Selective focus is basically what it sounds like. You select what portion of your image you want to be in focus while selectively blurring or making the rest of the photograph out of focus. This technique can be used in a variety of ways. Selective focus or shallow depth of field helps to bring a sense of depth and interest to your photographs. It's very useful with portraits, close-up and macro photography. When done properly it can isolate your main point of interest and will give your prints more depth and better composition.
Selective focus is created with your lens aperture. The larger your lens opening the shallower your depth of field or field of focus will be. The larger your lens opening the more light will reach your film plane or image sensor. This will require faster shutter speeds which is actually a bonus, because you won't be required to use a tri-pod. You can create this effect with point-and-shoot cameras, too. (More on that below.)
To create selective focus, the primary camera setting you need to pay attention to is the aperture size (or the opening of the lens which is measured in f-stops) and the telephoto setting of the lens. If you have a zoom lens or telephoto lens you should experiment to find what focal length you are most comfortable with. The longer the focal length that you choose to use, the shallower your depth of field or field of focus will be.
"Stopping your lens down." This means setting your camera to a smaller f-stop number. Remember, smaller f-stop numbers actually increase the size of the lens aperture, or lens opening of the lens. By using a lens opening somewhere between F4 and F2.8. You will get more dramatic blur, or shallower depth of field.
If are using a point and shoot camera you may not be able to adjust your aperture by dialing in a different f-stop number, but you can try using the "macro" setting on your camera. (Check your camera manual for instructions.) And if you don't have a macro setting, try putting it in "portrait" mode. Again, check your camera manual for complete instructions.
Be careful not to create motion blur which is caused by using to slow of a shutter speed. For normal focal length lenses use a shutter speed of at least 1/60 second or faster. For telephoto lenses use a shutter speed of at least 1/125 second or faster.
Again the longer the zoom, the more dramatic the blurred area will be.
Another quick tip; Try shooting from a from a low angle when shooting macro or close ups of flowers etc. When shooting from a lower angle be sure to take note of the brightness of the back ground. If it is bright or heavily back lit be sure to make the necessary exposure compensation by adjusting your shutter speed to achieve proper exposure or you may end up with a silhouette image.
Terry Day is an International Hall of Fame Photographer. He has been a Master Photographer and member of the Professional Photographers of America for 30 years. You can sign up for his free photo tips and view a portfolio of his work @ http://www.photographylessoncenter.com
Check out his blog @ http://www.photographylessoncenter.com/blog/
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