What Is Shallow Depth of Field (And How to Use It!)

Tags: Photography for Beginners,  Newbie Photography

By Jenn Mishra 

We spend a lot of time as photographers trying to get our images in focus. When an image 

comes out blurry, we hit the delete button so fast that we barely look at the composition.

But not all images need to be sharp from front to back. Sometimes, an image is more beautiful 

if some parts of it are softly out-of-focus. An image can have impact if the focus is “shallow”.

In this article, I’ll let you in on the secrets of shallow depth of field (DoF). I’ll help you 

achieve the look and give you ideas on when to use it in your photography.

Wildflowers in field using shallow depth of field. Settings: 333mm, 

1/400@f5.6. ISO160. 

Photo by Jenn Mishra  

 

What Is Shallow Depth of Field?

In photography, depth of field describes how much of the image is in focus.

A deep depth of field (also called “wide” or “large”) means that most of the image is in 

focus. 

This is often the goal of landscape photography.

Shallow depth of field (also called “small” or “narrow”) means that only a part of the 

image is 

in focus. The background and sometimes the foreground is blurred. Shallow depth of 

field works in portrait, nature, and travel photography.

The out-of-focus part may be only slightly blurred or be completely lacking detail.

Portrait with hotel lobby background blurred. Settings: 50mm, 

1/160@f2.2, ISO100. 

Photo by Jenn Mishra

How Do You Get a Shallow Depth of Field?

There’s a lot of optical physics behind a shallow depth of field. But in this article, 

I’m going to keep the discussion practical.

In general, your depth of field will be shallow when using a wide aperture. 

This means setting your f-stop to a small number. On some lenses, the widest 

aperture is f1.4. On others, the widest aperture setting is f5.6. Using  

aperture priority mode may be a good idea when you’re trying for a shallow 

depth of field.

Aperture size isn’t the only thing affecting depth of field. Focal length is 

also important. 

Lenses with a longer focal length generally will have a shallower depth of 

field. Your camera sensor size will also make a difference. Cameras with larger 

sensors (full-frame) will create a shallower depth of field than crop sensors.

But creating a narrow depth of field isn’t all about equipment, it’s also about 

relative position.

Depth of field will change depending on how close you are to your subject and 

how far your subject is from the background.

If you’re not getting a shallow depth of field, step closer. If that doesn’t work, 

try moving your subject further from the what’s behind. There needs to be some 

distance.

Notice how the cloth becomes more blurry with distance from the focal point. Settings: 126mm, 1/800@f11. ISO400. Photo by Jenn Mishra

How to Use Shallow Depth of Field

Let me turn to how to use shallow depth of field to make your photography pop.

Here are the top reasons for using a small depth of field.

To Simplify the Background

One of the main reasons to use a shallow depth of field is to simplify a busy scene.  

Portrait and nature photographers use this to create a clean backdrop.

This portrait was taken in front of a busy store front. Shallow depth of field 

hides the uninspiring background. Settings: 50mm, 1/2000@f1.4. ISO100. 

Photo by Jenn Mishra

You may want to remove all detail leaving only color or you may only want to 

de-emphasize the environment.

In travel photography and photojournalism, subjects are often photographed in 

context. We want to know where the person is or where the action is taking 

place.

But we want the context to be secondary. Blurring the environment allows the 

viewer to see the context without distracting from the main story.

Venice as background to this gondoliere. Settings: 240mm, 1/500@f8.0. ISO640. Photo by Jenn Mishra

Different apertures will produce more or less blur. Generally, shooting wide open at f2.8 

or f1.4 will create the most blur. If there is too much blur or you want a bit more detail, 

select a small aperture like f5.6 or f8.0.

A shallow depth of field creates separation and allows your subject to pop off the 

background.

To Guide the Eye

A viewer will naturally look at the most in-focus part of your image first. Knowing 

this, you can guide your viewer’s eye exactly where you want.

In a busy scene, you can select one focus point. One person or object becomes 

the subject.  

Selective focus is important when you have many points of interest.

Also, you can emphasize part of a scene or a feature. For instance, the eyes are 

the most important part of a portrait. Making the eyes the focal point and letting 

the image blur ensures the eyes will be the focus.

Shallow depth of field ensures you’ll look at this Indian man’s face first. 

Settings: 89mm, 1/100@f5.6. ISO500. Photo by Jenn Mishra

We can also highlight relationships between subjects in an image.

