• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Homemade In The Kitchen

Small Batch Recipes and Recipes For Two Made From Scratch

Header Right

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

September 13, 2012

Understanding Aperture (A.K.A. How To Make Your Background Blurry)

Share this post → Email this to someone
email
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
Share on Yummly
Yummly


Understanding Aperture (a.k.a How To Make Your Background Blurry)

One mode I use a ton in food photography is the aperture priority mode, often labeled as Av Mode. Aperture is the reason your background is or isn’t in focus. If used properly, it makes a huge difference because it gives your viewers a focus point. It was also one of the hardest concepts for me to grasp because everything I read was really technical. The Internet needs a non-techie guide, so here I am bringing that to you.

However, there will be *some* technical explanation. Before I scare you off, this is what you need to know: the smaller your f number, the blurrier your background. In other words, if you want to focus on the object in front and blur out the background, use a low f number (very common in food photography). If you want everything to be in focused including the background, use a high f number (very common in landscape photography).




Cinnamon Pecan Cherry Pie – Aperture: f 2.8

What is aperture? The aperture of a camera is the opening in the lens which light travels through. Controlling the size of the aperture controls the amount of light traveling through. You control the size using what your camera refers to as f-stops or f-numbers, which is the letter f followed by a number (f 1.8, f 3.5, f 9.0). The smaller the number, the wider the opening. The wider the opening, the more light travels through (think of it like opening your curtains in the morning – the more you pull back, the more light shining through).

Did you glaze over that last paragraph? It took me years to understand that, mainly because everything I read was too technical. Here, I’ll translate that for you: the smaller your f number, the blurrier your background. You want those cups in the background to be blurry? Low f-number. You want the basket of lemons to have shape but not in focus? Middle f-number. You want me to see your entire ice cream sundae table set-up? High f-number.



Double Lemon Glazed Doughnuts – Aperture: f 6.3


Bacon and Dried Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie – Aperture: f 5.6


Why should I care about whether my background is in focus? The simple answer is depth of field, which is the distance between the foreground and background of your scene. This means you have something in the front and something in the back. Sometimes it’s really obvious, such as a cup of coffee behind some donuts. Other times it may not be so clear, such as a single cookie on a plate.


Grand Canyon – Aperture: f 13 (even though the f-number is high, distance between the foreground and background plus high mid-day sun still created some blur)

Depth of field is important because it adds dimension. Distance is the biggest challenge when photographing. When I visited the Grand Canyon, my biggest challenge was portraying how huge and deep it was. The only way I could really accomplish this is to layer my photograph and have a prominent foreground and background. Sometimes I would even have a midground, which is the layer between your foreground and background. My favorite part of adding dimension is using clouds. Clouds add so much more depth, it’s crazy. A beautiful cloudy day is the best picture-taking weather.

Understanding Aperture (a.k.a. How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Statue of Liberty – taken on my iPhone (aperture unknown, but look at the clouds!)


Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge – Aperture: f 3.2


Another reason to care about your background is to give your viewers a focus point. Sometimes you want objects in the background to emphasize what your photo is about, such as strawberries for strawberry cupcake. However, you want your focus to be on the cupcake, not the strawberries. Other times you may find yourself in a situation where the background is distracting, but you have no control over fixing it. Blurring will help tone that down.


Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake – Aperture: 5.6

How do I adjust the f number? The best way is to refer to your camera’s manual. For my Canon Rebel, I turn a knobbed wheel. If I’m using complete manual mode, I have to hit another button (for me it’s marked Av) before turning the wheel.

Understanding Aperture (a.k.a. How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Murray – Aperture: f 1.8

Why can’t I go below a certain f number? F number is actually based on your camera lens, not your camera itself. The number is listed on the lens spec. For example, I have the 50 mm f 1.8 lens. The lowest I can make my f number is 1.8. There is no zoom range, so I can make it f 1.8 no matter where I stand. If I had gotten the 50 mm f 1.4, the lowest would be 1.4. When I use my 28-135 mm f 3.5-5.6 lens, the lowest I can go is f 3.5 when I’m at 28 mm and f 5.6 when I’m at 135 mm. In this case, the lowest the f number can go is dependent on the zoom range.


