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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BF Hammer" data-source="post: 821148" data-attributes="member: 48483">So yes, what you really appear to be complaining about is Depth Of Field (commonly just DOF). Some of the stuff in the photos are in focus, but it is impossible to get it all in focus from that distance at that focal range.This can be pretty easy to get most of the things in focus with a cellphone camera or even an older point-n-shoot digital camera. They use tiny image sensors. As a rule, the larger your image sensor at a given focal range, the smaller your DOF becomes. I shoot with a full-frame size sensor which will give even less DOF than your D3400 crop-sensor does. So this image I took last year kind of replicates your situation. I am using an ultra-wide 15mm lens here and on your camera you would have to use a 10mm lens to replicate this. I have enough depth at this wide angle to step in close  and isolate the flowers.<img src="https://nikonites.com/forum/attachments/2023-07-04-black-flowers-03-jpg.394310/" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Even at that, I have the rear part of the planter out of focus a bit. Use a cellphone, the flowers in the upper-right behind the main subject would likely be in focus as well and competing for attention. Now with macro, the depth gets even more shallow. When I take it to the extreme, we get this kind of effect.<img src="https://imgur.com/qwfKpYu.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />DOF is reduced to less than 1/8 inch.So for your flower photos to get more DOF (maybe not what I would choose for the composition) you need to find a way to use a higher f-stop. Set the camera mode to "A" (Aperture-Priority) and use the front dial under the shutter release to select a higher f-stop. F/16 or even f/22 if possible. It may not be possible if the lighting is not bright enough. Then a flash may be needed to fill-in with light.</blockquote>

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