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Each camera and lens combination has a 'sweet spot' where the signal-to-noise ratio is optimized. To identify this, take test photos at various ISO levels to determine the optimal setting for your equipment.

That said, changing light conditions may require you to deviate from this optimal ISO value. For example, to achieve a faster shutter speed under low-light conditions, you may need to increase the ISO significantly beyond the preferred range of 100–400.

When light conditions are highly variable, consider using the auto ISO setting. Capturing the moment is often more important than manually adjusting ISO and missing a unique photographic opportunity.

While luminance and colour noise can be addressed during post-production, achieving the best possible settings while taking the photo minimizes the need for corrections and ensures higher-quality results.

The effect of shutter speed on exposure becomes evident when comparing settings like 1/1250s (a typical setting) and 1/2500s (commonly used for birds in flight). By halving the exposure time, the amount of light reaching the sensor is also reduced by half—equivalent to one stop in photographic terms.

This reduction in light can be compensated by either increasing the sensor’s sensitivity (ISO) or widening the aperture.

It’s essential to test different shutter speeds for various subjects. I typically set the shutter speed to 1/1250s. For large, slow-moving animals, such as the White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), a slower shutter speed can still yield sharp results. For small, fast-moving birds, I use a minimum of 1/1600s, with 1/2000s or 1/2500s often producing better outcomes.

Ultimately, the decision to keep or discard a shot often depends on whether the shutter speed was set correctly to capture sharpness, particularly in the subject's eye.

In photography, depth of field defines the area where the subject appears sharp. Regions farther away or closer than the focal plane gradually become blurred. While a low aperture value often provides a pleasing aesthetic, it’s important to recognize the limitations of your specific camera and lens combination. The “sweet spot” for sharpness may not always correspond to the lowest aperture available. Additionally, selecting an aperture that is too wide may result in critical parts of your subject, such as the eyes, being in focus while other features, like the nose or beak, appear blurred.

Lenses with wide maximum apertures are generally preferred for their flexibility, but they come with trade-offs. Size, weight, and cost increase exponentially as the maximum aperture becomes wider. If your budget allows, investing in a lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 is highly recommended.

I typically begin with an aperture of f/11, which I’ve found offers sufficient depth of field for most subjects. However, lighting conditions may necessitate opening the aperture by one or more stops, potentially reducing the depth of field beyond what is ideal.

In macro photography, aperture settings become even more crucial. The depth of field with a macro lens at wide apertures can be razor-thin, and even slight movements—such as shifting the camera by 1mm—can cause the subject to fall out of focus. To mitigate this, and when light permits, I stop down to as much as f/22 and always use a tripod to ensure stability.