When using a shallow DoF, everything on one plane will be in focus. It doesn’t 

matter how far apart the subjects are horizontally. You can cleverly use this to 

emphasize a relationship. 

Two subjects on the same plane will pop out of an otherwise blurry scene.

With many subjects in the image, shallow depth of field allows you to prioritize 

subjects.

Eye and watch are in focus. Settings: 50mm, 1/1000@f1.4. ISO100. 

Photo by Jenn Mishra

To Draw the Eye Away

The flip side to guiding the eye towards a focal point is drawing the eye away. Blur can 

de-emphasize a defect or anything that could distract from your main subject. Whether 

this is a crack in a wall or a busy crowd.

One little-known use of a shallow depth of field is to remove visual barriers from your 

image. Visual barriers like fencing or mesh, get between us and our photographic 

subject.

This bird is behind mesh fencing in a zoo. A shallow depth of field makes the mesh disappear. Settings: 251mm, 1/400@f5.6. ISO1600. Photo by Jenn Mishra

This is the same principle as simplifying a busy scene, but it has to do with the 

foreground.

Wide apertures are effective if you’re shooting through a busy foreground. A 

narrow DoF turns it into a soft blur.

You can even use shallow depth of field to obscure a person’s identity. Other 

elements of the scene can be in focus, but the person’s face blurs.

This is a compromise for parents who don’t want to show their children’s faces 

on social media. A family scene can still be shared, but with the child obscured.

To Create an Effect

Using a shallow depth of field softens the scene and creates a mood.

Which mood depends on your subject and how you use the blur. Soft edges can 

create a romantic or nostalgic look. Or by obscuring details, the effect can be 

mysterious.

Taking away details creates an impressionistic scene. Take away even more detail 

and you can create an abstract image. We might only see an edge or part of an 

object. What’s left of the subject blurs into an abstract.

Creating an effect includes shaping the bokeh. Bokeh is the shape of the out of 

focus light.

 The shape is usually round because that is the shape of your aperture. But you can 

change that by placing a bokeh filter in front of your lens.

To Layer and Frame

Blurring both your foreground and background creates a frame around your subject. 

Even mundane environments can be nice with a bit of blur.

Shallow depth of field adds dimension, but it also separates layers. This is important 

when creating 2D images from a 3D world. Layers that our eyes detect don’t always 

come across in the scene.

Shallow depth of field adds frame. Settings: 50mm, 1/2000@f1.8. ISO100. 

Photo by Jenn Mishra

Tips for Creating Shallow Depth of Field

Learning to control depth of field in my photography took some practice. If you’re 

not getting the results you’re looking for, here are a few tips:

Try a different lens – Lenses vary in how well they create shallow depth of field. 

Focal length and aperture affect depth of field, but some lenses just seem to create a 

nicer blur.

Move closer – Changing your relationship to your subject can make a big difference 

in the depth of field.  

Move subject away from the background – If you’re not getting a shallow depth 

of field in your images, make sure there is actually depth to your field. Create 

distance between your subject and the background. Creating depth of field is all 

about depth relationships. 

1. Use a depth of field calculator – Depth of field calculators. 
2. Increase shutter speed –  Try increasing shutter speed. 

 

Photographing spoons macro. Settings: 90mm, 2.5sec.@f18. ISO400. 

Photo by Jenn Mishra

 

 

An image with a shallow depth of field will look partially out of focus. The 

subject will be in focus, but the background and maybe the foreground will be 

blurred. How much blur is up to the photographer. 

Photographing with a shallow depth of field allows you to control what is in 

focus and where your viewer looks. Soft focus is pleasing in many images and 

simplifies the scene. 

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Darryl T Creates a Fun Way to Get People 

to Take the Covid Vaccine

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to get the vaccine…without saying a word to them

The world was dealt with a massive blow with the covid-19 pandemic. The 

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without their families beside them due to restrictions. There were barely 

enough spaces for covid patients in the hospitals and health workers were 

working round the clock to save lives. The number of cases remained o

n the rise for months as pharmaceuticals battled with getting a cure for the virus.

On March 30^th, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) 

started a program they coined “Operation Warp Speed,” (OWS) in an 

attempt to expedite a COVID-19 vaccine. Months later, it was announced that 

covid vaccines were available for the public to take which would set the stage 

for the world to finally say goodbye to the covid pandemic.

