Beginning Photography Tip #5:
Focus on Your Subject

Heidi
Focusing on Your Subject
© Jim Miotke 2005
All Rights Reserved

Practice shooting with different apertures and monitor the results afterwards to learn how depth-of-field affects your photo.

You will find that a smaller depth-of-field (and smaller f-stop #) focuses all the attention upon your subject. This is great for taking a picture of your child, your dog, or your husband - subjects stand out against a blurry background.

Likewise, you will find that a greater depth-of-field (bigger f-stop number) will make everything from here to eternity appear in focus. This will help make those landscapes fascinating and lovely.

Pool at Hearst Castle Using Deep Depth of Field © Jim Miotke 2005 All Rights Reserved

You will also want to become familiar with the way your camera focuses. If it is a simple point and shoot camera, you will likely indicate which part of the picture to focus on by following these steps:

1. Aim so the object you want in sharp focus is in the center of the viewfinder.
2. Press the shutter button down half-way and hold it.
3. Move your camera until you have the composition you like best (see tip #3).
4. Press the button down the rest of the way to take the picture.

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