Overview
The speaker emphasizes the importance of using smaller apertures (like f/11) in photography to enhance compositional skills, context, and storytelling, rather than habitually relying on wide apertures for subject isolation.
Limitations of Wide Aperture Shooting
- Shooting wide open (large aperture) isolates subjects but often removes context and potential compositional elements.
- Blurred backgrounds hide lines, curves, shapes, and other storytelling elements from the image.
- Wide aperture simplifies composition, removing the need for thoughtful arrangement of elements within the frame.
- Reliance on shallow depth of field often leads to lazy compositional habits and missed opportunities for growth.
Benefits of Shooting at f/11
- Using f/11 increases depth of field, allowing multiple elements to coexist and interact within the image.
- Forces attention to every part of the scene, making the photographer more aware of composition and potential distractions.
- Encourages intentional arrangement and balance of lines, layers, and visual weights.
- Trains visual discipline by requiring the photographer to manage the entire scene, not just the subject.
- Promotes storytelling by connecting foreground, background, and midground elements.
- Encourages patience and mindfulness, as distractions cannot be hidden and timing becomes crucial.
- Helps photographers understand and apply compositional rules, such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing.
- Slows down the process, fostering deeper engagement with the environment and more thoughtful image creation.
Developing as a Photographer
- Compositional skills are like muscles that need exercise; always shooting wide open prevents growth in this area.
- Shooting at f/11 exposes compositional weaknesses and challenges photographers to improve.
- Taking a painter's approach—filling the frame with purpose—leads to more meaningful and harmonious images.
- f/11 shooting reveals the photographer's intent, choices, and vision within the photograph.
Recommendations / Advice
- Challenge yourself by setting your aperture to f/11 for a period to develop compositional awareness and skills.
- Review your images honestly to assess if your current approach has led to repetitive or uninspired results.
- Avoid the habit of always shooting wide open; embrace compositional complexity for growth and more memorable photographs.