Summary
- McLaren published the official reel on August 19, 2026
- Lando Norris says he is shooting at f/2.8
- The clip runs for 13 seconds
- F/2.8 admits more light and usually produces shallower depth of field
- The lando.jpg photography profile had about 929,000 followers
McLaren put Lando Norris behind the camera, and one question about aperture was enough to bring Formula 1 and the photography community together.
In the short official reel posted by the team on August 19, 2026, Norris photographs a distant landscape through a window. When someone asks, “What aperture are you on, Lando?”, the driver answers f/2.8, while McLaren captions the video “Aperture lets the light in.”
The scene lasts only a few seconds, but this is not a random cameo with a camera. Norris maintains the photography profile lando.jpg, where he says the images were taken by him, and it has become a recognisable part of his presence away from the circuit.
The original McLaren video
The official McLaren Formula 1 Team post runs for 13 seconds. It shows Norris standing before a large window, framing the landscape with his camera and giving a spontaneous answer to the technical question.
The team’s brief caption works as both a play on words and a basic photographic reminder: aperture controls how much light passes through the lens, while also affecting depth of field and the final rendering of an image.
What f/2.8 means in practice
F/2.8 is a relatively wide aperture. It allows more light to reach the sensor and can help the camera use a faster shutter speed or lower ISO. At the same time, it tends to reduce depth of field, especially when focusing close or using a longer focal length.
In a distant landscape, however, the result is not determined by the f-number alone. Actual focus distance, lens focal length, sensor size and the placement of elements in the frame all affect how much of the scene appears sharp. That is why f/2.8 is not inherently “right” or “wrong” for landscapes.
Why the choice sparked debate
Some commenters treated f/2.8 as an unusual landscape setting because many photographers stop down to f/8 or f/11 when they want extensive depth of field. Others pointed out that the creative goal may be different, or that the subject is distant enough for the available depth of field to be sufficient.
The debate is useful precisely because it moves photography away from absolute rules. Aperture is chosen together with shutter speed and ISO, according to light, motion and the photographer’s intent. A setting cannot be judged properly when separated from the final frame and the shooting conditions.
Lando.jpg is not a new hobby
The official lando.jpg profile collects photographs which, according to the account bio, were taken by Norris. In late August 2026 it had about 929,000 followers, showing that this second creative identity has built an audience of its own.
The driver’s access behind the scenes of Formula 1 gives him viewpoints most photographers cannot reach. At the same time, his decision to photograph away from the circuit shows an interest that extends beyond speed and racing cars into everyday observation and travel imagery.
When Formula 1 speaks the language of photography
The clip works because it does not try to turn Norris into an instructor. It records a genuine small moment: a person making a photograph, a technical question and an answer that immediately opens a discussion about how an image is created.
For McLaren, the video connects racing fans with an already familiar interest of its driver. For the photography community, it is a reminder that the fundamentals of exposure can become an engaging subject even inside a 13-second reel.
What we think
The f/2.8 choice needs neither defense nor condemnation without the final photograph and complete settings. The clip’s value lies elsewhere: it presents a leading driver as an active image-maker who thinks technically about his photograph, bringing a meaningful photographic conversation to an audience of millions.
Frequently asked questions
What aperture did Lando Norris say he was using?
He answers f/2.8 in McLaren’s official reel.
Is f/2.8 suitable for landscape photography?
It can be, depending on focus distance, focal length, sensor size, available light and the intended depth of field. No single setting fits every landscape.
What is lando.jpg?
It is Norris’s photography profile on Instagram, where the bio states that the photographs were taken by him.
Where was the video posted?
It was published by the official McLaren Formula 1 Team Instagram account on August 19, 2026.
