Let’s talk about those weird letters on top of your mode dial today! The mode dials that have auto mode on them have nice little pictures to help you guess, and we all know the M stands for Manual. But what about all those other letters? They DO actually function in different ways. Let’s talk about Aperture priority mode!
Do you ever wish you could just make that playroom mess disappear? (That’s rhetorical, I know you wish that.)✨🤣 Well, if you aren’t confident in manual mode, I have a way for you to practice adjusting your depth of field!
What is aperture priority mode?
The aperture priority mode is set by turning your mode dial (usually on the top of your camera) to the Av (Canon) or A (Nikon, Sony). It is basically a hybrid mode between auto and manual.
This mode allows you to input what aperture you would like your camera to use, but allow your camera figure out the shutter speed value required to create a properly exposed image. This is great if you don’t have a full-grasp on using manual mode, but know you want the effect created by a wide or narrow aperture for your image. You also have to input the ISO value you would like, or select AUTO ISO to give the camera more control.
What does the aperture do?
Your aperture is the diaphragm opening in your lens that helps control the amount of light getting in. The measurement for aperture is called F-stops. This setting adjusts a particular creative effect in your image.
What creative effect does aperture have on your image?
The aperture F-stop you enter controls the depth of field (DoF) in your image! The depth of field is basically the range of what can be in-focus in your image. In other words, how far you can clearly see into the image. The depth of field can be shallow or deep. A wide aperture creates a shallow depth of field, and a narrow aperture creates a deep depth of field. I have another post here that details the often desirable type of depth of field (ever heard of Bokeh?)!
When should I use Aperture priority mode?
I think aperture priority mode is perfect to use when you are trying to learn how the aperture setting functions and how the different F-stops relate to changes in your depth of field. For example, if you want to blur the background of your image but aren’t sure how to make the other settings work, use the A/AV mode. Open your aperture as wide as possible and let your camera figure out what ISO and Shutter speed to use to properly expose your image!
What to learn MORE than aperture priority mode?
If this has your curiosity peaked and you want to learn more, consider checking out my online photography courses and sign up for my FREE photography education email list! 💖