Today, this task helped me understand how different f-stop settings affect depth of field in photography. By experimenting with low, mid, and high f-stops, I could see how focus changes depending on the aperture setting.
Learning about the aperture and the depth of field allowed me to understand the correct situations to use the settings and what scenarios would suit them best.
A low f-stop creates a shallow depth of field, making the background blurry while keeping the subject in focus. This is a common technique in sports photography, where the goal is to highlight a single player whilst having no distractions.
The second image showed a nice medium, meaning that people in the background have more specific detail to them, however not taking all the attention from the main centre piece. This experiment helped me realise how mid-range f-stops are useful for storytelling, as they provide more background detail while maintaining subject emphasis.
Finally the third image, taken at f.16, showed how a high f-stop results in everything being in focus. Unlike the previous shots, every detail, walls, lights, and people – had equal visual importance. This technique is useful for landscape and architectural photography, where capturing all elements clearly is essential. Mostly used for captivating serious moments such as war or desolate places.
Photographic Journalism 