Sweet Chili Sauce – Aperture: f 3.5

Here’s an exercise I did for you with my Peanut Butter-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies. I placed the camera on a tripod and left all of the settings the same except for the f number. You can see as the f number gets higher, the background becomes more focused. Which one looks best to you? There is no right or wrong answer. My personal preference is around f 2.5 – f 4.0. I don’t like my background super duper blurry, so I rarely use f 1.8. However, I don’t like the mid range too much because then it looks like I simply couldn’t focus rather than purposely blurring the background.

Understanding Aperture (a.k.a How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Aperture: f 1.8

Understanding Aperture (a.k.a How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Aperture: f 2.5
Understanding Aperture (a.k.a. How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Aperture: 4.0
Understanding Aperture (a.k.a How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Aperture: f 5.6

Understanding Aperture (a.k.a How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Aperture: f 8.0

Understanding Aperture (a.k.a How To Make Your Background Blurry)
Aperture: f 10


I put my f number pretty high and it’s still blurry. Why? In addition to f number, your photograph could be blurry for several other reasons. The main two are lighting and movement. Aperture is connected to shutter speed. Both are dependent on light. If you have low lighting, the shutter speed is slower. Slower means you have to hold it still longer. No matter how careful you are, it’s very difficult to not get camera movement when at a slow shutter speed.

The best solution is a tripod. Spend the extra money and buy a really great one. I am borrowing one at the moment that has a not-so-sturdy lock on the one leg. It also doesn’t have a bubble level. It is so frustrating to use it, but right now that’s all I got.



Vegan Peach Curd – Aperture: f 2.8

If you feel like you’re not getting enough blur, try putting more distance between your subjects.


Root Beer Float Cupcakes – Aperture: f 2.5

I hope I was able to explain aperture on a non-techie level. Even if you don’t understand most of what I said, just remember that the smaller your f number, the blurrier the background. Next time you’re shooting, play in Av mode and take shots with different f numbers. See which ones work the best for your style. Know which ones you aren’t crazy about.

If you enjoyed what you read, what other guides would you like to see?

Share this post → Email this to someone
email
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
Share on Yummly
Yummly

Filed Under: How To, Photography

Did you make my recipe?

Please let me know by sharing a photo in my private Facebook group or uploading and tagging me on Instagram using #HITKrecipes (Note: If your Instagram account is private, I won't be able to see your photo)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melanie from Fast Food 2 Fresh Food says

    September 13, 2012 at 8:09 AM

    As someone with a new dSLR camera, this was great and easy to understand. I agree that everything is so technical! (And I’m a tech person!) Thanks for writing this! I’m excited to see my own photography get better.

    Reply
  2. Renee says

    September 13, 2012 at 8:17 AM

    Excellent article Carla! You really did a great job of explaining aperture in a way novices can understand (including me).

    Reply
  3. Michelle @Amourbeurre says

    September 13, 2012 at 8:28 AM

    The kitty cat picture! OH MY GOODNESS! I love this post, thank you!

    Reply
  4. kelly @ kellybakes says

    September 13, 2012 at 8:57 AM

    You made this all so easy to understand. Thanks for breaking it down step by step with the cookie shots–it definitely gives a clearer picture (no pun intended) of how aperture works!

    Reply
  5. Jen @ Jen's Favorite Cookies says

    September 13, 2012 at 9:06 AM

    This is a great explanation, thanks Carla! I’ve been experimenting with aperture a lot, myself, too. This is really helpful!

    Reply
  6. Dorothy at ShockinglyDelicious says

    September 13, 2012 at 9:18 AM

    Wonderful explanation!

    Reply
  7. Sunithi says

    September 13, 2012 at 9:26 AM

    This is great stuff ! Just what I needed. Not sure how my camera has it etc, but will go home and figure it out ! Please do more posts like this . Very useful :)

    Reply
  8. Judy at 2BroadsAbroad says

    September 13, 2012 at 10:41 AM

    Thanks so for explaining this to me. You brought this ancient camera mystery to the light of day.

