Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

What allows photographers creative control over depth of field and motion?

1. Single exposures

2. Equivalent exposures

3. Controlled lighting

4. Shutter speed adjustments

The correct answer is: Equivalent exposures

Creative control over depth of field and motion primarily comes from the manipulation of the aperture and shutter speed settings on the camera, rather than relying solely on the idea of equivalent exposures. Equivalent exposures refer to different combinations of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO that yield the same exposure level. While understanding equivalent exposures is important for achieving exposure consistency, it does not specifically address the nuances of controlling depth of field or motion. Depth of field is influenced by the aperture setting; a wider aperture (lower f-stop number) results in a shallower depth of field, thereby blurring the background more, while a narrower aperture (higher f-stop number) increases the depth of field, keeping more of the scene in focus. Motion, on the other hand, can be controlled through shutter speed adjustments: a faster shutter speed can freeze motion, while a slower shutter speed can create motion blur. The aspect of creative control emphasizes the photographer’s ability to manipulate settings intentionally according to the desired outcome in a photograph, making the other options less relevant when focusing just on those specific elements of image creation.