STOP These APERTURE MISTAKES! (ƒ/11-ƒ/16)

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Anyone else share some of these same mistakes??

[@Axonteer]

My most common error is not having an eye for what aperture might look good, i want to capture a scene, and i have my composition but i cant figure out "do i want a small or large aperture, if large, what do i want to have in focus - or should i focus stack - can i even focus stack" - these type of thoughts usually make me unable to capture a scene once i found a composition.

[@marcelduvenage3289]

Ah yep definitely, all of them including the over sharpening but the best way to learn for sure.. Nicely explained video though, will help people out for sure..

[@lostcoastautos]

As a first year photographer, all of them.

[@TheTrailMixTV]

I've been shooting since oct 2020 and I have made all of these mistakes at least once.

[@echoauxgen]

As a astro shooter always at wide, so one day at Grand Canyon a whole day at f/4 after a night of MW's 1224! All I knew in '75 with film on Canon Ftb is put the needle in the circle like your example with the meter.

[@livedeliciously]

Watching all these "lessons" makes me realize how much I need to improve. A lot. It's very painful spending time going to a location and realizing you don't have all the tools needed to get a good picture. Tools being in your head.

[@harrison00xXx]

totally depends on the tools you are missing If you dont have a tripod (like me), a camera capable with High ISO (like my old 550D, poor ISO performance) and only cheap lenses (like me xD...) But yeah, still i managed to make out of woodsticks a crude "tripod" or at least something to hold the camera in place to make astrophotographywith 15-20sec exposure time (Milky way) for example :D And im done with my gear more or less, at least the fked up 550D. Since my lenses are anyways all EF (no EF-S except kit i sold some days ago) im thinking about fullframe (which i wanted to go anyways since over 10 years) mirrorless now. I think the more i failed due my actually old, "bad" gear the more interesting it will get with a much better sensor (2010 APS-C entry level vs 2018 FF,...) and definately a new tripod (broke my 15$ one already years ago)

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

No matter how long I’ve been doing this, it’s good to be reminded of these basics.

[@p13579a]

One big mistake I am still learning is getting my head around the impact of focal length on DOF. For eg, DOF on 200mm at f11 is way more shallow than I ever expected. If my maths is correct 200mm at f11 has the same DOF as 50mm at f2.8 for a given subject at the same focus distance. I have a catalogue of out of focus mistakes caused by not considering the focal length when setting the aperture.

[@okaro6595]

But you really cannot use them on the same subject unless you want a completely different framing. If you step 4x back to get the same framing then the depth of field is about the same.

[@p13579a]

@@okaro6595 Absolutely. The error is to think that f1.4 is narrow and f11 is not regardless of focal length and distance to subject.

[@Jonasdelrey]

In summary, understand what depth of field means.

[@FelixJorgenfelt]

One thing that I can recommend is aperture bracketing, especially when photographing woodlands. Not being sure what you want in field is normal, but make sure you cover the options you want for post.

[@lovephotography1966]

My go to....

[@bonnitakhaliq9578]

I don't see the difference between Focus Stacking and Aperture Bracketing , you still have to take Two or Three photos regardless which method you use. But with Focus staking you don't have to change any settings

[@curtisbme]

@@bonnitakhaliq9578 Difference is that focus stacking you are taking it with the plan to combine it in post. With "Aperture Bracketing" it can be simply be to add insurance that you get the single shot you want.

[@rockywaters9592]

@@curtisbme so basically Apature bracketing is for beginners who don't understand depth of field and Photoshop, and focus stacking is for those that do?

[@stevenrun34]

Aperture is everything. I remember starting out shooting everything wide-open and being like... "why is nothing in focus?" Starting off just shooting everything at f/11 isn't the worst idea in the world-- but I always had a need to know "why?" You have few tools in your arsenal to make a good photo. A lot of it isn't up to you if the light or subject just isn't there. Composition and aperture are so crucial that it is easy to just "abide by the rules" but if you don't understand why the "rules" exist and what they really mean, you won't know when or how you need to bend or break them to get what you're looking for. On a new (to me) lens or camera, I'll definitely shoot at a slightly elevated aperture to give me a little extra tolerance for nailing focus, and I feel like as you get better with the machine in your hand, you can open that lens up and really start to get creative with it and nail focus on your subject like it's a bodily function. Knowing how to use hyperfocal distance is a very powerful tool, but it's a hard concept to explain, and harder to understand just by hearing someone explain it (at least for me it was). Grabbing a manual prime lens and looking at the focus scale totally crystallized the concept in my brain. I point that infinity mark at f/16 and suddenly "woah! I get it now!"

[@romgur73]

I like your pronunciation coz I'm from Ukraine and it's hard to understand what people say. And I gotta say your pronunciation is perfect, I wish my English teachers could speak like you

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thanks so much for that!

