BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Kevin Burns

Portrait and Depth and Field?

Hello all.
I have a question about Portrait and Depth and Field pictures.
I thought a picture with a blurred background and sharp subject was a portrait and a picture with a sharp background to foreground was DOF.
DOF pictures are easy to determine “depth” as a distance of measurement and portrait’s are hard to see depth cause they have no depth. I have noticed that most are confused on each type of picture.
My question is why?
Please take no affiance, it is just a question you all are great.

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May 05, 2005

Bob Cammarata

I have never heard of a picture being classified as a "DOF".
Depth of field is a perception of apparent focus from the foreground to the background and applies to all portraits, landscapes and any other photograph.

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May 05, 2005

Kevin Burns

The word Depth means measurement. O.K then, how far is the tree away from the dandelion in the dandy portrait witch has no depth of field, hence portrait?

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May 05, 2005

Jon Close

"Depth of field" does not specify a particular effect or style. A picture can have a very shallow depth of field (generally preferred for portrait, but not always) or very great/deep depth of field (generally preferred for landscape, but again not always as in your dandelion photo).

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May 05, 2005

Kevin Burns

Thank you!, I am understanding better now. Good debate, I would say.
It is in the eye of the beholder.

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May 05, 2005

Kevin Burns

Thank you, Bob and Jon, for the time in clearing this up for me. Your both cool!

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May 05, 2005

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