When shooting long exposure photography, most photographers focus on shutter speed. But aperture plays an equally important role in determining how sharp, detailed, and properly exposed your final image will be.
Choosing the right f-stop can mean the difference between a beautifully smooth waterfall and a photograph that looks unexpectedly soft.
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Photo captured by Rachel Peri; Aperture at f/10.0
Why Aperture Matters for Long Exposures
Aperture controls how much light enters your camera and influences depth of field. A smaller aperture (higher f-number) lets in less light, allowing you to use a longer shutter speed without overexposing your image.
For example, changing from f/8 to f/16 reduces the light entering your camera by two stops. That means a 2-second exposure at f/8 would require approximately 8 seconds at f/16 to maintain the same brightness, assuming ISO and lighting remain unchanged.
However, there’s a catch: smaller apertures don’t always produce sharper photographs.
The Sweet Spot: f/8 to f/11
For most landscape long exposures, f/8 to f/11 is an excellent starting point.
These apertures typically provide:
- Good depth of field for landscapes
- Excellent sharpness across much of the frame
- Reduced optical aberrations compared with wide-open apertures
- Enough flexibility to achieve longer shutter speeds with ND filters
Many lenses perform particularly well around f/8, although the ideal aperture depends on your lens and camera.
Why You Should Avoid f/22
It might seem logical to select f/22 when you want the longest possible exposure. After all, a smaller aperture means less light reaches the sensor.
Unfortunately, extremely small apertures introduce diffraction, an optical effect that reduces fine detail and overall sharpness.
At f/16 or f/22, diffraction can become noticeably more pronounced, especially on high-resolution cameras.
Instead of stopping down excessively, consider using a neutral density (ND) filter to reduce the incoming light while keeping your lens near its optimal aperture.
When to Use Wider Apertures
Not every long exposure requires f/8 or f/11.
For nighttime photography, including star trails and certain cityscapes, wider apertures such as f/2.8 or f/4 can be beneficial.
These settings allow more light into the camera, helping you capture faint details without requiring excessively high ISO settings.
However, wider apertures produce a shallower depth of field, so careful focusing becomes especially important.
Final Tip: Control Shutter Speed with ND Filters
One of the most useful lessons in long exposure photography is that aperture should primarily serve your depth-of-field and sharpness requirements, not simply your desired shutter speed.
Start around f/8, choose a low ISO, and use an ND filter when you need to extend the exposure. This approach gives you greater control over motion blur without unnecessarily sacrificing image quality.
And remember: the best aperture isn’t always the smallest one. It’s the setting that gives you the depth of field and sharpness your particular photograph needs.
Want to Master Long Exposure Photography?
Understanding aperture is just one piece of the puzzle. Our Long Exposure Photography Guide & Cheat Sheets (currently 70% off today for our Autumn Afterglow Sale) walks you through camera settings, ND filters, shutter speed calculations, focusing techniques, and creative approaches to capturing beautiful long exposures.
Whether you’re photographing silky waterfalls, dramatic coastlines, moving clouds, or nighttime scenes, you’ll learn how to take control of your exposures with confidence.
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