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Most digital SLRs and some compacts have at least the following three shooting modes: Manual (denoted by a large M); Shutter Priority (a large S or Tv) and Aperture Priority (you've guessed it, a large A or Av). The last two of these will allow you to manually adjust the aperture. In Manual mode you will have to set both the shutter speed and aperture for an accurate exposure, while in Aperture Priority mode you only have to set the f-stop, the camera will set the shutter speed for you.
So let's assume you are in Aperture Priority mode. Where you will adjust the f-stop that is selected will depend on your camera and lens combination. For some cameras you will have to turn a ring which is right at the base of the lens, where it meets the camera's body. For others the setting on this ring will have to be at the largest number, and the actual f-stop selected via a dial or button on the camera itself. Finding the dial that adjusts the f-stop will often entail hunting around for something that changes a set of numbers on the cameras display in a seemingly irregular fashion. These will most often contain, f5.6, f8, f11, f16, f22, with one or two stops at either end of the scale.
If you are shooting in Aperture Priority mode and the selected f-stop is too large or small for the ISO setting you are on, the camera will display an error message such as "lo" or "hi". Heed this warning and adjust accordingly, or your pictures may be too light or dark. (Of course, the camera's built in light meter is fallible and in a future issue we will look at how to override it completely).
The aperture explained
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