[@07wrxtr1]

So with a lot of lenses, depending upon focal length, you get diminishing returns and will be forced to focus stack if you're in a "I won't compromise" mindset. This begs the question: Do we need every image to be in perfect focus? Do images sell more or less if they are or are not in perfect focus? Does the entire frame have to be in perfect focus? This goes right into the same topic about how contrast works - Not every image do we need to see every detail within the shadows. In fact, if you examine some of the most well sold famous classic art work out there, rarely is everything in focus as well as every shadow detail perfectly detailed. Part of what I would argue, just like cropping, is what we choose to leave OUT of the image, and that's not just limited to cropping, but should include how much selective contrast one uses, and of course what depth of field one chooses. I'm not sure going down to the perfectionist end of the spectrum, while we all appreciate being the "best" of ourselves, which I'm totally on board with, but not all images need the scientific approach when it comes to perfection. In looking at some of the "art" that sells, one can often laugh at some of what we would characterize as "mistakes" from a technical standpoint, but stepping out of the technical part, which is easier to teach and make videos about, is the artistic part: How does an image make people feel? Yes, we're now in a Feelings based society, more now than ever. So with that in mind, most people make choices based upon not the rational or scientific but on how they "feel." I'd argue this is why most photography becomes repetitive and while again, the drive towards making images "perfect" is something that's measurable and tangible, sometimes, especially as you age, you start to "see" differently. I do agree on the majority of the issues presented here, except I would have emphasized more on "copy variation" which is YUGE/BIGLY/TREMENDOUS on mass produced plastic lenses/3rd party lenses. The other issue I would have brought up would be about per-visualizing at home, before you even leave the house: Paint in your mind, what kind of image do you want? This is the best and most fun part - the creative thinking part. This is what we need more of. Then all you do is go out and find that image. I'd also love to hear who inspires you? Art Wolfe is a great artist whom brought inspiration from classic painters. It's in that approach you'll notice many of his images are far from this engineering/technical/scientific and not so fun perfectionist approach, which feels more like a job... While I think both are good, I think viewers should be reminded that imperfections, just like in personality, bring uniqueness to photography. Personally what I've seen from most photographers is that they get instilled in them this perfectionist/engineering approach, and the images they make, while maybe technically perfect, begin to look very common and/or you see the same compositions repeated; I see this in where I live as seemingly everyone flocks to the same viewpoints for that "checklist" shot. Some of the most fun/inspirational images most have taken were unique images they found, not ones they saw and went to replicate. I do understand the benefit in knowing "how" to make technically great images, but I think we need to keep this hobby and "art" as fun as well. Like many trends in art, things tend to go in cycles... Just a different perspective and reminder to have FUN with it!!! I'd encourage anyone that wants a "breath of fresh air" to look at some of Art Wolfe's teachings and take a painting or drawing course. It makes a big difference and will make you an even better photographer and "artist".

[@tobiasyoder]

i think you ought to understand that this video is about a very specific topic and not about some all-encompassing photography philosophy or supposed to be covering every tiny detail about lenses such as the 'copy variation' you brought up. This video is about helping people understand how different apertures affect an image so that people can effectively achieve whatever effect they want. At no point does mark ever indicate that there is a perfect depth of field or that every should always be tack sharp from front to back, in fact he is explaining pretty much the opposite.

[@vishypai7554]

Can relate to what you explain, Mark. Took me an year to figure it out before I had my own in-the-field workflow when photographing: 1) Visualisation without camera/Finding the composition(s). 2) Frame for the visualised image in the view finder/ LCD screen which includes selecting the Focal Length and therefore the lens. 3) Select the F/Stop based on the DOF I want to capture the visualised image based on Focal Length and Lens capability 4) where to focus to get the desired DOF ( also very critical) 5) Set exposure ( ETTR without blowing out the highlights or RGB, Shoot in RAW) 6) Make the image. 7) Carefully check the histogram and the image to make sure you have the desired results. Photographing has been so much more fun since I adopted this workflow.

[@stevelink3]

Hi Mark. Good video and commentary as always! One thing I thought you might mention, is that when you use a lens' "sweet spot" such as f/11, if instead of focusing on Infinity, focus at the hyperfocal distance, usually about 1/3 into the scene. This way, the DOF is maximized, and I find that most of my landscape images have sharp focus from foreground to Infinity, again as you said, provided that foreground objects aren't "too" close to the lens. Works for me! Thanks!

[@jancurtis7827]

Discussion of hyper-focalization is worth highlight. Focus off infinity but allow it to be captured through use of higher f-stop.

[@rnavarrete1956]

I remember the old days of manual focus when hyper focal distance was clearly marked on our lenses. Not so much these days.

[@jancurtis7827]

@@rnavarrete1956 True but the principle can still be applied.

[@paulhendershott667]

I always feel better to shoot a scene sometimes with various settings if time permits along with various focus points... I also have a pretty good idea where the sweet spots are for the 3 lenses I use the most. Unlike film where I used to waste a lot of money shooting too many similar images, now I waste far too much time occasionally culling through 400 pictures instead of 60, which is still a cost in time... which is often money as well!