With the launch of the covid vaccine came another big problem. Lots of 

Americans are refusing to take the vaccine for various reasons. In a bid to 

curtail this and make the world safer, Darryl Turner, President and CEO 

of Darryl T has developed an exciting way to encourage people to get their 

Covid 19 vaccination.

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Cases, and Covid 19 masks which are all available for purchase online.

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 # Photo, Images, People

Wildlife Photography: How to Take Great Pictures of Animals

By David Shaw  

Slowly, cautiously, I lay down on my stomach on the damp tundra. My long lens reached out in front of me as I wriggled slowly forward toward my unsuspecting quarry. Closer, closer I crawled, until the composition finally resembled what I wanted.
I peered through my viewfinder, adjusted, and began to click the shutter.

In Alaska, Arctic Ground Squirrels are very common.

The snap of the shutter rang through the quiet like a gunshot and the animal looked up, fixing me with an intense stare. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, the ground squirrel turned, and scurried back into its burrow.
Not all great wildlife photography is of predators or even large animals. Some of the most compelling images are those of small creatures: birds, insects, or as in the case above, ground squirrels.
Even creating images of common animals in your backyard, or local parks, is a great way to learn the necessary skills for animal photography.

This post will go through a few things you should consider as you begin making images of wild animals. 

Equipment

A 70-200mm lens was more than enough to capture this image of King Penguins

emerging from the Southern Ocean. 

When I think about wildlife photography techniques, there are a few things that stand out. Surprisingly, the first that come to mind have nothing to do with equipment. However, your gear does play an important role. Your kit for wildlife does not need to be huge, but a few things will prove useful:

1. Camera- obviously
2. Telephoto- a long lens is a near-necessity in wildlife photography, and lenses from 200mm to 600mm are standard.
3. A wide angle – this one may come as a surprise, but I’ve made some of my favorite animal images with a wide angle
4. Tripod

What brand, sensor size, and type of camera you choose is completely up to you. Many cameras, even some advanced point and shoots, will work great for wildlife.
But don’t let you gear hold you back. Be creative and shoot with what you have. You don’t always need a big telephoto lens, as my penguin photo above shows.

Respect the Wildlife, the Environment, and Others

Showing interactions between wildlife species is a great way to create an interesting image.

Your absolute top priority as a wildlife photographer is to do no harm to the creatures and the environment you photograph.
Animals should always have a route of escape; don’t corner them. Pay attention to their behavior. 

If an animal begins to look agitated, back off.
Whenever an animal flees, it means you got too close, and that animal had to use precious energy to escape. Every time that happens, it is additional stress for them, so don’t cause it.

Practicing with common animals will mean you are ready when the real 

excitement starts,  like this image of two bears fighting in Katmai  

National Park, Alaska.

Follow the rules of the places we are photographing. Stay on trails, and respect other users. More than once in my career, I have watched oblivious, or disrespectful photographers rudely step in front of others to make a shot, or tromp off a trail into a closed area. Please don’t be that guy.
Eventually, if we don’t police ourselves, someone is going to start policing and restricting us. Your long lens, not matter how big, does not grant you an exception to the rules.

Be a Naturalist

Research informed me that to photograph early-season coastal Brown Bears in southeast Alaska, I’d need to be there in late April.

The most important skill of a good wildlife photographer has nothing to do with cameras or technique: Be A Naturalist. Get to know the animals you want to photograph.
Find out where they live, what time of year they are present there, what they eat, and how they interact with their environment.
Not only will this knowledge help you find wildlife, it will also help you make better images.
You’ll know the story you want to tell, and quickly move beyond animal portraiture, and toward compelling, story-telling images of wildlife and their environment.

Get Low

On the photo workshops and tours I lead, the most frequently made mistake by my students is also one of the easiest to fix. (Assuming, of course, they don’t mind getting their knees a little dirty.) Get low!
Images of wildlife are almost always best when made from the eye level (or lower) of the animal you are photographing. This might mean having to go as low as laying flat on your stomach!

Images made from above lack a connection to the animal. I always encourage photographers to get down on their knees, or better yet, lay down. They’re all surprised by how much a lower perspective can improve their photography.

Go Long

A long lens let me isolate the pattern of this sleepy King Penguin.

