Ever watch a movie or TV show and see a specific subject in sharp focus while the rest of the image falls out of focus? Maybe it has a blurred background or foreground? That happens when the cinematographer plays around with the focus and makes it shallow. And it's something we're seeing more and more in film and TV.Today, I want to go over that idea and talk about why it's used, how you can do it, and look at some examples of shallow focus as well. Let's dive in. Shallow Focus DefinitionShallow focus is a cinematographic technique that involves a narrow depth of field, where only one plane or subject is in sharp focus while the rest of the image is blurred. This effect is achieved by using a wide aperture (low f-stop), a long focal length lens, or a close distance between the camera and the subject. Shallow focus is often used to isolate and emphasize the main subject, draw the viewer's attention to a specific point of interest, and create a visually pleasing bokeh effect in the out-of-focus areas.Why Use Shallow FocusShallow focus is the opposite of deep focus in that the area around your subject is generally not as sharp. It uses a shallow depth of field where the out-of-focus area of the image is often referred to as bokeh.Bokeh is defined as "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light." When it comes to lenses, the bokeh will generally look different from lens manufacturer...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Friday, 6 September