Bokeh: Creating with shallow depths

Citation preview

bokeh creating with shallow depths

the art of landscape photography by christopher o’donnell

All material in this eBook is © Copyright Christopher O’Donnell, All Rights Reserved worldwide under the Berne Convention. This book may not be copied or distributed without prior written permission, except for brief excerpts for the purpose of a review. Purchasers are allowed to print one copy of this eBook for their own personal use. Apple, iPhone, iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. This eBook is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. This eBook is an independent publication and is not affiliated with, nor has it been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. Photoshop, Adobe and Acrobat are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/ or other countries. This eBook is not endorsed or sponsored by Adobe Systems Incorporated, publisher of Adobe Acrobat®. Disclaimer: Links to photography equipment are affiliate links to B&H Photo Video. I receive a small percentage of any sale I refer (at no cost to you), which is used to cover eBook creation and distribution costs. I have purchased all of my photography gear from B&H Photo Video since my first camera and highly recommend them as a retailer regardless of our affiliate relationship.

table of contents 04 introduction 09

defining bokeh

14

distances

28

light

36

composing the landscape

51

the focus workflow

62

the portfolio

122

about christopher

introduction

Before I began creating bokeh, or even photographing landscapes, I spent much of my time absorbing the artwork of other photographers. When I was an art student in college, I was astounded by the level of creativity I found possible in photography - images that I had never seen before, able to speak to all of the senses, and it completely changed my perception of photography as an art form. After many months of creative experimentation, I settled on landscape photography. My initial draw was the intensity and surreal nature of long exposure landscapes: windswept grass, flowing water, fast-moving clouds captured over a span of time. However, it didn’t take long for me to discover artists who were combining wide apertures with landscape compositions, and I was instantly mesmerized with the dream-like quality of selective focus.

5 6

Bokeh didn’t come naturally to me. In fact, it

diligent and determined to learn how these artists

took me a long time to even grasp the concept

achieved such shallow depths and otherworldly

of aperture and using it to create depth in my

atmospheres. I didn’t know why I liked it, or what

scene. Although I took a black & white film class

it was called, all I knew was that I was entranced

in college, the section on f/stops and depth of

by it and I wanted to create it for myself.

field was completely lost on me - at least at first. I learned so much more than I anticipated by The turning point in my photography happened

reading through photography forums, artist

when I started to view the work of others

websites, and other online resources. The

online - it unveiled a world beyond mainstream

amount of information available to help other

photography, and showed me that the camera

photographers learn the craft is abundant, and

is a complex and delicate creative tool. I was

for that I am both grateful and proud of this field.

6

Learning at my own pace was key. Being able

The result was the development of a style that

to study and try out a new technique around

was unique to me, so this learning workflow

my own schedule helped me develop my own

was an important process to my photography.

style, slowly evolving and not being forced into the confines of a predetermined workflow.

The take-away point here is that you can find a happy balance between following the

Eventually, I learned all that was available

instructions of other photographers and

about bokeh and depth of field - at least on

developing your own style - it’s part of the

a basic level, and enough to point me in the

learning process. Often, the road taken by

right direction. A milestone for me was when I

those you idolize paves the way for you to a

started to apply shallow depths to landscapes,

certain point. Which direction you take your

and began to discover techniques on my own.

work once that road ends is up to you.

7

Since then, bokeh has become an intense

learn more about aperture, shutter speed,

pursuit of mine, and to apply this workflow to

and other foundations to photography, I have

my love of landscapes has been an incredibly

helpful tutorials on my website under my

powerful experience. It has taught me to

Photography 101 series.

evaluate my scene with bokeh in mind, and to make more deliberate, conscious choices

Although I’ll be showing you my personal

in the field.

workflow, my methods are not set in stone, and the choices I make are not always the

I wrote this eBook for the landscape

best fit for everyone. If you feel the need to

photographer who knows the basics of the

deter from what I outline, that’s perfectly fine

art, but wants to break through into a new

– in fact, it’s strongly encouraged. My eBooks

realm of creativity. To have a more fulfilling

are written simply as guides to demystify and

learning experience, an understanding of your

are not rule books to follow. Take only the

manual settings are necessary. If you want to

information you like and follow your own path.

8

defining bokeh

what is bokeh?

Before I detail the specific workflow needed to capture an image with bokeh, I want you to have a clear idea of what bokeh is exactly. Most importantly, I want you to know that bokeh and a shallow depth of field are two completely different things.

Bokeh is more than just having a blurred background or foreground, it is the quality of the blur. What constitutes “good” or “bad” bokeh is generally subjective, but there is a common understanding that a photo with strong bokeh is one with pleasing variations in shapes, colors, and textures in the out of focus parts - most importantly though, that the bokeh enhances a photo, not distracts from it.

11

shooting wide open Many photographers use

otherwise demand too much

their aperture to isolate

attention, overpowering the

a focal point, making it

more subtle details.

stand out more by having in

Landscape photography can

sharp focus. The desirable

benefit from using shallow

result here is to create a

depths of field since you

it

the

only

element

surreal, unique environment by obscuring the can not manipulate the environment physically, surrounding elements. This not only adds depth, and instead need to rely on your photographic but also directs the focus of your audience by skills to create the environment you want. A wide demanding more attention to the point of focus. aperture helps to obtain a thin slice of focus, but Additionally, a thinner slice of focus helps to there are other elements besides a low f/stop eliminate any distracting elements that would that contribute to the creation of bokeh.

12

distances + light = bokeh You can use a wide aperture to take a photo, but

you’re shooting at random with a wide aperture,

that doesn’t guarantee that you’ll capture bokeh.

hoping that your results produce a shallow depth of field. I’ll be explaining how I approach a scene with

As you’ve probably noticed with your own work,

bokeh in mind - how I frame my shot, what I look

the amount of blur in your photo can vary greatly

for, and how I judge what I see in my viewfinder.

from image to image - despite shooting with a

First, however, I’d like to explain how your camera

consistently wide aperture. This tells you that

produces bokeh from a technical standpoint.

your conditions have changed; something is different between each capture which causes

A chosen aperture used under different conditions

your depth of field to fluctuate.

can produce beautiful bokeh, or none at all - and the result depends on two important variables

Being able to identify what these conditions are is

that can be manipulated into working together:

an essential part to capturing bokeh. Otherwise,

Distances and Light.

13

distances

The distance between your point of focus and your background greatly affects how shallow your depth of field will be - thus determining the quality of your bokeh.

Have you ever noticed, when using a wide aperture, that objects within your frame gradually become more out of focus the further away from your point of focus they are? point of focus For example, let’s look at this photo - taken with the Canon 24mm f/1.4L II lens at f/1.4. The point of focus is set on the leaves in the foreground, but notice how the rest of the image gradually drops out of focus. There is a direct correlation between distances and your depth of field.

If a contributing factor to bokeh is a shallow depth of field, then it’s point of focus

rather important to know that the further your background objects are from your point of focus, the thinner your slice of 120 feet away

focus will be. In other words, if your depth of field is still too deep at your widest aperture,

40 feet away

adjust your vantage point so that there is more distance between the background and your point of focus.

4 to 6 inches away

point of focus

The same rule applies between you (the camera) and your subject, but only reversed - the closer you are to your point of focus, the more shallow your depth of field will become.

