Focus- Part 1

Exercise 1- Focus with a set aperture

Aims: To take 2-3 photo's of a scene that shows depth
             Focus each of the pictures at a different distance (using widest aperture possible)
             Compare each of the photo's and explain which one I prefer and why

I decided to use small bottles of scented oil for this exercise. I am using natural light from the nearby window and all 3 pictures were taken using a tripod to ensure both consistency and sharpness.

 f5.6 

1/13

ISO 100

f5.6

1/13

ISO 100

f5.6

1/10

ISO 100

Photo 1 is focused on the nearest bottle, Photo 2 is in the middle and Photo 3 is focused at the bottle furthest away. When you look at the pictures, your eye is drawn immediately to the point of focus, and then to the rest of the scene.

I think image 1 is most pleasing to look at as you quickly focus on the subject in the foreground and are then led through the picture. I think this also helps to create the perception of depth. I also think I prefer image 1 because we tend to focus on objects closer to us, then look further away, which is also how we are led through this photo.

I think as the focus is in the centre of image 2, it a appears a little flat and uninteresting. Having said that, I do like the balance of the equal portions of the picture that are out of focus. I still prefer it to the third image, but i find the first picture much more interesting.

I felt I should have liked image 3 best as the eye is drawn naturally through the picture to the point of focus, however in this scene, I felt there is a tendency to just sweep through the image and lose interest quickly. As a result, I think this is the weakest of the series.