When to use a large aperture?

Many photographer friends like to use a large aperture to create a shallow depth of field when shooting. The visual effect of blurring the background is obviously more impactful. But many times, it is not suitable to use shallow depth of field, otherwise the photographic language of the picture will be weakened. When should a large aperture be used?

1. Large scenery

Aperture can affect exposure, and it also plays a key role in depth of field. A large aperture can make the depth of field shallower, making the focus point clearer, while other parts of the picture are relatively blurry, which helps highlight the subject and streamline the picture. A small aperture can increase the depth of field, making objects that are not in the same focal plane in the entire picture clear from far to near. This method is often used when shooting landscapes without specific subjects.

2. Street photography

Many photographers like to shoot with a large aperture. Although this can emphasize the subject and produce a very dreamy bokeh, it often makes it impossible to tell where the shooting location is. From a certain perspective, this loses the meaning of street photography. Therefore, when taking street photography, please use a wide aperture depending on the situation.

3. City night scene

In dark light conditions, using a large aperture can also effectively increase the shutter speed. In conjunction with increasing the iso, the shutter speed can be increased, but when shooting city night scenes, When using a tripod and shutter release, you should use a small aperture, which is more conducive to expressing the grandeur of the city. Especially when shooting city lights, use a smaller aperture to capture starbursts.

4. Documentary photography

Documentary photography is somewhat similar to street photography, which also emphasizes using the environment to express the atmosphere and the meaning of the picture. But they are not exactly the same. Street photography is limited to the street environment, while documentary photography obviously includes more content, including the shooting of some news pictures. Therefore, documentary photography does not emphasize the photography of a single subject, but emphasizes its social and documentary nature. It is a kind of documentary shooting. Using a small aperture can obviously express more content and is more in line with the simple shooting technique.

5. Running water

When shooting running water, you might as well try a small aperture, because a small aperture can not only increase the depth of field, but also extend the exposure time. When photographing flowing water with a long exposure, the water flow will form a silky texture, which is very delicate, and it is also easier to express the texture of the rocks on the shoal. Of course, if you want to capture the splashing water that freezes instantly, you can use a large aperture, but the environment will be completely blurred, and the image with a small aperture will not be as durable as a small aperture image.