f/8 and Don’t Be Late!

The f-number (sometimes called f-stop) of an optical system expresses the diameter of the entrance pupil in terms of the focal length of the lens; in simpler terms, the f-number is the focal length divided by the “effective” aperture diameter. It is a dimensionless number that is a quantitative measure of lens speed, an important concept in photography.

Photographers have a saying, “f/8 and don’t be late”, meaning that being on the scene is more important than worrying about technical details. The aperture of f/8 gives adequate depth of field, assuming a 35 mm or DSLR camera, minimum shutter-speed, and ISO film rating within reasonable limits subject to lighting.


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Author: The Artist

Eric Hatheway is a formally trained fine artist, visual designer and photographer based in Tulsa, Oklahoma U.S.A. Eric successfully combined a marketing degree and an art degree to create a design studio that operated in Tulsa for 25 years serving clients around the world. Currently, Eric works by special arrangement and commission with an emphasis on designing brands, fine art production and photographic works.

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