What is Depth of Field in Real Estate Photography?

The concept of photography is all about capturing a certain subject or landscape to preserve a specific moment. To do this, most photographers opt to blur the subject’s background to add distinction to the main attraction of the photo.

Moreover, they use it to provide emphasis to the subject’s entirety. With the right instructions, a photographer can grasp this technique easily.

The blurring of the background is referred to as the depth of field (DOF). In a nutshell, the depth of field provides direction to photographers for them to know whether the subject or the entire frame is focused, or if only a certain part of the scene is blurred.

While this technique is effectively utilized in any kind of photography, it is more applicable to real estate photography. The proper utilization of the camera’s depth of field will showcase the property’s highlights, mainly focusing on the marketable features that the house has.

The depth of field is highly reliant on the camera’s capability to work well with light.

First, the camera lens redirects the available light to the camera’s sensor. Then, the pieces of glass within the lens will adjust the light rays, motioning for them to meet at the image sensor. When the points of light meet at the sensor, it indicates that the subject is in focus.

Meanwhile, the points of light that meet before or after the image sensor are considered blurry or out of focus. It requires patience and attention to detail as each turn of the lens or any slight movement may skew the achieved focus.

The focus is also determined by the photographer’s distance to the subject. Using a camera lens with a longer focal length may produce a narrow angle view, with the image’s focal point being farther than usual.

On the other hand, a lens with a shallow focal length can also be a substitute for a wide angle lens, which captures a wider view, but doesn’t necessarily emphasize the scene’s details. If the real estate photographer is photographing the house’s exterior, it is best to use lenses with a shallow focal length, to completely capture the property’s expanse. However, if the main subject is the house’s interiors and salient features, it is recommended to use a longer focal length.

Moreover, the depth of field serves as a guide regarding the certain extent of how the subject will remain sharp. A shallow depth of field can be tricky, for any object straying from the mandated distance will come out blurry.

At the same time, a wider depth of field gives focus to several objects even though the photographer is significantly farther from the subject. The depth of field the photographer will utilize will depend on the level of exposure and emphasis they would like the subject to have.

The camera’s aperture also plays a crucial role. Through this, the photographer can control how much light the camera absorbed through an opening in the lens.

Remember the following:

• The larger the opening, the more light the camera takes in to interconnect more points of light.
• The wider the aperture level, the shorter the distance it requires to produce a sharper subject.
• It is recommended for real estate photographers to use a wider aperture when it comes to focusing on the home’s features, while a smaller aperture level can make almost everything within the frame focused.

Above all, most photographers utilize this technique in order to magnify the central subject or the scene’s entirety while real estate photographers may use this technique to focus on the property’s selling points and specific features, which will effectively catch prospective buyers’ and realtors’ attention.

Last modified: March 19, 2021