struggling with DOF (1 Viewer)

[tad_rusty]

This is a recent pic from my trip to Presque Isle PA, USA. Did not get much time in the field as the rain was intense.

This great blue heron was as forlorn as I was during a short pause in the rain. I hope to get back down there during the migration with better weather.

I seem to be struggling with DOF as the background was in better focus than the heron, I may have over compensated with the unsharp mask trying to overcome it.

I was shooting at 1/60 F5 zoom on scope was 20x. I use a samsung s500/Nikon 20x60-80mm E&S with an SDA100 adapter. Guess I need more practice in the field but I am still intrigued by the potential.

Any pointers or comments? I will take all the help I can get.

Thanks

Russ

 

[erniehatt]

Russ, I kind of like the look of this pic, I like to see some of the enviroment in the shots. A larger aperture may have helped. But in the case of this one, if you want to quickly add some blur to the background in Photoshop, there is a blur tool in the toolbox, run this over the background a few times, works for me. Ernie

 

[MSA]

If the background is in better focus than the (central) subject, this suggests to me that the af points need to be reset as it may be focussing on a point other than the centre.

 

[tad_rusty]

thanks to you both I will look at both suggestions, blur for the background in this pic and better attention to AF for future pics.

Thanks

Russ

 

[Texun]

Depth of field is an optical limitation of the system whereas focus is always a user problem. Only lots of practice and experimentation will improve your technique. If you wear glasses, use them when you focus. The attached photo exemplifies the DOF problem--look at the eye in focus and the tail not.