WK 07 - DoF & COMPOSITION

DoF

Depth of field is the amount of distance between the nearest and farthest objects that appear in acceptably sharp focus in a photography

A few factors may have a direct relationship with depth of field are :
    1) the diaphragm openingg of the lense (aperture)
    2) the focal length of the lense in use
    3) image size (distance of the camera & object)

Quick Reference Guide: Depth of field is governed by three factors: aperture, lens focal length and shooting distance. Remember the following relationships:

1. The smaller the aperture, the deeper the depth of field (the other two factors remaining the same). For example, if the lens focal length and the shooting distance stay the same, the depth of field is much deeper at f/16 than at f/1.4.
2. The shorter the lens focal length, the deeper the depth of field (the other two factors remaining the same). For example, comparing a 28mm lens with a 50mm lens at the same aperture and shooting distance, depth of field is deeper with the 28mm lens..
3. The greater the shooting distance, the deeper the depth of field. i.e. other two factors remaining the same). For example, if the subject is photographed from three and then from seven meters away, the zone of sharpness in the foreground and background is greater at seven meters.

Another characteristic of depth of field is that it is generally deeper in the background than in the foreground.

COMPOSITION

Good composition is a key element of good photographs. Good composition guidelines in photography are :

1) Simplicity
          - Look for ways to give the center of interest in our pictures the most visual attention.
          - One way to select uncomplicated backgrounds that won't steal attention from our subjects.

2) The Rule of Third
          - The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into 9 equal parts by 2 equally-spaced horizontal lines and 2 equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.

   3) Lines
          - We can use diagonals as leading lines to provide a way into the picture. It's a simple and easy path for the eye to follow to the main subject. You can also use repetitive lines to draw viewers' attention to your center of interest. One of the most common and graceful lines used in composition is called the S curve.

   4) Balance
          - Good balance is simply the arrangement of shapes, colors, or areas of light and dark that complement one another so that the photograph looks well-balanced.

   5) Framing

• Sometimes you've a object of huge dominance within a scene.
• While breathtaking on-location, the final picture looks often much less impressive due to uninteresting space around the object.
• Try to find a frame which can eliminate the unimportant surrounding and focus the view.

A frame serves numerous purposes :

• It gives the image depth and helps to give the perception to viewers of it that they’re looking at something that is more than 2 dimensions.
• Framing can add context to a shot