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Focus Question
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Jan 28, 2016 10:15:02   #
Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE
 
CharleneT wrote:
This is my dog, Leah. I like the picture, but can't understand exactly why her rear-end is out of focus when her face is clear. Any suggestions, reasons, help, etc. appreciated. Thank you!


When asking almost any question it is important to click on "store original" to provide the camera settings so we can advise you. You can re-post and do this now. Obviously your depth of focus was limited with a wide aperture.

http://camerasim.com/apps/camera-simulator/

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Jan 28, 2016 10:41:26   #
OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR
 
Zone-System-Grandpa wrote:
The advice that I am about to give you is assuming that .....


As Nikonian and Dpullum were saying, much better to know the data than assume (guess).

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Jan 28, 2016 11:00:41   #
CharleneT Loc: South Carolina
 
The more I think about my photo, it was in the room with natural light. I didn't want to use my flash. I was on my A setting since I needed to adjust the amount of light to be able to see Leah, thus shortening my DOF. If I wanted her whole body in focus but keep the natural light, I would have to focus further down her body, like her shoulders. Am I right?

If I wanted to back up, I would need to increase my ISO so I could increase the aperture to bring her into focus? Then again focus further down her body to get all of her in focus?

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Jan 28, 2016 11:05:13   #
CharleneT Loc: South Carolina
 
Can you also think of it this way: the larger the number, the bigger the DOF and the smaller the number, the shorter the DOF?

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Jan 28, 2016 12:45:15   #
OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR
 
CharleneT wrote:
Can you also think of it this way: the larger the number, the bigger the DOF and the smaller the number, the shorter the DOF?


Exactly. :thumbup:

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Jan 28, 2016 13:32:18   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
CharleneT wrote:
This is my dog, Leah. I like the picture, but can't understand exactly why her rear-end is out of focus when her face is clear. Any suggestions, reasons, help, etc. appreciated. Thank you!


Charlene, the reason is referred to as Depth of Field (DOF). This is an optical characteristic of any lens. In photography, it is the measurement of that area of the scene, in front of the camera, that is acceptably in focus, as there is only one distance which is, ideally, in focus.

The total distance of the DOF is typically divided into an area in front of and and area behind that ideally focused distance. That area is typically divided such that 1/3 of the distance is in front of that focus point and 2/3 lie behind that ideally focused point.

As one stops the lens down to smaller f-stops, that area is expanded, but still retains the 1/3:2/3 ration.

I hope this answers your question.
--Bob

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Jan 28, 2016 13:50:11   #
jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ
 
CharleneT wrote:
Can you also think of it this way: the larger the number, the bigger the DOF and the smaller the number, the shorter the DOF?


The larger the number (f/stop) more DOF, the smaller f/stop, less DOF.

Charlene, I don't know if you really got it or not, but we suggest you provide more information when asking questions like this. First of all, you should always upload a picture and click on the check box that says (store original) This will let us see the picture better and most of the time it will let us see the camera setting via the EXIF info embedded in the picture.

Secondly, you should always tell us what camera and lens you are shooting with so that we can provide a more accurate answer to your questions. Much, if not all, of what has been advised here has been a guess made on some assumptions. I wouldn't listen to any of it if I were you.

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Jan 28, 2016 14:26:18   #
jack schade Loc: La Pine Oregon
 
I like the photo. Your depth of field was too shallow to have everything in focus.
Jack

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Jan 28, 2016 14:33:21   #
ole sarg Loc: south florida
 
bet if you set the camera between f8 and f11 all will be in focus!

As the man said what we have here is a depth of field problem!D

go to

camerasim.com and work the simulation and all will be clear



CharleneT wrote:
This is my dog, Leah. I like the picture, but can't understand exactly why her rear-end is out of focus when her face is clear. Any suggestions, reasons, help, etc. appreciated. Thank you!

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Jan 28, 2016 15:55:56   #
forjava Loc: Half Moon Bay, CA
 
Try a square frame, using post.

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Jan 28, 2016 16:35:54   #
jimmya Loc: Phoenix
 
CharleneT wrote:
This is my dog, Leah. I like the picture, but can't understand exactly why her rear-end is out of focus when her face is clear. Any suggestions, reasons, help, etc. appreciated. Thank you!


It's called DOF - Depth of Field. To explain, should you not understand, a lens with a wide aperture, as it appears to be in your photo, creates an area along the length of it's focal area that's in focus, the rest will fade slowly into unfocused.

You can experiment at wide aperture with a static item, a candle, almost anything on a tripod.

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Jan 28, 2016 17:01:03   #
CharleneT Loc: South Carolina
 
Okay, ai got it! It has taken me awhile but I now know what the camera does when the fstop is set and found a way to remember the correlation to use the DOF to my advantage. Thank you all for your help. &#128512;

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Jan 28, 2016 20:58:19   #
PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago
 
Charlene, Leah is a beautiful dog. Your problem with focus has to do with what we call depth of field. As you stop the lens down lets say from 5.6 to 8 you increase the depth of field and more part of your image will be sharp. Experiment with Leah photographing her at different F stops all the way up to 21 or 28 or 32 if your lens has that. You will then find the optimum F stop(Aperture) to photograph her.
CharleneT wrote:
This is my dog, Leah. I like the picture, but can't understand exactly why her rear-end is out of focus when her face is clear. Any suggestions, reasons, help, etc. appreciated. Thank you!

Reply
Jan 29, 2016 14:40:33   #
speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho
 
CharleneT wrote:
This is my dog, Leah. I like the picture, but can't understand exactly why her rear-end is out of focus when her face is clear. Any suggestions, reasons, help, etc. appreciated. Thank you!

For more DOF, use a smaller Aperture!

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Feb 2, 2016 13:43:13   #
canon Lee
 
CharleneT wrote:
This is my dog, Leah. I like the picture, but can't understand exactly why her rear-end is out of focus when her face is clear. Any suggestions, reasons, help, etc. appreciated. Thank you!


Charlene that is a lovely photo of Leah. Having the hind end out of focus is what makes for a creative shot, as this creates a 3D effect, making Leah's sweet facial expression stand out from the background. Backgrounds are not as important as the subject, unless there is no subject just scenery. Find out how to create this 3D effect so you can add your creativity to the shots.

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