In the world of photography, people love to get up close and personal to their subjects to try and attempt to blur out the background of the environment they are in whilst focusing on the subject in the foreground. This range of space around the subject that appears reasonably sharp is known as the depth of field. The depth of field space can vary in different sizes from the shallow, slim zone of sharpness that people love to get creative with, to the deep, wide open sharpness, that is perfect for landscape images. This is all controlled by the combination of aperture, focus distance, and the camera itself or in our case smartphone. But with smartphones you sometimes do not have the complete freedom that you get from a DSLR, so instead I am going to give you some handy tips to get the best possible depth of fields out of your smartphone camera.
Shallow depth of field is a great composition tool that you can use to blur the background details and help direct viewers towards the focal point of the image.
To achieve a shallow depth of field:
Try to get as close as possible to your subject
· Focus on the nearest possible object in the subject’s area
· Try adding more light into the scene
As for a deep depth of field this can be used to capture very sharp detailed images, which is essential for wider shots with numerous subjects.
To get a deep depth of field:
· Just stand back at a moderate distance from your subject
· Let the smartphone autofocus the most ideal focal point for sharpness
· If you’re depth of field is still too narrow, maybe take another step or two back.
With these tips, you’ll be out playing with depth of field all day, composing new and creative images!
Sometimes you will see people that put their photographs into frames as a way to display and draw attention towards their artwork, but there is another kind of framing you can do when you snap the photograph, and it is just as if not more effective than framing the physical print. Framing is the composition technique of drawing attention to the focal point of the image by using the placement of the subject in relation to other objects.
Framing can’t be controlled by any settings nor does it change depending on camera, framing all comes down to you the photographer and how you see your subject in its image. What elements around can you incorporate into the photo, how can you frame your subject in its environment. Sometimes though things may get a little cluttered though, and can even obscure the subject itself, so every time you frame a photograph you should ask yourself ‘Will this add to or take away from the image?’
Having a well framed photograph that lets in other elements around the subject can really help add context towards the image, and this can also add an extra dimension to the image and give it a sense of having depth and layers.
When framing your photograph try to:
· Look for natural elements provided in the scenery you have
· Move your body around the environment to find other elements
· Play with the focus to see what work with the framing
Apply these composing tips next time you’re out taking photographs, and get creative!
Being on a smartphone that takes digital photographs means you don’t have to worry about the processing of film or running out of shots (unless you run out of storage), and with that you are given the absolute freedom to experiment around with your compositions and take as many photographs as you want without any loss. When experimenting you have to ability to come up with something completely unique and creative, trying out new ideas you never thought of before.
There are obviously no restrictions with experimentation, here It’s all in your mind what you can come with. So you need to think creatively and wonder what composition techniques could work and what won’t, if it wouldn’t work just ignore it, these techniques should only be taken with a pinch of salt.
When experimenting try:
· Mixing up composition techniques together
· Positioning the smartphone in unique locations
· Adding photography accessories that can alter the image
Experimenting with photographs on a smartphone is easy and fun, so get out there and explore!
Chandra Tamang is the author and founder of SmartPhotos, a project put together for the University of Canberra, Networked Media Production in 2016. Photography is a key passion of Chandra's that he has been pursuing to make a break into the professional world, and he wanted to share the knowledge, techniques and experiences that he has picked up through his learning and pass it on to those that wish to experience it. He spends his time off either playing with cameras or computers, working on new projects, or learning new skills to increase his experiences.
SmartPhotos was developed to bring the world of Photography and Smartphones together to make it easy for anyone to capture a great image. With the advancements in today's technology every smartphone has the potential to take amazing photographs, the only thing stopping it is the person taking the photo!
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