Depth of Field
PHOTO CHALLENGE | Adjust your aperture as low as it can get, then as high as it can get. See the difference in your image, how contrast and light plays a part in the process.
Experiment with a shallow and deep depth of field to vary the outcome of your image. Consider framing, composition, focusing on a far away subject, the whole scene, and something up close.
The ability to control depth of field is one of the most important creative tools you have, as different depths of field within an image will tell a completely different story. Understanding what DoF is, and knowing what factors affect it (light, focus, and contrast), are things all photographers should master. Many photographers know that you can control DoF by adjusting aperture. But did you know that DoF is influenced by other factors too? Like how near or far you are from your subject.
Depth of field is the distance between the closest and farthest objects in a photo that appears acceptably sharp. Now your camera can only focus sharply at one point, but the transition from sharp to unsharp is gradual. Focus draws the eye. So as a general rule, you should focus on the point of greatest interest.
Another important factor affecting depth of field is the distance between the camera and the subject. The shorter that distance, the smaller the depth of field. Have you ever tried to take a close-up shot of a flower or insect, but can’t get the entire subject in focus, even with a small aperture? This is because the closer you are to your subject, the shallower the DoF.
Your aperture has a huge impact on the final result of your image, and is not something you can easily alter in post production, and is best set when taking the photo. Additionally, using a very low f/stop is pivotal in low-light scenarios and greatly influences the quality of your photo.
The photographer’s goal is to select the correct combination of focal point location and f-stop settings to produce an image with their desired outcome, which is often why you’ll see the nearest point of focus as the main subject for a shallow depth of field or a blurry foreground framing the subject.
Landscape photographers often want the entire scene in focus, from the closest rock to the furthest mountain. This is a “deep” depth of field. There is a point in a wide landscape scene where the DoF is nearly irrelevant. Look at the foggy landscape image on the left, my settings were 1/1000th | f/2.8 | ISO 100. There simply wasn’t a point of focus and the detail is still quite sharp.
I’m sure you’re aware by now, that depth of field is one of my favorite in camera settings to work with (the aperture). One of my signature styles that creamy background and soft, subtle tones throughout. This is mainly achieved by shooting with a low f/stop.
A few different factors affect depth of field in digital photography, regardless of whether you’re using a DSLR camera or a smartphone. These factors are: focal length, aperture, camera-subject distance, and sensor size.
As you come to understand these factors, and the camera settings that control them, you’ll be able to manipulate this photographic effect to increase depth of field, improve image quality, toggle between sharp focus and soft focus, and generally bring more variety to your photographic portfolio.
Hyperfocal Distance
If you’re shooting landscapes and want a quick, exact method for a sharp focus on the entire scene, a simple math trick will give you guaranteed results. If you’re shooting a scene with flowers in the foreground and mountains or trees in the background, you’ll want to do look at the nearest object you want in focus (the flowers in the foreground). Identify roughly how many feet away they are, for this example, let’s say they’re 2-feet away.
With that 2-foot distance in mind, all you have to do is “double the distance”. You’ll then estimate the 4-foot mark from where you’re shooting and focus there. That is considered your hyperfocal point and everything in your landscape will then be in focus!