasize a character's isolation, as seen in 'Joker,' where the shallow focus draws the audience's attention to Arthur's emotional journey.
• 😀 A medium aperture (e.g., f8) offers a balance, focusing on the subject while maintaining a sense of the environment in the frame.
• 😀 Medium apertures are ideal for scenes that involve multiple characters or objects in focus, such as dialogue-heavy moments in films like 'Marriage Story.'
• 😀 To fully understand aperture's impact, filmmakers must consider its relationship with the other two components of the exposure triangle: shutter speed and ISO.

Q & A

What is the primary function of aperture in filmmaking?

Aperture controls the amount of light entering the camera, affecting both the brightness of the image and the depth of field (the area of focus in a shot).

How does aperture relate to the human eye?

Aperture functions similarly to the pupil of the human eye. Just like the pupil expands to let more light in and contracts to limit light, the camera's aperture opens and closes to control light exposure.

What is depth of field, and how is it influenced by aperture size?

Depth of field refers to how much of the shot is in focus. A smaller aperture (e.g., f-16) creates a greater depth of field, keeping more of the image in focus, while a larger aperture (e.g., f-1.4) results in a shallow depth of field, where only a specific subject is in focus.

Why would a filmmaker choose a smaller aperture, like f-16?

A smaller aperture, like f-16, is used when the filmmaker wants a larger depth of field to keep everything in focus, such as in wide shots where the environment and multiple subjects need to be visible and sharp.

How does a larger aperture affect the visual storytelling in films?

A larger aperture creates a shallow depth of field, which isolates a subject from the background and directs the viewer’s attention. This is useful for emotional scenes or to highlight important plot points, such as character isolation or inner turmoil.

Can you give an example of a film where a large aperture was used to convey emotional depth?

In the film *Joker*, a large aperture was used to isolate the character Arthur, creating a sense of psychological distance and emphasizing his emotional turmoil and isolation, even when surrounded by others.

What is the role of medium apertures (e.g., f-8) in cinematography?

A medium aperture, like f-8, strikes a balance between a shallow and deep depth of field. It allows the filmmaker to focus on a subject while still keeping elements of the environment in focus, often used in scenes where both the subject and their surroundings are important.

How is a medium aperture used in scenes with dialogue or multiple subjects?

In dialogue scenes or those with multiple characters, a medium aperture helps prioritize the main subject while still keeping other important elements or characters in focus, providing context without losing the focus on key actions or emotions.

What film scene is cited as an example where medium aperture was effective in conveying emotion?

The divorce scene from *Marriage Story* is used as an example where a medium aperture allows the lawyers to be in focus while still maintaining the emotional reactions of the main characters, Charlie and Nicole, subtly in the background.

How do aperture settings interact with the other two elements of the exposure triangle, ISO and shutter speed?

Aperture, ISO, and shutter speed work together to control exposure. Aperture influences the brightness and depth of field, while ISO adjusts the sensor's sensitivity to light and shutter speed determines how long light is captured. In combination, these settings allow filmmakers to achieve the desired exposure, brightness, and aesthetic effect.