Exercise 3

Project - Getting to know your camera

Exercise - Focus at different apertures

In this exercise the point of focus remains the mains the same, but the aperture is gradually decreased so as to increase the depth of field and thus increase the amount of distance from the camera which is in focus.

shot 1

Shot 1 is at f1.8 and so only a very small depth of field which results in a very small amount of the scene being in focus. In shot 1 - focus area, I've brightened the area which isn't in focus in order help show what small area is in focus.

This shot has depth and character. The background of the houses has taken on a graphical quality. However,  with such a small part of the shot which is in focus the shot soon loses interest.

shot 1 - focus area

shot 2

In shot 2, the aperture has been decreased to the midpoint for this lens - f8. The amount of focus depth has increased and more of the scene is in focus.

The background has now ceased to be quite so graphical, but the pegs are still in strong relief from the background.

shot 2 - focus area

shot 3

The lens is now at it's smallest aperture (f22), and so the maximum amount of depth of field has been achieved. The wall is now in focus, however the house behind remains slightly out of focus.

The image overall is much flatter now and it's only the colour of the pegs which makes them strongly distinct from the wall and house behind it.

shot 3 - focus area

Observations & Learnings

In hindsight I wish that I'd set the aperture to about 5.6 to achieve amount of focus somewhere between shot 1 and shot 2. I think would also have been interesting to put the focus area toward either the front or the back of the washing line.