Aperture low light and DOP explained

Exercise 1: Depth of Field (Blurry vs. Sharp Backgrounds)

What You Need: A camera with manual mode (or portrait mode on a phone) and a subject (a friend, a plant, or a cup).

1️⃣ Set your camera to Aperture Priority mode (A or Av mode).
2️⃣ Use a wide aperture (f/1.8 – f/2.8).

• Place your subject a few feet away from the background.
• Focus on your subject and take a photo.
• Notice how the background becomes blurry? That’s a shallow depth of field!

3️⃣ Now, use a narrow aperture (f/8 – f/16).

• Take the same photo again.
• See how the background is now sharper? That’s deep depth of field!

💡 Tip: If you’re using a phone, try portrait mode for the wide aperture effect and regular mode for a deeper depth of field.

Exercise 2: Low Light Photography

What You Need: A dimly lit room or evening outdoor setting.

1️⃣ Take a photo at f/1.8 or f/2.8 (if your lens allows it).

The image should look bright because the aperture lets in more light.
2️⃣ Now, switch to f/8 or f/11.

• The image will be much darker unless you adjust the ISO or shutter speed.

💡 Tip: Try the same test with your phone in low light—notice how portrait mode (which mimics a wide aperture) makes the image brighter?