Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS

Typical beginners tend to think that a good picture is a picture where everything is sharp so often small aperture values are preferred in order to maximize the depth-of-field.

This assumption works fine with some photographics scenes but it's certainly wrong as a general shooting philosophy.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS

Dependent on the chosen aperture (f-stop), the focal length and the focus distance you have a certain depth-of-field (DOF).

The DOF defines a zone around the chosen focus point where objects appear to be sharp.

Beyond the (floating) border of this zone objects get blurry.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Isolation

We choose a very small depth-of-field so only the main subject is in focus while everything in front or behind the focus plane gets blurry and therefore virtually unimportant.

This technique is employed when we want to isolate the object in focus from the environment around it – too busy or too ugly.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS – Isolation

In a small depth-of-field, the focus of the object often helps to reinforce the “story” that the photograph is intended to tell

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Isolation

A small DOF is also a common technique for portrait photography.

Usually it is quite difficult to find the right balance between people, that are chosen to be the main subject, and their environment.

A sharp background is often distracting here so a large aperture should be used to focus the attention on the point of interest.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS

A small depth-of-field can separate a subject quite easily from the surrounding but sometimes there is no option because we either operate at very long focus distances or we want to include a sharply focused environment in the scene because the foreground and background doesn't contain any disturbing objects.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Isolation

The bath-tubs are the naturally isolated by the difference in brightness and the interruption of the uniform environment.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Perspective

Wide focal length : 28mm

The 4 trees have an equal distance between them. At the wide setting it seems that this distance increases towards the foreground. The background seems to be far in the distance. Perspective is exaggerated.

Natural view : 50mm

The perspective is much less extreme and more correct. We can guess that the distance between the trees is roughly the same.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Perspective

100mm lens The trees group here with a seemingly small distance between them. The enlarged background suddenly moved towards foreground. The scene is compressed.

200mm lens

Effect increases more. Trees seem to be on the same distance plane. Background may be blurry (due to the small depth-of-field) and seems to be a few meters away. We speak of a "flat" perspective is this case. .

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Compression

Compressed photos works best when depicting patterns or rhythm in a photo where depth of field is not much of concern. Photo looks more graphical with “flat” perspective effect.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Layers

To enhance depth, we can use the effect of layering of foreground, middle-ground and background.

Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

DEPTH-OF-FIELD AND FOCUS - Layers

Which photo has more depth and why?