Pascal Baetens. Nude Photography. The Art and The Craft. 2007

(Elle) #1

sharpness & blur


sharpness & blur 97

There are many factors that influence our


response to a photograph. a picture will mean


different things to different people, but for me the


key element of an image is its emotional impact.


Of course technical excellence is important


too, but as a photographer you shouldn’t let


technical concerns restrict your creativity. One of


the ways that we judge the quality of an image is


its sharpness. but does every


picture need to be sharp? I


don’t think so. Just look at the


work of the pictorialists in the


history chapter—they were


actively searching for


techniques to avoid


sharpness. portrait


photographers often use soft


focus to mask imperfections


or to create romantic effects.


sharpness, unsharpness, or partial sharpness


is a technical choice. but a technical choice has


no value unless there’s an idea behind it, you


have to have a concept, to know the why as well


as the how, or the image will lack authenticity.


You might choose to make your image


completely unsharp, to create mystery or to


abstract the subject. This can be achieved


through movement of the model, the camera,


or both, or by simply defocusing. partial


sharpness, where the subject is sharp and the
setting blurred, is achieved by using a wide
aperture to reduce depth of field. This draws
attention to a specific area of the image and
is an effective way of creating a connection
with the viewer. The technique is often used in
portraiture, with the focus on the eye closest to
the camera. another type of partial sharpness,
where the setting is sharp
but the subject is blurred,
is created when the subject
is moving. The degree of
unsharpness depends on
whether you keep your
camera still, or follow the
movement of your subject.
This effect can suggest
dynamism, energy, or
restlessness. sometimes,
the sharpness of the image is determined by
circumstance; for example, when you lack light.
On these occasions, understanding the effects
of unsharpness and what it can add to an image
will enable you to turn a disadvantage into an
opportunity. however you use unsharpness you
should always ask yourself: what is this going to
add to my image, is this the best way to create
this effect, and will it create the emotional impact
that I’m aiming for?

A technical


choice has no


value unless


there’s an idea


behind it



‘‘

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