![]() This ring will be marked with the lens’ f-stops (or f-numbers) and by spinning it the diaphragm opens or closes. One method is through the turning of a dedicated aperture ring mounted on the barrel of a lens. The way that one adjusts lens aperture differs from camera to camera, but generally there are two main methods. We know the whole aperture thing can be a difficult concept, so we’re working on an in-depth article to help explain. For now, just try to remember that your aperture is correlated to your f-number and that larger apertures create shallow DOF while smaller apertures create deep DOF. A larger aperture lets light rays enter the lens in a more haphazard, undirected way, resulting in an image in which more areas are out of focus. The smaller the aperture the more collimated the light rays become, resulting in nice, sharply focused images. Higher f-numbers (such as f/16 or f/22) counterintuitively denote a smaller aperture, while lower numbers (f/1.4 or f/2) denote a larger opening. These light rays then make contact with the image sensor or film plane in your camera, resulting (in conjunction with your shutter opening) in an exposure. This diaphragm opens and closes to specific diameters, known as f -stops (or f-numbers). The diameter of the opening dictates the behavior of light rays as they enter your lens. The aperture within your lens is the opening made by a physical diaphragm, which is usually made up of a series of blades. If you’re unfamiliar with the term aperture, again, worry not. The best and easiest way of controlling DOF is by opening or closing the aperture of your lens. So how does one control depth of field? It’s pretty simple. For now, we’re going to keep things casual. ![]() There’s a whole lot more to DOF than this simple explanation, and if you’d like to learn more about higher concepts such as the “circle of confusion” or see a table of focal-length/DOF calculations, let us know. We can see that the sharpness found at the specific point of focus gradually diminishes the farther from the focus point we get. Notice that the point of focus is on the insect while the foreground and background is heavily out of focus. This shot also illustrates the way that DOF is not an instant drop-off, but rather, a gradual transition. To the right we can see an example of shallow depth of field. Notice that the subjects and background in the entire scene are all captured in equally sharp focus. The shot to the left illustrates deep depth of field. This is also how we get super-bokeh-balls! Shallow DOF, as found in portraiture and product photography, is typically used to emphasize a subject in sharp focus while blurring the distracting elements in the background and foreground. This would be typically seen in landscape shots, for example, in which a foreground tree is rendered as sharp as a distant mountain range. When we refer to deep depth of field we refer to images that show great spans of distance in sharp focus. To be more specific, the depth of field of an image is the distance between the farthest and nearest objects that appear acceptably sharp.ĭepth of field can be deep or it can be shallow. To put it as simply as possible, depth of field is the term used to refer to the portion of a shot that is in sharp focus. Why so crucial? Manipulation of DOF allows the photographer to direct a viewer’s attention to a specific part of an image, isolate subjects, or minimize distracting elements in a frame. It’s massively important for portrait photographers, product photographers, and street shooters, and anyone who wants to make beautiful pictures should know how to influence depth of field. So how important is depth of field? I think that if you’re only going to learn a single technique in manual photography, we think DOF control is the one to learn. An understanding of DOF gives a degree of artistic control far greater than that which is gained through understanding shutter speed or ISO. We’ll show you the ways it impacts your photography, how to control it, and why understanding it can help anyone make better photos. By the end of this article you’ll know everything there is to know about DOF. So with minimal technical nonsense and plenty of sample shots, let’s get to it. The questions surrounding DOF are among the most common that we encounter, and we’re happy to help. If you’re unsure of what we’re talking about when we say depth of field, worry not. In the past we’ve covered things like ISO, zone focusing, and cross-processing, and today we’re taking a look at one of the most important aspects of creative photography depth of field. We’re back with more photography tips to help new (and experienced) shooters better understand this fantastic hobby of ours.
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