Depth of Field is the #PetPhotographyChallenge for week three. This week, Bailie and Madison had the best photo for the challenge. Better luck to me for next week I guess!
What is Depth of Field?
The effect you are seeking is to have your subject extremely sharp and everything around it blurred or slightly blurred out or softened. Using a DSLR camera is the best and easiest way to achieve Depth of Field. You can do it with a smartphone too now I hear, but we are not fans of using our phone for good photos. My photographer and our phone are not best friends.
What are the main components of Depth of Field?
- The aperture, often called f-stop. The higher the f-stop number, the more depth of field you will have.
- Focus distance is the second major factor. The closer you focus in, the less Depth of Field you will have for your image.
What camera and settings did we use?
My photographer uses a Nikon D7200 camera. For this photo, my photographer used an 85mm lens, the settings were an f-stop of 1.8, exposure time 1/320 seconds, and ISO 400. Bailie, the snowman, and Madison were all in focus, and everything to the sides and behind were then softened to help the three subjects stand out.
It is a fun thing to play around with. When you want to take a photo, but the background is dreadful, the right Depth of Field can really soften all the stuff in the background so it isn’t prominent, and the sharpness of your subject will stand out.
My photographer says she had a real hard time grasping this whole concept years ago when she first started shooting in manual mode, but it has gotten easier, as do most things, with practice.
We are always most impressed with your photos! Your photoMom does a super terrific job! Y’all have a fun weekend!!!
Thank you. I stay on her to keep improving!
Way too complicated for the mom! We will just have ti enjoy your photos. XOXO, Sparkle
My mom loves dogs, writing, and photography, so photo improvement is something she enjoys. It can be really frustrating, but if you love it, you work at it and start to figure it out.
Most excellent shot, and a very good explanation.
Thank you.
The first step is getting your pup to sit still enough – something way harder than adjusted aperture – and something you’ve already mastered!
She got big compliments at agility class because of her sit/stay. She has it down and we are all thrilled!
your photography is always superb!
Thank you so much. My photographer is always striving to be better, but since she enjoys it, that is a good thing.
I adore how you got Bailie, Madison and the snowman in the foreground!! Such a great capture! DoF is one of my favorite things to play around with!
DoF and Rule of Thirds are probably the two things we use most in photo shoots.
Great photo — but I have to ask Emma, weren’t their furry behinds cold sitting in the snow? inquiring doodles what to know … have a great day, your doodle friend Dash
The two crazy ones don’t mind at all. They lay in the snow too. Now that I am older, I don’t like to sit on the snow so much which is why I wasn’t willing to pose with the snowman. Silly youngsters!
oh Emma you are so wise. My baby sister rolls around in the snow too. Crazy. Have a good day Emma!
I really need to learn more about photography. Skip has been teaching me bits and pieces.
Photography itself is a lot of fun, but my photographer says the editing is such a time consuming process. Be happy you have someone to do that part for you! Skipper is great!
We love this photo. Both of the girls looking right at the camera, and the photographer doing a perfect job with the challenge!
I agree, I don’t ever use my camera phone for important photos. I use it when it’s convenient, but then I often regret not going and getting my good camera when I see the results.
The phone is for those shots when the camera isn’t around, but we aren’t usually too happy with what we get.
You’re SO right about depth of field saving (aka HIDING) icky backgrounds!!! 😀
I guess I let the cat out of the bag on that, but it is so true!
I love how you explain this, Emma! You make it so much easier to understand than any camera manual I’ve ever read!
My photographer got some classes when she bought her camera a while back. They explained it, but she didn’t get it really. After playing with it and experimenting around, it got easier to understand. We hope to be able to explain some of the photography stuff to others in a way that is easy to comprehend.
Well, you’ve done a great job so far!
When it coms to photographic challenges, this one is one of the toughest. Nice job!
So far for us the backlighting was the most difficult, but it is all in what you are used to doing vs. trying something new.
Clever photo, turned out real nice
Thank you.
very nicely done.
Thank you.