In the example shown here, this small dandelion was only inches away from my lens. If I changed my perspective to be further away, the image would have a deeper depth of field - even at f/1.4.

narrowing the depth of field There’s a simple exercise that illustrates how

landscape photography, especially those that

this works. Select a lens with a wide aperture,

have wide apertures. It gives you the ability to

and photograph a subject that has some

get very close to your point of focus while still

distance from its background. Open up your

capturing much of your environment.

lens to its widest aperture and gradually approach your subject, taking photos along

If you find that your depth of field is still too

the way. When comparing your results, you’ll

deep and you need to narrow your plane of

notice that the background will be thrown

focus further, you can adjust your distances:

more out of focus the closer you get, despite

step closer to where your focus is set, and/

using the same aperture.

or change your perspective so that there is more distance between your point of focus

This is why wide angle lenses work so well with

and your background.

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the focal length Another variable that falls under the “distances” category of bokeh creation is the focal length you choose to use. Longer

focal

lengths

will

decrease

your depth of field, but also bring forth the

background

and/or

foreground

elements. You’re basically compacting the distances, making objects around your point of focus appear to be much closer to them than they really are. Alternatively, wide focal lengths will exaggerate those distances, making objects appear to be I chose to use an 85mm focal length for this image to bring the horizon line and sky closer, making them a more prominent focal point.

much further away.

long focal lengths Let’s look at long lenses first and how these focal lengths affect our depth of field and help to control bokeh. For this image, I used the Canon 300mm f/4L prime lens opened at f/4, and stitched multiple

frames

together.

This

perspective

provided a very thin plane of focus - which is set

point of focus

on the foreground doe - and brought forth the background road and trees. By compacting the distances with 300mm, I was able to render the towering trees in soft focus, yet still have them be a prominent element of my composition. If I chose a shorter lens and had a closer perspective to the deer, those trees would be smaller and

1/40 second

ISO 400

300mm f/4L @ f/4

Mode: Aperture

appear further in the distance, and also be in sharper focus at f/4.

Additionally, a shorter focal length would have rendered the subtle bokeh tree buds further away, and not as soft.

When enlarged, you can see the unique result of using a 300mm focal length. By compacting the distances, I was able to create intricate, layered patterns in the out of focus areas.

This

image

here

illustrates

how

1/200 second

ISO 100

85mm f/1.8 @ f/11

Mode: Aperture

dependent your depth of field is on not only distances, but also which focal length you choose for your scene. The distance between my lens and point of focus was quite close at about 3 feet, which satisfies the conditions on page 17. Additionally, the distance between my point of focus and the lighthouse was roughly 150 feet.

150 feet away

As I outlined earlier, the further your background elements are from your plane of focus, the more shallow they become. In other words, the distances between the lens, point of focus, and the background were in prime form to produce a very shallow depth of field.

point of focus

I chose the 85mm focal length so that I could compact my distances and bring the lighthouse closer to my point of focus. Since longer focal lengths also contribute to a thinner plane of focus, I had to compensate for this extremely shallow depth of field. To correct this, I closed my aperture to f/11 to obtain a deeper depth and render the lighthouse and background the way I wanted to. As you can see, a wide aperture is only one part to creating a shallow depth of field (and ultimately bokeh) and is not always necessary for creating it.

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short focal lengths

Wide angle lenses not only allow you to get extremely close to your point of focus, but also to capture more of your scene by exaggerating the distances. This creates a prime environment for photographing landscapes with a shallow depth of field, while also granting you more creative freedom.

Capturing a wider scope is not the only reason why wide angle lenses are prime choices for landscape photography. Since you’re able to reduce the distance between your camera and your point of focus greatly (usually within a few inches), you can broaden your creative horizons by obtaining a very

6 inches away

shallow depth of field. For the image here, I used the Canon 24mm f/1.4L II prime lens set at an aperture of f/1.4. This combination allowed me to not only capture

point of focus 3 inches away

much of my environment within the frame, but also obtain an extremely thin slice of focus, creating the soft, abstract background you see here. Since the background elements were quite close to my point of focus, I had to instead rely on a short distance between my lens and point of focus (and the very wide aperture of f/1.4) to obtain this shallow depth.

1/1600 second

ISO 100

24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4

Mode: Aperture

finding balance With practice, you’ll learn how

stopped down my aperture

to balance these variables to

to deepen my depth, but the

achieve the kind of depth you

amount of available light was

desire. For example, if your

limited and I did not want to

intent is for well-defined,

increase my ISO.

coarse bokeh, you’ll need to find that “sweet spot” where

Rather

than

adjust

my

your depth is not too deep or

aperture, I instead moved my

too shallow.

camera back a few inches to deepen my depth and render the background

In the image here, you’ll notice that the bokeh

bridge and foliage with a bit more detail. Now

in the background possess strong shapes and

that you are aware of how your distances and

is defined well. My initial goal was to have a

focal length affect the appearance of your

soft, smooth background, but I also wanted

bokeh, you can make conscious choices in

the bridge to retain its shape. I could have

the field to obtain the depth you want.

summary The three main factors which control your depth of field (and thus your bokeh) are (1) the distance between your subject and your background, (2) the distance between your camera and your subject, and (3) your chosen focal length and

aperture

combination.

However, distances are only part of the bokeh equation. These steps only help you set the stage to capture bokeh. You still need the source - light.

light

The visual impact of your bokeh has everything to do with the elements in your image, specifically light. The wonderful shapes and patterns created by your lens are made from points of light that are then transformed into bokeh as they travel through your lens. These points of light can be a variety of things: reflections in the water, light coming through leaves in a tree, or a line of street lamps in the distance. In other words, your light source isn’t always a direct light - it can also be a reflection.

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direct light

reflected light

direct light

The bokeh in this photo is created from the direct sunlight passing through leaves, and then reflected on the ground. There’s a bit of both here - direct light and reflected light. The bright bokeh and darkened environment makes for a powerful contrast.

reflected light reflected light

The bokeh in this image is a bit different. While there are no direct sources of light here, the sun is reflecting on the side of the boats. Notice that this is where the coarser bokeh is present - only on the side where the sun is hitting. The shadow side has no shapes, and isn’t nearly as interesting.

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overcast light No matter what depth of field you use, bokeh needs a point of light if you want to create those defined shapes and patterns any point of light. So if there are no light sources present, what happens to your bokeh when you have

that

suspenseful,

moody overcast lighting? Something unique.

32

This image was taken on an overcast day, so there were no reflections or light sources to create defined bokeh. I enjoy the stark mood created by the smoothness of the blur, which heightens the drama and limits distractions. Instead of coarser bokeh shapes creating a point of focus

mosaic of light and color, I have this flat, soft, and painterly environment that induces an entirely different atmosphere. Although you need points of light to capture more intricate bokeh, you can still create a successful image with overcast light. The mood and atmosphere will be different, but can be just as powerful as direct or reflected light.

