Stopping down is a term used in photography that refers to reducing the size of the camera aperture to decrease the amount of light that enters the lens. If you are writing a photography article or discussing camera settings, knowing synonyms for this phrase is important. Some synonyms for stopping down include decreasing the aperture, closing down the aperture, stopping the lens down, and stepping down the aperture. When you stop down, you are generally trying to increase the depth of field in your image, allowing more of the scene to be sharp and in focus. Using synonyms for stopping down helps to prevent repetition in your writing and keeps your language fresh and varied.