There is little question that a long lens is a vital part of any wildlife photographer’s equipment. A telephoto lens plays a couple of important roles, the first is the magnification.
A lens like a 500mm, will make the animal appear much closer, and take up a larger portion of the frame. A long lens also allows you to cut out distracting elements from your frame. You can take a narrow slice of the scene in front of you, isolate the best parts and cut out the rest.

A telephoto also compresses your depth of field (DOF). The DOF is the amount of the image that is in focus from front to back in the frame. Long lenses are particularly good at blurring foregrounds and backgrounds. This makes your subject stand out from their surroundings.
Just as the magnification of long lenses allows you to isolate the best part of your scene from side to side and top to bottom, a shallow DOF allows you to isolate the best part from front to back.

Go Short

Long lenses are an indispensable part of a wildlife photographer’s equipment, but not every wildlife picture has to be made with a long lens. Wide angle lenses can actually make great photos, under the right circumstances.
I was photographing on South Georgia Island a few years back, creating images of a few nesting Gentoo Penguins. I was laying on my stomach with a long lens, going for that low perspective I mentioned earlier, when out of the sky above me, a skua descended and alighted just a foot in front of me.
The bird, a scavenger, was curious about me (perhaps hoping I was carrion), and kept inching forward, reaching out with its beak toward the lens of my camera. I slowly grabbed behind me for my second body, which was equipped with a wide angle zoom I’d been using for some landscapes.
Slowly, I maneuvered the camera to my eye and snapped two photos of the Skua. My motion and the noise of the camera made the bird realize that I wasn’t dead or dying after all and it took to the air. But I managed to get two pictures first!

Similar to the image above, this Caracara was curious about me as I lay on the 

ground photographing the landscape.

The wide shot I created is much better than anything I could have created with a long lens under those circumstances. I was able to show some interesting behaviour, and the bird’s habitat, complete with nesting penguins in the background.
Those aspects are all important, and tell the viewer something about the wildlife and how they live.

Get Close

Just like my Skua image above, getting close to animals is a great way to help your audience connect to them. You can get close by using a long lens, or by getting close yourself.
Long lenses, as I noted above, are great for making an animal appear closer. And when it comes to large, dangerous, or delicate wildlife, this should be the only way you approach them.
However you do it, getting close to animals (without disturbing them) will offer a connection. Details will emerge like the textures in fur or feathers, eyes appear to glitter, and your viewers will begin to relate to the animal in the image.

How to get close is another issue entirely, but the best way is the simplest: be patient. Simply placing yourself in a likely area and waiting, is a tried and true method.
I’ve spent hours sitting quietly next to ponds waiting for waterfowl to paddle past, and I’ve sat on mountain ridges as a herd of caribou moved across the valley below. Though simple, this isn’t the same as easy. It’s hard to be patient.
A discussion of other methods for getting close to wildlife warrant their own articles. That said, blinds are a useful tool, and even vehicles, in areas where animals are accustomed to them, can be a great way to get close.
I was shocked on a recent safari in Botswana how close vehicles could approach wildlife without disturbing them. Of course if I’d set foot out of the Land Cruiser, the animals would have either spooked, or you know, eaten me.

Get Sharp

To make a sharp image of wildlife with a long lens, you need a fast shutter speed. A general rule of thumb is to set your shutter speed at least as fast as the length of your lens.
If you are shooting with a 500mm lens, you need at least a shutter speed of 1/500th second to create a sharp image. But really, if you are going for sharpness, the faster your shutter speed the better.
Even applying the rule of thumb above, using some lens support will help you achieve the sharpness you want. When possible, use a tripod. When you can’t, brace off something instead. A tree, a car, even a rock might work. Or you can lay down on the ground (getting that low angle) and use your pack to support the lens.
Most lenses are sharpest a stop or two down from wide open. That means if your fastest aperture is f4, you’ll get a sharper image around f8 than you will wide open.

Get Blurred

A pan blur of flying Sandhill Cranes.

Animals seem in constant motion. Birds fly by, caribou run, and elephants swirl around water holes. Images that show some of that movement in the form of a motion blur, can be very effective and compelling.

A stationary blur allowed the bear to remain sharp while the waterfall blurred to a 

flowing texture.

Creating a good motion blur requires some experimentation. Start by slowing your shutter speed. For a long lens, a shutter speed of around 1/60th second is often more than enough to show sufficient motion blur in fast-moving animals.
Start there, then adjust up or down until you get the amount of blur you want.