1/1600 second

ISO 100

85mm f/1.8 @ f/1.8

Mode: Aperture

golden light While you can capture bokeh with any kind of light source, I find it easiest to do this during those times where the sun is at its lowest point in the sky - early in the morning after sunrise, or late in the evening just before sunset. The sharp angle of the sun makes it easier to find light sources that are filtered through leaves, reflected off the water - these golden hours give you more opportunity to find light that will enhance your bokeh.

the bokeh workflow To capture and control bokeh takes both

3. Pick an aperture that is fit to capture the

practice and a bit of patience as you develop

bokeh you want - wider to make it soft,

your workflow. To review, I want to go over a

smaller to make it more defined.

step-by-step checklist on how to put yourself in the right position for bokeh:

4. For defined bokeh shapes and patterns, find a point of light and take test shots. It

1. Adjust the distance between your point

also helps to take test shots as you’re setting

of focus and your background - add more

up to see how your scene is developing, and

distance to decrease depth of field.

adjust as necessary.

2. Then, adjust the distance between you

Now that you know how to capture bokeh,

(the camera) and the point of focus - move

it’s time to discuss how to compose the

closer to decrease depth of field.

landscape with bokeh in mind.

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composing the landscape

lenses When I see an opportunity to create bokeh in the field, I will almost always go for my Canon 24mm f/1.4L II prime lens. The wide angle capabilities combined with the unusually large aperture make this a great fit for shallow depths in landscape photography. I use this on a full-frame sensor so I can capture more of my environment without resorting to a wider focal length, which at 24mm will start to distort the perspectives too much for my taste by delving into the “fish-eye effect”. Another benefit to this lens is the focusing distance - meaning how close you can get to your point of focus and retain optimal sharpness. The 24mm allows me to get within three inches from where I set my focus on, which opens up many more opportunities to create. Being able to achieve this close of a focusing distance at f/1.4, combined with the wide focal length on a full-frame sensor, gives me ample opportunity to transform any landscape into an ethereal presentation.

37

Although the 24mm f/1.4L is my favorite lens for shallow depth performance, it’s not the only lens I use. Since a thin plane of focus is not entirely dependent on wide apertures, other lenses can be used to create bokeh. For example, I’ve used the Canon 300mm f/4L lens with great success, and I’ve also captured thin slices of focus with an 85mm prime set at f/11. Having a wide aperture will further your ability to manipulate your depth of field, but it’s not a strict requirement.

38

Focal points & focus When I first approach a scene that catches my eye, I start to look for interesting focal points: a rock with texture, an isolated flower, a stray autumn leaf - anything that I can potentially build my image around. Other times, I’ll see an outstanding backdrop that I know will make for incredible bokeh - light through the leaves or a mountain range that contrasts well with the sky. For these instances, I will instead compose my shot around the background, and then find a strong foreground element to set my focus on.

The most important rule I follow when I start to explore a new scene is to find an element I like, and build my image around it.

Once you find that source of inspiration, that element you absolutely must have in your photo, it’s time to compose and choose a point of focus. I will often explore every possible angle until I find one that provides the balance I am looking for. When it comes to choosing a point to focus on, there are several techniques I point of focus

use. If I want a foreground object to be in sharp focus, I will often push the slice of focus back a bit from the very front of my frame. This blurs some foreground elements, leading up to the plane of focus, which then gradually dissipates into the background. I find this method to completely change the atmosphere, while also adding some additional depth.

1/250 second

ISO 100

24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4

Mode: Aperture

point of focus

In this autumn scene, the plane of focus is not at the bottom of my frame, but rather pushed back about 12 - 18 inches. Not only does this add depth by blurring my immediate Another benefit of pushing back the point of focus is that this will deepen

foreground, but it allowed

your depth of field. The closer you are to your point of focus, the more

me to widen my slice of

shallow your depth of field will be. While you can physically move your

focus and produce a more

camera away, I find it better to push the slice of focus back a bit, which will

defined background.

deepen your depth of field without sacrificing your perspective.

point of focus Choosing a point to focus on when working with shallow depths can completely transform your scene, which is one reason why so many are drawn to this style of photography. A simple change of focus can evoke a sense of depth and mystery, and can also bring balance to your image - determining what part of your composition you want to be in sharp focus, while the remainder of your environment compliments it in a painterly fashion by lightening its weight.

42

foreground To illustrate, I have two examples of the powerful difference moving your slice of focus can make. To the left, my point of focus was set on the immediate foreground, which helped to create a layered effect to my depth of field - one layer for the foreground grass, another for the hills point of focus 2.8 feet away

along the horizon, and finally the sky. This depth of field redistributed the weight of my image instead of the sky or the hills being a prominent (and distracting) focal point, the delicate and rather unnoticeable sea grass takes center stage. If this was shot with a deeper depth of field, the textured grass would become lost and overpowered by the weight of other focal points.

1/2500 second

ISO 100

85mm f/1.8 @ f/1.8

Mode: manual

background Choosing a background point to focus on can contribute its own unique effects to your image. The cabin structure made for a strong subject to focus in on, and the sky

point of focus 100 feet away

interest was incredibly powerful; I knew I wanted the background to be in focus. The foreground lupines and wildflowers added depth and a sense of discovery, so I positioned my camera so that they would intersect with the cabin. 1/60 second

ISO 100

85mm f/1.8 @ f/1.8

Mode: manual

If this was shot with a deep depth of field, the lupines would distract from my cabin greatly rather than simply compliment it with bokeh. Viewers would be searching for a focal point and would not have a place to rest their eyes on, thus interrupting the flow, weight, and overall balance. Alternatively, if I had pushed my focus to the foreground, I would have lost all the detail of the setting sky and texture of the cabin.

vantage points When using a wide angle lens for bokeh, it’s much easier to obtain a more shallow depth of field if you are level with your subject. This will throw more distance between your point of focus and its background than if you were shooting at a 45 degree angle. If your point of focus is at ground level, lay out flat and see the difference this new vantage point can make - both your perspective and focus can change dramatically.

46

For example, the vantage point of this photo of a birch leaf was virtually flat to the ground. If I stood straight and aimed my camera down, the background would consist of only pavement with no depth. Even if I kneeled, the background would still be mostly pavement, but with a bit more depth. Since the background elements (the pavement) are virtually at the same distance as my point of focus

point of focus, bokeh and selective focus would be almost non-existent without a more dramatic angle. When I laid flat out so that I was almost even with the birch leaf, the scene changed entirely. My depth became extremely shallow since shooting at that angle extended the distance between the leaf and the background elements. Also, the backdrop of my image changed completely - I now have an extended road,

1/500 second

ISO 100

24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4

Mode: aperture

trees bordering my composition, and an imposing stone bridge that I would not have captured otherwise.

point of focus

A simple change of perspective can add multiple layers of bokeh interest.

structures Another way I compose my landscapes is to include a prominent subject in the background that I can then blur with my aperture to soften its presence - just enough to retain the shape. “Heavy” structures like buildings, bridges, and other large and imposing objects work well for this as they can be easily identifiable despite their softened appearance.

