It’s certainly not the first time you’ve heard about the importance of focus when composing an image. How it highlights some elements above the rest, the ability of the focus to highlight the center of interest of the compositions.
The opening term probably sounds familiar, because in this blog we always try to make you become a daring photographer and you dare to photograph in manual mode, so that you control all the variables of filming yourself.
- And it’s also true that if at some point you dared with the camera’s semi-manual or manual modes.
- It seems to you that there is a relationship between openness and focus.
- In case you’ve forgotten a little before we start.
- We’ll update the basics.
It sounds awful and feels a little impossible to understand, but the truth is that opening the diaphragm is simply the opening through which your lens lets in the light. The larger this hole, the more light will enter through the lens and the more it will be closed, the less light will enter, just when you open a faucet, the more water there is, and the more water you close, the less there is. We’d better see it in this video:
This is the first concept that must be clear with openness, when more or less light comes in and the possibilities it offers us to be able to play with this knowledge, for example, in a scene where you do not have enough light, ideally to help your diaphragm let as much light pass as possible, this is done by opening the diaphragm (low values of f) , on the contrary, if you have excess light, it makes sense that you close the diaphragm to avoid too much light from entering (high values of f).
But not only does it control the light input that passes through the lens, but it also controls what we call depth of field or the area focused on the image, that is, it controls the focus, so it is important that you know clearly that to control the focus, it is necessary to know how to use the aperture. Once this brief review is complete, let’s look at another of the most important composition decisions: where to focus.
Because the decision of which area of focus of the image we want is so important, because this is where we want it because, as we already argued at the beginning of this article, the approach is used to highlight and reinforce points of interest in the image. Now, it’s not always easy to know what to focus on and how much, let’s look at some more or less typical situations where using the right approach will help you improve your photos.
Surely if you follow this blog, you have already heard our insistence on focusing the gaze of the person represented, in the gaze is the strength of each of us, it is the most expressive part, the part that we instinctively seek when analyzing. a portrait, the one that we stop the most when we look at it, so unless you’re looking for another meaning, unless you want to highlight another part of the scene for a specific reason, it’s best to focus the look. If you also play with shallow depth of field, consider focusing on the eye closest to your target.
To film groups of people and make sure they are all perfectly sharp, you will need to close the iris (high values of f). Ideally, you should choose a reference person, for example, in the first row, the one in the center, and zoom in after adjusting the aperture to a high f-value (for example, f11).
Since the artist behind the camera is standing in front for once, it is difficult to work with small depths of field, because in self-portrait we lack the most important part of the photographic equipment, you. Therefore, it is preferable to work with medium openings to ensure that the face is well developed, because while it is a somewhat unusual form of portrait, for composive purposes it follows the same rules as a “normal” portrait.
You can help yourself with some tips for focus, dolls, ground marks, mirrors, etc. to help you adjust the focus of the scene. It is recommended that you approach a tripod and manually, and then position yourself at the exact point you set.
In landscape what we usually look for is the sharpest and most focused area of the image, for this we use not only small apertures of diaphragm (high values of f), but also what we also call hyperfocal distance. Or what is the same thing; where we focus to get the most focused and sharp area of the image. To calculate it, it depends on several factors, including the distance at which we place the focus, the focal length of our optics, etc. article we dedicate on the blog to clarify the concepts and learn how to use it?
In macrophotography, it’s particularly important to decide where to focus, because the depth of field is very, very small, if you’re photographing an insect’s face, the focus should be on the eyes, as if it were a portrait. , think the focus will be on this part of your protagonist as if it were an arrow.
There is no single rule regarding this type of photography, but in general we seek to link the protagonist with the environment, so we usually play with great depths of field so that both have a similar prominence, so the objective is broad, even if we always place it in the center of interests that, as a rule, are usually the protagonists of our story.
You’ll have to get down to business with the manual or speed priority. Scans are a tool to add movement and interest to your scenes that can give you great images. To get a good scan, you need to work with slow speeds and to compensate, you usually need a small aperture (f high). Once you have the settings, you should focus on the moving subject and follow the path of the movement with your target. Don’t panic, it’s just a summary, here’s a detailed article on how to get a perfect step-by-step scan.
If you are addicted to automatic mode, in this case you will also have to forget it?If you want to focus on this pair of companions who are looking at us from the sky, you will have to focus manually and infinitely, and with great depth of field.
While there are many possible scenarios, what you should consider mainly is that the focus marks your focus and allows you to highlight it above others, so it’s so important to know how to focus on every opportunity and this, as always, is learned. through practice, seasoned with intuition and artistic audacity?
I hope this article was helpful to you. If so, share it with someone else who might be interested. Thank you and soon