How do aperture and depth of field relate to each other?

Aperture and depth of field are closely related concepts in photography. A larger aperture, indicated by a smaller f-stop number (e.g., f/2.8), allows more light to enter the camera and creates a shallow depth of field. This means that only a small portion of the image will be in focus while the background and foreground become more blurred. This effect is often desirable in portrait photography, where the subject stands out sharply against a soft background.

When using a smaller aperture (larger f-stop number like f/16), the depth of field increases, leading to more of the scene being in focus. This is useful for landscape photography, where both the foreground and background details are important.

Understanding this relationship allows photographers to creatively control focus and draw attention to specific elements within a scene, which is central to visual storytelling in photography.