Depth Of Field - 4 SIMPLE ways to control your DOF in Wildlife Photography

Depth of field and the effect it can have in wildlife photography is key to taking better images. In this video, Pangolin Photo Host, Danielle Carstens explains what depth of field is and the four ways which you can control it to your creative advantage.
Learn more about the depth of field, focal length, and hyperfocal distance here: www.pangolinph...
Timestamps
0:53 What is Depth of Field
1:40 The distance between you and the subject
2:20 The distance between the subject and the background
3:30 Examples of background blurring
5:25 The effect of focal length on the depth of field
7:10 The effect of aperture on the depth of field
Here is a comprehensive article on the subject on our website www.pangolinph...
Welcome to our channel which is dedicated to the wonderful world of wildlife photography. We endeavour to load one new video every week featuring beginner to advanced photo skills, editing tutorials, hacks and gear reviews. We are based in Northern Botswana in The Chobe National Park and we invite you to travel here, either virtually or physically, and we will do our very best to make you a better wildlife and nature photographer. Enjoy the channel.
Pangolin Photo Safaris packages ► www.pangolinph...
#wildlifephotography #naturephotography #photographytips

[@PangolinWildlife]

CORRECTION: The graphic overlay for point 2 should read - Increase the distance and not decrease. The verbal explanation is correct. Apologies.

[@pieter8027]

Dankie weereens Danielle. Het geweet maar was nie 100% seker nie. Soos altyd gee jy meer duidelikheid. Thanks a lot again. 👌

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

@@pieter8027 Baie dankie Pieter, waardeer die gawe woorde!

[@Henry30065]

Very well explained with many excellent examples. Well done Danielle. Alun

[@daniellecarstens8287]

My mistake - meant to say "increase" the distance between subject and background.

[@hcp0scratch]

I would say that I forgive because you are so darn pretty, but that would be sexist I suppose :)

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

@@hcp0scratch Lol

[@barnaclewatcher4060]

Glad you corrected that, thought I was going crazy, kept replaying it thinking I heard it wrong. But very good video series!!! Keep up the good work!

[@chillsterdlux]

POP ! LOVE THE WAY U SAY IT😊

[@paulcrosland6693]

fantastic Danielle,well explained

[@mansoreaa]

I love your videos 🌷

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thank you!

[@richardruda267]

Nice explanation Danielle

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Hi Richard, thank you!

[@wendyhaymans9991]

Very helpful information. Thank you for posting photos of the examples!

[@HR-wd6cw]

Aperture is the most obvious and what people are always taught when learning photography, and this is correct, but also be mindful of the focal length too, especially if you are close to your subject (say 15 ft away with a 300mm lens, shooting wide open at say 2.8). Your entire subject may not be in focus because of the compression and smaller DOF from being close, using a larger aperture, and zooming in. I would say experiment at home with subjects at various distances and distances from their backgrounds so you can learn at what distances, what apertures might be appropriate to get your whole subject in focus while keeping a blurry background. Once you can sort of figure this out, then it makes it easier in the field when you're trying to shoot something and are constantly moving around with little time to think about things.... I would say if you're up close to your subject and sooting even 70mm+, even at apertures like f/4 or f/5.6 that might be enough to blur your background and get the entire animal in sharp focus, providing the background is far enough away. 2.8 at close range on a long-zoom lens may be too shallow DOF< but again, by experimenting on your own is the best way to figure this out.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Indeed, thanks for the input! Danielle

[@benwiles7433]

As usual, a good summary that is readily usable and applicable in many situations

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Hello Ben, thanks for the ongoing support!

[@tkermi]

Well explained with good example photos, thank you Danielle 😊. For a while now I have referred my photographer friends (especially the ones still new to wildlife photography) to your and other Pangolin videos.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thank you! We appreciate the support very much.

[@howardhack655]

Great summary broken down in 4 sensible steps

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks Howard. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@NikCan66]

Another brilliant video tutorial from tbr oracles of wildlife photography

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thanks for the support!

[@QVL75]

Excellent explanations and examples. I think “stopping down” in aperture terminology refers to increasing the f-stop numbers (which will increase the depth of field).

[@agostino9624]

Davvero ottimi suggerimenti. Grazie ;)

[@PangolinWildlife]

Prego! Molte grazie. Danielle

[@haroldmassey5966]

Thanks for the explanation on the depth of field. The animals in your area of the world are quite diverse and very beautiful. Thanks for the video’s.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thanks Harold. Indeed, Africa is a very unique place!

[@dilanjayawickrama2469]

Thanks for the information 👍

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Cheers Dilan!

[@richardtadman]

Although it's pretty obvious when pointed out I hadn't registered the background effect of shooting down on a subject verses eye-level or shooting upwards. I knew to avoid shooting down but Danielle explained it well. We live and learn! Thank you.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Hi Richard. Thank you! Please note: I made a mistake in saying "decrease the distance between subject and background". It should indeed be "increase" as in the explanation following :-) So take note of the explanation, not the wording

[@richardtadman]

@@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005 Thanks for the clarification Danielle. I knew exactly what you meant so it didn't even register with me. Appreciate the clarification though. Still intending to join you all in Chobe in 2021, after this year's issues pandemic permitting.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

@@richardtadman That's a relief. Can't believe I'd make a mistake after going over the video 100 times before exporting it :-) We're looking forward to having you in Chobe once all this is over!

[@krishnar3493]

Thank you, Danielle.

[@PangolinWildlife]

You're welcome Krishna! Danielle

[@dimitristsagdis7340]

Very good advice and clear explanation.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thank you Dimitris!

