365 day 114 what is aperture | Calgary photographer

So you have this fancy camera..... now how to use it???
When I first started liking taking pictures I had a point and shoot film camera. It had one setting. AUTO. And I used that camera for years until it died. I took a zillion pics and was amazed at the panoramic pics I get with it!
Then about 6years ago Dion's mom gave us her old digital camera and wow I shocked at the settings.... then we got another one for signing up with Telus internet about 5 years ago. (and thinking about it now I have no clue what happened to that one... it must have died.)
Then I was given a Sony cybershot something er other (Ro has it right now I don't know the model number - I think it is DSC H10 or seomthing) which is an AMAZING point and shoot-but bigger-with SLR options.
That camera ROCKED and I learned a ton with it.
Then I got into SLR's. What a difference!! Then the learning really took off.

So you have a fancy camera. You can choose AP, SP, Manual, and prob some others.
We are going to SLOWLY delve into some tips on your camera. And I am not going to speak over the top professional because that's not how I roll.

Aperture.
a hole or an opening through which light travels.

All lenses have different apertures. Most kit lenses have variable. Which have their place... but are not my choice lens. I go for lenses that have wide apps and stay constant.  Apertures are described in f stops.

OK.... here goes. And I am going to base all examples and numbers on my 50 mm lens.
My 50 mm is a fixed focal lenght lens. The widest app is f1.4 and it goes to f16.

f1.4 is the widest my lens can open. This lets in the most light. It also has the least DOF (depth of field). Which means there is a sliver of a focal plane in the picture.
f16 is as closed up as this lens gets. It lets in the least amount of light and has the greated DOF. Which means there is a much larger focal plane in the picture.

Shooting wide open is my favorite. But it is the hardest to learn. If a head is tilted.. only one eye will be in focus. If the person moves... focus will fall wherever it lands... not where I put it. The focal plane is so small you need a steady hand, be quick clicking, and nail that shot. You must know your lens and how the plane of focus works.

Shooting closed up puts much more of your picture in focus.You have greated chance of success keeping moving subjects in focus.

This is just a brief intro.... I can't get it all done in one post... here are some examples.

This is at 1.4. Notice how small the plane of focus is. BUT ALL the markers are in focus. They are all on the focal plane.

Also at 1.4. Once again all the marker and across are in focus... but nothing else is!!

Same shot but at f16.  It is not all in focus... but it is much more in focus than the last shot.

End of part one of aperature. Chack your cameras... your point and shoots and SLR's.... if you have and AP setting (not sure what it is called in canon) YOU can pick the app and let the camera to the rest!