Late evening in Africa meant very low light. Fortunately the slow shutter 

speed worked very well as this herd of elephants came into a water hole.

There are two methods to create these kinds of shots:

1. Steady Camera, Moving Wildlife – In this type of image, the background and surroundings should be sharp, as your subject, the animal, is blurred. A too-blurred subject will almost disappear in the frame, while an image not blurred enough will simply look out of focus. It’s a balancing act, and a tricky method to get right.
2. Pan Blurs – A panning blur is when you move your camera to stay even with moving wildlife. This creates an image in which both the background and the moving parts of the animal are blurred. The best of these retain focus on the eye and head of the wildlife, creating a sharp subject area in an otherwise motion-blurred image. These can be extremely effective and beautiful shots, when done correctly.

Pro-Tip: Focus on the Eyes!

The eyes are the first thing we look at, so sharpness there is doubly important. If I hadn’t caught the eyes of this lion in focus, this image would not have been successful.

Tell a Story

Caribou migrating across the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 

in Alaska is one of the iconic stories of wildlife.

In just about every kind of photography, the best images are those that tell a story. In wildlife photography, those stories can be dramatic, like predation in action. But they can also be simple. 

An image of an animal within its habitat is one way, or a simple interaction between two individuals is another.
Think about the species you are photographing. How or where does it live? What does it do to survive? Then consider how your image can tell that story.

A photo of a Black-browed Albatross in front of early sunlight, sea haze, and 

a storm-tossed ocean proves that you don’t need to be close to create a quality 

image of wildlife.

Wildlife photographers put a lot of effort into getting close. We buy long lenses, or sit for hours in trees waiting for the right opportunity.
But a close image is not always a great image. Nor is a distant animal a poor shot. What matters, close or far, is the story, the relationship, and the way your viewer relates to the subject.

Show how animals relate to one another! Here three lions interact in Botswana.

If you put all these things together, from equipment to camera settings, perspective to story-telling, you’ll start creating great wildlife photos.
Above all, make your wildlife photographs thoughtful. Think about your creative choices and use them to tell the story of the animal. If you do that, you will have much greater success, and create much better images.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photography Freebie

 

 

Take your camera off auto, learn how to take control and get better photos than you ever did before.

In this downloadable free photography ebook, I have put together all the basics in a simple, practical and jargon-free way.

Get your FREE copy here:   https://ianmiddletonphotography.com/free-photography-ebook/ 

Just copy and paste the link above into your browser, click ENTER, and enjoy. 

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On March 30^th, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) started a program they coined “Operation Warp Speed,” (OWS) in an attempt to expedite a COVID-19 vaccine. Months later, it was announced that covid vaccines were available for the public to take which would set the stage for the world to finally say goodbye to the covid pandemic.

With the launch of the covid vaccine came another big problem. Lots of People (World wide) are refusing to take the vaccine for various reasons. In a bid to curtail this and make the world safer, Darryl Turner, President and CEO of Darryl T has developed an exciting way to encourage people to get their Covid 19 vaccination.

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The apparels come with messages such as “Don’t hesitate, Vaccinate…Kick Covid’s Butt” all in a bid to encourage people to get vaccinated.

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Prime vs Zoom Lens – Which One Do You Need?

Tags: Photography for Beginners, Newbie Photographer

By Josh Dunlop  

What are the differences between a prime lens and a zoom lens?

Prime lenses have a fixed focal length, meaning that you can’t zoom it at all. This, but they 

do have distinct advantages, which we’ll explain later.

Zoom lenses allow you to change how close you want to get to a subject while keeping 

your physical distance. But this feature comes at a price though: quality and aperture.

So, which is best… prime vs zoom? This post should clear up any misconceptions you 

have about either and help you to find the right option for you.

Photo by Ian Panelo 

 

Prime Lenses

So what is a prime lens exactly? Do prime lenses zoom? As I stated above, 

prime lenses have 

a constant focal length. In other words, they don’t zoom. And like any other 

piece of equipment, it has its advantages and disadvantages.

Prime lenses (photo by Frank R)

One issue with using primes is that you may not be able to get the photo framed as 

you’d like it. 

But at the same time, they make you experiment more. They force you to think of 

a different way around taking a photo, one you may have missed otherwise.

There are two distinct reasons why people buy prime lenses, though: quality and 

aperture.