    Reply
  9. Susan says

    September 13, 2012 at 11:13 AM

    I finally figured out the AP settings after taking one of the Creative Live classes, but I always like reading about it again. Thanks for another great photography post!

    Reply
  10. CJ at Food Stories says

    September 13, 2012 at 11:31 AM

    Great article … Thx for sharing :-)

    Reply
  11. The Wimpy Vegetarian says

    September 13, 2012 at 12:25 PM

    This is GREAT information! Thanks so much for sharing!!

    Reply
  12. Rhianna says

    September 13, 2012 at 1:41 PM

    What a fabulous little lesson. I have a point and shoot camera with a few bells and whistles and I’ve never understood them. So, for that I thank you.

    Reply
  13. Alex says

    September 13, 2012 at 3:21 PM

    This post is excellent. You explain it really well.

    Reply
  14. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says

    September 13, 2012 at 4:10 PM

    Great tutorial! I just recently started playing with the aperture setting and absolutely love it!

    Reply
  15. Rachel says

    September 13, 2012 at 8:30 PM

    I shoot in Aperture mode, but I’ll be honest, I’m still trying to figure it all out! This is most helpful–Thank you!

    Reply
  16. Anita at Hungry Couple says

    September 13, 2012 at 11:02 PM

    Carla, I heart you for this post! You’ve just explained something technically complex in English and I totally understand. I’m still saddled with a point & shoot where I cannot control aperture and therefore always have composition problems. Shopping around for a DSLR now so collecting info for when I have it to play with!

    Reply
  17. Joy says

    September 16, 2012 at 9:57 AM

    Carla: I have a Canon Rebel also, this was very helpful and now I understand what aperture is and what the ‘f’ # means. Looking forward to reading more of your tips. Thank you Joy

    Reply
  18. Elyse says

    September 16, 2012 at 12:54 PM

    So helpful. Thank you

    Reply
  19. Kelsey says

    September 17, 2012 at 7:25 AM

    Thanks for the easy to understand instructions. Lovely photos!

    Reply
  20. [email protected] and More says

    September 19, 2012 at 8:33 AM

    Thank you for this, as a brand new DSLR user I need all the help I can get! Pinned for future reference!

    Reply
  21. Mia says

    November 9, 2012 at 11:06 PM

    thanks for making aperture so SIMPLE to understand! I can’t wait to test it out on my camera! :)

    Reply
  22. dak says

    December 8, 2012 at 4:56 PM

    Wow. I found you via a search for Twitter etiquette, but as a foodie who loves photography, I kind of feel like I’ve hit the jackpot with your blog! Can’t wait to check it out and see what else I’ll find! :-)

    Reply
  23. Siri says

    December 25, 2012 at 4:16 PM

    I own a dslr n Donno how to make use of it efficiently..but sincerely I Wud like to learn n immensely interested in it..was searching fr a good guide n landed here..thanks for these simple points .any other help Wud be greatly appreciated

    Reply
  24. Anna (Hidden Ponies) says

    December 31, 2012 at 10:34 PM

    This is so clear and helpful, thank you! I just got a DSLR camera for Christmas and am determined to learn how to use it this year, and non-technical explanations like this are right up my alley :)

    Reply
  25. Stephanie says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:29 PM

    You’re awesome!!! Thank you!!!

    Reply
  26. Kathi says

    May 31, 2013 at 11:27 PM

    This has to be the best explanation for aperture I’ve ever come across! I’ve been studying this topic for years and have tried to explain it to my students without success! I see the light now! Thank you!

    Reply
  27. Katie says

    September 9, 2013 at 5:43 PM

    Great article!!! I am in the process of helping my Mom with her 2 year old Canon SLR and hope to get my own very soon. Thanks for posting! This was very easy to follow and I am excited to put my new knowledge to use.

    Reply
  28. Nikki says

    August 30, 2014 at 9:10 PM

    THank you. I just got a dSLR camera and was overwhelmed by all the conversion charts and technical explanations on F stop settings. What a relief to finally ‘get it’ enough to start taking some photos.

