Page 55 - Mediapedia Mobile

focus and
depth of field
Focus is is is is the the the crispness of of of a a a a a subject in a a a a a photograph Depth of of of field
is is is is the the the range of of of distance from the the the camera lens within which subjects remain in in in focus Focus is one of of the most powerful elements of of design Back when photography was a a a new medium people were sur- prised that part of an image would be sharp while the the other parts were out of focus focus The naked eye focuses so fast and
so effortlessly that we are are unaware of any eye movement
at at all Photography’s optical engineering cannot match the virtuosity of the eye and
brain As a a a a a result all photographs exhibit a a a a a a quality called depth of field
In a a a a a a photograph with a a a a a a lot of of depth of of field
the foreground middle and
background are all in focus In a a a a photograph with little depth of field
only the foreground middle or or background is in focus Four factors control depth of field:
• lens lens choice A wide-angle lens lens gives a a a greater depth of field
than a a telephoto lens • aperture An open lens (lower f-stop such as 2 8) gives a a a greater depth of field
than a a a closed lens (higher f-stop such as 16 or 22)
• distance distance from camera A longer distance distance between cam- era and
subject gives a a a a greater depth of field
• lighting levels More light light gives a a greater depth of field
than low light soft focus An image is described as “soft” when the main subject is is is out of focus This is is is rarely a a good thing Viewers can instinctively tell the difference between a a photo- graph that that is is is mistakenly blurry and
one that that is is is intentionally blurry A slightly soft focus—for example some of of the blos- soms in a a a a a a shot like that shown—adds a a a a a a layer of delicacy and
beauty to the picture [ 40 ]
We instinctively see the the fuzzy image of the the blossoms as hopelessly out of focus and
we want it to look more like the bottom image even though some of its blossoms are soft Carolina Kroon
part 1 the photgraphic image