How should I set the depth of field for portraits?

Shallow depth of field is a favorite technique for many photographers, especially when shooting portraits, it is easy to highlight the position of the model on the frame, and it also moderately softens and beautifies the background. In general, the most convenient way to create a shallow depth of field is to use a lens with a wide aperture (the relationship between aperture size and depth of field). Usually as long as the aperture is reached, you can get a pretty good shallow depth of field effect.

Most of them fall on inexpensive lenses with specifications such as 18-70mm, and the maximum aperture value is only long-range. Compared with the large-aperture zoom lens, there is already a step gap of about one and a half squares, so it will naturally suffer from the creation of a shallow depth of field.

If it is an ordinary DC, it is basically impossible to shoot portraits with a shallow depth of field. Regarding the depth of field, you can go to the Internet and search for the depth of field calculator, enter the data and you can calculate it. The actual focal length of the ordinary small DC lens is small The relative focal length reaches about 300mm, and the actual focal length is actually only 50mm, and at this time, the light quality of the lens is more serious, and the aperture is not large, so it is more difficult to shoot.

This is not a problem with the setting, with the same size of the image sensor, the shallow depth of field mainly requires a large aperture, close distance from the subject, and telefocus bokeh!

1. Enlarge aperture: You can easily make a shallow depth of field with a large aperture, and the meaning of a large aperture is not necessarily a lens with an aperture of f, even if the maximum aperture value f is a set lens with the other 2 elements, you can adjust the aperture to the maximum.

2. Use the telephoto end: Assuming the same aperture value, using the telephoto can make the depth of field shallower, for example: lens a:

Aperture f 4 with a focal length of 18mm. Lens B: Aperture f 4, using a 200mm focal length.

In this case, the depth of field of using lens B will be shallower than that of lens A, and the background will be more obscured.

3. The distance ratio between the camera, the subject and the background: This is difficult to understand in words, but in practical application it means: the camera is as close to the subject as possible, and the subject is as far away from the background as possible, so that even if the same aperture value and focal length are used, the photos with this trick will have a more obscured background.

However, if you can understand and match the scene light, or understand the characteristics of the photos obtained by the shallow depth of field, you can further improve the level of shooting, and I will teach you the shooting skills of large aperture and shallow depth of field.

1.The subject is obscured by the foreground scenery

In the past, when taking wedding photos, the backs of the heroes and heroines were deliberately blocked from the camera to enhance the layers and create a voyeuristic love atmosphere.

When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom in spring in Japan, the protagonist is deliberately blocked by a large number of cherry blossoms, and only the eyes of the male protagonist are seen seeping out to create a romantic feeling.

Deliberately take photos in front of barbed wire to enrich the picture.

You need to pay attention to the angle when shooting, and in the following example, the barbed wire appears too obviously, which makes it feel completely different.

Another example of the protagonist being obscured by the previous scene highlights the sense of distance.

2.Uses light sources to create high-quality bokeh backgrounds

The light through the leaves and the shallow depth of field can create a beautiful bokeh.

Combined with street lights and a shallow depth of field, you can create a very atmospheric bokeh.

3.Cooperate with the light of the scene environment to enhance the level of the photo

Pay more attention to the angle of the ambient light, the color temperature and the amount of light can increase the layer, three-dimensional sense and atmosphere of the trouser theme.

Clever use of side light can accentuate the silhouette of a strong protagonist and add dimension.

The photo includes both cool natural light and warm artificial light to enrich the entire image**.

At dusk, the sunlight is softer, the side light increases the three-dimensional sense of the protagonist, and the large aperture only the eyes are clear to create a creamy feeling.

As an aside, focusing on the ViewFinder of a classic camera is also a favorite way to shoot portraits.

The next time you take a portrait, you may want to pay more attention to the characteristics of the ambient light on the scene, and if you know how to use it, you can definitely take more flavorful portrait photos.

If you want to shoot a shallow depth of field**, you only need to grasp three points.

1. At the same distance, the longer the focal length of the lens, the shallower the depth of field.

2. The closer you are to the object, the shallower the depth of field, but pay attention to the closest focusing distance of your lens, if you are too close, you will not be in focus.

3. The larger the aperture, the shallower the depth of field, but it should be noted that the larger the aperture, the less sharp the lens imaging is.

If you have a good grasp of the above points, you will definitely have no problem shooting shallow depth-of-field effects.

For example, if you want to shoot a portrait with a blurred background, then enlarge the aperture a little (usually enough), adjust the focal length longer (85mm-135mm is a better focal length for shooting portraits), stand a little closer, aim the focus point at the person's eyes, press the shutter halfway to prepare the coarse focus, and then press the shutter all the way, click, o.

Uh, two more words, why do you want to focus on the human eye, because to highlight the human spirit when shooting portraits, what can best express the human spirit, the eyes.

I don't know if the portrait mode you said to adjust the depth of field is the portrait mode of the phone or the portrait mode of the camera. Whether it is the portrait mode of the mobile phone, the depth of field adjustment or the portrait mode of the camera, the principle of adjusting the depth of field is the same. The role of depth of field is to highlight the subject and blur the background.

The implication is that if you want to highlight the subject and blur the background, then you should focus on the subject, focus on the subject, and then the subject is clear, and the background is illusory, because the object you focus on is the subject. On the contrary, you can experiment with the object in focus to become the background, then the background is clear, and the subject becomes blurry, this is to adjust the depth of field, in fact, the portrait mode of the mobile phone does not need to adjust the depth of field, only the portrait mode of the camera needs to adjust the depth of field.

If you want to shoot a shallow depth of field**, you only need to grasp three points.

1. At the same distance, the longer the focal length of the lens, the shallower the depth of field.

2. The closer you are to the object, the shallower the depth of field, but pay attention to the minimum focusing distance of your lens, if you are too close, you will not be in focus.

3. The larger the aperture, the shallower the depth of field, but it should be noted that the larger the aperture, the less sharp the lens imaging is.

If you have a good grasp of the above points, you will definitely have no problem shooting shallow depth-of-field effects.

For example, if you want to shoot a portrait with a blurred background, then enlarge the aperture a little (usually enough), adjust the focal length longer (85mm-135mm is a better focal length for shooting portraits), stand a little closer, aim the focus point at the person's eyes, press the shutter halfway to focus, and then press the shutter all the way, click, o.