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

4 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

Night view of Lake Lucerne and Mount Pilatus with light trails from boats

12 mm · f/4 · 1.6 s · ISO 1000

Aerial view of the forested Bürgenstock mountain above Lake Lucerne at sunset

400 mm · f/10 · 1/500 s · ISO 2000

View of Mount Pilatus and Lake Lucerne at sunset

15 mm · f/22 · 15 s · ISO 800

Panoramic view from Mount Rigi over Lake Lucerne with the Weggis peninsula and Mount Pilatus

15 mm · f/9 · 1/1250 s · ISO 400