Thursday, November 21, 2013

HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE

Using the Principles of Design to Create More Effective Photographs
PART FIVE: DEPTH OF FIELD
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JENNIFER KING PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

"So how do I get the focus on the foreground and background? I have to focus at my optimal HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE for the lens I am using. HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE defined is the distance between the camera lens and the closest object that is in focus when the lens is focused at infinity. More simply, it is the optimal focal point for the lens, and the scene, to obtain focus on both the foreground and background planes. Every lens is going to have its own optimal focal point, or HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE. And, every scene is going to have some variance in the proximity of your lens to the foreground subject and the distance to the background. So here is the question, how do you know where your optimal focal point is?"



"One way to learn what the optimal focal point is for your lens, would be to consult a DOF calculator. There are quite a few DOF calculator apps for download as well as some online calculators. I would recommend using an app that you can carry with you in the field as you learn. These calculators will allow you to enter your camera and lens info, aperture and subject distance, then calculates the optimal focal distance for obtaining a vast DOF.  The other way to achieve a vast DOF, is by using the DOF RULE OF THUMB. This basic rule is to focus 1/3 of the distance into your scene to achieve maximum focus. While this rule sometimes works, other times it just does not. Lens choice, camera placement, subject distance and background will all have an impact on your image sharpness."

"The best advice I can offer for getting sharpness in your landscape shots, is to consult a DOF calculator, but to also try different focal points in the same scene to compare. Make notes about your focal point and lens-to-subject distance as you practice this in the field, so that you can later consult them when comparing the images. "

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