As leader of our photoclub, I'm getting ALOT of questions about how to use cameras, and one thing I've recently noticed is that many people think they should use a smaller aperture opening to limit the amount of light they take in. (in bright light they use a small aperture)


So, my question to you is this: Is this something you do? or something you did before? Just a bit curious :>

 

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I only fart around with aperture for DOF reasons.

 

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actually, it is fairly common to get it backwards for beginners.

You have to train your brain to realize a smaller number is actually the bigger opening, which is backwards from most things in life where a bigger number is a bigger opening/object.

I have brain farts about it all the time still.

I'm more likely just to increase the shutter speed, but there were occasions when I was in Spain that I found closing the aperture a bit (too much on occasion ) was helpful.

 

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That isn't my question though Bean


What I'm saying is this. Generally speaking you don't use the aperture to regulate the amount of light you get, you use it to control the depth of focus. You use the shutterspeed to control how much light you record. But many beginners seem to think that using the aperture is the way to go, and then forgets all about the shutterspeed.

 

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Ah, then you're the one I should ask Shalis, why did you close your aperture? I mean, what prompted you to think "I need a smaller aperture"


I'm not critisizing or anything here, I'm just trying to get to grips with the why and how behind it, as I'm trying to teach these people :>


I'm the kind of photographer that sits around for ages, reading up on every technicality, I've even read the entire manual for my d300, So even before I had my first SLR in my hands I knew this stuff, and have since just been practicing putting it into action (which I'm still struggling with :> )


To put things a bit more in context, here's what I'm attpempting to teach these people:


- Aperture and it's effect on your images.

- Shutterspeed and it's effect on your images.

- ISO and it's use.

- Basic composition rules ( rule of thirds, Golden Section, diagonal rule)

- Why you should shoot raw, not JPG (some of the people here should learn this as well )

- Why postprocessing is important.


Once I've gotten through that with everyone, I think they'll have a much better chance of going out there and getting good shots.


As for myself, I have a giant flaw. I tend to understand things quicly and once I've learned how to do something I have a hard time getting to grips with the fact that others might not understand the same thing.


For instance I've been trying to get my father to use Lightroom, because I love it so much myself. But he's been refusing to pay much attention to it, and I've not understood why untill recently. It's something as simple as the fact that's he's not comfortable working in an English enviroment, and LR isn't translated to norwegian. I mean.. the thought didn't even occur to me untill he asked if it was available in norwegian. Even though I KNOW he isn't very good in English. The problem is I am (I don't intend this as bragging, I know my English isn't perfect, but it's far better then most Norwegians) My work enviroment is in English, I have Eng. Windows, Lightroom, Photoshop, MS Office, all my games are in english. The books I read are in english (the fantasy guys in norway only translate the very most popular series, and even those are slow.. ) And it's been like that since I was 14 years old.


Anyway, to make a long story short, I have problems identifying where others think diffrently from me, so that's why I'm asking you guys, you might be able to offer me a diffrent viewpoint, and then I can approach the subject from a diffrent angle I guess.

 

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Sorry about the wall of text :>

 

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Sorry, misread it

One possible reason there are less possible AP settings, so better odds to guess and get it right? Dunno, you did say they are beginners.

Same here. I usually keep the camera on Aperture priority 95% of the time. I make changes based on the depth I need. Let the camera figure out what shutter speed I need depending on the light.

 

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Me too stiger. And that's my point, the aperture is a tool to control the DOF, not to control the amount of light you get (unless its so bright you can't get a fast enough shutterspedd, or you need a slower shutterspeed for some reason (moving water comes to mind) and probably a thousand other exceptions)

 

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