A few weeks back I started playing with Depth of Field in my home studio. I had no problem with this outdoors, but in the studio I struggled to get the desired effect. So one evening I decided I’ll go practice a bit on my always willing prop Lenie and my frogs that never made it to their destination in my garden but rather stayed in my bathroom and studio as props. I moved her around on the studio floor further and further from the background till I ran out of laminated flooring. Ooops that’s going to be a bit of a problem. I am not a great fan of editing to much and to clone floor the whole time will not do it for me…  I moved the floor towards me to see what the effect will be in the background.

I then asked my eldest if he would mind being my live subject so that I can practice some more. I told him to move forward and backwards to the side and so on. My first photo of Armand came out all wrong. Armand was all out of focus and the background was in focus. Not what I had in mind. I practiced some more and after moving around allot I got it right. Armand in focus and background was out of focus….

Then my husband came to the studio and decided that he had to change the setting a bit. My frogs got moved next to Armand. I took some photo’s and then I told him what I am trying to achieve…. Oooooh okay was his reply and he moved the frogs back to their original positions. I still had the problem of the gap at the back. You can see the tiles and this I wanted to prevent.  When I am the same level as the subject it’s fine, but as soon as I sit up then I see the tiles. Luckily I still had 2 extra pieces of laminated flooring so I put that in at the back in the mean while.

I made little crosses on the flooring so that I can show my clients were to stand  so that I can get  desired effect I want. I just love experimenting but my boys on the other hand are not so keen on mommy using them as her subjects.  So for the next experiment Lenie and the frogs will have to do…