Exercise 2.5: Close focus and focus to infinity

In 2.5 we find an object placed in front of a background and focus into the near subject then away (Depth of field) to the background. This sets up an emphasis of either focal point in view with background out of focus or field of focus to the distance with immediate object out of focus, thus changing the point of interest in the frame.

How does the point of focus structure the composition?

Below I give a series of examples and then a chosen set at end for the exercise.

Firstly one notices that the object of focus sets the scene for the background. The eye (mind) wants to make a relationship with the foreground and the background. So there needs to be some sort of coherence between the foreground and background otherwise it is difficult to comprehend the meaning. In this case I aimed for a balanced picture, with the main focal point as the swing and then the obvious distance object as another child’s play swing. So the object of focus structures the picture by defining its context and meaning.

Focus: Shot at 50mm f/3.5 1/800

When the focus image is the same such as here, we see that there is a sort of echo effect. The shape of the distant tap is only just perceptible but it constructs a sort of mirror image of the first tap.

Second set of images (Tap)

Focus: shot at 85mm   f/1.8   1/1250 sec

 

 

Distance Shot at: 85mm   f/1.8    1/1000 sec

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This back ground mix is more abstract as the point of focus is less of a perceptible image in its own right. When looked at in image 2 it becomes more obvious. Thus it is possible with this approach to the lens to have a less defined more abstract outcome. The tip of the corner of the table leads the eye to the horizontal line then along the vertical  line which is the tree trunk. Even if this corner was not in focus the eye would probably follow the same trajectory.

Focus: Shot at 85mm f/1.8  1/800

Distance: Shot at 85mm   f/1.8 1/800

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Set 4 (flower/digger) chosen image

Here the image of focus is set more intentionally to the edge of the frame. This structures a bit differently the frame in that there is a tension due to the asymmetry of the picture. The background depicts an object that is not clearly visible. There is an attempt at juxtaposition in this set.

 

mechanical digger