Photogirl17 Loc: Glenwood, Ark.

"Shoot Wide Open"
So what is involved with shooting wide opened? Well, one simple setting on your exposure triangle – set the aperture on your lens to the biggest one you've got. If you aren't sure what that is, look at the image below. There are numbers on the barrel of your lens, usually right after the focal length in mm, that show the maximum aperture for your lens.

Notice the lens on the left shows 1:1.8. What that means is the maximum (or largest) aperture this lens can produce is f/1.8. That's a nice large aperture capable of some great bokeh and background blur. Now look at the one on the right, see how it shows 1:2.8-4, a range. That means this lens has a range of maximum apertures from f/2.8 to f/4. HUH? Did I just lose you?

Let me explain. Many zoom lenses do not have one maximum aperture across their entire zoom range. Only the really high-end expensive ones (Canon's L-series with the coveted red line, or Nikon's gold line) have a constant aperture, but they come with a hefty price tag. So most mid-range and kit lenses have a maximum aperture that varies as you zoom in. This lens is a 17-35mm and at 17mm (the widest) it can go to f/2.8, but if you zoom in to 35mm, the best it can do at that focal length is f/4.

What lens and setting to pick?
So what does all that mean? Just know that to use the largest aperture you need the smallest f-number. Read: How to use Depth of Field for more info on understanding aperture. So to do this challenge I recommend:
Select a lens that has f/2.8 or f/4 as the maximum aperture if you have one. If you have a 35mm or 50mm f/1.8, even better, use it!
Alternately if you don't have one that goes that large for the aperture, use a lens that zooms longer. So if you have an 18-135mm that goes from f/3.5-5.6 use that, but at the longer end (closer to the 135mm) not the wider (18mm) end. It is harder to get shallow depth of field using a wide lens. So for this exercise pick a longer than normal (50 or greater) lens.
Set your camera to aperture priority (and auto ISO if you have it).
Set your aperture to the biggest one you've got (smallest number).

What to Shoot..
Still life (non-alive) objects and details
Macro subjects (read: The Ultimate Guide Macro Photography for help with that)
Pets
People or portraits
Nature
Bokeh backgrounds
Get shooting.

Demo

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1/400 sec. F1.8 50mm ISO/100

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1/500 sec. F1.8 50mm ISO/100

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1/2500 sec. F/1.8 50mm Iso/100

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1/8000 sec. F1.8 50mm ISO/100

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RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

When do I shoot wide open?
Subject isolation - blurr out the background.
Lighting conditions - low light and no tripod may mean you have to shoot wide open.
Esthetic reasions - (mainly to burr the foreground and background).
Pics to came.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Good start.

OutdoorOldie

Pets
People or portraits
Nature
Bokeh backgrounds
Get shooting.[/quote]

Thank you for this.It will help many of the novices here,including me. Very informative and written in a manner that is easily understandable.
Thanks again!
annie

Photogirl17 Loc: Glenwood, Ark.

Thanks for that addendum Richard..Looking forward to your shares.

Photogirl17 Loc: Glenwood, Ark.

Thanks Richard..

Photogirl17 Loc: Glenwood, Ark.

Thank you for this.It will help many of the novices here,including me. Very informative and written in a manner that is easily understandable.
Thanks again!
annie[/quote]

So glad to hear it was understandable Annie, looking forward to your participation.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

It's late afternoon on the 22nd here.
These are from the archives and low light shooting.

#1 is from a vactation - I do not take a tripod along on a vacation.

#2 During a classical concert rehearsal - hand held.

More to come.
Feel free to ask any questions.
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#1 - 1/15 @ f/4 (wide open) ISO 1600 (native maxixmum) F=24mm (35mm FOV terms)

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#2 - 1/50 @ f/2.8 (wide open) ISO 12,000 F=300mm (in 35mm FOV terms)

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RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

These illustrate subject isolation and estetic considerations.

#1 A busy city street in bright sunshine..

#2&3 are purely artistic.

Feel free to ask any questions.
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#1 1/1600 @ f/2 (wide open) and ISO 100. F=~200mm (in 35mm FOV terms)

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#2 - 1/200 @ f/5.6 (wide open) and F=~600mm ( in 35mm FOV terms)

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#3 - 1/1600 @ f/2 (wide open) ISO 200 and F=~ 200mm (in 35mm FOV terms)(

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Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

Thanks Lesley

GiGiMac103 Loc: Garden State

Thanks for hosting Lesley and for the great explanation! This is going to be a learning experience for me! Went out on our property this morning and shot a lot. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but everything looks BRIGHT WHITE on the camera. I'll be back shortly with a few.

dougbev3 Loc: Pueblo, Colorado

I just shot this at a baseball game.

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

Shot some today in our yard.

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photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

GiGiMac103 Loc: Garden State

OK here we go.....thanks Rufe for the offer of assistance, I may need it!! I posting out of camera and pp. I welcome all critiques as I am at a loss as to what I'm doing wrong.

The only lens I have is the 18-55mm kit lens that came with my old D3000.

Camera Nikon D7100; 1/30 sec f/3.5 18mm with ISO on AUTO.

out of camera

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out of camera

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