I then pinpoint a sharp focus on a smaller, less powerful subject that would otherwise go unnoticed in the presence of the background imagery. I find this balancing of weight to be successful in most situations - pushing a heavy subject into soft focus, and bringing forth a smaller subject by spotlighting the focus on that instead. It’s a method I use often in my bokeh work - not just for visual interest, but to change the flow and balance by simply adjusting my depth of field and creating an entirely new atmosphere.

the focus workflow

the tripod While you can certainly capture a landscape

properly on your scene by providing the

handheld (if you have enough light), I find

needed stabilization when working with

myself almost always using a tripod. When the

extremely thin slices of focus. Even the most

camera is stationary, it makes for a much easier

minor movement can alter your depth of

process to pinpoint your focus, and adjust it

field, so a firm hold on your camera is a great

manually as needed. It also eliminates any

benefit when adjusting your settings. Since

concern with soft focus from camera shake,

you’re usually working with stationary objects

allowing you to concentrate more on your

in landscapes, there is little concern about

composition (click here to learn more about

being able to move freely without the restraint

camera shake and shutter speed).

of a tripod. There are, of course, exceptions to this - but typically, you’ll find the tripod to

Using a tripod allows you to focus more

be essential when shooting wide open.

52

1. A tripod gives you a more secure way to line up your shot.

I’ve learned that you can never trust handheld compositions fully. When I’m shooting in awkward positions - especially down low or laying flat out - what I see in my viewfinder isn’t always what appears on my computer later. Using a tripod gives you stability, which helps you slow down and check those important compositional elements, such as using the rule of thirds and straightening out your horizon. Also, a tripod allows you to check your histogram and adjust your settings without changing your alignment.

2. A tripod helps you to pinpoint your focus.

Slight movements from a freehand grip can lead to focusing problems if you’re working with a shallow depth of field. Any kind of vibration or movement can throw off your focus and ruin your bokeh. A tripod helps tremendously by giving you the opportunity to check and re-check your focus (I’m a big advocate of chimping or using live view when working with shallow depths). If your focus isn’t where you want it to be, you can adjust it manually (explained later), which is much easier to do if your camera is mounted on a tripod.

3. A tripod helps with proper image alignment for post processing.

You’ll appreciate the added stability of a tripod if you’re auto-bracketing for HDR or exposure blending, or shooting a panoramic. When you use a very shallow depth of field, even the slightest forward or backward movement can alter your delicate point of focus. If your depth of field becomes inconsistent for either an autobracket or for panoramic stitching, your photo can become near impossible to process later.

55

For this image, a tripod was necessary for several reasons. The awkward angle of my camera - pointed almost directly vertical and low to the ground - required a firm mount in order for me to compose and set my focus. Additionally, the autumn wind was very intense, and I wanted to use a long exposure to capture the moving leaves and tree branches. Since I was working very point of focus 3 inches away

wide (f/1.4) I had to use not one, but two ND400 filters, which gave me an image that was 18 full stops slower than the unfiltered exposure and left my shutter open for 40 seconds. With this in mind, a tripod was absolutely necessary.

proper focus

In order to ensure that you get a proper exposure and uniform depth of field with your image set, I have a few focusing tips for you to follow before you press the shutter.

Most - if not all - digital SLRs have several

point instead of allowing your camera to

auto focus points that you see through your

randomly select them for you (your camera

viewfinder. The camera will automatically

manual will show you how this is done). This

use these points as a reference to decide

gives you much more control over where

where the main focal point should be -

your point of focus will be - something you

meaning the sharpest point

definitely want to have.

of your image. While this is

You can then easily aim the

a helpful invention, you’re

camera at your subject, do

basically playing a guessing

a prefocus, and reposition

game with your focal point

the camera accordingly to

- which is something you

get the composition you

definitely don’t want to do

want. I use the center focus

when shooting for bokeh.

point only for my camera as it is not only convenient,

The easiest solution here is to pick one focus

but it’s also the most accurate point.

Once you find a strong composition (and with the correct focus), switch to manual focusing just after you prefocus so that your lens doesn’t automatically refocus when taking multiple shots. This is less important if you’re using a deep depth of field, but still should be practiced since even the smallest discrepancy can throw off your entire focus, leading to less-than optimal image quality.

If you follow these important focusing steps, you’ll ensure that your slice of focus will be pinpoint accurate, and always where you want it to be - and just as important, that it won’t change when taking multiple exposures.

final thoughts Photography is most rewarding when you

I spent many months of researching and

know how to achieve the results you want.

experimenting with different techniques, trying

Much frustration stems from not knowing the to find that delicate balance needed for bokeh. proper techniques to use, and frustration is the

During this time, I discovered many things that

harbinger of disappointment. With this in mind,

worked for me, and others that didn’t. I wrote

if photography is supposed to be fun, then why

this eBook so that I could share what I’ve learned

pursue something that disappoints you? There with all of you; so that you not only have a greater is nothing more detrimental to your creative understanding of bokeh and selective focus, but development than hitting a plateau and not

that you can bypass some unnecessary trial-and-

being able to break through that roadblock, error stages and get straight to the fun, creative and a lack of knowledge plays a large role in the part of photography. discrepancy between your ability and your goal.

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This eBook is simply a guide to point you in the right direction, and help break down some walls that are holding you back by explaining the bokeh process so that you can use this method creatively. It’s a beautiful technique, and one that I am seeing more and more of in landscape photography - a field that typically produces very deep depths of field. While I chose landscapes to practice bokeh in, you can take this knowledge and apply it to any field you desire. Bokeh isn’t an exclusive tool; it’s entirely up to you where you want to take this technique. That is the best part about learning a new creative method: there are no limitations.

the portfolio

You already have the creative knowledge

It is my hope that by explaining how I

to make beautiful images - you may just not

photographed each of my images, you can

know how to tap into that yet. Or perhaps you

expand your knowledge of bokeh methods

do, but find it challenging to decide on which

and apply them in the field to create your own

direction you want to take your image in.

successful photographs.

In this section, I aim to help to bridge the

When you’re equipped to handle a situation,

gap between your vision and your creation

you feel empowered and excited about

by explaining how I approached each of my

photography - which is the most important

bokeh images in their own unique way - and

part. Landscape photography is, in part, about

more importantly, why. By reading about

creating for your own enjoyment, and if you

my camera workflow, you can learn how to

can approach a scene objectively and not feel

critically analyze a scene and decide on the

blocked, your creativity will flow and flourish.

best method for you to use.

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The images of this monographic collection are grouped by similar key learning points - a common trait that they exhibit - allowing me to highlight certain factors that led to their development so that you can identify them in your own work. In addition to a detailed description for each image, you’ll find some helpful EXIF data: the focal length, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and metering mode used. On the second line, I also indicate if any additional workflows were applied: “Tripod” indicates that a tripod was used, “Exposure Blend” means that I applied my exposure blending workflow to regain a more complete tonal range, and finally “Stitch” refers to combining several frames together in order to get a broader scope of my scene. Lenses used are highlighted in red, and are clickable links which lead to a more detailed page about that specific lens, including customer reviews and technical specifications.

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table of contents 66

the golden hours

72

overcast light

77 weight and balance 84

stitching

89

exposure blending

96 long exposures 105 low perspectives 113 inspiration

the golden hours

The golden hours - the time just before sunset and just after sunrise - is an incredible time to capture bokeh. The sharp angle of the sun provides that much needed “source” for bokeh creation, and can transform your background into a sea of pleasing shapes and tones.

doubling point light II

The sun can be a difficult subject to include in your frame. This intense light source presents a challenging exposure that requires multiple images to be blended together. If not, your image will most likely have either an overexposed sky or an underexposed foreground. For my image here, I exposure blended three images - one exposed for the sky, another for the lighthouse, and one for the foreground grass. One of the many qualities that I like about a shallow depth of field is how it affects the sun. It will soften the rays for a very dreamy effect, one that blends the defined, contrasting edge

canon 85mm f/1.8 @ f/11, 1/200s, iso 100, manual metering exposure blend + tripod

of the sun into the sky. This will lighten the very heavy weight the sun has on your image, and allows other elements to become more of a focal point - such as the foreground wheat.

