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Point of Focus

Lesson 37 from: Mastering Your Digital Camera

Chris Weston

Point of Focus

Lesson 37 from: Mastering Your Digital Camera

Chris Weston

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Lesson Info

37. Point of Focus

Where do you place the focal point in an image? Pick up focusing tactics for stronger images in this lesson.
Next Lesson: Depth of Field

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Lesson Info

Point of Focus

The obvious thing to focus on is the subject. But this raises the question. What is the subject? And while the subject, maybe the obvious thing to focus on, it's not always the right thing. For example, when photographing people or animals most of the time is critical, the ISA sharp because it's through the eyes, we make an emotional connection with subject. So when I'm photographing wildlife, I have to be attentive to the exact position of the focus sensor, making sure it's trained on the eyes and not, for example, on the chest or the nose. This becomes even more important when using a telephoto lenses, because increased focal length means reduced depth of field. The same approach applies in portrait photography. A great portrait reveals the character of the person being photographed through the eyes. If the eyes aren't sharp, the connection is lost because, as I explained, in Less and three of the third module, human beings focus their attention on objects at a sharp, and we ignore o...

bjects that a blurred If the eyes are blurred through poor focus technique, we ignore them, and we lose that all important connection. Moving away from wildlife animals and people in a landscape or cityscape. Everything in the image space may be the subject, which means everything needs to be sharp. In this instance, the focus point needs to be set on the point that gives the most depth of field very roughly 1/3 of the way into the frame. This is a technique known as hyper focal distance focusing, which I explain in detail in less and five of this module moving subjects need even more thought, because you have to anticipate what's going to happen, not just react to what is happening. For example, in this scene, a meta Faulcon re center photographing an eagle owl in flight. Now I know from experience that when the hour takes off, it will immediately drop towards the ground. If I position the out in the middle of the frame using the center a F point when it takes off, it will immediately drop out of the frame. So instead, I position the bird in an upper corner of the viewfinder. Setting one of the outlying focus senses is the active sensor. Now, when the hour takes off, it drops into the frame rather than out of it. and focus tracking kicks in To keep it in focus, you'll find out how to best use focus tracking in less than six. So it's important when focusing not to just point and shoot. Be attentive to which part of your subject or seen where sharpness is critical and make sure the active focus sensor is trained on that specific point.

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Ratings and Reviews

mark jacobson
 

What a marvelous course! What a marvelous teacher! When I went to college, my father would always ask me about my professors, more than the courses themselves. He was passionate about learning and although too busy with earning an income to go beyond an undergrad degree, continued to read 50 books a year. I still remember how he'd get almost visibly excited when I'd tell him about some special professor who taught with such enthusiasm and, more than just passion, evident delight and joy in the subject. 'Ah they're the best, son. How wonderful you have such a teacher." Well, he passed away decades ago but if he were still around I'd get a kick out of telling him about Chris Weston, the 'Prof' of this course. He's one of the very special ones: a teacher who's loved and lived his vocation--his avocation--since he was a boy--and still is as excited about it now as he was then. The result: a course that seems to be more a labor of love--of pouring far more energy and thought into the details then one typically finds in these courses--than anything else. Bravo Chris! I'm already on to your next one.

user-6402bf
 

Chris is an amazing instructor who dissects theory giving amazing analogies that bring concepts to life. I have rarely been able to sit through most video course for more than a half-hour but watched this one from beginning to end. A good refresher course if you've been away from the camera for awhile or there are some concepts that still illude you. I highly recommend this course and look forward to watching his others. Thank you for the clarity and great explanations.

Sky Bergman
 

This was an amazing class. I have looked at a number of basic photography classes. This one was by far the best I have seen. Chris is an exceptional teacher. He breaks things down into digestible information and then inspires you to be creative. Thank you!

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