Aperture: Assignment and Exercise

First watch the video tutorial on Aperture (Make sure you have auto-play chapter on).  Ben Long, Foundations of Photography: Chapter 5

• If you have problems search Lynda for the title and instructor.
• Take your time, this is short but packed with info. Take notes, watch more than once.

Exercise:
Lets Start with the exercise... We want to see how aperture effects focus and see exactly how deep your DOF is at each f-stop. 

Like Ben, did in the video with the 3 cameras on the table, we want to experiment aperture. We want to take it a step further though, and see what each f-stop does. You can use cameras, dominoes, figurines, blocks, even sandpaper, anything you want. What ever you chose as a subject make sure they are small or have a clear texture. I suggest you use a ruler it has texture and you can clearly see where the objects come in and out of focus.

If you are using make sure you have at least 6 or 8 of them, the place them in a row away from your camera, you may need to stagger them so that you can see them all when the camera is in front of them. If you are using a ruler of long textured object you will need to make sure that the camera is placed at an angle that allows you to see the length (about 35 to 25 degree angle). Experiment with a few shots to see how everything fists in the frame. It is best to use a tripod, bean bag, or at least prop or lean your hand and camera on something stable. Its important to shoot from the same or as close as possible to the same spot. Even the slightest movement will move your DOF.

Start with your lowest f-stop your lens will allow f5.x, focus on the middle subject, or middle of the subject, (check your lens; 50 - 55mm). 'CLICK' move to the next, 'CLICK', etc until you reach the max, or you smallest. Open them in Lightroom, or any image editor/viewer and see how the adjustments effect your images.

One more thing, make sure your exposure is set correctly for each shot. Remember the 'Exposure Triangle' if you adjust one thing the others are effected, so with each adjustment of the aperture, you shutter speed will also need to be adjusted as well.

Assignment:
2 images illustrating your skill with shallow and deep DOF (Depth of Field)

• This assignment can also be called 'Getting Closer', because to really get a feel for how DOF works you need to start close. When shooting distance like landscapes, to many variable get in the way. So keep close to your subject.
• Avoid people or animals, things that move, this also creates variables we don't want to deal with at this time. Adjusting for changing light and focus will only distract us from learning how to control aperture.
• Always remember our one constant goal in all of our assignments, a 'Well Exposed Image' continuous tone, no burnt or blown areas, and full black to white.

 After Spring Break March19th