Blur The background

Get to Grips with F-Stop

Workshop Summary:

In this workshop we’ll be looking into the mechanics of your lens, such as aperture and how it affects your photos. We'll start by locating the aperture setting on your specific camera model, so you know exactly where to find it and how to adjust it confidently. You'll learn what the F-number actually means and how it controls depth of field—determining what's sharp and what's beautifully blurred in your photos.

Through hands-on practice with your own camera, you'll experiment with different aperture settings and see firsthand how they transform your images. We'll set up scenes featuring foreground, midground, and background elements, allowing you to visualize how aperture affects focus. You'll also discover how aperture impacts exposure and learn to balance it with your other camera settings.

By the end of this session, you'll be able to confidently adjust your aperture to create the exact look you want—whether that's a sharp landscape or a portrait with dreamy background blur. This could be the missing piece that takes your photography to the next level.

Topics Covered:

• Finding and adjusting aperture/F-stop on your camera

• Understanding what F-numbers mean and how they work

• Controlling depth of field to blur or sharpen backgrounds

• Checking your lens capabilities and maximum aperture

• Balancing aperture with exposure settings

Featured Artist: Annie Leibovitz - Known for her stunning portrait work using selective focus