How do aperture and shutter speed work together in photography?

How do aperture and shutter speed work together in photography?

Aperture and shutter speed are both crucial for exposure. Aperture controls the amount of light entering the lens, while shutter speed determines how long the sensor is exposed to that light.

Can you explain how changing one affects the other?

Sure! If you open the aperture (lower f-stop), more light enters, so you can use a faster shutter speed to avoid overexposure. Conversely, if you close the aperture (higher f-stop), you'll need a slower shutter speed to let in enough light.

What about the impact on depth of field?

Great question! A wider aperture (lower f-stop) creates a shallow depth of field, blurring the background, while a narrower aperture (higher f-stop) increases depth of field, keeping more of the scene in focus.

How do I decide which settings to use for a portrait?

For portraits, a wider aperture (like f/2.8) is often ideal to achieve that beautiful background blur, while using a shutter speed fast enough to avoid motion blur, typically around 1/125s or faster.