Today's cameras are equipped with powerful settings and functions. Without the need to switch to photo editing software, a simple manipulation of the camera allows you to obtain a photo with contrasting areas. It's all about depth of field.
If you're just a hobbyist, find out how to get a pro photo by choosing and adjusting the depth of field. However, it is important to know what it is beforehand.
What is depth of field in photography?
When taking a picture, the subject is always in front of the background, also known as the backdrop. Depending on the highlighted area, the subject, the background, or both, it is possible to make the picture sharp or to juggle with artistic blurred areas. This is where depth of field in photography comes into play. This is effectively the shooting area, where the shots appear sharp.
Depth of field therefore serves to accentuate or diminish the sharpness of the different areas of the photo.
How to choose the depth of field in photography?
In general, two scenarios can occur when taking a photo. First, the landscape highlights all parts of the image, i.e. the subject and the background. As a result, the areas appear completely sharp. In this case, the depth of field is maximized to reach all the shots. The second scenario is for portrait photography. In this case, the focus is only on the subject. The subject is then detached from the background. In this way, the depth of field is minimized. In this case, the subject is in focus, while the background remains blurred. However, you can also pronounce the blur in the background by adding more adjustment.
How do I adjust the depth of field in photography?
To adjust the depth of field of a photograph, two elements of the camera are fixed: the aperture of the diaphragm and the focal length.
The aperture of the diaphragm is referred to as "F/x," where x varies from 1 to 16. The smaller x is, the more the lens opens and the depth of field closes. This is referred to as portrait photography. Paradoxically, if x becomes large, the aperture gradually closes and the depth of field increases. This results in a sharper image in all areas of the image.
At the same time, the depth of field is reduced as the focal length is enlarged for shots taken at the same aperture. The background becomes increasingly blurred.