Photography tips

Using aperture creatively

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

Key tips

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

Photographs on this topic

5 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

Ferris wheel on the shores of Lake Lucerne with Mount Pilatus in the background

50 mm · f/5.6 · 1/200 s · ISO 100

The sloped roof of the Water Tower in Lucerne with the snowy peak of Mount Pilatus in the background during daylight.

300 mm · f/8 · 1/125 s · ISO 400

Sailboats on Lake Lucerne with the city of Lucerne in the background at sunset.

200 mm · f/8 · 1/125 s · ISO 800

Splashing water at the retaining wall by the Seeburg in Lucerne during Foehn weather conditions

22 mm · f/7.1 · 1/1600 s · ISO 400

View of nocturnal Lucerne and Mount Pilatus during the blue hour

22 mm · f/16 · 30 s · ISO 400