F-stop or aperture is a major factor to consider when shooting sports or high-action shots. If you have a SLR camera or a point-and-shoot with Manual mode, then it’s important to learn how to manipulate f-stop in order to shoot frame worthy pictures.
The f-stop setting determines how much light is exposed in the shot. The lower the setting, the more light is allowed in. A good analogy to think of when considering f-stop setting is a faucet. The wider the valve opening, the more water comes out. Conversely, a smaller valve lets only a trickle of water escape. The same concept applies to f-stop setting. The lower numbers let in more light exposure. So, if you are shooting your son’s football game on a cloudy day, then set the aperture to F/2.8 to let in as much natural light as possible.
When shooting sports shots, you should also consider depth of field. You can control an image’s depth of field by using the f-stop setting. A shorter depth of field helps isolate your subject in the foreground while blurring the background. This is a good technique to learn if you are trying to shoot your son’s soccer or football game. To snap a game-winning photo, select a wide f-stop setting, like F/2.8. If the game is in the middle of the day, the sun is out in full force, and you want to freeze the action and achieve a shorter depth of filed, then manually set the ISO to around 100 or 200, choose a shutter speed of 1/500 (or lower if you want more blur in the background), and an f-stop of F/11.
However, if you are shooting an evening or night game with limited light, then you will need to set your camera for a low light situation. In this case you will be better off using an ISO of 400 or 800, and an f-stop of F/2.8. Experiment with your settings to see if you need to adjust your settings. It’s always a good idea to take some test shots before the real action begins, so you can get the settings just right.
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