In most cases, we strive for clean, sharply focused photos, but creative focus, such as out-of-focus and selective focus, can bring a new dimension to your photographs. You can try out different types of focus.
1. COMPLETE BACKGROUND BLUR
The blurred background, or Bokeh Background, is one of the easiest techniques to master. You can achieve this by focusing on your subject and using a wide-opening aperture (f/1.8). This will help your subject stand out from the background and create that dreamy swirly background everyone loves.
2. SLIGHT BACKGROUND BLUR
You may want to focus on the whole scene when you shoot a cityscape, or a landscape. Set your to a setting between f/3.5 and f/5.6. This will blur the background, while keeping the subject in focus. This will help the viewer get a feel for the location without distracting from the subject or making it look too busy.
3. Selective Focus
You can add mood and interest to your image by focusing on an object instead of your subject.
This technique is a good way to tell a story and it is also an excellent “warm-up shot” if you are not sure if your subject will be comfortable in front the camera . You can make them feel more relaxed by letting them understand that the subject is slightly out-of-focus and the prop/object is the main focal point.
4. MOTION BLUR
There are many possibilities when it comes to motion blur. This technique is popular among street photography but can be used for any type of photography. Your subject should be as still and as steady as possible as you’ll be using a low shutter speed. (Somewhere around 1/20 depending on the lighting, and how fast you want the blurred object to move).
As I said, this technique is very versatile. Think about how you could use it in your own style of photography. Use motion blur to capture the bouquet toss at weddings. If you are a photographer, capture motion blur on the playground when your children are playing.
5. Total Blur (OUT OF FOCUS)
If you really want to try something extreme, make the whole scene out of focus! Although shooting in soft focus, or out of focused, may appear easy and not be appealing to everyone, taking photos that are completely out of focal point is an art form.
You can achieve this effect by setting your lens to manual focus and twisting the focusing ring to the desired blur. To create an impressionistic, painterly look, you may want to make the image out of focus.
You may also want to slightly blur the image so your viewers can still get a feel for the scene.
Here are a few examples to show you what can be done with different types of focusing. Pick up your camera and experiment!