Which factor does NOT help increase depth of field?

The correct answer is related to how depth of field is influenced by aperture settings. When the aperture is made wider, more light enters the camera, leading to a shallower depth of field. This means that the area of the image that appears in focus is reduced, making it more challenging to have both the foreground and background in sharp focus.

In contrast, narrowing the aperture decreases the size of the lens opening, which increases the depth of field, allowing for more of the image to be in focus. Moving farther from the subject also contributes to greater depth of field; the farther away you are, the larger the zone of acceptable sharpness becomes. Additionally, using a shorter focal length lens generally provides a greater depth of field compared to a longer focal length, since wider angles capture more of the scene in focus.

By making the aperture wider, you effectively do the opposite of increasing depth of field, leading to the conclusion that this factor detracts from depth of field presence in a photograph.