How can you create a soft foreground/background blend like this in-camera?
Asked 2/20/2014
3 views
2 answers
0
In this portrait, the transition from the sharp subject to the blurred foreground and background looks unusually soft. Is this likely just shallow depth of field from a wide aperture, or was it probably created with a special in-camera setup or added in post-processing? If it can be done in-camera, what techniques or tools are commonly used to get this effect?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
2
A better resolution image would help giving a definitive answer.
That said, I'm not sure that a long focal was used, I would think maybe 50mm. Regarding the depth of field, the foremost part of the "blanket" (very bottom of photo) is also sharp even though it is probably 15cm or more before the baby's face, whereas the "hat" gets blurred only a couple of centimeters further. It is possible with careful manual focussing (a few centimeters in front of the face), or a tilt-shift lens could have been used (allowing a focal plane not parallel to that of the film/sensor...)... but in fact the focal plane doesn't even seem a plane at all. The sharpness also seems to subside in a way that seems unnatural for purely lens shallow DOF, it's too "brutal" even by digital standards.
Additionnally, the blanket becomes strangely blurred and blended into the background just in front/right of the baby's hands, and below/left of the feet. This looks like post-production blurring to me, not purely optical.
Finally, there is no sharp interface between the baby and the background itself, which makes me suspect that the original background was completely replaced altogether with some masking/paintbrushing/...
All in all an interesting picture anyway (although a bit artificial looking ?).
Originally by user26278. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user26278
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Based on the answers, this effect could be done a few ways, and it’s hard to be certain from one low-resolution image.
A wide aperture such as f/1.8 or f/1.4 can create very shallow depth of field, giving soft blur in front of and behind the subject. Careful manual focusing can also place the sharp area exactly where wanted.
However, several clues suggest it may be more than normal shallow DOF: parts of the foreground appear sharp while nearby areas fall off very abruptly, which can look unnatural for lens blur alone. That points to either:
- a diffusion/filter technique in front of the lens, such as a shaped translucent material or even diffusion applied to a clear/UV filter
- a tilt-shift lens changing the plane of focus
- post-processing blur added selectively
So the most accurate conclusion is: it might be partly shallow depth of field, but the unusually shaped and abrupt blur likely comes from a special filter/diffusion method or post-processing rather than aperture alone.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I create a sharp subject with a streaked or motion-blurred background?
How can I get a sharp subject with a strongly blurred background without using Photoshop?
How do macro photographers create smooth, complementary backgrounds in wildlife shots?
How can I get a gray or black background in a portrait?
How can macro photos get such rich detail, contrast, and deep depth of field?