Quality

The quality of the prime lens is often vastly superior to that of a zoom as it doesn’t 

have as many moving parts.

Furthermore, primes also have fewer optical elements inside. That means there 

are lesser 

chances of abnormalities to occur. And as a result, it is better at producing sharper images.

There used to be a considerable difference between prime and zoom lenses because the 

technology wasn’t as good.

But now you can get zoom lenses that are just as good as some primes. But they come 

at a price.

I paid almost the same amount of money on my 24-70mm f/2.8 as on my 35mm 

f/1.4. The quality of this versatile zoom lens is excellent but still isn’t quite as good 

as the f/1.4 prime.

Even when you’re investing a lot of money into a zoom lens, you’re still making 

a compromise.

You can see how sharp the image is below – it’s hard to believe that I shot this 

at f/1.4, the widest aperture I have.

In contrast, zoom lenses would have a bit more trouble producing an image as 

sharp as the one above.

Aperture

Primes have a lot less moving parts, so they’re not constricted by the zooming 

action. Therefore, they often have wider apertures than zoom lenses.

The main advantage of having a wide aperture is that you can take photos in 

low light. The wider aperture allows more light into the camera.

The wide opening makes it ideal for shooting indoors: in a bar, a club, or in a 

dimly lit room – somewhere where you don’t want to push your ISO.

The prime option that I mentioned above allows four times as much light into 

the lens than the zoom. An aperture of f/1.4 is four times larger than f/2.8. Keep in 

mind that f/2.8 is very 

good for a zoom lens.

We also have the advantage of producing a shallow depth of field which has a 

whole range of creative uses. Portrait photographers usually much prefer primes 

because of this. A soft, creamy background is often precisely what people like to 

see in portraits.

I shot this photo below at f/1.4, producing beautiful bokeh. Since zoom lenses can 

only go up to f/2.8 at most, they are not capable of producing background blur as 

well as primes.

Price

Another significant advantage of most prime lenses is that you can buy them for 

a low price. 

For instance, you can get a 50mm f/1.8 ranges from around $110-$220. For that 

price, you’ll see a dramatic increase in quality over your kit lens. You’ll also gain the 

ability to play around  with depth of field a lot more.

 

But it’s also worth noting that primes can get more expensive as the focal lengths 

increase. 

While you can get a 50mm for a few hundred dollars, you may have to shell out 

thousands for a 500mm.

Photo by Dominika Roseclay

Special Primes

Some specific lens constructions would be impossible to adapt to a zoom lens. 

One of them is tilt-shift lenses.

A tilt-shift allows you to manipulate your perspective by shifting parts of the 

lens. You can also modify your focal plane’s direction by tilting some of the 

elements. The effect it creates results in a unique, “mini-world” look.

These lenses are the workhorses of professional interior and architecture 

photographers. But they are also used in portraiture and event photography sometimes.

Another type of specialised primes is the defocus-controllable lens. This useful 

tool allows the photographer to alter the form and amount of background blur 

without actually changing the aperture. It’s the hidden gem of portrait photographers.

Super telephotos are also rare to find in zoom format. There are some 

excellent 150-600mm options out there, but that’s where it stops. Focal lengths 

of 800mm and above (with astronomical prices) are exclusively primes.

Then, of course, there are fisheye lenses that rarely don’t have zoom counterparts. 

There’s only one I know of, the Canon 8-15mm. There are some great cheap 

fisheyes, though, such as the Rokinon 8mm.

Zoom Lenses

Zoom lenses are perfect for beginners because of their variable focal lengths. In 

other words, they let you zoom in and out of a scene as opposed to primes.

A 24-70mm lens (photo by Danny Fengh)

Zoom lenses are a lot more complicated, and the prices vary a lot more, depending on 

what the lens does.

It’s a common misconception for beginners to think that an 18-250mm 

should cost more than a 24-70mm zoom lens because it has a longer focal length. 

That’s not true because it does so at a price.

When it comes to zoom lenses, you do get what you pay for. It would be hard 

to compare the two options that I just mentioned because they have different purposes.

So what are zoom lenses good for?

An 18-250mm is for the hobbyist. Often someone who doesn’t want to carry 

around multiple lenses – perhaps someone who travels a lot.

A 24-70mm is for a much more serious shooter. Often someone who 

understands the compromises made when building a lens with a much longer 

zoom range. But, at the same time, they need to be able to change the way 

they’re framing a photo freely. You can’t do this with a prime.

