Photography tips

Using aperture creatively

Mount Pilatus massif in Central Switzerland surrounded by fog in the evening light

Key tips

  1. Choose a medium aperture like f/8 for landscape subjects to achieve a balance between detail sharpness and light intake.
  2. Select a medium aperture at high focal lengths to capture the subject clearly.
  3. Select a medium aperture to ensure the entire summit subject remains sharp.

Photographs on this topic

677 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects Mountains City Architecture Landscape Pilatus Lucerne Central Switzerland Lake Lucerne
View of the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne with Mount Pilatus in the background under a cloudy evening sky. 12 mm · f/14 · 1/15 s · ISO 200 View through an ornate iron railing at the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne during evening light 24 mm · f/18 · 1/60 s · ISO 800 Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne with reflection in the lake at dusk 45 mm · f/20 · 1/30 s · ISO 200 View through a shaded passage towards the Lucerne Water Tower 28 mm · f/14 · 1/2 s · ISO 200 View through a round railing at the sunset-lit Reuss river in Lucerne 13 mm · f/18 · 1/100 s · ISO 200 Cobblestone alley in the old town of Lucerne with a view of the Chapel Bridge and the Wasserturm 29 mm · f/14 · 1 s · ISO 200 Blue and white FC Luzern flags blowing in the wind in front of the Lucerne cityscape 45 mm · f/6.3 · 1/800 s · ISO 200 Flags celebrating the 125th anniversary of FC Luzern with Hotel Schweizerhof in the background 24 mm · f/16 · 1/160 s · ISO 200 Waving anniversary flag of FC Luzern in front of historic buildings in Lucerne 45 mm · f/16 · 1/125 s · ISO 200 Blue and white flag of FC Luzern with anniversary inscription against a blue sky in Lucerne 36 mm · f/16 · 1/125 s · ISO 200 Blue FCL anniversary flag in front of the scenery of Lucerne 27 mm · f/16 · 1/125 s · ISO 200 The 125th anniversary flag of FC Luzern flying on the roof of Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne. 45 mm · f/16 · 1/100 s · ISO 200 Facade of Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne illuminated in blue at night with a crowd in the foreground 12 mm · f/8 · 1.6 s · ISO 160 Facade of Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne illuminated in blue at night with a crowd in the foreground 12 mm · f/8 · 1.6 s · ISO 160 Illuminated facade of the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne at night 12 mm · f/8 · 1.6 s · ISO 160 Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne in blue night lighting with festival visitors in front of the building 26 mm · f/7.1 · 1 s · ISO 250 Illuminated facade of the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne at night with people in front of the building 26 mm · f/7.1 · 1 s · ISO 250 Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne illuminated at night, located directly by the lake. 100 mm · f/16 · 3.2 s · ISO 200 View from the lake of the illuminated Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne at night with flags in the foreground 32 mm · f/4 · 1/30 s · ISO 6400 View across Lake Lucerne of the illuminated Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne with flags in the foreground. 33 mm · f/4 · 1/30 s · ISO 6400 Illuminated facade of the Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne on the shore of Lake Lucerne at night 45 mm · f/11 · 8 s · ISO 160 View across the Seebrücke bridge in Lucerne with pink flowers in the foreground at sunrise 12 mm · f/16 · 1/800 s · ISO 500 Chapel Bridge with water tower in Lucerne in front of Mount Pilatus at dawn 24 mm · f/4 · 1/2000 s · ISO 500 The Swiss flag waving above the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne, framed by blooming horse chestnut trees. 45 mm · f/16 · 1/80 s · ISO 200

Related topics

  • Mountains
  • City
  • Architecture
  • Landscape
  • Light
  • Camera settings
  • Composition
  • Perspective
  • Pilatus
  • Lucerne
  • Central Switzerland
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Evening light
  • Fog
  • Sunset
  • Night
  • Blue hour
  • Snow
  • Rain
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