Depth of Field

 

JEFFREY (QUESTION):
In this image, how did you get the shallow depth of field between the face and the rest of the body?

PHILLIP VAN NOSTRAND (ANSWER):
Jeffrey, I shot this photo (above) at an aperture of f/2.5, which is a really shallow depth of field (especially on a 135mm lens like I was using). Also, I believe I had her leaning forward a bit, so the plane of focus only went from her nose to her hair and that’s about it. Basically her face was closer to the camera than her body (even though it doesn’t look that way). Hope that makes sense! Phil

If you don’t know what an aperture is, watch a video like this to learn. Educate yourself! Every professional photographer has taken the time to learn the basics like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and what they can do to affect an image. When you see a professional image with a soft blurred out background, that’s NOT something done in Photoshop. It’s done with a good lens and with the right camera settings.

 

$$$ TIP:

To get the best shallow depth of field, get rid of the stock lens that comes with your camera and upgrade your lens. I talked about this in another article, but the first portrait lens you could buy for the least amount of money is the 50mm 1.8. This lens will allow you to get that crazy depth of field that makes people stop and notice your photos. The lens only costs around 100 dollars, and will elevate your work to the next level, so you can start getting paid to take pictures.