When I first got started, it took me some time to understand all the manual mode settings and how to choose the right ones to create the photo I pictured in my mind. Trust me, shooting in manual mode sounds a lot scarier than it actually is. Like anything, all it takes is a little patience and lots of practice!

If you’re already feeling a little nervous about having to learn all this new stuff at once, don’t fret my friend! I’ve split up this blog post up into three bite sized parts to make it easier for you to learn one setting at a time.

In this blog series I explain and describe the three main settings that complete the manual mode triangle. I also outline the relationship they have with each other and how they all affect the final image differently.

What IS the manual mode triangle? Well, when shooting in manual mode, you will first of all need to adjust the aperture, the ISO and the shutter speed. These three main settings complete the manual mode triangle, because they work together in order to create the perfect image.

Part 1 – Understanding aperture →

Part 2 – Understanding ISO

Part 3 – Understanding shutter speed

Understanding Aperture

First things first, the aperture. Also known as the ƒ/stop or ƒ/number.

If we’re choosing favourites, the aperture is definitely my number one. It’s what defines and helps me create my consistent style over many lighting situations. The aperture is also the first setting I will adjust when turning on my camera or arriving into a new location.

Before getting into the details of how the aperture will affect your image, let’s first understand what the aperture physically is. Aside from the lens barrel (the outer casing), a lens is made up of two main components: the glass elements and the iris (or diaphragm). The iris is what controls your aperture and is composed of a circular set of blades (typically 5 to 9 depending on the lens) that open and close to allow a certain amount of light into the camera.

The aperture size is measured in ƒ/stops and refers to the size of the hole or opening created by the iris.

Simply put, a wider opening allows for more light, and a smaller opening allows for less light. Think of your eyes or your cats’s eyes. When it’s super super bright outside, the pupil (which can be compared to the aperture) will be very small, but if you’re in a dark room, your pupils will grow and open up, allowing for the maximum amount of light to enter and hit the retina (or your camera’s sensor in this comparison).

The aperture opening or size is measured in ƒ/stops. The smaller the f/stop number, the larger the opening and the larger the ƒ/stop number, the smaller the opening.

The aperture also has a direct impact on the depth of field. Depth of field is the size of the area of your image that will be in focus or appear sharp. The smaller your aperture is, the shallower your depth of field becomes, meaning less of your image will be in focus.

Depth of field is also a big factor why I chose to shoot with wide apertures. I personally prefer images when my couple or subject appears to be popping off the background, and I can achieve this with a wide aperture!

Notice the differences between these three images.