Hows my DOF

[mxracer535]

I was just messing around and taking some shots in my room just to work on DOF and different angles.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3488192742_d9dd71da11.jpg

[RMXSeven]

Hey there,

Personally, I would have focused right at the leading edge of the acoustic hole, and gone up a few f-stops to get more of the guitar and strings in focus.
Depending on the texture of the wall, I don't think it would take away from the shot too much.
I like the angle :)
Maybe crop the stand at the top.
#What f-stop did you shoot this at?

Although, I am still a n00b ;)

Ronen

[tonydee]

I've never read such a guideline anywhere, but personally I feel that for shallow DOF work it's better to have the eye travel through more of the shot before reaching the focused area - which is exactly what you've done here. If focus is too "close" to the foreground, while still being shallow, then the eye stops before it's really got into the picture properly. You don't have a particularly shallow DOF here, so that's only partly relevant, but having the DOF reach further down the guitar would definitely encourage the eye to settle first around the sound hole - which is literally and figuratively a black hole - instead of carrying the eye smoothly over it as you've successfully done.

Ideally, I'd like to see focus going soft again before the top edge, so the eye isn't encouraged to follow the fretboard up and out of the image.

Cheers, Tony

[Sisyphus]

...personally I feel that for shallow DOF work it's better to have the eye travel through more of the shot before reaching the focused area - which is exactly what you've done here. If focus is too "close" to the foreground, while still being shallow, then the eye stops before it's really got into the picture properly.

Tony, interesting take on this and something to bear in mind when the situation arises. One of the reasons I like reading these forums. :idea:

[mxracer535]

Thanks, and very well put Tony

I didnt focus on the sound hole just because i knew that with it being such a focal point of the guitar that the eye would naturally go there first, so i wanted to focus on the fret board right above it in order to to use the strings/fret to carry the eye upward. As you mentioned, the focus going soft again would have been nice tho