Shutter Speed

Shutter Speed, measured in seconds, refers to the length of time that the camera’s shutter remains open to let light in through the lens to record a given image onto the film.

The standard shutter speed that a photographer generally uses on a sunny day is 1/125th of a second. A photographer will adjust the shutter speed according to a few of the following factors:

* aperture opening
* available light in the scene
* desired effect
* film speed.

The shutter speed setting affects both the light exposure to the film and the way movement is rendered in the resulting photo. Shorter shutter speeds (meaning the shutter opens and closes at a faster rate) are typically used for fast moving objects to quickly freeze them within the frame. Conversely, longer shutter speeds tend to be used in scenes of low lighting, still objects or if the photographer wants to create an artistic blur.
A rule of thumb for knowing how to set shutter speeds is that the larger the aperture setting, the faster the shutter speed should be set to affect the same level of light exposure.

Aperture

Aperture refers to the lens diaphragm on a camera that controls the amount of light that touches the film when the shutter opens. Settings for an aperture opening are measured in f-numbers, also known as the F-Stop. F-numbers are calculated by dividing the length of the lens’ diameter by the focal length. Aperture settings are generally located or adjusted on the outer edge of a camera’s lens.


*Larger aperture settings, ranging from around f3.0 to f5.5, allow more light to enter through the lens. Consequently, if a photographer sets his aperture to a higher number, a single object will become the photo’s central feature, significantly minimizing any figures in the pictures background. Larger apertures are commonly used for portraits or close-ups.

Alternatively, smaller apertures, ranging from f16 to f32, include more figures in the foreground, as well as the background. In such pictures, more elements are clearly defined than a single central object. As a result, photos taken with narrower apertures lend more perspective to a scene. Landscapes and cityscapes are the usual subjects of pictures taken with smaller apertures.

If a photographer is taking a picture that doesn’t require an extreme close-up nor a broad scope, an aperture setting from f8 to about f11 tends to yield well-defined images.


Depth of Field

Depth of Field refers to the distance around an object that appears in focus in the frame or photograph. The depth of field that a photographer chooses to enhance a given picture is an entirely subjective choice, depending on the aspects he wishes to enhance within the given frame.


* Three factors play a hand in determining or affecting depth of field: the lens aperture (how open the lens is), the length of lens being used and the object’s size (the later includes the distance the object is away from the photographer).


The closer an object is to the lens, the less depth of field will appear in the resulting photograph. Conversely, placing the camera at a distance from the object being photographed will create a greater depth of field. For example, landscape shots tend to have greater depths of field while portraits have minimal depths of field.

Similarly, smaller lens apertures (lens with smaller diameters) and shorter lens lengths both create more broad depths of field.
When looking at a picture, you can recognize its depth of field by noticing where the photo becomes blurry and unfocused. The outer fuzzy edges pinpoint where the picture loses its depth of field.