In this video, we dive deep into the often overlooked and misunderstood topic of depth-of-field. Whether you're obsessed with bokeh or always set your camera to f5.6 or f8, understanding and using depth-of-field to your advantage is crucial for improving your portrait photography skills. Join us as we explore practical demonstrations, comparisons, and real-world examples to help you make informed decisions and take your portraits to the next level.
Click on this link to get a special offer from Evoto evoto.ai/s/JohnGressMedia
Click here for a full list of all the gear I use in the studio - shop.howl.me/JohnGress
The Academy with John Gress
johngress.com/academy/
Lighting Handbooks
johngress.com/lightinghandbooks/
Workshops
johngress.com/workshops/
Camera
Canon EOS R5
Adorama howl.me/cjCnaWpm8UM
Amazon amzn.to/3vPGmeb
B&H bhpho.to/3VbPdUw
Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM
Adorama howl.me/cjCnaWYcCHb
Amazon amzn.to/3tHbPxm
B&H bhpho.to/3L6f1Na
Tiffen 82mm Black Pro Mist 1/4 Special Effects Filter
Adorama howl.me/ck1duEam7cq
Amazon amzn.to/3QLzeuC
B&H bhpho.to/46hjSDV
Studio Titan Camera Stand STA-01-360 MK2
Adorama howl.me/cjGcfVD3aCG
B&H bhpho.to/3cf4RfL
Lighting
Elinchrom FIVE
Adorama howl.me/cjCnmmUpjV1
Amazon amzn.to/3Um6V61
B&H bhpho.to/3LcypYZ
Elinchrom ELC 500 Studio Monolight Adorama howl.me/cjCnmmb4t6R
Amazon amzn.to/2PzMLGP B&H bhpho.to/3oJXVx7
Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octabox (100cm / 39”)
Adorama howl.me/cjCnv90VNi5Amazon amzn.to/3fRG5AH
B&H bhpho.to/3oSg0cy
Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.0
Adorama howl.me/cjCnaWOwhRU
Amazon amzn.to/3vkEWbE
B&H bhpho.to/426bKEM
Video
Canon Cinema EOS C70
Adorama howl.me/cjCnaWADdkp
Amazon amzn.to/3vkvy7X
B&H bhpho.to/44dCV23
Nanlite FS-150 AC LED Monolight
Adorama howl.me/cjFTK70WWcG
Nanlite nanlite.pxf.io/b3zLLB
B&H bhpho.to/3NFmZQg
Partial Transcript:
Welcome back everyone! In today’s video, we're going to do a deep dive on a topic that is often overlooked and misunderstood: depth-of-field. While many new photographers are obsessed with bokeh and shooting prime lenses wide open, there’s so much more to depth-of-field than just achieving those beautiful blurry backgrounds. On the other hand, some photographers might set their camera at f5.6 or f8 and leave it there all the time, resulting in too much depth-of-field for certain shots. Understanding and using depth-of-field to your advantage is crucial for improving your overall photography skills. By the end of this video, you'll have the skills to make better decisions and take your portraits to the next level. So let's get started!
In this video, We’re going to explore depth-of-field in detail, covering practical demonstrations, comparisons, and real-world examples to help you make informed decisions moving forward.
First, we'll break down what depth-of-field is and why it matters. Then, we’ll examine bokeh. After that, we'll see how changing the f-stop can impact sharpness throughout the image in this comparison with our model Chris. Then we’ll see how shooting wide open or stopped down on set can be used to your artistic advantage. Finally, I'll give you some practical tips for using depth-of-field strategically on your next shoot.
Understanding depth-of-field is essential for taking your photography to the next level. It allows you to control what is in focus and what isn't, helping you to create more compelling and professional-looking images.
If you want to help support me to make more videos like this, please click on the gear links on screen and in the description, even if you’re not interested in that gear in particular. You can also send a super thanks below and please like, subscribe, and sign up for the bell!
Let's start with a quick explanation of what depth-of-field is. Depth-of-field (DOF) is the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects in your shot that are considered to be in focus.
Several factors affect depth-of-field:
The Aperture: A wider aperture (a smaller f-number) results in a shallower depth-of-field, while a larger f-number will give you more depth-of-field.
Focal Length: The longer the focal length, the shallower the depth-of-field.
Focus Distance: The closer the subject to the lens, the shallower the depth-of-field. Increasing the distance between the lens and the subject increases the depth-of-field.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
02:28 - Defining Depth of Field
04:53 - Bokeh
06:38 - Depth of Field F-Stop Comparison
07:59 - Choosing the Right Lens
08:42 - Retouching
09:46 - Background Blur with Sophia
12:15 - Real World Example with Kasan
12:48 - Conclusion