Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Apertures

I am so excited to be really learning how to use my DSLR. I know I can take amazing pictures if I just figure out how it all works. Today at iHeartFaces there is a tutorial on apertures. I was just starting to get a grasp on what aperture meant but didn't really know how to apply it or manipulate it properly. The tutorial explained it so well and so simply. When I started playing with manual mode after last week's tutorial, I tried the AV Mode (where you choose your aperture and camera does the rest). Well I'd choose something like f/5.6 but the shutter speed was so slow and my subjects so fidgety that I just got a big blur. Today I figured out I could simply increase the ISO to compensate for that. I also figured out the reason I can't get my Aperture below f/5 is just a limitation of my lens.

f/5.6 ISO 100 (too blurry)

f/5.6 ISO 400 (increasing ISO fixed the blur)

f/9 ISO 400 (nearly all in focus, minimal blur)

f/5.6 ISO 400 (pen in focus, background blurred)

I know I have friends that know a lot about photography, and others who are just learning like me. Either way you should head on over for the Apertures tutorial and see if you learn something new today :)

2 comments:

jen@odbt said...

I tried to take some pics too based on the tutorial and have the same limitations - my lens. I've been trying to figure out if I should get a new lens and if so, what kind? Maybe I better figure out my camera first :)

Marie said...

I have been following the tutorial and tried playing around w/my aperature. I think I need to practice on inanimate objects b/c the live ones came out blurry no matter what I did. I am also very excited to learn how to use my DSLR better. Thanks for the point in the right direction. :)