Depth of Field - 4our Tips

When you focus your camera's lens on a subject, the point focused upon is sharp. Objects in the scene closer or farther than that point appear progressively less sharp as their distance from the focused point increases.

Depth of field refers to the area in front of and beyond the point focused upon in which things appear acceptably sharp in a photograph. Depth of field is really an illusion: Again, the point focused upon is sharp; everything in the scene closer to or farther from the camera is less sharp. Depth of field is based on the fact that our eyes can't differentiate between dead-on sharp and almost-sharp until the lack of sharpness reaches a certain degree. Within depth-of-field limits, objects in the photo will appear sufficiently sharp at normal viewing distances for the print size.

Depth of field affects every photograph. So it's a good idea to put it to work for you, rather than just leave it to chance. You have three controls over depth of field: aperture, focal length, and focusing distance. Smaller apertures increase depth of field, while larger apertures decrease it. Shorter focal lengths increase depth of field, while longer focal lengths decrease it. And greater focusing distances increase depth of field, while shorter focusing distances decrease it.

Shooting at the lens' smaller apertures provides greater depth of field, handy when you have important subjects in the scene at different distances from the camera Photo by Mike Stensvold

1. Great Depth of Field
Great depth of field is handy when you have several important subjects in a scene, each at a different distance from the camera. It's also useful when you want to get an entire three-dimensional subject sharp, rather than just a portion of it.

Compositions Simplified

Good photographs needn't be complicated.

You can often make better pictures by thinking "simple."

Instead of trying to get as much as possible into the shot, try to include as little as possible. Ideally, you should include everything that adds to the picture, and nothing else. But that's a tall order for those new to photography (and for a few "old hands."). Thinking "simple" will help you learn to do it.

If you include too much in the picture, the result is confusing. It gives the viewer too much to think about. He or she probably won't even be able to figure out where to start.

A simple composition, on the other hand, allows the viewer to take it in quickly and effortlessly. Then his or her mind can find a starting point for his or her own "tour" of the picture, for their own questions: In the case of the bench photo on the next page, Why is this bench empty? Who is the bench for? What country is this? The viewer's adventure begins.

Negative space helps keep compositions simple, directing the viewer's attention to the subject--and providing room for heads and body copy in shots for feature articles. Photo by Mike Stensvold

The photographer came across a weathered bench in front of a building with some shuttered windows. And that's just what he shows the viewer. He didn't try to include the whole building, or its surroundings. He simplified the photo by including only the bench and two shuttered windows. (He made this photo with an Advanced Photo System point-and-shoot camera, by the way--you don't need fancy gear to get good shots.)

Striking Sunsets- 5ive Tips

The word photography literally means "painting with light." Thus, twilight is one of the best times to take pictures, as the light at that time is magical. You can capture colorful clouds at sunset time, silhouetted objects against a colorful sky, or the sparkling lights of a city at dusk. Even though you'll need to go to a little extra effort to obtain great results, it's worth doing this to successfully capture one of nature's grandest spectacles.
Camera Support
Because you'll be working under dim lighting conditions, you should invest in a good tripod or monopod. Some manufacturers have even created small beanbags to steady lightweight point-and-shoot cameras. There are also times when you can brace your camera against a rock or on top of a fence. In any case, avoid the blurred images that occur when using a slower shutter speed while hand holding your camera. Lacking a camera support, use fast film in the 400--1600 range, or use an equivalent ISO setting on a digital camera.

Reader photo by Sue Copeland, Cupertino, CA

Look For Silhouettes
It's always a good idea to scout a location in advance for subjects suitable for silhouettes. Look for simple, recognizable shapes, such as trees, mountains, or even a structure on a beach. It's also important that your subject be surrounded by the brightly colored sky. A fisherman on the beach at sunset is an identifiable shape, but fishing boats lined up too closely in a row may merge into a dark cluster. Any subject that you position in the foreground of a sunset sky will be silhouetted unless you use flash to illuminate it. The dark blue sky after sundown on a clear day, or the pink and orange clouds after sunset on a cloudy one, make great backdrops for silhouettes.

Reader photo by SHerrill Lynch, Countryside, IL

Tips for Photographing Mountains

Anyone who loves shooting scenics probably enjoys capturing the grandeur of mountains. As with most landscapes, it's best to photograph mountain scenery very late in the afternoon or very early in the morning. Some of the best high-country photos are shot by photographers who get up before daybreak or stop shooting only after dark. You'll find that an otherwise dramatic peak can look a little flat and uninteresting during the middle of the day.

A panoramic view of a mountain range in Glacier National Park, Montana. Reader photo by Mario Giannone, Buffalo Grove, IL

The low light at dusk and dawn lends texture, depth and form to photos of mountains. You can also get great shots in varying weather conditions--don't put your camera away simply because the weather has turned cloudy. Don't go out in a blizzard or heavy rain, but look for dramatic clouds building before a storm, or the sun peeking through clouds afterward. You can also get some dramatic pictures of mountain peaks disappearing into clouds or fog.

At high altitudes, a phenomenon sometimes occurs called alpenglow. This warm glow appears when blue and green wavelengths are scattered by the atmosphere and a little red light dominates, which briefly bathes a mountain in warm, reddish hues. Alpenglow can illuminate the clouds around mountains as well.

Jagged red-rock formations at Bryce National Park, Utah. Reader photo by Leonard Rapoport, Hazlet, NJ