Project 2 : Focus with a set aperture
The brief in this focus was to shoot the same scene 3 times focusing on objects at different distances. I shot this project on a warm late May evening in the Park near my home.
As instructed I operated on Aperture Priority mode and used the widest possible aperture (f/3.5). From experience, I knew this would offer me a very shallow depth of field, so I experimented with several different scenes. Unfortunately I didn’t have my tripod with me so all shots were handheld but I’ve tried to keep the viewpoints identical.
My camera (Canon 400D) has a 9 point auto-focusing which I used to manually selecting the focus-point for each shot. This worked OK but it wasn’t a fluid motion involving shoot, adjust focus point, shoot, adjust focus point, shoot.
Instead I switched to centre-point focus and with the shutter depressed half-way auto-focused on my subject, before recomposing the shot and taking the shot. I think I got better results this way and the shooting process was quicker and more intuitive.
Near – Focus on the sign
30mm. F/3.5 1/2500sec ISO 100
As you can see this shot has a very shallow depth of field, so much so that although the centre of the sign is in focus, the letters on the edges are beginning to blur. (I’m short-sighted and this is how I view the world without glasses!).
As you can see this shot has a very shallow depth of field, so much so that although the centre of the sign is in focus, the letters on the edges are beginning to blur. (I’m short-sighted and this is how I view the world without glasses!).
Mid – Focus on the fence
30mm. F/3.5 1/2500sec ISO 100
For the second shot, I focused at the centre of the fence. The whole sign is now out of focus and the silo on the horizon is fuzzy too.
For the second shot, I focused at the centre of the fence. The whole sign is now out of focus and the silo on the horizon is fuzzy too.
Far – Focus on the silo
30mm. F/3.5 1/2500sec ISO 100
Finally, for the final shot, the silo is in focus and the fence is fuzzier and the sign is even more out of focus than in the previous shot. (This must be how a long-sighted person sees the world).
Finally, for the final shot, the silo is in focus and the fence is fuzzier and the sign is even more out of focus than in the previous shot. (This must be how a long-sighted person sees the world).
I would expect the shallow depth of view effect to be more apparent on images nearer the camera purely for the fact that with a an aperture as wide as f/3.5, it’s very difficult to focus on anything at a distance.
Aesthetically, of the three images, I prefer the first shot. I think the clarity on the sign leads you into the shot and the fuzzy images in the distance suggest an air of mystery as to what the journey might bring
Where as on the other images, everything is apparent and there is no mystery – although it’s not clear, you can still identify the sign. For this reason, the first shot is the most interesting.
Here are two of the other scenes I shot:
Set 2
Set 3
