9781422284971

“I know,” Colin admitted. “I used to think so, too. Most cameras today are simplified. Cam- eras, especially digital cameras, can automatically do all this thinking for you—choosing the aperture and shutter speed automatically. That’s why I really like learning about photography the old-fashioned way. It helps me understand the new technology even better.”

Get a cool blurring effect by leaving the shutter open longer.

F-stop The diameter, or distance across, the aperture is measured by an “f- number.” You might see numbers written as f2.0, f2.8, or f22—the small- er the f-stop number, the wider the aperture. That is because the formula for this is: f-number = focal length/diameter of aperture When changing the f-number, it is important to realize that f-numbers are spaced one “f-stop” apart. By moving one f-stop you either double or halve the amount of light the aperture lets in. Phone cameras usually won’t let you adjust this number, but full digital cameras often will. Experiment to find out how each f-stop move changes the pictures you take.

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