ATOZ OF TRAVEL Photography

Whether you’re off to an exotic destination or visiting a new place closer to home, our guide will set you on the right track for brilliant pictures

Ais for Aperture Aperture Priority is the king of exposure modes for travel shots. It’s a semi-automatic mode where you choose the aperture value to control how deep the zone of sharp focus is within the shot, and the camera sets the shutter speed to give a good exposure.

Large apertures like f/2.8 or f/4 will give a shallow zone of sharpness around the point of focus, whereas small apertures like f/16 or f/22 will give a deep band of sharp focus that extends right through the frame. By setting A or Av on your main mode dial, you’ll enable Aperture Priority mode, and will be all set to control the depth of field in your shots.

The beauty of Aperture Priority is that the exposure settings will always allow you to take a well-exposed shot. In bright conditions, you’ll be able to use large or small apertures at will; but take care when light levels are dim, as smaller apertures require longer shutter speeds to capture a well-exposed scene. This means you’ll need extra support to stop your camera from moving, such as a solid object to rest it on – or, even better, a tripod.