Quality

The overall image quality of zoom lenses is catching up with that of prime lens 

options, but I reckon there’s still a long way to go.

I notice that my zoom isn’t as sharp as my prime. But I knew that when I bought 

it and I’m still delighted with the results. You could call it a happy compromise.

One thing I have noticed from using both types of lenses is that the photos appear a 

lot softer when the aperture is all the way open, and the pictures look better at a 

stop or two narrower.

This noticeable with zoom lenses, but that’s just part of the compromise.

There is one thing to keep in mind, though. An expensive zoom can easily surpass 

a cheap prime in image quality, even though there are exceptions to this 

(like the Canon 50mm).  Zooms are less sharp because of optical errors coming from 

their complex nature. Expensive 

unique glass elements and coatings correct some of these errors. As a result, you’ll 

see a drastic increase in quality.

So, there is quite a considerable quality overlap between the two. There are 

websites out there that will show you sharpness samples and MTF charts. They can 

give you a general idea of how a particular lens performs.

But if you’re planning on getting a new lens, I advise getting your hands on it and 

have a quick test. There’s a lot more to it than sharpness and aperture.

Photo by Ekrulila

Aperture

Because the aperture is f/2.8 throughout the 24-70mm zoom range, I always know 

what the parameters are. However, cheaper lenses often lack this feature.

A more inexpensive zoom, such as a Canon 18-55mm kit lens, will have an aperture 

of f/3.5 when it’s zoomed all the way out at 18mm. But it slowly narrows the 

aperture to f/5.6 as you zoom in, letting in less than half the amount of light. We call 

these variable aperture lenses.

To reach f/2.8 throughout the entire range is an achievement not very common 

with crop sensor lenses. But all three large brands now offer f/2.8 standard zooms 

as part of their advanced crop sensor systems. They are quite expensive, though, 

even nearing their full-frame counterparts.

Some zooms go beyond the notorious f/2.8 frontier. A few years ago, 

photographers praised Sigma for introducing an 18-35mm f/1.8 and a 

50-100mm f/1.8 for crop sensor cameras. 

These have since become very popular in the mirrorless videographer community, 

but also among photographers. They are relatively affordable, especially for what 

they offer.

Not long ago, Canon introduced a 28-70mm f/2 to go with the new RF system. 

It’s a beast of a lens for sure, at a beast of a price. But some professionals love it 

for its image quality and large aperture.

Photo by Creative Bheja

Price

Quality zoom lenses can cost a lot of money, but they do reach a limit. A good zoom 

can only do so much before the lens maker has to stop making compromises and 

start making a new version for a different focal range.

When you start buying lenses, it’s often a cheaper and more sensible option 

to purchase a zoom. You can do more with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location Scouting for Landscapes: 10 Lesser-Known Locations

By Gil Gildner 

Are you drawn towards traveling, remote areas, and landscape photographs but are struggling to find great locations to shoot? Well, you may need some help with location scouting.
Not to worry. Below, I’ve curated for you a list of ten gorgeous landscape photography locations that most don’t know about, to help satisfy your wanderlust and give you an amazing shooting environment.
Everyone wants to shoot famous natural landmarks like the Grand Canyon, the Alps, or the Amalfi Coast, but there are other destinations worth going out of your way for that you don’t hear about every day.
Bring a wide-angle lens and a knowledge of panoramic stitching, and you’ll be prepared for all of these landscape photography locations and all the other ones your travels throw at you! 

10 Awesome Landscape Photography Locations

Wanaka, New Zealand

I’m definitely biased towards New Zealand, and it shows in this list. But there’s simply nowhere else I’ve found which offers the sheer diversity of climates and geography that New Zealand does.
Wanaka is a little lake town in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. In the winter it serves as a ski base, and in the summer it serves as everything else. It’s one of the more quaint and relaxing areas I’ve ever been to, and there are photos everywhere you turn.

Monteverde, Costa Rica

After an assignment for a nonprofit in Guanacaste, a province on the Pacific Coast, I spent a week riding the bus through rural Costa Rica.
While the beaches and coast are beautiful, you can find a lot of off-the-beaten-path areas like the Cloud Forest area near Monteverde, a town high up in the mountains.
It takes hours of winding up steep, gravely roads that snake up the side of the mountain, but it’s worth it once you’re at the top. It’s cooler than most of the area, due to altitude, and though it’s almost perpetually foggy, this can make for some beautiful photography.
Be sure to catch the Arenal volcano just a few hours away.