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While it’s easy to relate bokeh to wide apertures,

between your lens and your focal point, the more

that is not always the case. As you’ve learned,

shallow your depth of field will become for a

bokeh is more dependent on distances - and if

given aperture. I gradually increased my f/stop

these distances are grand, you may find yourself

from 1.8 until the lighthouse was brought into

using an unconventional aperture for bokeh.

enough focus so that you could still identify it. Since the lighthouse was quite a distance away

For example, this image was taken at f/11 - an

from my point of focus (about 150 feet), my depth

aperture that would typically produce a very

of field was quite shallow until I reached f/11.

sharp image with a deep depth of field. However, for this scene, it was the best aperture that balanced bokeh and retaining the structure of the lighthouse so that it was still recognizable. I set up my tripod as close as I could to the swaying grass as my 85mm prime lens would allow - 3 feet. The more you compact the distance

ethereal forest The golden hour not only provides more depth to a scene by adding long shadows, but is an incredible time to capture bokeh. The sharp angle of the sun allows for a forest backdrop to dance with light as it is filtered through leaves and branches. For this image, I set out late in the evening without really knowing what I was going to photograph. I often do this during the golden hours as I know this light can transform a landscape. When this is combined with the colors of autumn, the results tend to be extraordinary.

Canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/200s, iso 100, manual stitch + tripod

With the sun setting quickly, I mounted my Stitching

multiple

frames

together

gave

camera on the tripod, set my focus, and got a me the field of view I wanted to capture. meter read. After taking a few test shots and When I photograph for stitching, I typically fine-tuning my settings, I decided that my field overcompensate of view was too small for the scene before me.

when

moving

frame

to

frame, and overlap at least 3/4 of the previous

Although I was working with a 24mm set up on image. This ensures that my software will have a full-frame camera, there was still much interest more than enough data to work with, which is outside of a single frame - so I knew I had to important for wide angle lenses as they distort encapsulate the 180 degree view.

your perspective and increase parallax errors.

bailey island V

Canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/4000s, iso 100, aperture

The light played an instrumental role in the development of this image. The sharp, directional light of the setting sun illuminated each dandelion in a powerful way, and also threw some fantastic golden tones on the treeline in the background. This added texture, interest, and depth as opposed to noontime lighting.

overcast light The overcast light has many benefits as opposed to the more direct, texture-building quality of the golden hour sun. As previously mentioned,

overcast

light

eliminates

highlights and shadows. This provides you with an evenly-lit image and a heavy atmosphere - a complete transformation from the jovial, warm light of the sun. Also, images with overcast light have a sharp increase in color saturation when compared to an image taken under more dramatic lighting. Combine this with the additional color saturation from water, and you’ve set the stage for a powerfully vibrant image.

first fall

For this scene, the combination of overcast light and saturated foliage made for a particularly vibrant image - which is often my primary goal during the autumn foliage. Proper focus was also very important to this scene. Several test shots were taken to ensure that my focus was directly on the leaf, and that the water droplets were crisp and welldefined.

Canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/125s, iso 100, manual tripod

purple mist

Bokeh is not always dependent on direct or reflected light. It’s more than coarse shapes and colors created from highlights - it can also be the soft transitions of tones and colors, reminiscent of a dreamlike watercolor painting. So while direct or reflected light is required for well-defined bokeh, softer lighting will give you a completely different environment to work with. Overcast light has a fantastic way of eliminating shadows and highlights, and creating a soft, heavy atmosphere. This will usually provide you with a nice, even exposure - which means that you can simplify your workflow by not having to compensate for a large tonal range, such as exposure blending or using a GND filter.

Canon 85mm f/1.8 @ F/1.8, 1/3200s, iso 400, aperture

In this image, I knew I wanted to capture

If I chose a wider length (like my 24mm)

the three well-defined, alternating layers

the treeline would be but a thin line

of interest behind my focal point - the

along the horizon. Wider focal lengths

sky, treeline, and the field - and keep

will put more distance between each

my foreground fireweed in sharp focus.

element in your image (exaggerates

I used my Canon 85mm f/1.8 prime lens,

them), so background imagery will

and that focal length gave me the perfect

appear to be further away than they

perspective by compacting the distances

really are. Depending on your scene and

between each layer. This made the

chosen focal point, this can either benefit

treeline and sky layers more prominent,

your composition or cause it to appear

and of similar weight to the field layer.

unbalanced.

winter light Focusing in on small, unnoticeable objects is something that draws me to bokeh - it gives me the ability to take these often overlooked focal points and, by using my depth of field, transform them into the centerpiece of an image. The overcast light of the environment here allowed me to capture this scene during noontime light, which is a time I usually avoid when working with the sun. Since the sun was filtered by the passing snow shower, highlights and shadows were eliminated. This allowed Canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.8, 1/2500s, iso 100, manual stitch + exposure blend

me to focus more intensely on the texture of the pinecones and delicate snow on top.

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weight and balance

The distribution of “weight” in an image is

of your scene, and is one of the many reasons why

something I take into serious consideration. By

I love shooting in this style. If an element is too

“weight”, I mean how much attention does each

“heavy” - meaning that it calls too much attention

element draw? Is it just enough, or does it distract

away from the rest of your composition rather

from the rest of the image? Using a shallow depth

than simply complimenting it - you can lighten the

of field is a fantastic way to manipulate the weight

weight by adjusting the plane of focus.

I set out early one spring morning to the Jesup Trail

jesup trail

in Acadia National Park searching for signs of spring. The morning air was clear and crisp, and trees were just beginning to bud. It’s difficult to find small focal points like this during the summer. A few weeks later, these leaves were in full bloom - which would have taken away from the delicate nature of this image. I love using strong lines with bokeh, especially when light is reflected off of them. Paths, buildings, and other subjects with defined outlines work exceptionally well when you obscure their appearance with a thin plane of focus. By lightening the weight of this boardwalk, I was able to direct more attention onto the tree buds - which would have otherwise been lost in the busy background if this were shot with a deeper depth of field. Canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/1600s, iso 100, aperture stitch

Although I advocate strongly for tripods when working with shallow depths, it’s not always the most practical decision. I could not get this perspective with my tripod due to the boardwalk I was on, so I decided to go handheld. It wasn’t my shutter speed that had

photograph the environment frame by frame,

me concerned, it was that I knew I would be

and making sure not to lift my finger all the way

stitching this shot later in editing. This photo

off my shutter button, which would call for a new

is actually about 15 frames stitched into one.

metering. If that had happened, the camera

When you’re working with such a thin slice of

may have chosen a different shutter speed for

focus, even the slightest forward or backward

each frame. This would give me inconsistences

movement can redefine your point of focus.

in my exposure, and complicate my stitching

If the focus isn’t uniform across all images, it

with distracting changes in tones. Of course,

makes for extremely difficult stitching.

