Depth of Field Basics

Join Kelly Mena, of B&H Photo, as she explains the basic principles of depth of field in photography. Mena defines depth of field and explains the distinction between its deep and shallow variations—the former rendering everything from subject to background in sharp focus, the latter rendering the subject in sharp focus and the background soft and out of focus. Mena discusses the variables you can use to control depth of field in your images: aperture, focal length, and camera-to-subject distance. She also explains how you can use the ISO and shutter-speed settings of your camera to determine the optimal aperture for the shot you want to take, which will ultimately determine the character of depth of field in your image. We hope you enjoy the video, and invite you to view the wide selection of other instructional and informative videos at B&H InDepth.