The proximity of the photographer to the subject, and the subject to the background have the most impact in the photograph’s depth of field. For Sports, Portrait, and Close-Up photography, a primary desire is to achieve an uncluttered background that helps to make the subject jump out. Depth of Field is the area both in front of and behind the spot of perfect focus, Subjects in perfect focus that are farther away from the camera have a deeper depth of focus than do subjects in perfect focus that are close to the camera.
For example, look at these three images that capture a player in action. All three have a cluttered background – as is often found in gyms. Yet only one photograph (far right) contains action that really stands out. The main reason has to do with the impact that subject proximity has on the image Depth of Field.
In the photos below, notice how different the DOF is based on the proximity of the camera to the subject, and the subject to the background. In the left photo the background is much farther away than the photo on the right. With the subject close, and the background distant, that nice blurred effect helps to make the subject stand out. The photo on the right stands out as well, but more for the color since the background is only slightly blurred. The close proximity of the background on the right adds a bit more clutter than on the other two photos.
If you have no choice but to be far from the subject, look for a different angle that brings more uniformity (empty seats, walls, water, walls) to remove clutter from the background.
RELATED TOPICS: DEPTH OF FIELD