The F number is actually the bottom number of a fraction, right? That's why the BIGGER the f-stop, the SMALLER the hole...because 1/16 is smaller than 1/8.

Also, don't you mean you let the camera pick the SHUTTER SPEED? I think exposure is the total amount of light let into the camera (shutter speed/aperture combo).

I need to work in Photoshop a little more. I think there are tons of things I could do to improve my photos if I just took a little time...

Jenava, I meant what I said, but we're kinda saying the same thing.

The F number is the whole fraction f/D where f is focal length and D is aperture diameter. That's the number you see on the camera readout. So yes, the bigger the F number the smaller the aperture size (D).

Before we got into the complexity of apertures I did say "choose an exposure", which in 'A' is equivalent to "choosing the shutter speed" because the aperture is fixed and, as you say, the exposure is the total light coming in and therefore a function of aperture size and shutter speed.

I want to be able to background defocus so badly sometimes i do it section by section in Gimp. It takes forever. How nice it would be to simple use a certain lens and press a button.

And you can still tell i did it by "hand" if you look closely. -_-

Great post Greg! I do exactly this process with my own photos! But I don't do the overlay with a b&w version of the image, just the original image; I'm going to give that a try, looks like it would give me a bit more depth as opposed to contrast with the way I do it now.

Since I use my little point-and-shoot with the self timer instead of hubby's SLR, I shoot in full manual (I picked my PnS specifically because of this feature) and leave the aperture at f/8 all the time so I don't have to pop in a focusing object, and then set the shutter speed myself. But anyone who wants to shoot something lower in aperture mode, like f/2 or f/4, you can place in a focusing object when you click the timer and then throw it out of the way when you move into frame so the right place gets blurred.

I also do minor photoediting as needed, almost always for things related to using a self-timer instead of a human photographer; small things like a hair that blew in my face right as the timer goes off or an unfortunately located clothing wrinkle that I happened while running into frame. Very very occasionally I will do heavier editing (usually to combine successful elements of different poses when I'm having a particularly non photogenic day), but for the most part I try to leave it alone and I would say 95%+ of my photos have no retouching.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

Aida, that reminds me of when I took my own photo senior portrait for the school yearbook...only that was a very old, very manual camera! I think I used F/16 just to make sure everything was in focus...which, BTW, nichole, you should be careful of using TOO low of an F-stop because srsly then your nose will be in focus and your ears will be out of focus! My experience playing around with this is that you have to be pretty far away from the background and use a pretty low f-stop to get it REALLY blurry. Also, I think higher quality lenses usually give you the option of lower/higher F-stops...something to keep in mind. You can also play with using a higher-speed film (crap, do they call it just ASA, now, since there's no film?? Like 200, 400, 800, you know what I mean) and using BOTH a slow shutter speed and low apeture, then add a flash and some movement...the flash can act somewhat like a shutter and helps make the background blurry (but the entire photo will also have a slightly blurred effect)...like this photo I took a while back.

Ohh, I just had a fantastic idea! What if we had a YLF Seattle PHOTO meet-up...all the folks interested in photos and editing could have a little pow wow over coffee and share tips!

I'd so be down for that Jenava!

Sign me up, Jenava!

Let's do it! I have a pretty good grasp on the technical stuff of photography, but not really with digital aspects. I don't get what RAW means, and even though my dad had a very early (1996) version of Photoshop I'm pretty illiterate with it today. At least I know how to use the rubber stamp tool (my brother gave himself a third eye for HIS senior portrait...boys...) and I know why the burn, dodge and crop tools have those funny pictures because I did that stuff in the darkroom! (-:

But I'd be thrilled to learn even a FEW things from Greg, Aida and anyone else about the digital side, and I'd be happy to share whatever I can about the other side...Coffee shop, cameras, and a few laptops, I think we'd be set!

Fantastic. I've worked with Photoshop quite a bit (both for photography and web design). While I wouldn't claim to be an expert, I have a fairly good handle on it and would be happy to share what I know.

The photo meetup is a great idea.

Nicole, your commitment to shallow depth of field is unprecedented. And the fact that you have done it manually gives the picture a kind of surreal vibe.

I'm a long-time film photographer that used to process my own b&w film. Now that I'm back to renting and living in a community that no longer has a community darkroom to rent out, or even a photo lab that processes b&w it has really cut down on much I shoot . . . and finally after years of resistance I'm out of excuses and it is time to invest in a DSLR. Actually, it is supposed to be an incredibly expensive graduation gift.

I've been curious a time or two about what the photogs on YLF shoot.

I'd love to come to a YLF photo meetup.

This is a great thread Greg! I'd seriously ask a question if I knew what language you all were conversing in! My camera is dying slowly and now I know where to go for recommendations when it's time to replace it.

A Seattle photo meetup would be great! I know my self-portrait photos are definitely subpar. A lot of that's related to the camera - like Diana, my point and shoot doesn't have capability for a remote, so I have to focus on a nearby item like a wall or a post and hope that the camera will be semi-in focus when I step in front. Messing with the lighting when I'm not even in the photo takes forever, and I don't have a full array of manual settings - they are all at least semi automatic. I've taken some decent photos, though, but not self-portrait shots.

I dream about buying a good DSLR, especially after a neighbor/friend gave me a crash course with his Nikons a couple years back. Maybe later this year, budget permitting...

That's right, Angie, I forgot to mention I take my pictures in RAW, which gives me the opportunity to change the white balance later. I always use that setting and if my DH changes the general setting to auto, it annoys me like crazy. My camera doesn't give me the RAW option in the auto. P is just auto with the added option of taking pictures in RAW.