[@robertdavis1255]

Great video.... Thanks for comments & sharing... Keep up the good work..

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thank you Robert, appreciate it!

[@dazsly]

Nice thanks

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you! -Danielle

[@josdenis3684]

Crystal clear explanation as always. Thank you!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hey Jos thanks! Danielle

[@dougbottrell4751]

Subject well explained, and changing the focal length of your lens could be the difference between a 'picture record' and the 'wow factor pic'. Many thanks for the continued hints and tips. Doug B. Nottingham (UK)

[@anitarajputani]

Very well explained Thanks

[@PangolinWildlife]

You are welcome

[@MrsMinx50]

Nice tutorial good explanation , loved your photo's , thank you for sharing

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thanks May!

[@tanweercaa]

Excellent video.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thank you Tanweer, appreciate the support!

[@guyjackson4143]

I was aware of three of the methods. The subject to background distance I did not know. Thank you for explaining all four in simple and easy to understand terms and examples. Excellent video! Please keep up the good work and photographs. It's the only way I'll ever see Africa. I still love the accent.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Hi Guy. Thank you! Please note: I made a mistake in saying "decrease the distance between subject and background". It should indeed be "increase" as in the explanation following :-) So take note of the explanation, not the wording.

[@dayalanpadayachy]

Thanks for an informative, well presented topic. Great work Danielle :-)

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Hi Dayalan, thanks for the kind words and support!

[@migueljohnson432]

Thanks much Danielle, as always a pleasure listening to you. Very well done.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you kindly!

[@raylander6329]

👍🏾😎 great video, Danielle; thank you

[@PangolinWildlife]

You are so welcome!

[@ZOly62]

Nice video and examples. Very clear with good explantions. I am not begginer in photography, but I really enjoyed in your presentation. It is always good to remember basics. Well done!

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thanks Zeljiko :-)

[@processserver8470]

Great sinopsis 📸👍✅ Greetings from Greenwich London ⚓️⛵️🏰 🍀🌹

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thank you! Hope you are all holding up alright over there!

[@acrapid7845]

4 SIMPLE ways to control your DOF NOT ONLY in Wildlife Photography)). Thank you).

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you! Danielle

[@keithmacdonald4805]

Another great video, I have watched every one of your videos and they are all very informative. Thanks very much for your efforts.

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thank you very much Keith! Please note: I made a mistake in saying "decrease the distance between subject and background". It should indeed be "increase" as in the explanation following :-) So take note of the explanation, not the wording)

[@Bushcraft242]

Thank you very much

[@PangolinWildlife]

You are welcome! Danielle

[@cristianandreica5665]

Well done! Greetings from Romania!

[@noam054]

great

[@nitinvarik3237]

Very nice video it's very useful thanks 👍

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thanks Nitin!

[@eikohariu8460]

Thank you very much for explanation - i like how you show the comparison! Thank you.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Eiko, you're welcome, thanks for the kind words. Danielle

[@subodhraje7756]

Danielle nicely explained. Started photography hobby recently, loving it ! Thinking of visiting Pangolin sometime. Thanks !

[@joncothranphotography9375]

Great explanation! Thanks!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Glad it was helpful! Danielle

[@AjaySingh-228]

Nice Explanation

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thanks!

[@AjaySingh-228]

@@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005 you are welcome

[@sujeevagunaratne5755]

Thank you very much Very nicely explained .. I am learning a lot from your videos .Thanks again

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hello Sujeeva, you're welcome, happy to have you here! Danielle

[@Pedro_Is]

Nice tutorial, Danielle., as are the others i've watched. Thank you and the Pangolin team. By the way, nice chalenge having people shooting on the move against the sun, like on 23" :-) !. Thankfully elephants are the subjects

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Pedro thanks a lot! Danielle

[@berndneumann3648]

Thank you for your video - i like to see all your videos. Hope to see you once the Pandemie went away

[@PangolinWildlife]

I hope so too!

[@raylander6329]

Thank you, Danielle, another great video from Pangolin; hope you guys have fun; Africa still closed to travel ?

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Hello Ray. Thank you. Certain African countries are open for travel :-)

[@raylander6329]

Great to know, we’ll be there in May 2021; can’t wait

[@jrd33]

Good video. And for the sake of completeness, method 5: add blur in Photoshop :-)

[@PangolinWildlife]

Oh yes...add that! ;-) Danielle

[@jrnmiranda1]

👍👌✌

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

:-)

[@joaomiranda9639]

Hello Danielle Thank you for passing on your knowledge. Ace is very difficult to take very focused and clear photos of birds in the middle of the branches. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hello Joao - yes that's very difficult. What you can do is to use just a single focus point, or switch to manual focus (lens & body) to prevent the camera from automatically picking the branches to focus on. -Danielle

[@joaomiranda9639]

@@PangolinWildlife thanks Danielle. Best regards

[@saxon1177]

I guessed them all, do I get a free trip to Africa and a 14 day chauffeured photo shoot with Danielle?

[@PangolinWildlife]

Ha ha! Well done...

[@PangolinWildlife]

Haha, the free trip I can't give you but the photo safari with me we can do! -Danielle

[@saxon1177]

@@PangolinWildlife But ... I won. 😢 😉

[@sabareeshsambu9829]

Very helpful... Nice presentation But look in to video quality.. I feel it like over exposed

[@danielle-pangolinphotohost1005]

Thanks Sabareesh. Trying our best at becoming videographers - not easy when filming yourself as a one man show ;-)

[@sabareeshsambu9829]

All the best ❤️

[@aljo.antony]

Increase the distance between the subject and background.

[@daniellecarstens8287]

My mistake. Meant to say "increase"