I could have just switched into manual mode - but I was racing the light, and welcomed

After I did a prefocus on the budding leaf, I

the opportunity to skip the input process of

switched into manual focus and began to

manual without sacrificing image quality.

maple juice cove v My depth of field here is more than simply aesthetically pleasing - I wanted to create an image that was more evenly distributed in weight. I deliberately used a shallow focus to lighten the weight of the chairs, and to make the foreground wildflowers more prominent - or “heavy”. If this image was shot at f/16, making the entire frame in focus, the wildflowers would get lost under the weight of the chairs. canon 85mm f/1.8 @ f/5, 1/125s, iso 100, aperture

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Balance wasn’t the only goal I had though. I was drawn to the iconic pairing of these two Adirondack chairs, and the stories behind the many couples who have sat here. I wanted to represent that notion with this scene, and used my focus to make the entire image appear more dreamlike. This was captured with my Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens, which is my second choice when the Canon 24mm f/1.4L doesn’t provide me with the ideal perspective. For this image, I knew that if I used my 24mm the chairs would be thrown too far into the distance. I didn’t want them to be reduced in size, but rather softened by a thin slice of focus. The 85mm condensed my distances and brought the chairs closer to my camera, softening them just enough to lighten their weight while retaining their shape.

stillness of summer The ability to layer with your camera is one of the most intriguing aspects of photography for me. Delicate adjustments in your perspective and focal length can completely change the size - or weight - of your layers. When using thin slices of focus, your layers become blurred and painterly - a mosaic of color and tones blending together. By adjusting your plane of focus, you can creatively use your camera to establish harmony, bringing together elements in your image that would be lost or unrecognizable if they were shown with a deep depth of field. canon 85mm f/1.8 @f/1.8, 1/2500s, iso 100, manual stitch, exposure blend + tripod

For example, this image has only the sea grass to

can widen your aperture to blend them into one

reference as an identifiable element; a reference

another.

point which helps to put the image into context. It’s grass, so it must be outside. If it’s outside, the

This photograph is actually a stitch of several

middle ground must be a horizon line, and above

frames, taken with my Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens.

the horizon must be the sky. We begin to see the

You may be wondering why I chose to use such

image as a harmonious collection of layers that

a long focal length and stitch frames together as

come together within the same frame to make a

opposed to using a wider lens. While I initially

complete image in a painterly fashion.

approached this image with my 24mm, I decided that the perspective was bothersome. The horizon

Being able to look at a landscape and compose

line was thrown too far into the distance, which

your shot with the principle of harmony in mind

affected the balance; the 85mm focal length

(how well each element relates to the other) is

brought the sky and horizon closer. However, this

another creative process that works especially

change in perspective also came with a much

well with shallow depths of field. If elements

tighter frame, so stitching was needed to capture

in your frame aren’t working well together, you

the entire scene in front of me.

stitching In the past, it was often difficult for me to stitch multiple frames together with shallow depths. The software found much trouble in establishing control points, and many times I had to connect them manually - which could take hours. However, with many advances in stitching software, I find the process to be much more simplified now. Stitching frames together allows me to capture a scene in its entirety by expanding my view at any focal length. It provides me with much creative freedom by not being limited to the confines of my lens, which can disrupt the balance and harmony of my scene.

summer solstice

Canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/200s, iso 100, manual stitch, exposure blend + tripod

There is something inherently special about the ocean - the sound of the waves puts me at peace and absorbs all distractions. To live so close to this beautiful wonder is of great value to me. I chose to stitch this scene as I wanted to capture both the sky and ground, and my 24mm focal length was not wide enough to do this. I could have positioned my camera further away, but not only would that have affected the perspective, but also would have deepened my depth of field and counteracted my bokeh.

When I photograph a scene such as

frame by about 3/4ths (meaning that

this for stitching later, there are several

amount of the previous frame is visible

things I do that helps to ensure a more

in the current), I can be sure that there

seamless blending of frames. Since I was

is ample information for my stitching

working with a shallow depth of field in

software. This also helps to minimize

combination with a wider focal length, I

parallax errors, which present themselves

wanted to make sure that I had plenty of

more often with wider lenses and/or

data to work with. By overlapping each

being very close to your point of focus.

tidal pool

Stitching is a welcomed alternative to cropping out important or interesting elements in your frame. Working with a 24mm lens and setting my tripod close to the ground helped, but I still couldn’t capture everything I wanted within one frame - the dramatic sky, the texture of the sand in the foreground - it was all lost, even with a full-frame sensor.

canon 24mm f/1.4L @f/1.4, 1/2000s, iso 100, manual stitch, exposure blend + tripod

Although it may not look as though this image was stitched, it is the collaborative result of roughly 15 different frames. After I mounted my camera, I noticed that I was not able to capture everything within one frame. If I chose a wider lens, my perspective and distances would become more exaggerated and distorted - something I thought would not enhance the scene. I moved fluidly from left to right in three rows - one for the sky, one for the middle ground, and another for the foreground. Although the sun was filtered behind a thin layer of clouds, the sky was still overexposed when I metered for the shadow side of the rock - so both bracketing and exposure blending were needed to eliminate the shadows and highlights that had been pushed too far.

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exposure blending

Depending on my meter readings, I may need to exposure blend if I have blown highlights or blocked shadows. Exposure blending is a powerful way to manually blend different shutter speeds together to compensate for exposure differences. To read more about exposure blending and how to apply it to your own workflow, click here for my complimentary eBook.

duck brook bridge II From a technical standpoint, this was a complex shoot in order to overcome the environmental challenges. The disparity between the sky and ground exposures was quite great, so auto-bracketing was needed for exposure blending. My 24mm lens, although quite wide on a full-frame sensor, was still limited in comparison to the environment I wanted to capture. It took 11 separate frames to capture this entire scene, for a total of 33 images, which created three canon 24mm f/1.4L @f/1.4, 1/640s, iso 100, aperture stitch, exposure blend + tripod

separate stitched exposures.

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Since I was stitching, the usual workflow for this was followed - my camera was mounted on a tripod and put into manual focus. After I finished stitching, I had three separate layers (one for each exposure) which I then blended in editing, using luminosity masks to assist me with the intricate blend of the sky with tree.

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The importance of capturing what you can with your camera is paramount when compared

country lane

to recovering lost detail in editing. I am not satisfied with adjusting exposures digitally as I find much detail is still unrecoverable, especially when you have blown highlights or blocked shadows. Digital processing can be a beautiful method that replicates all the passion and romance of the dark room, but it can only manipulate the data you have already photographed. By realizing the limitations of your camera, you can apply in-the-field techniques that will broaden the horizons of your creativity in process by capturing a more complete range of data for you to enhance.

canon 24mm f/1.4L @f/1.4, 1/800s, iso 100, manual stitch, exposure blend + tripod

For this image, I decided for coarse bokeh - the

size and position in relation to the single leaf

vibrant color of each leaf combined with the

I focused in on. Also, the 24mm focal length

sunlight turned the image into a sea of colored

was not as wide as I needed it to be in order

shapes. Even though I was shooting at f/1.4,

to capture all of this in one frame, so some

there were other methods I could have used

stitching was necessary.

to decrease my depth of field and give me smooth, painterly bokeh instead, but I enjoyed

I didn’t choose this perspective initially. First, I

the mosaic of colors that this provided.

explored shooting from the side of the road, capturing the archway from an angle. However,

As with many of my images, the focal length

the symmetry of the archway was something I

played an important role to my perspective.

wanted to use to my advantage, and the light

I was intently focused on retaining the shape

at the end of the path served as a great central

and size of the light at the end of the path that

focal point. Despite my instinct to shoot off-

was created with my 24mm lens. Choosing a

center, I decided that this scene was meant to

different focal length would have altered its

be framed in this manner.

autumn bloom

canon 85mm f/1.8 @ f/1.8, 1/1250s, iso 100, manual stitch + exposure blend

The autumn light basked this landscape in tones of gold and red, filtered by the tall trees as it casts dramatic shadows across the forest floor. This lone red leaf caught my eye as it contrasted strongly against the smooth earthy tones of autumn.

