Depth of field is the area of acceptable sharpness in a photo both in front of and behind the plane of focus.

A Shallow depth of focus (dof) is a picture where the subject is in sharp focus and the backgroun and/or the forground is soft or blurred. This best for portraits as it helps the viewer focus on the person. You’ll also see this in macro shots like flowers and bugs.

An extensive depth of field will be found in an image with a reasonably sharp focus from front to back. This is best for landscapes so you can see everything. Also, you’ll be sure to have an extensive depth of field when taking pictures of large groups. You wouldn’t want your darling niece blurry in the back row while your Uncle Frank is clear as can be in the front row.

There are three main things that determine your depth of field:

1. Aperture: When you use a narrow aperture, such as f/8 or f/11, you will see an extensive depth of field. Reversely, a wide aperture (f/4 or f/5.6 for example) will give you a shallow depth of field. We’ll talk more about aperture is a later “FMP Defines” post.




2. Camera To Subject Distance: The further you are from your subject, the larger the depth of field will be.




3. Focal Length: Focal length is determined be how much of a scene your lens can “see”. For instance, a wide-angle lens may have a 110 degree angle of view. This would result in seeing more of the picture and in turn would provide a greater depth of field. A shorter length, or being zoomed in on a subject will lessen the depth of field.

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