[@nate_thenotso_great]

Shooting with manual focus and focus peaking have really helped to visualize how much is in focus at which aperture.

[@HGQjazz]

Many photographers simple don't understand that every setting is a compromise and that it prioritizes one thing at the expense of another. Thanks for the insight Mark!

[@cantkeepitin]

So you think all photographers are eather stupid or ignorant?

[@HGQjazz]

@@cantkeepitin No "all", but "many".

[@timothylatour4977]

@@cantkeepitin Take it easy. What about beginners? These videos are generally aimed at beginners and casual shooters, not experienced photographers.

[@alanashenfarb9543]

I started using higher setting a few months ago… love the depth and clarity in my shots. Listening to Mark and viewing his shots pushed me to try… and so I did.

[@cainmh]

Good review of aperture. People should also be aware of the affect of focal length on depth of field. At 18mm or lower it is hard to get anything out of focus the depth of field is so large.

[@cyberwaste]

My wife recently bought a relatively nice Fuji camera. I've been trying to teach her the basics of the exposure triangle, but she continues to just wind the aperture dial to get the right exposure. Her camera is pretty good for aperture priority jpegs, in fact, I'd say because of its size and weight, it's better than my Z6 for just walking around, so I'll continue to teach her.

[@mortenthorpe]

Ummm... for most lighting conditions, not too extreme (in this case, extremely dark), I’d strongly advise you and your wife to set aperture and shutter speed as you see fit for the right result, and then vary the ISO to get a proper exposure (for jpeg, exposure needs to match whatever result you want in the end, for raw, expose to the right, without blowing out the highlights)... so basically control the auto-iso using the exposure compensation, while having aperture and shutter speed locked down.

[@riothero313]

Another issue to consider is that the closer things are to you that you are focused on the smaller the depth of field will be. Also the longer the focal length lens the smaller the DOF will be.

[@Clint_the_Audio-Photo_Guy]

I'm an aperture priority shooter...for 27 years now. I always think in apertures first. That said, there's some truth to the old adage "F/8 and be there". F/8 is like home, unless you have a different specific depth of field need or for artistic vision. Otherwise, F/8 is your sharpest, most reliable aperture to be in. Start with F/8, then ask "Do I need more or less depth of field, or do I want a longer or shorter shutter speed?", If so, then you're going to need to adjust. Fast primes can be their best a little earlier, like F/5.6, but zooms generally will peak at F/8. Once past f/11, you're destroying your sharpness with diffraction, so you'll want to have a pretty good idea of why you wanted to do that, first. Portraits, go bigger (One stop from wide open is usually great for one subject, and stop down back to f/8 for group shots. Modern lenses can hit wide open a lot better than they used to, but one stop down will still give you improvements. Also, the larger the format, the smaller the aperture can go before diffraction sets in. People used to shoot 4x5 View cameras at F/32 all the time.

[@SandeepSharma-ri3bx]

Nicely explained. Request u to continue further withe type of shouldn't say small but we Photographers ignore most of the time.this is the fact we ignore small things keeping sometimes exposer sharpness etc.in our mind. Thanks.

[@jeremybuscay]

Great info Mark! I was shooting sunrise a few months back and wanted a starburst just as the sun was coming up between a gap in some mountains. I shot the photo at f/22 and then proceeded to exposure stack for my foreground. Once I brought everything in to LR & PS I was unhappy with my focus. A few weeks later I went to the same spot and shot sunrise again, this time working as quickly as possible, I shot the sun at f/22 and then shot my foreground at f/11 and bracketed. Making sure to block the sun with my hand to avoid lens flare. All of this came from knowing what I wanted out of my end result and then figuring out a solution. The photo still came out like dog doo in the end as my composition skills are still lacking, but learning is a part of the process.

[@yoitskimpoy2626]

Love it! I went out with some fellow togs and we all have different styles of shooting. I love depth in my photos so I use lower aperture whilst my other fellow togs are using higher aperture. There's no right or wrong in photography it's just the way we visualise images in our brain :)

[@andgiio6544]

Yeah, thanks. I came a cross a term that i didn't know of, but i had figured out a metod, by testing my way forward on focus, and focus points to what's sharp and not. But the term is hyperfocus, as a tip Danny, DOF calculator is quite good, and has Hyperfocus as well. Is on known App stores. Hyperfocus is landscape term, to maximize the focus in your image at a given F-stop/focal length and some more parameters about sensor size and so forth, its wort the effort to understand

[@StarlordStavanger]

Not a photography expert but my takeaways from the video sound like: 1. Know your Lenses sharpest aperture, every lens has their own unique sharpress, some at f/5.6, some at f/11, generally softer on the f/1.2 & f/22 side 2. Invest in some focus stacking techniques when given the opportunity to have that "everything in focus" look, dependant on the situation of course, so not always necessary 3. We don't make mistakes, we have happy accidents 4. Know your light meter! 5. Try to know your shots before, during, and after to make things easier for post production 6. Lens Stranger, You're in Danger, aka don't forget Step 1! 7. Bonus Step: Sometimes shoot in various different settings for experimentation ie. photo is great at f/5.6, but shoot it in f/1.2 and f/16 or 22 just in case to give yourself more options in post. Lovely video btw, subscribed to the channel, keep up the great work! Fujifilm X-T4 user here :)

[@86BBUB]

Never heard of a lens that's best at f/11. Examples?

