Aperture Priority Mode (A, Av)
Setting of the Day: Aperture Priority + Auto ISO
The Setup: Switch your camera to Aperture Priority (A or Av).
Set your aperture to f/4.
Turn on Auto ISO with a max limit of 3200.
Why This Works: You lock in the depth of field and the camera handles the shutter speed. This is how most pros shoot 80% of the time. Not because they can’t use Manual… but because they want to work faster and think creatively, not mechanically.
🎯 Shoot This Today
Take three portraits of the same person (or any subject) with a nice background:
- f/4 — background melts away; the story is them
- f/8 — background soft but readable; the scene whispers along
- f/16 — everything sharp; a documentary feel
Bonus Exercise:
👉 Step closer to your subject (same aperture)
👉 Step farther back from your subject (same aperture)
That change in camera-to-subject distance does two big things:
- Depth of field tightens the closer you get
- Background compression shifts as you back away
(the background gets larger relative to the subject)
So you’ll see:
- f/4 close → razor-thin slice of focus
f/4 far → more of the scene sharpens up all without touching ISO, shutter speed, or aperture.
This proves that distance + aperture is the secret power combo behind every great portrait.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Aperture doesn’t just change depth of field (that silky background blur called bokeh). It changes the visual story your photo is telling.
🧠 The Truth
Your camera’s Auto ISO is smarter than you think.
Stop fighting it.
Master when to use which aperture, and you’ve unlocked 90% of creative photography.
SHOOT WHAT MATTERS!