This scene is another example of why reading the histogram is so important - not just for highlights, but for underexposed shadows, which can be just as distracting. By checking your histogram, you’re able to precisely determine whether or not your shadows need to be exposed more - and if they do, you can continue to increase the exposure of your longest bracket until all shadows have been brought within the tonal range. If I exposed my scene here normally and did not bracket each frame to exposure blend later, I would have lost the interesting detail contained in the tree shadows here. Also, the subtle bokeh highlights in the background would have been overexposed without blending. These are small, but important accents to my image that I did not want to lose.

long exposures Long exposures have always fascinated me. It was the first style of photography that I was instantly drawn to, and showed me how versatile this craft can really be. When I started to apply bokeh more often to my work – not by choice really, more by accident – I wanted to see the results of combining long exposures with extremely shallow depths of field. I had expectations, but had no idea how intriguing the results would be until I went through several rounds of trial and error.

autumn trees

The main reason why I chose these two trees as my subject is not just for their symmetry, but because they were isolated nicely from the forest, standing tall in the midst of a clearing. This distanced them from other trees, making them easy to define against the sky. Isolation was important for this type of photo. The autumn wind was very intense, and I wanted to use a long exposure to capture the moving leaves and tree branches. If I was in the thick of the forest, the swaying movement would be lost among the other trees. canon 24mm f/1.4L @f/1.4, 52s, iso 100, bulb tripod

Since I was working very wide at f/1.4, I had to use not one, but two ND400 filters, which gave me an image that was 18 full stops less than the unfiltered exposure. My shutter speed was 52 seconds, which gave me enough time to photograph the trees in constant motion, resulting in this painterly environment. At 24mm on a full frame, this prime lens was wide enough to allow the other tree to be seen in the same shot. Another benefit to this focal length is that it will exaggerate the distances between elements - so more distance was put between the tree in sharp focus and the matching tree on the left. If they were closer, the right tree would not be as dominant and would change the overall balance of the image. The framing of this shot was very unconventional; my camera was mounted within inches of the tree. This allowed for a dramatic perspective, and the wide angle made the tree appear taller and travel further into the sky than in reality. An added bonus to the very close point of focus is that my depth of field became extremely shallow, which only added to the dreamlike environment that the long shutter speed provided.

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boardwalk Two photography styles that I love to

combine

are

long

exposures

and thin slices of focus; extended shutter speeds turn bokeh into a soft, dreamlike watercolor painting. When I first approached this scene, I instantly thought of a long exposure due to the strong autumnal wind blowing that day. The tall grass was swaying beautifully back and forth, and the angle of the sun reflected a stunning light off each blade.

canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 15s, iso 100, manual tripod

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After a few long exposure frames, I enjoyed the visual effect, but the leading line of the boardwalk was too distracting. I wanted to add two more aspects to my image by using a shallow depth of field. One would be the softening of the boardwalk, which would throw more focus onto the grass and distribute the weight more evenly. Secondly, I wanted to add a deeper meaning to the image: a sense of mystery and the unknown. By deliberately blurring the leading line of the boardwalk, it melts into the horizon line, amplifying the dreamy environment that I wanted to create. Working at f/1.4 during the daylight is not the best situation to be in for extended shutter speeds since so much light is already hitting the sensor. I used not one, but two ND400 filters in order to add 18 full stops to my exposure. This lengthened my shutter speed to 15 seconds - the perfect amount of time to capture the swaying grass.

Long exposures will often work especially well when there is something moving rapidly within your frame, allowing you to capture much movement within a window of time. When this is combined with a stationary object in your scene - in this case, the boardwalk - you are providing a point of reference, and the image is then put into context. This reference point enhances your goal of a long exposure: to convey, in a visual form, the act of time passing. This contrast - an object that is not moving and in sharp focus vs. the fluidity of water, passing clouds, or swaying grass - creates a dreamlike environment, and can capture a block of time passing by in a way that no other creative instrument can.

fallen

canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 327s, iso 100, bulb tripod

Although I was shooting this autumnal night scene at f/1.4 - which allows for the highest amount of light to enter my lens - I only had the moonlight to work with. Once I chose my vantage point and set my gear for a long exposure, it took over 327 seconds to capture enough light.

This scene had such a tight window of

point in mind, I knew right away that I wanted

opportunity, so I knew I could not wait until

a very low vantage point, and with my lens set

morning. Autumn leaves begin to lose color as

at its widest aperture to capture a trail of leaves

soon as they fall from the tree. Also, the late

disappearing into the distance.

evening rain shower that had already passed had left a blanket of water over the pavement

There was also a technical reason for choosing

and foliage, which would soon evaporate and

such a wide aperture. Although it looks like there

dry the leaves out. Water also helps to saturate

was plenty of moonlight to work with, the actual

color, so the vibrancy of the leaves would be

environment was quite different in person. The

reduced if I had waited until morning to capture

moon was not full, and was hidden behind a

this.

dense layer of clouds - there was almost no available light. This wide aperture allowed as

While I usually approach a shot with only a focal

much light through my lens as possible.

When working with an aperture as wide as this, it’s incredibly easy to mishandle your focus. With the lack of available light, the auto-focus continually sought for a point to lock onto. To help, I used a strong flashlight to assist my camera in setting the focus on this foreground maple leaf. I then switched into manual mode to make a few minor adjustments and pinpoint my focus. I went through the typical long exposure checklist - making sure my focus was set and switched into manual, my mirror was locked, and the camera set to bulb mode. Most importantly, I was extremely careful not to inadvertently move my tripod when pressing the shutter on my cable remote. Any kind of movement degrades the sharpness during a long exposure, which is very important to retain when working with thin slices of focus like this.

low perspectives

Lower vantage points offer a unique view of your scene. It allows you to add depth to ground-level focal points, and include more of your environment that would otherwise be excluded. When working with shallow depths of field, a lower vantage point also puts you in a prime environment for creating bokeh.

autumn light

canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/60s, iso 100, aperture tripod

The late afternoon light during the autumn months is my favorite time of year to photograph. The golden hour combined with the warm colors of the surrounding foliage can transform even the most dull landscape into a blanket of color and intrigue.

I was walking along a wooded path and came

depth of field - the background is large and

upon a wall of golden color - the sunlight was

imposing, yet softened by the focus. A small

pouring through yellow maple leaves. The

foreground subject like this tree stump has very

sharp angle of the sun from being so close

little weight, and would be lost in the scene if I

to the horizon illuminated these leaves in a

shot this with a deep depth of field. However,

powerful way, which I knew would make for

since the background is now out of focus, the

some incredible bokeh.

stump is much more noticeable.