[@watchdogu.s.a.8973]

To help understand f numbers: f/1.4, f/2.8, f/22, etc. are ratios of the lens opening size (aperture) in relation to the focal length of the lens. At f/2 the aperture opening would be 1/2 the size of the focal length, f/8 is 1/8, and f/22 would be 1/22. So... f=focal length and the number following is the size of the opening. A "fast" lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8, for instance, will be much bigger around (larger barrel and glass lens elements) based on the focal length of the lens than a lens that has a maximum aperture of, say, f/5.6. Smaller numbers = larger openings and, since it is a ratio, the actual physical opening size of f/1.8 would be much larger on a lens with a 100mm focal length than on a lens with a focal length of 24mm. Just like our eyes, larger apertures (think about your eye iris) let in more light while reducing the depth of field (the distance that is in focus).

[@HR-wd6cw]

Lately, when I want deep DOF (like everything in focus front to back) I've just been using f/8 and focus stacking in post for the best results. Yes I'm sure you could use f/16 in many cases, but in my experience, I've gotten better results by focus stacking (a bit more work, but PS makes it quite easy to do, and does a pretty good job overall -- generally only have to tweak a little afterwards) but I've been more pleased with my deep DOF images using this approach (I'd even do this over using the in-camera focus shift shooting, which is meant to aid in shooting for focus stacking later; but I prefer to do this manually still). I think the biggest makes I've made is not using the wrong aperture, but rather focusing in the wrong place given the aperture (and the composition). This is sort of why I started do focus stack -- was because it was a bit more forgiving I guess and I felt it gave me sharper images front to back for when I wanted deep DOF with everything in focus, although a bit more work behind the camera and in post). (I have sort of started avoiding f/16 though, as I did test my lenses, and f/11 is about the limit I found that I would consider to be tack sharp for most of them -- and this is true of many lenses; although on fast primes, this may be f/5.6 and not necessarily f/8, but on most of my zooms, f/8 to f/11 is the sweet spot and works great with focus stacking -- sharp images because the lens is at it's sharpest aperture, and it also means I can cover more depth for each shot, so Ican take fewer shots to get the whole scene in sharp focus (usually on a "deep" scene I can do anywhere from 3-5 shots and have everything in focus). That being said, I don't always stick to f/11 or f/8. That's usually when I want deep DOF. For shallower DOF I obviously just choose the aperture I feel will convey the scene the way I want it and also depends on how close the closest subject is to the camera. Sometimes that can mean shooting at f/2.8 or f/5.6 or even f/8 if I want the background a bit out of focus with something in the foreground close the camera, but not totally blurred out (the background).

[@thothheartmaat2833]

that first picture you took at f11 you focused on the closest thing to you which kills your depth of field. if you focus at infinity almost everything will be in focus. even if youre only using f4.. i forgot. check out a focal length vs aperture table and se how far the focus needs to be to be in infinity. its almost any aperture and any focal length outside of a certain range.

[@stuartschaffner9744]

I'm no fancy photographer, but I have a lot of miles on my odometer and thought I would share some tips. First, as Ansel Adams used to emphasize, you usually want your blackest blacks in an image to just show the tiniest bit of detail. That gives caves, crevices, and underbrush a sense of depth. The same for your whitest whites. Digital cameras produce what looks like blocks of featureless white plastic in images that are saturated or "blown out". Featureless white plastic doesn't occur in natural scenes so the viewer knows something is wrong. If you are using Lightroom or something similar, adjust the histogram as the first step in the development process. Adjust the black setting just above total black and the white setting just below saturated white. Then adjust the shadows slider so you can just see into the dark areas and the highlights slider so you can just see some detail in the brightest areas. Finally, adjust the exposure slider to make the midtones what you want. Wash, rinse, repeat if necessary until the entire histogram is balanced. ONLY THEN start playing with clarity, saturation, and all of that. It gets complicated, but Mark is quite right about diffraction blur being important if you stop a lens down below f/11 or so. However, I would claim that it has a lot more to do with the size of the sensor and the number of pixels than on the lens itself. Still, the easiest way to figure all this out is to do some experiments with your own gear, as Mark suggests. If you look at Mark's images at high f/numbers, you will see not only softness but also a haze over the dark areas. This is called flare and even by itself makes images look out of focus. Again, thanks for the good tips.

