What is aperture in photography?

In the lens of a camera there is a set of blades that controls the light that enters the camera. These blades can be widened or narrowed down to create large or small hole, this is called ‘aperture’. When the aperture is wide-open it lets more light in to the camera making it possible to take pictures in lower light. Also your depth of field will be smaller.

So if you want a small depth of field in your camera, you need to lower your f-stop or aperture. This can be super useful if you’re taking portraits to create a nice bokeh and a nice soft background. You want to shoot with a higher f-stop or a small aperture if you’re taking pictures of landscapes. With a small aperture your will capture most of your photos as sharp as possible. The smaller your aperture is, the longer your shutterspeed is. Use a tripod or increase your ISO to shoot out of your hand.