A shallow depth of field in landscape photography

Tuesday 20 December 2022, 20:40 by Nando Harmsen | 3,876 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

When landscape photography is discussed, there are often two things that always get mentioned. A wide-angle or ultra-wide-angle lens, and a very large depth of field.

There are situations where this works well, but there are also situations where you simply have to deviate from that so-called rule. Try using a shallow depth of field as well.

Although a landscape photo taken with an ultra-wide-angle lens and maximum depth of field can produce very nice results, there is more to it than that. If you only took that kind of photo, there is a chance it would become monotonous. It would all be the same.

A longer focal length is sometimes chosen, and this has been done more and more in recent years. But you almost never see a shallow depth of field. At least, not often.

With a large depth of field, a photo can become very busy. Everything demands attention. This happens very quickly, especially with a longer focal length. The same applies to a wide-angle lens, by the way, especially when there is no clear subject in the frame.

With a shallow depth of field, you can isolate something from a landscape. You can make something stand out. By choosing a suitable depth of field, the landscape remains present and recognisable, but it stays more in the background.

Take a look at the following landscape, a field with buttercups (at least, I believe they are buttercups). It is an overview photo in which the flowers do not stand out.

The landscape in which the flowers grow. This is an overview photo, so you get an idea of the landscape. (24mm, f/16)
If you move closer, not much changes. You really have to get much closer before you can use the flowers as the subject. In a way, you have to crawl into the field, or between the flowers.

Moving closer to the flowers is important. Do not be too cautious, and do not be afraid to crawl on them, because otherwise it has no effect. With this photo, I was too cautious. (24mm, f/16)
The flowers still blend into their surroundings too much. This is because the colour differs too little from the surroundings. Yellow and green do not contrast enough. It is also because there is so much to see behind the flowers. That attracts too much attention.

By almost crawling between the flowers, they stand out in the frame. But the large depth of field does not work well for separating them from the surroundings (24mm, f/16)
By now using a shallower depth of field, I can show the flowers to their full advantage. The background is less prominent in the frame. It is still recognisable as the landscape, but the attention is now directed better. Now you see a flower in the landscape.

By using a shallow depth of field, the flowers stand out without the landscape disappearing completely. I zoomed in a little to get an even shallower depth of field. (33mm, f/2,8)
I have a few more examples of a landscape with a shallow depth of field. Each time, this shallow depth of field was chosen to make the subject stand out from the landscape. It can sometimes even create a real three-dimensional effect.

150mm, f/5,6
The right depth of field is important. Too much, and the background becomes too blurred and therefore unrecognisable. Too little, and you get the feeling that the background is just not sharp enough. So always try several apertures, and choose the one that works best.

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