[@DesertCookie]

Here's an ISO-related mistake I have made: I produced a short movie with friends, recording everything with my FujiFilm X-T3. We shot in FLog at ISO 640 as that was the lowest for Log. A few weeks after the project I saw a pal2tech video testing the Fuji ISO performance and found out that my camera has two amplifiers. Stepping up one step to ISO 800 would've yielded me a lot less image noise and that little bit of better low light performance we would've needed without professional lighting in some cases. Safe to say, the next project I'll be shooting with ISO 800 as, at least in photos, the difference is quite noticeable.

[@parttimehuman]

pal2tech should really be on Fuji's payroll at this point. So helpful.

[@bennn82]

Mark it would be great if you could do a video on putting this into practice in the field. Ie hyperfocal distance. My biggest struggle is trying to work out exactly where to focus in order to get best depth of field. Without getting out the hyperfocal distance calculator and a tape measure.

[@charleshuguley9903]

Use a prime lens and the depth of field ranges on the lens barrel.

[@robertwmoore]

Thanks for taking the time to show me how much adjusting the settings can make a difference.

[@shimmeringreflection]

At 13:27, I think focus stacking too (if a tripod is available). The trouble is the angle that the lens focuses at -- like a lengthening beam. The smaller the aperture (higher f-stop), the further apart the first and last objects become (so a greater distance overall), but this means while the rocks at eight feet away will be in focus at F4, they might not be at F11.

[@nickt8865]

Hands down this video puts aperture into perspective. When I first started I focused so much on my composition but then I became dissatisfied with what was or wasn't in focus. My screen doesn't have the best resolution so I wouldn't find out until I out it on the computer. Today I went out and came back with some I'm very happy with. Thank you!

[@ChrisShawIOM]

I did the same but will say that nailing composition techniques is a great way to start and then you apply the technical knowledge as you grow as a photographer. I too have been disheartened when reviewing the final images on a monitor but that just forced me to learn where I was going wrong. It’s all a learning curve, absolutely 🙂

[@mybobize]

I love that Sports Walkman on your desk! I have a couple cassette Walkman personal stereos myself.

[@xcn]

There is alot of information to soak in about these apertures, and it can sometimes be confusing knowing how to get a sharp image regarding to the distance the elements are placed within the frame of your photo. But i do know what aperture that gets the sharpest images from my lenses, so i just focus stack whenever im in doubt of how good the sharpness will be. If you have the option to do focus stacking in your post processing workflow, i will highly recommend to do so when you think your foreground is too close to your camera to get everything in focus in one exposure👍🏻

[@maesc2001]

Depends on whether you want deep focus or not. It’s a question of technique following intention.

[@charleshuguley9903]

Focusing at infinity will limit your foreground depth of field unnecessarily. A prime lens has depth if field ranges for depth of field at various apertures inscribed on the lens barrel. Using this feature will allow you to maximize your depth of field.

[@elcajondavid1]

I have now an old Nikon D-5200 and some of the best photos I have taken is when the camera is in full auto mode. I have tried different settings in the manual mode, but I have found camera takes great photos in the auto mode and if I want to change anything I can do so with a good photo editor after the picture has been taken. The same thing with videos, I also have a good video editor.

[@RichardBO9]

Great video, Mark. Focus peaking helps me dial in what aperture to use or whether I need to focus stack.

[@yildirimenes7756]

This is the most useful aducational video about aperture lesson on internet God Bless you Mr Mark thank you

[@AndyNormanPhotography]

Regarding 'mistake number five' it's worth remembering thatfocusing at infinity at a small aperture does not maximise depth of field. That's done by focusing at the hyperfocal distance, which is usually about one third of the way into the scene. I recognise that this is a bit advanced for this video, but I'm mentioning as the concept may be worth some of your viewers checking out. Good video though👏.

[@ivanfarkas9868]

Mark, I love your posts going Way Beyond the technical. I'm an old photographer and remember the days when the hyperfocal markings the right on the lens which made it easier to figure out depth of field. That was of course with manual focus.

[@NisiGirl911]

Great video! My biggest issue is trying to decide where to place my focal point to get as much in focus as possible.

[@digitaliphotography]

Another great video, Mark. I think we've all made these mistakes at some point. In my case I made most of these errors back in my film days, when mistakes cost a lot more. Only 36 shots on a roll of slide film, so any DOF error is much worse than just deleting a file in lightroom. Thank goodness for "Happy accidents"

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Excited to hear you enjoyed it Alan!

[@SirKenNorth]

My initial question is why do you want everything in focus? Might also be worth doing focus stacking if that is your goal

[@christopherbgriffith]

I had a similar thought. At f8 you could probably get away with only 2-3 shots to make a stack from reasonably close to infinity.