    Reply
  29. Gus says

    January 9, 2015 at 3:52 PM

    One word for your explanation: AWEEESOOMMMEE!!
    Thanks!

    Reply
  30. Farha - faskitchen says

    June 16, 2015 at 7:14 AM

    OK. Now I completely understand what aperture means.. no looking back.. having bought a new dslr, it couldn’t have been more simpler than this.. love this post

    Reply
  31. Michelle Jones says

    September 21, 2015 at 9:27 AM

    Thank you soooooo, so much!! This is very straightforward and so helpful!! I have a complicated camera that I would love to be able to use as more than a point and shoot. Your information is so easy to understand!! Thank you!!! And, I love baking too so your website is a wonderful find!!

    Reply
  32. Victoria says

    June 8, 2016 at 9:00 PM

    SUCH a great explanation. Literally it took me like four years to get this. Thank you!

    Reply
  33. Jessica M says

    February 6, 2017 at 11:23 AM

    Great article! Thank you!

    Reply
  34. Mikaela says

    February 17, 2017 at 8:37 AM

    Ok, are you a teacher? Because I have always been so confused with the technical stuff and you seriously summed it up in a way that makes perfect sense!!! My photos look SO much better! Thank you!!!!!!

    Reply
  35. Sarah says

    March 6, 2017 at 5:14 PM

    Awesome explanation. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  36. rebecca bartlett says

    March 23, 2017 at 1:09 PM

    I’m the same…can take photos…(have an artist background)…however..the technical aspect is always what i have to study up on…big time…thanks for the article..

    Reply
  37. Edith says

    May 17, 2018 at 5:48 AM

    Hi, Thank you for the great explanation, have been trying to figure the blurry background thing out for my book photography and there are so many highly technical explanations out there. Amazing food also btw. I know far too well about the struggle of cooking justfor one.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      May 19, 2018 at 4:42 PM

      Glad it helped!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Nifty Tips: Food Photography Resources for Bloggers | On Sugar Mountain says:
    March 29, 2013 at 1:22 PM

    […] 5. Chocolate Moosey’s Understanding Aperture […]

    Reply
  2. Carla Cardello from the Chocolate Moosey Food Blog | Strawberry Sue - A blog by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association says:
    June 27, 2013 at 4:37 PM

    […] giveaways and even in-depth, yet easy to grasp, introductions to photography like this post Understanding Aperture (A.K.A. How To Make Your Background Blurry). Oh and the name Chocolate Moosey? It was named after a stuffed moose she earned by selling Girl […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Nice To Meet You!
I’m Carla, a 30-some childfree single woman from Pittsburgh, PA learning how to adult alone. I'm sharing recipes for two and small batch recipes made from scratch because not everybody cooks for a crowd.

Learn more →
Subscribe
Disclosures and Disclaimers

Footer

Stay Updated

Subscribe to new recipes via email:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
© Homemade In The Kitchen. All images and content are copyright protected and registered with the United States Copyright Office. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish a recipe, please link back to the post for the recipe. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me.
Disclosures, Disclaimers, and Private Policy

Latest Recipes

6 Inch Gingerbread Cake

6 Inch Gingerbread Cake

This small 6 Inch Gingerbread Cake recipe made from scratch without cake mix is a moist and fluffy cake that tastes like Christmas in every bite. Despite being under a stay at home advisory in ...

Read More

Easy Mini Cheesecake Recipes

Easy Mini Cheesecake Recipes (Small Batch)

Dessert for two ideas for easy Mini Cheesecake Recipes made in a muffin pan. Small batch recipes make 6 mini cheesecakes. Once upon a time I used to be known as the Cheesecake Queen among my ...

Read More

Small Batch Mini Cheesecakes

Mini Cheesecakes (Small Batch)

Small Batch Mini Cheesecakes with a graham cracker crust are easy individual cheesecakes baked in a muffin pan. Serve with cherry pie filling as a dessert for two. Continuing my cheesecake ...

Read More

Small Chocolate Cheesecake recipe

6 Inch Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

In the mood to bake a small cheesecake? My 6 Inch Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is a chocolate dessert for two with an Oreo crust and homemade ganache. Since all of this month I brought you both ...