Cape Town, South Africa

South Africa is beautiful, but Cape Town transcends beautiful. Imagine craggy mountains on the edge of a tropical sea, with vineyards in between: that’s what Cape Town is.
As landscape photography locations go, it may not be as obscure as some of the other locations mentioned here, but the fact that the city is still not yet well known for the diverse landscapes in its surrounding terrain that has earned it a spot on this list.
For example, the famous Table Rock towers over the city, and is perfect for early morning fog shots.
And if urban/humanitarian photography is one of your interests, Khayelitsha Township is one of the largest slums in Africa: it spreads for miles, just outside of Cape Town.
Go a few miles east, and you’ll be in the Stellenbosch winemaking region, which runs along the coast. Strand, about an hour east, is a popular beach destination.

Thermopolis, Wyoming

It’s not your typical Western American destination, and due to the active thermal springs it smells like sulphur. Just east of the Grand Tetons is a little area called the Gateway to Yellowstone.
Thermopolis is an old hot spring resort town with a population of 3,000 and is nestled in between massive canyons and rolling plains.
Driving through the town recalls a heyday of long ago, but it’s still worth visiting. Directly west are the Tetons, and directly south is Colorado and the Rockies.

Buller Gorge, New Zealand

This mountainous area is one of the lesser-known areas of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s a long, remote road through the mountains, in between the Marlborough wine country and the rocky upper west coast.
Take the drive during a time in which you can catch either the foggy dawn or the sunset, and fill up with gas before you start driving. There’s only a couple of gas stations along the way.

Fish Hoek, South Africa

Just south of Cape Town, there’s a small fishing village called Fish Hoek on False Bay, with a picturesque harbour well-shielded from the elements.
Keep on travelling down the highway for a few hours and you’ll eventually come to the Cape of Good Hope, the traditional southernmost point of the African continent, where the Atlantic Ocean becomes the Indian Ocean.

Rajasthan, India

India provides plenty of options for exotic photography, the most interesting of which can be found by heading north, past the typical Taj Mahal shots.
I hired a driver for three days for 10,000 rupees (around $150). He drove me from New Delhi up to the Pakistani border, to the province of Rajasthan. It’s straight Middle East: camels, sand, elephants, street markets, and rolling red mountains.

Ireland-to-France Ferry

There’s a $60 overnight ferry that runs from Ireland to France. It begins in a tiny fishing village in the south of Ireland called Rosslare, and ends in a small city in the north of France called Cherbourg.
It takes a little less than a day, but it’s worth the experience and view. If you take it outside of vacation season, you might be one of the only passengers on board. It’s the cheapest way to get a legitimate ship ride experience that I’ve ever found.

Nile River, Uganda

The Nile River starts at Jinja, Uganda, where Lake Victoria becomes the source of the Nile. It’s quite rapid and swift throughout Uganda, and makes for some great photography as it winds through the bush.
An hour or two north of Jinja, a few locals have created an overlook in the corner of a horseshoe bend where people come to look at the rapids. In between it all, there are a thousand villages perfect for exploration and photography.

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Blessed as it is with its abundance of landscape photography locations, New Zealand might deserve to be in this list ten times, but that’s hardly fair, so we’ll have to settle for three.
If you’ve always wanted to shoot in Iceland, but haven’t yet had the chance to pop over to Reykjavik, then an alternative might be the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
It’s remarkably Nordic: it’s almost the southern hemisphere’s mirror reflection of the North Sea.
Franz Josef is a massive glacier tumbling from the Southern Alps down into the Tasman Sea. It’s huge, the water is icy and blue, and at the base of the glacier is a rainforest: one of only two places on earth where a glacier is within walking distance of a jungle.
You can hike the glacier with a strenuous all-day trek, or take a helicopter ride up to the top.

Discovering breathtaking landscape photography locations is one of the most exhilarating things in the world for travel and photo junkies. And the world is a big place — there are plenty more photo-worthy places to find almost everywhere. The key is to keep an eye open for the unusual and rarely seen.

 

 

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Photography Freebie

 

 

Take your camera off auto, learn how to take control and get better photos than you ever did before.

In this downloadable free photography ebook, I have put together all the basics in a simple, practical and jargon-free way.

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