Depth of Field

Depth of field refers to how much of the photo, near-to-far, is in focus.

With a great depth of field, almost all subjects are sharp, near to far. To obtain the depth of field pictured below, I had to "stop the lens down" to a smaller aperture, or high f-stop number, in this case f-22. This lets in a tiny amount of light into the camera. To compensate, I had to use a long shutter speed (6 seconds), with my camera braced on a tripod to ensure adequate exposure. Tip: If you set your camera's exposure mode to "AV " it will automatically set the shutter speed to work with the aperture you selected.

With a shallow depth of field, the focus is selective; subjects are in focus only within a specific distance from the camera, while other distances are blurred. To obtain a shallow depth of field you need to "open the lens up" to a wide aperture, or low-f-stop number. This lets in more light into the camera. To compensate, I had to use a faster shutter speed (1/4 second). I still needed a tripod in this case because the light was too low to permit a hand-held shutter speed (1/60th second or faster). Again, if you set your camera's exposure mode to "AV " it will automatically set the shutter speed to work with the aperture you selected.

Depth of field decisions essentially amount to creative or aesthetic choices. What is your desired intent? For any given subject, experiment with different depth of field choices. How does depth of field function in the images below (Lewis Hine, Ansel Adams, Roman Vishniac, and Olivia Parker, respectively)?

Camera Modes: Nikon (Manual-M, Aperture priority-A, Shutter Priority-S, Program-P, Auto)

Camera Modes: Canon (Manual-M, Aperture priority-AV, Shutter Priority-TV, Program-P, Auto)

Project 1; Shooting Strategies

The past several sessions have had you exploring various shooting strategies and how they can support the expression of various subjects. We've also been looking at the work of various photographers listed to the right. In class we identified some general strategies, such as:

• Exposure
• Depth of field
• Point of view
• Motion
• Subject matter
• Balance of form and content
• Composition
• Contrast
• Lighting
• Appropriate focal length

Perhaps you have identified others based on your own shooting style. This project is essentially a shooting exercise that is designed to tune-up your seeing skills and refine your photographer's toolbox of approaches and strategies.

The shooting and edit sessions since day one have followed the format below. For Wednesday we will explore depth of field and selective focus.

The project is due on Wednesday, September 8. Edit all of your shooting sessions down to the ten strongest images. Some consideration should be made for how the images work together as a whole. For instance, they may share common subject matter or similar shooting strategies. Two of the images should be from the depth-of-field segment. Any two of the ten images should be printed.

For each:

• Process using best practice workflow skills presented in class. Turn files in.

1. All files must be in photoshop format
2. Camera RAW images must be in photoshop as "smart object"
3. Adjust clipping limits (white and black points)
4. Adjust white balance (for RAW)
5. Contrast and or brightness adjustment(s) with curve(s)
6. Local adjustments (dodge and burn layer and/or RAW graduated filter)
7. If necessary, color adjustment (using curve and/or photo filter)

• Make one refined print for two images. Print on decent paper using class printer. Turn prints in.
• A short written description of the work. What strategies were used? What was most successful? What did you learn?

Work will be evaluated on:

• Successful use of creative shooting strategies
• Interesting subject matter
• Successful balance of form and content (how the strategies work to express your subject matter)
• Successful use of processing skills as taught in class
• Quality of prints
• Written

Realism versus Contructivism Slides

You should be able to pause this to freeze slides...

Questions for Manovich reading

Due 8/25

Photo theory can be a bit dense to drill through. These questions should help guide you through the main points I'd like you to take away. Please answer questions in concise paragraph form. I will be looking for responses that demonstrate your understanding of the reading, as well as your own opinions with regard to the reading...

1. How has photography changed since you became involved with it? What has digital "revolutionized" for you?

William Mitchell and Lev Manovich have both been regarded (at one point or another) as important theorists of photo/digital. In this article, Manovich takes Mitchell to task on a number of important points. Consider their contrasting viewpoints in your answers...

2. How do analog (film) and digital technologies differ with regard to the ease and quality of photo reproduction (making copies of images)? How do you think this was important to the development of "digital culture" as we know it today? (think about all the ways you view photographs today)

3. Mitchell and Manovich debate about which technology (film versus digital) can capture more information and detail. How do their views differ? This article is rather dated; do you think these argument still hold up?

4. Mitchell argues that traditional film photography is perceived as more trustworthy in representing reality, while digital is perceived as less so. What's the basis for his argument?

5. Why does Manovich claim that this distinction is based on an over-simplification that disregards the many ways in which traditional photography was practiced and understood long before the arrival of digital technologies?

6. How does "photo-realism" as Manovich describes it, differ from how we actually see and experience real objects?

7. Manovich writes that CGI (computer-generated images) more closely resembles the reality of photographs than actual human perception, using movies from the 1990's, like Jurassic Park, as examples. If you were to agree with this (or not...), what would you conclude about more recent films like the 3-D/CGI extravaganza "Avatar." Real? Photo-Real? Hyper-Real? What does the 3-D add to the argument?

8/18/10

Welcome!

Look to this blog for useful links, assignment descriptions and other resources.

For next class:

• Bring digital camera, media, charged batteries, card reader and/or tether
• Read: Lev Manovich, "The Paradoxes of Digital Photography"

(Responses to reading questions due: 8/25)