Read More

6 Inch Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe

6 Inch Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

In the mood to bake a small cheesecake? This 6 Inch Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is a creamy Thanksgiving dessert for two served with homemade whipped cream. Last week I mentioned not being able ...

Read More

6 Inch Cheesecake Recipe

6 Inch Cheesecake Recipe

Looking to bake a small cheesecake? My 6 Inch Cheesecake recipe is a creamy dessert for two ideal for any occasion. Garnish with cherry pie filling, whipped cream, and more! I've had several ...

Read More

What To Do With Leftover Egg Yolks

What To Do With Leftover Egg Yolks

Have leftover egg yolks in your kitchen? Here's a comprehensive recipe guide on what to do with leftover egg yolks so you don't have to throw them out again. After posting my What To Do With ...

Read More

What To Do With Leftover Egg Whites

What To Do With Leftover Egg Whites

Have leftover egg whites in your kitchen? Here's a comprehensive recipe guide on what to do with leftover egg whites so you don't have to throw them out again. I've been developing small batch ...

Read More

Small Coconut Cake Recipe

Small Coconut Cake Recipe

This 6 inch Small Coconut Cake recipe with coconut milk is a coconut cake for two from scratch decorated with homemade coconut frosting. As I mentioned in my last post, I've been busy these ...

Read More

Copyright© 2021 · Designed by Deluxe Designs

Footer

Stay Updated

Subscribe to new recipes via email:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
© Homemade In The Kitchen. All images and content are copyright protected and registered with the United States Copyright Office. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish a recipe, please link back to the post for the recipe. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me.
Disclosures, Disclaimers, and Private Policy

Latest Recipes

6 Inch Gingerbread Cake

6 Inch Gingerbread Cake

This small 6 Inch Gingerbread Cake recipe made from scratch without cake mix is a moist and fluffy cake that tastes like Christmas in every bite. Despite being under a stay at home advisory in ...

Read More

Easy Mini Cheesecake Recipes

Easy Mini Cheesecake Recipes (Small Batch)

Dessert for two ideas for easy Mini Cheesecake Recipes made in a muffin pan. Small batch recipes make 6 mini cheesecakes. Once upon a time I used to be known as the Cheesecake Queen among my ...

Read More

Small Batch Mini Cheesecakes

Mini Cheesecakes (Small Batch)

Small Batch Mini Cheesecakes with a graham cracker crust are easy individual cheesecakes baked in a muffin pan. Serve with cherry pie filling as a dessert for two. Continuing my cheesecake ...

Read More

Small Chocolate Cheesecake recipe

6 Inch Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

In the mood to bake a small cheesecake? My 6 Inch Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is a chocolate dessert for two with an Oreo crust and homemade ganache. Since all of this month I brought you both ...

Read More

6 Inch Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe

6 Inch Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

In the mood to bake a small cheesecake? This 6 Inch Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is a creamy Thanksgiving dessert for two served with homemade whipped cream. Last week I mentioned not being able ...

Read More

6 Inch Cheesecake Recipe

6 Inch Cheesecake Recipe

Looking to bake a small cheesecake? My 6 Inch Cheesecake recipe is a creamy dessert for two ideal for any occasion. Garnish with cherry pie filling, whipped cream, and more! I've had several ...

Read More

What To Do With Leftover Egg Yolks

What To Do With Leftover Egg Yolks

Have leftover egg yolks in your kitchen? Here's a comprehensive recipe guide on what to do with leftover egg yolks so you don't have to throw them out again. After posting my What To Do With ...

Read More

What To Do With Leftover Egg Whites

What To Do With Leftover Egg Whites

Have leftover egg whites in your kitchen? Here's a comprehensive recipe guide on what to do with leftover egg whites so you don't have to throw them out again. I've been developing small batch ...

Read More

Small Coconut Cake Recipe

Small Coconut Cake Recipe

This 6 inch Small Coconut Cake recipe with coconut milk is a coconut cake for two from scratch decorated with homemade coconut frosting. As I mentioned in my last post, I've been busy these ...

Read More

Copyright© 2021 · Designed by Deluxe Designs