Controlling Depth of Field for Creative Effect

3/20/19 1 Copyright © 2019 Mark Naumann / Fly Boy Photo (www.flyboy.photo)

Bokeh--Agenda

! Defining Bokeh

! Defining Depth of Field

! Factors Affecting Depth of Field

! Minimizing Depth of Field—Maximizing Bokeh

! Examples

3/20/19 2 Copyright © 2019 Mark Naumann / Fly Boy Photo (www.flyboy.photo)

What is Bokeh?

! Bokeh: The Quality of the Unsharp, or Out-of-Focus, part of the Image.

! How to Pronounce Bokeh ! Video: “Bokeh”

3/20/19 3 Copyright © 2019 Mark Naumann / Fly Boy Photo (www.flyboy.photo)

What is Bokeh?

! Desirable Bokeh: !  Smooth, Subtle Gradations of Tone and

Color ! No Fringing or Unevenness !  Sharp Where Image Intended to be Sharp

! Good Bokeh Delivered by: ! Quality Lenses with Circular (or Nearly

Circular) Apertures

! Out of Focus Elements Assume Shape of Aperture

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Depth of Field (DoF)

! Depth of Field (DoF): Defines the space within which an object will appear acceptably sharp. ! DoF is deep or extended if there is a great

distance between object in front of and behind the plane of best focus.

! DoF is shallow or narrow if there is only a small distance between objects that appear acceptably sharp in front of and behind the plane of best focus.

3/20/19 5 Copyright © 2019 Mark Naumann / Fly Boy Photo (www.flyboy.photo)

Factors Affecting DoF ! Aperture

!  Large (f/1.4; f/2; f/2.8): Shallow DoF !  Small (f/16; f/22): Deep DoF

! Focal Length of Lens !  Long (telephoto): Shallow DoF !  Short (wide angle): Deep DoF

! Distance from Subject ! Close: Shallow DoF !  Far: Deep DoF

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Factors Affecting DoF

! Images and Examples from Rocky Mountain School of Photography (RMSP).

! Link: RMSP-How to Blur Backgrounds

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Factors Affecting DoF ! Aperture

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Factors Affecting DoF ! Focal Length

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Factors Affecting DoF

! Distance to Subject

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Blurring Backgrounds !  Increase Distance between Subject and

Background (or Foreground Elements)

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Achieving Bokeh

! To Maximize Bokeh, Minimize DoF

! Minimum (Shallow) DoF: !  Large Aperture !  Long Focal Length ! Close to Primary Subject !  Bokeh Field Separated from Primary

Subject !  Placed Outside of Primary Subject DoF

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Bokeh Examples

!  Shallow DoF

!  Subject Separated from Background

!  Background Lights have Bokeh

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Bokeh Examples

!  Relatively Shallow DoF

!  Foreground Light Beyond DoF

!  Snowflake Lens Mask !  Out of Focus Elements

Assume Shape of Aperture

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Bokeh Exercise

! Stations with Background / Foreground Lighting

! Lens Masks

! DoF Experiment Station

! Flash to Illuminate Primary Subject

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Bokeh

! Questions??

!  Reference:

Ang, Tom: “Fundamentals of Photography”; Copyright 2008; Alfred A. Knopf

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