[@rannikkolainen_]

You might want to rewatch the. Mark never says he ALWAYS wants everything in focus. In a couple of examples he explicitly mentions that he did NOT want to have everything in focus, using the lens blur as a creative tool. As to focus stacking: a) It's a drag: might be fine if you really really want to make a particular one-off image the way you want, but doing that for every image is a postprocessing nightmare; b) Why do it in situations where you can apply your knowledge and get everything right in the field?

[@karpybmf]

Mark also mentioned focus stacking as an option :)

[@Helikopterpop]

@@rannikkolainen_ and then god invented the perspective control lens... then we dont need that computerized merged stacking magic bullshit that takes away the need of learning the cameras and the how tos. Photography nowadays is just like music, you dont have to learn a single chord to be able to let the computer make the music by drag and dropping samples and beats and so on. There is way to much computer bullshit involved with framing prints for the wall to impress the relatives and friends. A little bit like competing in the olympics with steroids. The cheaters win untill their bluff gets called.

[@StapediusReflex]

@@Helikopterpop ah yes, enter the sanctimonious “artist” who looks down on others and their art just because their methods don’t fall in line with his own, subjectively “better” ones.

[@harvymckiernan93]

Haha..yes,, lovely video. Brought back a few home truths and reminders. It's nice to realise it's not just me blundering through my photography journey. I can relate to all of this and yes, I still continue making mistakes and happy accidents. You can read up on this and theorize it to death. It's not until your alone In he elements, marveled by a particular scene, the light is diminishing by the minute, your fighting the camera settings and you wished you could make sense of it all in that moment. The Art versus the science. An ongoing endeavour of understanding. For the camera, my lightbulb moment was discovering hyper focal distancing. For the Art side, understanding foreground interest and telling a story through the light and composition

[@carolynvines2027]

Funny that this title showed up in recommended videos pretty much immediately after I decided that I wanted to experiment with sticking to the shutter speed I know I need and getting a little risky with the aperture and ISO. I like landscape photography; but I'm looking for vast improvement of the sharpness in my action images at dog parks. I keep getting soft focus and I believe it's because I'm underexposing. I started being more accurate with my exposure, but I sacrificed on shutter speed because I was afraid to widen my aperture and increase ISO any more than I already had. I think that I'm still going to experiment with a riskier aperture; but you've inspired me to find the sweet spots on my 70mm - 300mm zoom lens.

[@FlatWaterFilms]

I shoot mostly landscape in sunny days with a circular polarizing filter on a f/4 lens. I'm shooting between f/4 (darker areas behind the sun) to f/7.1. About the slowest shutter speed I can handle hand held is 1/30 for stationary objects close by. At about 100mm I'll go normally to 1/320 max. One trick I learned which I use from time to time is zoom all the way in on the farthest away object you want in focus, then adjust the barrel to your needs. Everything will be in focus then. I've found Av with auto ISO works best for me, keeping it under 600. I shoot in RAW only. f/11 to f/16 I've used on the tripod.

[@andywilk38]

Great video and good to be reminded about giving proper consideration to camera settings for each shot, rather than getting stuck in a rut of complacency. Absolutely, have the end in mind, the ‘obstacles’/other factors to overcome, or embrace e.g. movement in the frame, before setting up the camera I use hyperlocal length/distance to maximize depth of field. Plenty of Apps to do the calculations. You might end up pushing the ISO, if there’s movement requiring a faster shutter speed, but most of the time with landscapes one is using a wide angle/short focal length lens, which will work to your advantage. I employ hyperfocal length/distance for all my interior shoots, but then I’m using a tripod, low ISO and long shutter speed. Focus stacking works extremely well, too.

[@buyaport]

Thanks a lot for sharing. Fun fact: Canon's latest film cameras EOS3 and EOS1v have a DEP mode (besides M, A, T, and P): You point the autofocus to the nearest point you want in focus, press the shutter, then do the same thing for the farthest point you want in focus, and then take the picture. Works like a charm for situations, where you want to blur out a bit of the foreground or the background. Maybe they or another camera manufacturer will bring it back again (like the eye-control of the EOS3).

[@CannonRaw]

Not quite sure how common this feature is. But with my Canon DSLRs there is a small button on the left side that lets you preview the image at the aperture you've selected. Also you mentioned the light meter process. That's a great start after you've become accustomed to it. Use the histogram as it will tell how much of the light is usable in post for burning and dodging.

[@ksnmurthy4476]

Fantastic demonstration with the scenes and there justification.💐👍

[@annerichard788]

It is important I think to find the hyperfocal if you want everything in focus, and where you focus might be as important as the aperture chosen. The tools that help you with depth of field are easy to use.

[@hzubovi1]

For close to infinity focus in landscapes I would close down the aperture as much as I can before diffraction kicks in, if you have subjects in a frame that are close to the camera you can use a wider aperture depending on your personal preference. Always be aware of how many foreground or background elements are comprising your image. The key to good composure is a good balance of both especially if you are using an open aperture.

