One thing for Better Photos - Shallow Depth of Field

photo: David Kai Piper

Getting out of Automatic mode and learning to control aperture is one big step toward creating more dynamic and more interesting images.

A lower aperture number – f5.6 or lower – will narrow the depth of field, softening or blurring the background and foreground, leaving only your subject in sharp focus. Even a single, simple subject, such as the farm cat in this photo, can be made more interesting when you shoot with more creative manual control. Our example image also demonstrates another point about making better images: Keep it simple! And it takes advantage of leading lines and framing too.

Higher aperture numbers, f8 or higher, will put the whole scene in focus, as in landscapes. But more about that in another post.

Want to learn more about using aperture? Check out these ViewFinder classes:
Creative Composition for Better Photos - Sunday, 21 November
dSLR Photography for Beginners - Saturday, 20 November