With my background chosen, I then began to

When composing, my first instinct is to get down

search for a foreground subject to keep in sharp

low and frame my shot - and here, this method

focus. When I look for focal points, I try to find

worked well. The low vantage point created a

small and seemingly unnoticeable ones. This

nice balance between the stump and the bokeh

helps to balance out a photo with a shallow

background, and also created layers of interest.

autumn lane

I had originally visited this location to photograph a local church under a canopy of oak leaves, but instead was drawn to this secluded dirt road hidden behind the church. The hand-built stone wall that bordered the path just instantly drew me in. After following this blanket of yellow and rust, the trees opened up to another cemetery - one that was secluded from the main graveyard located across the street. canon 24mm f/1.4L @ /1.4, 1/640s, iso 100, aperture

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At first, I thought about using my telephoto lens to capture leaves in the foreground with the cemetery stones thrown out of focus in the distance, but the arc and symmetry created by the canopy of trees created a scene that I could not pass up. When I switched to my 24mm prime lens, the composition came together beautifully. This was not a traditional set up for me. While I usually exposure blend several images together to correct any blown highlights and crushed shadows, the overcast light here made it possible to use just one exposure. This unique autumn light allowed me the freedom to capture this handheld without having to worry about uniform exposures for blending later. I almost always set up my tripod (especially when working at f/1.4), but not for this image. Although I can get as close as 6 inches above the ground with my tripod, it was still too high for the perspective I wanted. The lower I got, the more depth I found – the leaves in the foreground became blurry, and my frame deepened to include the canopy of leaves that could not be left out.

duck brook What initially drew me into this location was how the stone bridge created such a strong outline - especially the wonderful curve that outlines the underpass. With the reflection of the setting sun, I knew the face of this bridge and the surrounding foliage would make for some welldefined, coarse bokeh. When contrasted with a textured and sharp foreground subject,

the

background

becomes

reminiscent of a watercolor painting where shapes, colors, and tones blend together in a harmonious way.

canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/500s, iso 100, aperture stitch

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I chose a very low vantage point here so that I could capture both the leaf and the bridge within the same frame - lower than my tripod allowed, so this image was taken handheld. Even at this extremely low vantage point with a wide angle lens, I still was not able to capture both the birch leaf and the bridge together, so this is the result of multiple images stitched together. After a few test shots, I noticed that my histogram was within an acceptable range - and by “acceptable” I mean only slightly blown - so I could get away without exposure blending. This was welcomed news to me as it would be near impossible to exposure blend images seamlessly when shooting handheld; the unsteadiness of the camera would cause each bracket to be slightly different in composition, which would result in much ghosting.

Once I got into a sturdy position, I inputted my aperture and shutter speed into manual mode and did a prefocus. I found it to be quite difficult to pinpoint the focus I wanted, especially without the sturdiness of a tripod. It took quite some time to move the thin slice of focus exactly where I wanted it to be. When working with a very shallow depth of field like this, every centimeter of movement can push your focus forward or backward - since my focal point (the leaf) was so close to my lens, it was much like working on the macro level. I decided to reposition myself to get a slightly deeper depth of field - a few inches further back from the leaf. This widened my slice of focus wide enough so that more of the leaf was in sharp focus.

inspiration With landscape photography, there is little about nature and our environment that we can control. Being able to set out with a camera with no plans or expectations can be the only groundwork you need to lay for a beautiful image. Your best work isn’t always the result of careful planning and strategic placement of the lens. While foresight certainly has its benefits, sometimes it is just as successful to simply follow the light, and see where inspiration takes you.

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autumn morning

When I come across an environment with no predetermined workflow or image in mind, I begin to build my scene around the light. For this autumnal scene, I knew that the rising sun would make for some fantastic bokeh patterns and shapes. With my lens pointed towards the sky, I began to search for my foreground point of focus. My goal was to find a strong, heavy subject to counterbalance the alluring light and texture in the background, and this rocking chair had the ideal amount of interest needed.

canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/8000s, iso 100, manual stitch, exposure blend + tripod

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My chosen focal length was very important to this scene as there is much interest to balance, and I did not want any particular element to draw too much attention. I tried different focal lengths with my other prime lenses, but again the 24mm provided me with the distances I desired – the sky and trees were just far enough away to not overpower the rocking chair, but weren’t too distant so that they faded into a sea of blur.

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eagle lake Iv

canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/8000s, iso 100, aperture

I did not set out to capture this kind of photo initially. Actually, I had just finished photographing an autumn vista with my lens set at f/16. When I saw the incredible light that was being cast on the individual leaves, I switched my aperture to something more appropriate for bokeh (f/1.4) and started to look for some symmetry between the maple leaves and the coastline.

In most situations, I find light to be the first aspect I consider when composing my image. This works especially well for landscape photography, where you have only ambient light to work with and need to rely on your camera skills to manipulate the scene to your liking. I decided to frame this image in a way that balanced out the weight of the busy pattern of the leaves. The coastline to the right had already fallen into shadow, so it became a solid, dense shape with no distracting highlights. This provided the symmetry and balance I was looking for.

When your histogram is within a reasonable

Although there was still some direct light from

range - meaning you do not have to take extra

the sun, the treeline along the coast blocked

steps to correct for under/overdeveloped

it from being cast onto the water. This lack of

areas of your frame - then your workflow

reflected highlights helped to avoid exposure

becomes much less limited and more free

blending, which would have been quite

flowing. This photo was taken handheld

difficult as the height of my tripod could not

with auto-focus; two things I typically do not

get this particular vantage point. If the sun

do with my camera. However, since I wasn’t

was still being reflected off of the water, the

limited by exposure differences, I did not

highlights would not only be distracting, but

have to bracket the frame. Instead, I had the

could have blown my exposure.

freedom to shoot quickly, without a tripod.

Eagle Lake II

canon 24mm f/1.4L @ f/1.4, 1/1600s, iso 100, manual stitch, exposure blend + tripod

One of the many reasons why I love landscape photography is that you’re able to completely throw out any concrete ideas you originally had for a shoot, and come out with something better than what you had planned on. Even when I do have a solid plan beforehand, I find myself constantly amending it in the field - and more often than not, the result is completely unexpected and beyond satisfying. Nature is a place where I have total creative freedom, and this is an important part to enjoying my photography.

A good example of this “philosophy” set in motion would be this image here. I love to visit Eagle Lake in Acadia National Park - especially with no intentions. Although I usually don’t shoot during the midafternoon, it was a particularly beautiful one with puffy, cumulus clouds - which of course is an exception. I had originally set up my tripod to capture The Bubbles (the two mountains in the distance) in sharp focus, but I then noticed the incredibly defined roots in the foreground. The intricate path they weaved caught my eye, and I immediately thought they would make for a strong foreground subject - and when I find a strong foreground, my thoughts switch to bokeh.

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about christopher Through my work, I like to show a vantage point that is rarely seen in reality; a show of beauty, emotion, and serenity. There are countless mesmerizing scenes among us that are often hidden from society. My goal is to expose them to the world so that I may share the wonders I have seen. My work changes like the seasons of New England, which always presents me with surreal opportunities to create something unique. I encourage you to visit my website for further learning as I have written several articles on the basics of photography and beyond, as well as to see my latest work.