[@huxcry78]

In some scenarios, maybe it would be useful to merge two images, each one focused on a different critical point of the scene. Thank you for this video !

[@NightfallMedia]

Recently I have started doing this and have seen a lot of success. Referencing Mark's other videos of simplicity, I find myself taking a lot of stacks or as you mentioned two exposures to merge.

[@photosbyadamclarke]

The Lens Stranger is particularly a great suggestion. Have some research/testing to do this weekend. Thanks Mark!

[@jorisbohnson8530]

Most lens reviews I have seen say F8 is the sweetspot, so I start with that, but focus is king and that includes depth of field and movement from grass etc, oh and having amazing views which is one part lacking where I live.

[@Abhinav183]

Great video! I remember taking aperture seriously for the first time when I was shooting sun’s rays one evening. I realized that I had opened a whole new world for myself to explore. Thanks for good content.

[@mikekinney1369]

Truly beautiful Kim you have come a long ways on your photographic journey. Happy Holidays

[@swmight]

I like your examples of the way aperature effects DOF and I definitely have made all the mistakes you point out, but I think a lot of this problem can be solved by using an app giving you the correct hyperfocal distance, so you don't have to do as much experimenting. PhotoPills or DOF are 2 that quickly come to mind. Still love all of your videos though.

[@ForrestWest]

This is some highly concentrated information with lots of good stuff in there! Usually you'll have to watch several different videos to get this much help. Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge with us. Be safe and happy shooting out there!

[@jeremyjs8863]

oooh, this is good. Delivery, presence, authenticity. I’m in

[@jean-guyhuot7869]

As usual interesting vlog but I think you didn't go to much into hyper-focal length and thus were to put the focal point in relation with the f/stop used for a desired result. Keep up the good work 😉👍

[@charmerci]

You are right about hyperfocal distance.

[@keithgalpin]

Thanks for the video Mark, I’m a beginner Photographer here in Arizona & I mostly shoot in A mode. Your explanation of the differences in F stops was excellent....The, “keeping the end in mind” was very inspirational to me. Something I’ll definitely keep in mind moving forward 👍

[@KevinGulbransen]

Great video Mark. Really hit some problem spots and helped a lot. Cheers

[@nielsv2025]

Great video. Maybe it is in the 367 remarks down here but I do miss you mentioning the relationship between the focal point of the lens used and the aperture. It is very important to realize this.

[@tmewborn1]

Excellent Teaching Video, Thank You very much for your excellent detailed Video.

[@PINACI]

Photo stack foreground, middle ground and background.

[@thewaywardbuccaneer6125]

Awesome tips/pointers there Mark, I will have to remember these when I'm out and about ;)

[@fredericsoumier8096]

may be you've explained it in a previous video that i've missed. No matter witch aperture you choose, how depth of field is distributed ? Always one third forward and two thirds backward from your focus point. Sorry for my english and hope it can be helpfull. Thanks for sharing your experience AND your mistakes

[@peterknight9873]

One things that I do lens calibration for every lens. I have a Datacolor Lens Calibration chart. Camera and LensCal Chart on tripod min 5 m apart. Larger primes and Zooms 10 m apart. And I do this at different F-stops.... It has helped me to dial in the focus for each lens... Out of the box is a generic calibration.

[@MrDubicz]

Dear Mark. Thank you for a wonderful lesson of working properly with an aperture. It is a great pleasure to learn from you

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thanks so much!

[@ControlTouchMaster]

Luckily I never listened to other photographers. Every time I photograph, I use different aperture, exposure compensation and distance settings to see what works best.

[@roberthennessey128]

Thanks Mark....I definitely start at F11...then work from there on the composition..either up or down on the aperture. Your right on finding the sweet spot on the lens..for sure. I generally shoot AP.

[@glennwebster6344]

Still enjoying your videos. I will sometime look at a depth of field app to show me what should be in focus, and also help determine where the hyper focal distance is. If we want to ensure the foreground is in focus while having distant subjects appear to be in focus, we should not be focusing at infinity. I generally switch to manual focus and utilize focus peaking to help me see what is in focus. My 12mm Rokinon is great in that I just pull it a bit back from infinity at F11 to ensure a large depth of field. Still, like you indicate there are times where we don’t want everything in focus. That’s the tough thing to figure out.

[@TerryWaggoner]

I always enjoy your videos and hearing your perspective.

[@jimwlouavl]

Good tips and a good example of why the photography learning curve is steep. Lots and lots of compromises.

[@tonyfazio575]

Love the flip phone and Walkman. Great video!

[@timothylatour4977]

First thing I noticed. Pretty cool.

[@pm1Chh]

And another great video. Thank you. Knowing to set your aperture for me is the most chalenging thing in photography.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Glad to hear the video was helpful Brano!

[@Henry30065]

Excellent video Mark. I always learn something from your videos. Thank you. Alun

[@wildzenventures]

All good info! I really struggle with this, but do agree that's it's often a personal choice depending on what end result you're shooting for.

