This is not meant to be scientific or any end all/be all to DOF with group portraits. What I wanted to do here is simply give some close idea, and illustration, as to how DOF affects group portraiture. This is intended as a learning exercise for all that are interested.
Where I am wrong, please correct me. Also, if there is more that you can present here I am inviting you to expand on this topic.
When shooting portraits that include more than one person/subject, DOF becomes even more important than with a single subject. You want all of your group in focus unless your shot is intended to be otherwise.
The DOF will affect how much in focus your group is and also how blurred the background is as well. The shots below will give you some idea of what happens as your aperture changes, as well as distance between subject and background, and what it does to the overall focus of both.
All shots were using the 50mm lens. Subjects were placed close to the background and far from the background. I used aperture of f/8 and f/4 and finally f/8 and f/11 with even greater distance between subject and background. Distance from camera to subject remained relatively the same on all shots.
Keep in mind I had to pay these models a large sum to participate and I had a hard time getting them to smile.
Subjects at equal distance from camera and close to the background - shot at f/4
All subjects in focus and background is blurred
Subjects at equal distance from camera and close to the background - shot at f/8
All subjects in focus and background is also in focus
Where I am wrong, please correct me. Also, if there is more that you can present here I am inviting you to expand on this topic.
When shooting portraits that include more than one person/subject, DOF becomes even more important than with a single subject. You want all of your group in focus unless your shot is intended to be otherwise.
The DOF will affect how much in focus your group is and also how blurred the background is as well. The shots below will give you some idea of what happens as your aperture changes, as well as distance between subject and background, and what it does to the overall focus of both.
All shots were using the 50mm lens. Subjects were placed close to the background and far from the background. I used aperture of f/8 and f/4 and finally f/8 and f/11 with even greater distance between subject and background. Distance from camera to subject remained relatively the same on all shots.
Keep in mind I had to pay these models a large sum to participate and I had a hard time getting them to smile.
Subjects at equal distance from camera and close to the background - shot at f/4
All subjects in focus and background is blurred
Subjects at equal distance from camera and close to the background - shot at f/8
All subjects in focus and background is also in focus
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