Depth of field is a commonly used notion in the field of photography, and it refers to the distance between the nearest object and the farthest item. The purpose of depth of field is to deliver an acceptable sharpness in the photo, and this is usually done with the help of a depth of field calculator.
The depth of field is directly proportional to the distance – if you place your camera away from the subject in question, you will obtain a more intense depth of field. For example, a picture of a mountain or a far away landscape will have considerably more DOF than a macro picture on an insect or a flower.
The DOF is directly influenced by a series of factors, and some of them are the focal length, the size of the image as well as the aperture (the diaphragm of the lens). Speaking of apertures, it is a known fact that larges ones will produce a shallow DOF, while smaller ones produce a more intense depth of field. However, the DOF is quite subjective, as different photographers have different opinions.
Tips For Photographers
How To Use DOF In Your Best Interest
DOF can be a very powerful tool for a photographer, provided that it is used correctly. It is usually used by professional photographers with solid experience, but the following tips and hints can help any beginner use this tool as well.
1. Check The Camera Settings
In order to have full control over the DOF, you must firstly control the settings of your camera.
It is highly recommended to set the aperture on manual mode, so you can adjust it based on the distance between the subject and the cameras. This feature should be provided by modern cameras (SLRs), although the older models usually do not offer it – in that case, you will be unable to choose the desired DOF.
2. Select The Proper Aperture
As mentioned above, the diaphragm of the lens is essential for selecting the desired DOF. In order to achieve that, you must firstly determine how much DOF you want in the photo – this depends on the subject and on the background, as shallow DOF will certainly come in handy if the photo has a busy background with plenty of people or lights that tend to distract the viewer from the central subject.
On the other hand, in certain conditions you will want a deeper DOF (this is usually preferred for product shoots and landscapes where not only the central subject but also the background details will be positively impacted by the depth of focus). Nonetheless, it is essential to understand that some lenses come with a wider aperture than others.
If you plan to shoot a shallow DOF, then you will find it a lot more convenient to use the smallest aperture rather than the largest ones, otherwise you may find it hard to focus the subject. However, not only the aperture but also the position of the camera is vital if you want to achieve a shallow DOF.
Wide angle lens will make the background items look very small and they will draw the attention from the background to the main subject, so if your picture has a big item or something you want to put emphasis on, then make sure it will reveal the shallow DOF.
3. How To Shoot Deep DOF
If you plan to take a picture of a landscape, then you will want to use a deeper depth of field as it will benefit the image more. This involves a smaller aperture, but it is essential to choose the correct point of focus otherwise the amount of image sharpness will be affected.
The key to using deep DOF is to practice as much as you can, both on close items and distant items – only this way you will get used to distances and you will be able to approximate correctly.
The bottom line is that DOF is so popular for a reason – it can really benefit the photographer, and it can train your creativity in the long run. Moreover, DOF can even perfect the image if there is a distraction in the picture, for instance.
It is true that theoretical training does help, but hands-on experience is the fastest and easiest way to get a deeper insight into DOF and to use it in your best advantage.
The depth of field is directly proportional to the distance – if you place your camera away from the subject in question, you will obtain a more intense depth of field. For example, a picture of a mountain or a far away landscape will have considerably more DOF than a macro picture on an insect or a flower.
The DOF is directly influenced by a series of factors, and some of them are the focal length, the size of the image as well as the aperture (the diaphragm of the lens). Speaking of apertures, it is a known fact that larges ones will produce a shallow DOF, while smaller ones produce a more intense depth of field. However, the DOF is quite subjective, as different photographers have different opinions.
Tips For Photographers
How To Use DOF In Your Best Interest
DOF can be a very powerful tool for a photographer, provided that it is used correctly. It is usually used by professional photographers with solid experience, but the following tips and hints can help any beginner use this tool as well.
1. Check The Camera Settings
In order to have full control over the DOF, you must firstly control the settings of your camera.
It is highly recommended to set the aperture on manual mode, so you can adjust it based on the distance between the subject and the cameras. This feature should be provided by modern cameras (SLRs), although the older models usually do not offer it – in that case, you will be unable to choose the desired DOF.
2. Select The Proper Aperture
As mentioned above, the diaphragm of the lens is essential for selecting the desired DOF. In order to achieve that, you must firstly determine how much DOF you want in the photo – this depends on the subject and on the background, as shallow DOF will certainly come in handy if the photo has a busy background with plenty of people or lights that tend to distract the viewer from the central subject.
On the other hand, in certain conditions you will want a deeper DOF (this is usually preferred for product shoots and landscapes where not only the central subject but also the background details will be positively impacted by the depth of focus). Nonetheless, it is essential to understand that some lenses come with a wider aperture than others.
If you plan to shoot a shallow DOF, then you will find it a lot more convenient to use the smallest aperture rather than the largest ones, otherwise you may find it hard to focus the subject. However, not only the aperture but also the position of the camera is vital if you want to achieve a shallow DOF.
Wide angle lens will make the background items look very small and they will draw the attention from the background to the main subject, so if your picture has a big item or something you want to put emphasis on, then make sure it will reveal the shallow DOF.
3. How To Shoot Deep DOF
If you plan to take a picture of a landscape, then you will want to use a deeper depth of field as it will benefit the image more. This involves a smaller aperture, but it is essential to choose the correct point of focus otherwise the amount of image sharpness will be affected.
The key to using deep DOF is to practice as much as you can, both on close items and distant items – only this way you will get used to distances and you will be able to approximate correctly.
The bottom line is that DOF is so popular for a reason – it can really benefit the photographer, and it can train your creativity in the long run. Moreover, DOF can even perfect the image if there is a distraction in the picture, for instance.
It is true that theoretical training does help, but hands-on experience is the fastest and easiest way to get a deeper insight into DOF and to use it in your best advantage.
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