[@SubjectDelta9]

Another GREAT video! I so much appreciate the information as a student that struggles with Aperture and the best way to work with ISO and shutter speed together. I've heard from few people that I should not worry much with ISO and when possible is always safe to keep it at 80. Do you have anything to say or add about that? Thanks again for the time well spent. You are a Great teacher and I do appreciate your teaching style.

[@raphaelcoelho1557]

Perfect. I just dont see any difference to shutter speed. Both should be decide based on the result I want. Then, I check how to use the other one and iso. And the other two would tell me if I need a tripod or focus stacking or increase distance to hyperfocal distance. That is why we have the automatic modes as Apperture or Speed PRIORITY. Meaning your composition should be attached to one of them as a priority.

[@mfparkison]

I read a comment awhile back where someone compared you to Bob Ross and I have to agree. Nice touch adding a clip of him to this video...well played, man.

[@brucedelorme5026]

Share the same mistakes? All the time. Beginner and still learning but loving it. Yes, I make this simple mistake and usually its becuse I am in a hurry to catch the light. I have learned to set up way early enjoy my coffee so I'm not hurrying to catch the light and I focus stack much more. Great VLOG

[@dsigetich]

Thanks, Mark. You sparked the idea for me to take the same picture at different f-stops for all my lenses. Interesting results. Most of my lenses are sharp at other than the largest and smallest f-stops, but my Canon 100mm. macro and Canon's 24mm are pretty much sharp across all f-stops -- pixel peeping done. Thanks for the idea -- no more Lens Stranger.

[@CrueLoaf]

Some lenses have a zone focus guide printed on them which really helps to set the appropriate aperture.

[@jamesbrickert1301]

In Photography class, back in 1972 at East Los Angeles College, they had a saying of "f8 and be There!"

[@coreyblaser]

❤️ That was a quote from Weegee, one of the most important photographers in history.

[@jamesbrickert1301]

@@coreyblaser 👍👍 Makes sense. There was a 16X20 framed photo of him in the classroom. As I recall, he had a wacky expression on his face, stubby cigar in his mouth and holding a 4X5 Speed Graphic! I believe our senior instructor knew him personally. Good Times! 😃😃

[@tkermi]

@@n5sdm Yeah, nowadays that's only for very basic photojournalism, usually for a reporter who also takes the photos but lacks in photographic skills. I don't think any decent photojournalist uses that anymore.

[@willsimpsonphoto]

Awesome video! Its amazing how many things are effected by one setting. A lot of people dont know that Aperture/Fstop does all that.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Glad you enjoyed it Will!

[@lorlooney1520]

Great Video, I like down in aperture (narrow) and low in iso to practice controlling lighting for portraits etc.

[@digitalinked]

Great info. That is why I love shooting on a tripod. When in doubt, focus stack.

[@JohnChubbSr]

Thanks, Mark, for this eye-opener. I'm sort of at the point where I'm guilty of them all.

[@gordonbarbay750]

Great video and topic. Correct use of aperture can be confusing. The only suggestion I would have would be for you to say what you do differently today on those images you showed where you pointed out the areas where you were not satisfied.

[@michaelmcculloughphotograp8571]

As usual, good job Mark. I like the way you explain things.

[@tkermi]

Exposure is important but I only adjust it with ISO or ND filter. You can't really use aperture or shutter speed for that because they interfere the creative intent (well, you have some leeway of course).

[@davesutherland9995]

Super informative and thought-provoking. I have checked my lens for the "good" focus settings like you recommended, thanks.

[@randyk1919]

Great tutorial! Infinity focus + proper aperture selection is fine for many photos, of course, but setting the farthest-most element to the *hyperfocal distance* for your given f-stop is more flexible and often better, as it can allow wider apertures while still keeping everything in focus (AND allows for higher shutter speeds to combat camera shake).

[@garethwilliams976]

Thanks for this contribution. I was wondering when this would be raised in the tutorial but it wasn't. Sadly most photographers don't understand using Hyperfocal distance and waste so much of the available depth of field. Sadly also that lens manufacturers now often put no depth of field scale on their lenses. Sad too that photographers use autofocus for everything even when manual focus is more appropriate.

[@panhandlejake6200]

AGREE - and there are useful apps available that will help determine min / max focus ranges for your camera & lens focal length at the desired aperture.

[@deepotter6774]

Insightful as always, Mark. Thank you!

[@merlebecker8417]

Hey Mark - Tks again so much. I imagine that shortly, I will have more than enough "mistakes" to fill your bucket. Heading out very soon to the Smokys. Have not shot, as I mentioned earlier, in over a year. Been gorging on your videos to rebuild my memory with my Fuji's + yr. landscape/photo tips regarding ISO, Aperture, SS etc. Will take my compulsive notes with me for reference but most of all enjoy the experience in nature. Would love sometime to see short video on your Fuji settings if you get a spare moment.