Depth of Field

Shallow Depth of Field



Tabby Kitten - Estimated Aperture: F2.8 This photograph is closely focused on the kitten; the shallow depth of field is primarily due to the closeness of the camera to the subject and the wide aperture.



Monarch Butterfly - Estimated Aperture: F2.8 In this image, too, the camera was brought close the the butterfly (note how the focus is sharp on the wings, but even the flowers close by are slightly blurry).
















Kitten and Flowers - Estimated Aperture: F2.8 The camera has been brought fairly close to the kitten, and the sunflowers in the background appear to be some distance away; however, the wide aperture was necessary to remove all detail and turn them into a blur of color.

Far Depth of Field



Valley Landscape - Estimated Aperture: F8 In this photo, the entire scene is sharply focused. All of the elements are distant from the camera, and all are clear and easily separated by the viewer's eye. The smaller aperture lends greater depth to the image.



Stone Arch - Estimated Aperture: F11 Here everything from the scrub trees to the stone formation to the clouds are sharp and well defined, the result of a very small aperture.



Blue Ridge Mountains - Estimated Aperture: F11 Like the photograph before it, this shot from the Blue Ridge Mountains captures every layer in almost full detail, all the way to the horizon (the haze there seems to be more humidity than lack of focus).