Are intentionally out-of-focus portraits a real photography trend?
Asked 10/11/2018
55 views
2 answers
0
I’ve seen some portrait-style images where the person is noticeably out of focus, sometimes with more attention on the background or another element. Is this an actual photography trend or style? When can an out-of-focus person work creatively, and when is it just a missed-focus shot?
Originally by user78253. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user78253
8y ago
2 Answers
9
I don't think there is any such trend. However, there are ways to use focus, or out of focus, to create interesting photographs. See this article at digital-photography-school.com
Some of these approach modern art for me (meh) but others are quite good. Take for instance this shot:
Or this one:
The person may be oof but they're not quite the subject, are they? The point of these shots is to make something else the subject, while using the person to add context and interest.
In the case of your portraits, try having your subject do what they love: play an instrument, sport, game, etc. Then, make the thing the subject and experiment with that.
Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user67377
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There isn’t a well-defined portrait trend whose goal is simply to make the main subject blurry. More often, intentional blur is a creative choice used to shift attention elsewhere.
If the person is out of focus but still helps tell the story, the real subject may be something else in the frame—an object, activity, environment, or mood—while the person adds context. In that case, the blur can work.
If the image is meant to be a straightforward portrait and the subject’s eyes or face are unintentionally soft, that’s usually just missed focus rather than a recognized style.
So the key question is: what is the actual subject of the photo? If focus is placed on something meaningful and the person supports that idea, the technique can be effective. If the person is supposed to be the subject and nothing else is emphasized, it usually reads as a technical mistake.
Social-media likes alone don’t confirm that it’s a photographic trend—they may just reflect that people found the image interesting.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I avoid a blown-out background in portraits with bright windows or sky?
Can inanimate subjects appear to be “looking” out of the frame in a photo?
When is centering the subject a good choice in an environmental portrait?
Can a portrait still be a portrait if the subject’s face isn’t visible?
How can I keep two people sharp in a portrait while using shallow depth of field?